Server Paradrop Delivery Function Reference

Server Paradrop Delivery Function Reference (Paratroopers / Ammo / Vehicle)

Source-verified 2026-06-21 against master 0139a346. Paths relative to Missions/[55-2hc]warfarev2_073v48co.chernarus/ unless noted. Arma 2 OA 1.64.

Three server-side scripts deliver air support to a clicked map position: Support_Paratroopers.sqf (AI infantry by parachute), Support_ParaAmmo.sqf (ammo crates by parachute) and Support_ParaVehicles.sqf (a repair/cargo vehicle by parachute). They share a common skeleton — map-edge spawn-point selection, a CARELESS pilot, a fly-to-target loop, a payload drop, then a fly-home/cleanup loop — but each handles its payload differently. The atlas and player guide name these scripts and cover cost/authority; this page documents the function bodies those pages omit. Player-facing costs and cooldowns live in Tactical support menu player guide; authority gaps live in Support specials and tactical modules atlas.

Dispatch and binding

All three are compiled at server init and invoked from the RequestSpecial → HandleSpecial server router. The argument array is [<caseKey>, _side, _destination, _playerTeam] (select 1/2/3), where <caseKey> is the dispatch string ("Paratroops", "ParaAmmo", or "ParaVehi") consumed by Server_HandleSpecial.sqf:5's switch (_args select 0) before the full array is passed on; _destination is the clicked position and _playerTeam is the requesting commander's group. (The AI wildcard W4 bypasses this router and calls Support_Paratroopers.sqf directly with nil at element 0 — see table row below.)

Fact	Value	Citation
Compile binding (ammo)	KAT_ParaAmmo = Compile preprocessFile "Server\Support\Support_ParaAmmo.sqf";	Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:46
Compile binding (paratroopers)	KAT_Paratroopers = Compile preprocessFile "...Support_Paratroopers.sqf";	Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:47
Compile binding (vehicle)	KAT_ParaVehicles = Compile preprocessFile "...Support_ParaVehicles.sqf";	Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:48
Router case Paratroops	_args spawn KAT_Paratroopers;	Server/Functions/Server_HandleSpecial.sqf:43-44
Router case ParaVehi	_args spawn KAT_ParaVehicles;	Server/Functions/Server_HandleSpecial.sqf:47-48
Router case ParaAmmo	_args spawn KAT_ParaAmmo;	Server/Functions/Server_HandleSpecial.sqf:51-52
Second paratrooper caller (AI commander wildcard W4, Airborne Assault)	[nil, _side, _destination, _cmdTeam] Spawn (Compile preprocessFile "Server\Support\Support_Paratroopers.sqf"); (level forced to 3, then restored)	Server/Functions/AI_Commander_Wildcard.sqf:614-621

Shared lifecycle skeleton

Every script runs the same five phases. Line numbers below are per script.

Phase	Behaviour	Paratroopers	ParaAmmo	ParaVehicles
Spawn-point pick	If WFBE_BOUNDARIESXY is set, build 4 map-corner points at z 400+random(200) with dirs [45,145,225,315]; else fall back to a 2-point set at [0,0]/[15000,0] with dirs [45,315]	:14-26	:12-24	:12-24
Index into points	_ran chosen randomly over the point set	_ran = floor(random count _ranPos) :44	_ran = round(random((count _ranPos)-1)) :27	_ran = round(random((count _ranPos)-1)) :27
Transport group	One "paradrop" group via WFBE_CO_FNC_CreateGroup	:45	:28	:28
Pilot posture	Group setBehaviour 'CARELESS', setCombatMode 'STEALTH', pilot disableAI 'AUTOTARGET'/'TARGET'	:59-61	:34-37	:35-38
Move out / loop / move home	AIMoveTo to target, poll loop until arrival/death/timeout, AIMoveTo back to spawn, poll loop, cleanup	:92-147	:38,45-52,96-108	:39,51-58,78-90

Notes that apply to all three:

• WFBE_BOUNDARIESXY is set per-island in Common/Init/Init_Boundaries.sqf:28 (and :35); when no island boundaries are defined it stays nil and the scripts use the 2-point fallback.
• The pilot CARELESS/STEALTH posture set above is immediately re-stamped by AIMoveTo, which forces setCombatMode "RED", setBehaviour "AWARE", setFormation "COLUMN", setSpeedMode "FULL" on the group (Server/AI/Orders/AI_MoveTo.sqf:6-9). AIMoveTo = Compile preprocessFile "Server\AI\Orders\AI_MoveTo.sqf" (Server/Init/Init_Server.sqf:19); it appends a single AIWPAdd waypoint at the destination (AI_MoveTo.sqf:32). For these unset (non-AICOM) "paradrop" groups, wfbe_aicom_hc/wfbe_aicom_founded are nil, so the script reads 1-arg + isNil and treats them as false (AI_MoveTo.sqf:20-25).
• _vehicle setVehicleInit "[this, sideID] ExecVM 'Common\Init\Init_Unit.sqf';" then processInitCommands re-registers each transport as a side unit (Paratroopers :52,71; ParaAmmo :40-41; ParaVehicles :41-42).
• The transport's 'killed'/'Killed' EH routes to WFBE_CO_FNC_OnUnitKilled with the side id baked in (Paratroopers :51; ParaAmmo :39; ParaVehicles :40).
• Timeout is 500 s (time - _starttime > 500), and the outbound loop also aborts if the requesting team's leader is no longer a player (Paratroopers :101; ParaAmmo :48; ParaVehicles :54).

Faction payload variables

Each faction Core_Root file sets the per-side payload via Format ["WFBE_%1...", _side]. The scripts read these by side string. Citations below use CDF as the canonical example; every faction sets the same keys.

Variable	Read by	Meaning	Example (CDF)	Citation
WFBE_%1PARACHUTELEVEL<lvl>	Paratroopers :31	Unit-class array for the bought paradrop tier (levels 1-3)	['CDF_Soldier_TL',...]	Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_CDF.sqf:25-27
WFBE_%1PARACARGO	Paratroopers :32,50	Transport aircraft for paratroopers	'Mi17_CDF'	Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_CDF.sqf:29
WFBE_%1PILOT	Paratroopers :43; ParaAmmo :30; ParaVehicles :32	Pilot unit class	side default	Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_CDF.sqf
WFBE_%1PARAVEHI	ParaAmmo :29; ParaVehicles :29	Transport aircraft for the ammo/vehicle drop	'Mi17_CDF'	Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_CDF.sqf:34
WFBE_%1PARAAMMO	ParaAmmo :59	Array of crate classes to drop	['RUBasicAmmunitionBox','RUBasicWeaponsBox','RULaunchersBox']	Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_CDF.sqf:32
WFBE_%1PARAVEHICARGO	ParaVehicles :45	Vehicle class dropped under the transport	'BRDM2_CDF'	Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_CDF.sqf:33
WFBE_%1PARACHUTE	ParaAmmo :71; ParaVehicles :68	Parachute model the payload attaches to	'ParachuteMediumWest'	Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_CDF.sqf:35

The full per-faction variable list is in Faction root variables reference. Note the RU ammo-paradrop config caveat: WFBE_%1PARAAMMO is set at Common/Config/Core_Root/Root_RU.sqf:42 but the atlas flags a comment-swallow risk on the starting-vehicles line — see the atlas for the repair item.

Support_Paratroopers.sqf — function reference

Private[...] header at :1; args _side :3, _destination :4, _playerTeam :5; _sideID = _side Call GetSideID :6; _starttime = time :7. Returns nothing (spawned).

Step	Behaviour	Citation
Upgrade tier	_currentLevel = (_side Call WFBE_CO_FNC_GetSideUpgrades) select WFBE_UP_PARATROOPERS, then read WFBE_%1PARACHUTELEVEL%2	:29-31 (WFBE_UP_PARATROOPERS = 4, Common/Init/Init_CommonConstants.sqf:41)
Nil guard	exitWith if units or WFBE_%1PARACARGO model are nil	:34
Transport sizing	_vehicle_cargo = getNumber(CfgVehicles >> model >> 'transportSoldier'); exitWith if 0; _vehicle_count = ceil((count _units)/_vehicle_cargo)	:37-39
Build aircraft	Loop 1..vehicle_count: createVehicle [...,"FLY"], add killed EH, push to _vehicles, spawn pilot via WFBE_CO_FNC_CreateUnit + moveInDriver, doMove _destination, set CARELESS/STEALTH + disableAI, flyInHeight (300 + random 15), lockDriver true	:48-66
Load troops	forEach _units: spawn each unit into _playerTeam (note: the requesting team, not the transport group _grp — the _grp variant is commented out at :80), moveInCargo _vehicle, swap to next aircraft once _built_inf >= _vehicle_cargo	:78-87
Move to target	[_grp, _destination, "MOVE", 10] Call AIMoveTo	:92
Arrival loop	while {true}: sleep 1; abort on no-alive-vehicle, no-alive-driver, leader-not-player or time-_starttime > 500; set _greenlight=true when leader vehicle within 300 m of target	:96-106
Eject	If greenlight: _delay = if plane then 0.35 else 0.85; for each cargo unit (crew - [driver,gunner,commander]) action ["EJECT", vehicle], sleep _delay, then SendToClient the per-trooper HandleParatrooperMarkerCreation callback	:109-119
Fly home / fail	On greenlight, AIMoveTo back to spawn + arrival loop; else deleteVehicle each paratrooper	:121-138
Cleanup	Delete each transport's crew, then the vehicle, then deleteGroup _grp	:140-147

Statistics: [str _side,'VehiclesCreated',_built] Call UpdateStatistics :68 and [str _side,'UnitsCreated', _built] Call UpdateStatistics :89. Note _built is reused as the troop counter accumulator at :86 (_built = _built + _built_inf), so the UnitsCreated value at :89 reflects partially-filled aircraft accounting rather than a clean head count.

The per-trooper client callback HandleParatrooperMarkerCreation is registered as a PVF receiver at Common/Init/Init_PublicVariables.sqf:38; its client edge (revive marker) is documented in Paratrooper marker revival.

Support_ParaAmmo.sqf — function reference

Private[...] header :1; _args :3, _side :4, _sideID :5, _playerTeam :7. Single transport (no sizing loop). Returns nothing.

Step	Behaviour	Citation
Build transport	createVehicle WFBE_%1PARAVEHI [...,"FLY"], spawn pilot, moveInDriver, CARELESS/STEALTH, disableAI, AIMoveTo to target, add 'Killed' EH (via Call Compile), setVehicleInit + processInitCommands, flyInHeight (200 + random 20)	:29-42
Stats	VehiclesCreated 1 and UnitsCreated 1	:31-32
Outbound loop	sleep 1; abort on dead pilot/vehicle/null; on timeout (>500) or leader-not-player, setDammage 1 on cargo+pilot+vehicle and deleteGroup; exit when within 100 m	:45-52
Crate-drop spawn	[_vehicle,_side] Spawn { ... }: read WFBE_%1PARAAMMO (:59); exitWith WARNING if not an array (:60); forEach _ammos with sleep 0.8 between crates	:54-93
Per-crate chute	Nested [_chopper,_ammo,_side] Spawn: create WFBE_%1PARACHUTE at z 20, snap it to the chopper position minus 11 m and match dir, attachTo the crate, waitUntil {getPos _ammo select 2 < 3}, detach	:62-78
Re-create crate	After landing, capture type+pos, deleteVehicle _ammo, re-createVehicle the same class at the landed position, re-add the 'Killed' EH, sleep 5, then deleteVehicle _chute	:80-89
Fly home + cleanup	AIMoveTo back to spawn, arrival loop (200 m), deleteVehicle _pilot, deleteVehicle _vehicle, deleteGroup _grp	:96-108

Source caveat: the crate-respawn EH at :85 references _sideID inside the nested Spawn scope, but only _chopper, _ammo, _side are passed in (:67-69) — _sideID is the outer-script local and is not in scope there, so the formatted EH receives an undefined side id. The crate is detached, deleted, and re-spawned (:78-83) so the parachute can be removed cleanly without the box riding the chute back up.

Support_ParaVehicles.sqf — function reference

Private[...] header :1; _args :3, _side :4, _sideID :5, _playerTeam :7. Structurally mirrors ParaAmmo but drops one attached vehicle. Returns nothing.

Step	Behaviour	Citation
Build transport	createVehicle WFBE_%1PARAVEHI [...,"FLY"], stats, pilot moveInDriver + doMove, CARELESS/STEALTH, disableAI, AIMoveTo, 'Killed' EH, setVehicleInit + processInitCommands, flyInHeight (300 + random 75)	:29-43
Create cargo vehicle	_cargoVehicle = [WFBE_%1PARAVEHICARGO,[0,0,50],_sideID,0,false] Call WFBE_CO_FNC_CreateVehicle, then attachTo [_vehicle,[0,0,-3]] (slung 3 m below)	:45-46
Empty-vehicle registration	emptyQueu = emptyQueu + [_cargoVehicle]; [_cargoVehicle] Spawn WFBE_SE_FNC_HandleEmptyVehicle — the dropped vehicle enters the standard empty-vehicle cleanup queue	:48-49
Outbound loop	sleep 1; abort on dead pilot/vehicle/cargo/null; timeout/leader-not-player → setDammage 1 on cargo+pilot+vehicle+cargoVehicle and deleteGroup; exit within 100 m	:51-58
Drop	detach _cargoVehicle :60, then [_cargoVehicle,_side] Spawn { ... }: sleep 2, abort if not alive, create WFBE_%1PARACHUTE, snap to vehicle pos minus 11 m + match dir, attachTo, `waitUntil {getPos select 2 < 10
Fly home + cleanup	AIMoveTo back to spawn, arrival loop (200 m), deleteVehicle _pilot, deleteVehicle _vehicle, deleteGroup _grp	:78-90

Unlike the ammo box, the cargo vehicle is not deleted-and-respawned after landing — it is detached and left in place (and remains tracked through emptyQueu / WFBE_SE_FNC_HandleEmptyVehicle).

Cross-script differences at a glance

Aspect	Paratroopers	ParaAmmo	ParaVehicles
Transport count	ceil(count units / transportSoldier) (multi-aircraft) :39	1 :29	1 :29
Transport var	WFBE_%1PARACARGO :32	WFBE_%1PARAVEHI :29	WFBE_%1PARAVEHI :29
Payload	infantry from WFBE_%1PARACHUTELEVEL<lvl> :31	crate array WFBE_%1PARAAMMO :59	one WFBE_%1PARAVEHICARGO :45
Drop method	action ["EJECT"] per unit, delay 0.35/0.85 :110-116	per-crate chute attach + re-spawn :62-89	single chute attach, no re-spawn :62-76
flyInHeight	300 + random 15 :64	200 + random 20 :42	300 + random 75 :43
Post-land tracking	client revive marker per trooper :117	re-create crate + killed EH :83-85	emptyQueu + HandleEmptyVehicle :48-49
Stats	VehiclesCreated _built :68, UnitsCreated _built :89	VehiclesCreated 1 :31, UnitsCreated 1 :32	VehiclesCreated 1 :30, UnitsCreated 1 :31

Continue Reading

• Support specials and tactical modules atlas
• Tactical support menu player guide
• Faction root variables reference
• Paratrooper marker revival
• Server authority migration map