Zone setup¶

CTLD zones are declared directly in the DCS Mission Editor by naming your trigger zones with a structured convention. For most zones no scripting is required: CTLD reads every trigger zone name at mission start, parses those that match a known prefix, and registers them automatically. AI transport zones are the one exception — they are declared in your CTLD configuration (see AI transport zones below).

For how pilots actually use these zones from the cockpit, see the Pilot guide.

Naming convention¶

A zone name encodes its type and all of its parameters, separated by _:

TYPE_name_param1_param2_..._paramN

Rule: _ is the field separator. It is forbidden inside any field value (zone name, flag name, etc.). Use farmmain, not farp_main.

Zone types at a glance¶

Three prefixes are auto-discovered from DCS trigger zone names:

Prefix	Zone type	Schema
`TRZ`	Troop zone — player pickup and/or extract objective	`TRZ_<name>_<A\\|R\\|B\\|N>_<stock>_<flag>_<target>` — all 5 fields required
`WPZ`	Waypoint zone — troops deployed inside march to the zone centre	`WPZ_<name>_[R\\|B\\|N]`
`LGZ`	Logistic zone — crate and vehicle services	`LGZ_<name>_[R\\|B\\|N]`

A fourth kind — AI transport zones (AIZ) — is not name-discovered. It is declared entirely in config; see AI transport zones.

There is no separate EXZ prefix. Extract objectives are a function of a TRZ (a troop zone with stock = 0 and an objective flag), described under Troop zones.

Coalition parameter:

Value	Coalition
`A`	All coalitions (TRZ only)
`R`	RED only
`B`	BLUE only
`N`	Neutral
(omit)	All coalitions (WPZ / LGZ only — TRZ requires an explicit `A`)

Uniqueness: two zones of the same prefix cannot share the same name. A zone name already registered is never overwritten by a later one.

One name space for every kind of zone

Troop zones share a single name space — TRZ_, WPZ_, AI zones and the legacy troopZones all register into it, and the first one registered wins. What makes this easy to trip over is that a TRZ_ zone registers under its parsed name: TRZ_dropzone1_B_0_nil_0 occupies the name dropzone1.

So an aiZones entry whose dcsZoneName is dropzone1 — pointing at a genuinely different Mission Editor zone — collides with that TRZ and is dropped. CTLD reports it at mission start:

[ERROR] ZoneManager:   AIZ[1] ERROR 'dropzone1': name already taken by zone
'TRZ_dropzone1_B_0_nil_0' — entry ignored

The fix is always the same: give the two zones different names. Registration order is TRZ_ → AI zones → WPZ_ → legacy tables.

Troop zones (TRZ)¶

A troop zone provides player pickup and/or an extract objective.

Schema: TRZ_<name>_<A|R|B|N>_<stock>_<flag>_<target>

All 5 fields are required. The parser rejects any TRZ name with a missing or invalid field — a warning is written to CTLD.log and the zone is ignored.

Field	Position	Values	Meaning
`name`	2	any (no underscores, not a reserved word)	Zone identifier used in logs and F10 menus
`coalition`	3	`A` `R` `B` `N`	Who can interact: A=all, R=RED, B=BLUE, N=NEUTRAL
`stock`	4	integer 0–999	`0`=no pickup · `1–998`=limited · `999`=unlimited
`flag`	5	DCS flag name or `nil`	Flag incremented by soldier count on extract; `nil` = no objective
`target`	6	integer ≥0	`0`=no threshold · `N≥1`=soldier-count goal for a DCS victory trigger

Reserved words — forbidden as name or flag: nil, A, R, B, N.

Stock values¶

`stock`	Pickup capability	What the pilot sees
`0`	None — no pickup	No "Load from" entry in the F10 menu
`1–998`	Limited — decrements on each load	"Load from `<name>` (N remaining)"
`999`	Unlimited — never exhausted	"Load from `<name>`"

Use 999 for unlimited pickup — not 0. 0 means no pickup capability.

Flag and target values¶

`flag`	`target`	Behaviour
`nil`	any	Zone has no objective. Troops deployed here spawn as a DCS ground group.
a flag name	`0`	Objective active, no threshold. CTLD increments the flag by the soldier count each time troops are deployed inside.
a flag name	`N≥1`	Objective with a threshold. CTLD increments the flag; you write the DCS victory trigger `flag >= N`. CTLD initialises the flag to `0` at mission start and never ends the mission itself.

Examples¶

Zone name	Coalition	Stock	Flag	Target	Behaviour
`TRZ_base_B_50_nil_0`	BLUE	50 (limited)	—	—	Pickup — 50 soldiers, restock on RTB
`TRZ_depot_A_999_nil_0`	All	unlimited	—	—	Pickup — unlimited, all coalitions
`TRZ_exfil_B_0_rescue_0`	BLUE	no pickup	`rescue`	none	Extract-only — deploying troops here increments flag `rescue`
`TRZ_lz_R_0_secure_100`	RED	no pickup	`secure`	100	Extract with win condition — RED objective at 100 soldiers
`TRZ_fob_N_20_defend_50`	Neutral	20 (limited)	`defend`	50	Mixed — pickup (20) + extract objective
`TRZ_marker_B_0_nil_0`	BLUE	no pickup	—	—	Inert — named marker, no function

Annotated:

TRZ  _  fob  _  N   _  20     _  defend  _  50
 │      │       │      │          │          │
 │      │       │      │          │          └─ target : 50 soldiers complete the objective
 │      │       │      │          └──────────── flag   : "defend" (DCS flag name)
 │      │       │      └─────────────────────── stock  : 20 troops max (limited pickup)
 │      │       └────────────────────────────── coalition: NEUTRAL
 │      └────────────────────────────────────── name   : "fob"
 └───────────────────────────────────────────── prefix TRZ

Extract-only zone (stock = 0): no "Load from" entry appears in the F10 menu. The zone only serves as an objective trigger when troops are deployed inside it.

Mixed zone (stock > 0 and flag ≠ nil): supports both boarding and objective scoring. When a pilot lands inside with troops aboard, the objective takes priority — the flag is incremented and no DCS group is spawned. Stock restore on RTB happens only in pickup-only zones.

Smoke: troop-zone smoke colour is set globally per coalition via the troopZoneSmokeColor setting (see Configuration), not per zone name.

See Troop transport for the pilot-side workflow (boarding, deploying, extracting).

Pickup points on ships¶

A pickup point can sit on a ship instead of a trigger zone. The zone rides the vessel, so troops still board after the carrier has moved. Two settings, in Configuration:

Setting	What it names	Use it when
`troopZones`	a unit name, when no trigger zone carries that name	you want this ship, with your own stock and smoke settings
`troopZoneShipTypes`	DCS type names	you want every carrier to be a pickup point, without naming them

  # Every Nimitz- and Stennis-class carrier and every Tarawa in the mission
  # becomes an unlimited troop pickup point — no unit name anywhere.
  troopZoneShipTypes:
  - CVN_71
  - Stennis
  - LHA_Tarawa

A ship-backed zone always uses a 200 m radius, whichever setting created it. Discovered zones have unlimited stock and no smoke; if you need a limit, a smoke colour or a coalition of your own, name that ship in troopZones — an explicitly configured zone of the same name always wins. A listed type no ship matches is not an error: it is a catalogue of types, reusable across missions.

Use the type name, not the name shown in the editor

Both settings match the DCS type id, which is not always what the Mission Editor displays. ctld-tools validate rejects a name that matches no known DCS type, so a typo is caught before the mission ever runs.

Waypoint zones (WPZ)¶

When troops are deployed (fast-rope or ground drop) at a point that falls inside an active WPZ, they automatically march toward the centre of that zone instead of searching for the nearest enemy.

Schema: WPZ_<name>_[R|B|N]

Example name	Meaning
`WPZ_hill47_B`	BLUE waypoint zone "hill47"
`WPZ_bridge`	All-coalition waypoint zone

The zone radius is taken from the DCS trigger zone editor.

WPZ zones do not appear in the F10 menu — they act silently at deploy time.

Logistic zones (LGZ)¶

A logistic zone defines a base where pilots can spawn and pack crates and vehicles from the F10 menu. A pilot must be inside a logistic zone to use these services.

Schema: LGZ_<name>_[R|B|N]

Example name	Meaning
`LGZ_depot1_B`	Logistic zone "depot1", BLUE only
`LGZ_farmmain_R`	Logistic zone "farmmain", RED only
`LGZ_shared`	Logistic zone open to all coalitions

Radius: an LGZ_ zone is a circle centred on the trigger zone, with a radius taken from the dynamicZoneRadius setting (default 200 m). The trigger zone's own editor radius is not used for LGZ. Set dynamicZoneRadius in Configuration to change it globally.

See Crate catalogue for what can be spawned, and Crates for the pilot workflow.

Logistic zones carried by a unit or a static¶

A logistic zone can also be attached to a mission object rather than a trigger zone. The zone follows the object, so a carrier keeps its logistic point as it steams, and it disappears when the object is destroyed. Two settings do this, in Configuration:

Setting	What it names	Use it when
`logisticUnits`	unit / static names placed in the ME	you want this specific object to be a logistic point
`logisticUnitTypes`	DCS type names	you want every carrier, or every ammo dump, without naming them

  # Every Stennis-class carrier and every FARP ammo dump in the mission
  # becomes a logistic point — no unit name anywhere.
  logisticUnitTypes:
  - Stennis
  - CVN_71
  - FARP Ammo Dump Coating

A type listed here that no mission object matches is not an error: this is a catalogue of types, reusable from mission to mission, not a list of the units a given mission holds. A name in logisticUnits behaves the other way round — it names one object, so a missing one is logged as a warning.

Both use the maximumDistanceLogistic radius (default 200 m). When a zone already exists under that object's name — from an LGZ_ trigger zone or from logisticUnits — it is kept as it is: type discovery never overwrites.

Use the type name, not the name shown in the editor

logisticUnitTypes matches the DCS type id, which is not always what the Mission Editor displays. The FARP ammo dump is the classic trap: the editor calls it FARP Ammo Storage, but its type id is FARP Ammo Dump Coating. ctld-tools validate rejects a name that matches no known DCS type, so a typo is caught before the mission ever runs.

Logistic zones created at runtime¶

The only way to add a new logistic zone during a live mission is to deploy a FOB. When the FOB build completes, CTLD automatically registers a circular logistic zone centred on the FOB site (radius = fobLogisticZoneRadius, default 150 m, under the FOB's name). No LGZ_ trigger zone or config entry is required. See Scenes & FOB for the full FOB lifecycle, including how a destroyed FOB removes its logistic zone.

Deactivating and reactivating a logistic zone¶

Use the CTLDZoneManager API from a DO SCRIPT trigger to simulate zone capture or a temporary loss. This works for both LGZ_ trigger zones and logisticUnits-based zones:

-- Deactivate — zone is ignored by all pilots until reactivated
CTLDZoneManager.getInstance():deactivateLogisticZone("depot1")

-- Reactivate — zone becomes available again
CTLDZoneManager.getInstance():activateLogisticZone("depot1")

The zone stays registered and can be toggled any number of times.

AI transport zones (AIZ)¶

AIZ zones control the automatic behaviour of AI transports (units listed in transportPilotNames). Human players are never affected by them.

AIZ zones have no naming convention. Any DCS trigger zone can be an AIZ zone — you reference it by name in the aiZones config array. Both pickup and drop-off fire on landing (S_EVENT_LAND): the AI unit must physically land inside the zone radius.

Roles¶

Role	Trigger	Behaviour
Pickup	AI transport lands inside the zone	Loads troops and/or a whole vehicle
Drop-off	AI transport lands inside the zone	Deploys troops and/or unloads a whole vehicle

A zone may be pickup only, drop-off only, or both.

Config declaration¶

aiZones is a list of entries in your configuration. ctld-tools gives it a dedicated editor under the Zones family; in a hand-written snapshot it lives under mm_facing:

mm_facing:
  aiZones:
  # Troops-only pickup: two templates with per-template stock
  - dcsZoneName: my_base
    coalition: BLUE
    isPickup: true
    cargoType: T
    troopStock:
      Standard Group: 5
      Anti Tank: 2

  # Troops-only pickup: every compatible template, unlimited
  - dcsZoneName: depot_alpha
    coalition: BLUE
    isPickup: true
    cargoType: T
    troopStock:
      All: -1

  # Vehicle-only pickup (vehicles must be physically in the zone)
  - dcsZoneName: armor_depot
    coalition: BLUE
    isPickup: true
    cargoType: V
    vehicleStock:
      Hummer: 3
      M1045 HMMWV TOW: -1

  # Troops + vehicle pickup
  - dcsZoneName: hub_tv
    coalition: BLUE
    isPickup: true
    cargoType: TV
    troopStock:
      All: -1
    vehicleStock:
      Hummer: 5

  # Ground-only drop-off
  - dcsZoneName: lz_front
    coalition: BLUE
    isDropoff: true
    aiDropMode: G

  # Ground + parachute drop-off (default)
  - dcsZoneName: lz_rear
    coalition: BLUE
    isDropoff: true

coalition here is a word, not a number

Every other coalition field in the CTLD configuration is the numeric side (1 = RED, 2 = BLUE). In an aiZones entry it is the string RED, BLUE or NEUTRAL. Writing a number here means "any coalition", silently.

Parameters¶

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`dcsZoneName`	string	✅	Exact name of the DCS trigger zone
`coalition`	`"RED"` / `"BLUE"` / `"NEUTRAL"`	✅	Which AI transports use this zone
`isPickup`	`true`	one of the two	Marks the zone as a pickup zone
`isDropoff`	`true`	one of the two	Marks the zone as a drop-off zone
`cargoType`	`"T"` / `"V"` / `"TV"`	pickup only	Troops, whole vehicle, or both. Default `"T"`
`troopStock`	table `{ [name] = N }`	pickup + troops	Per-template stock. `N = -1` unlimited, `N > 0` limited. Special key `All` = every compatible template. Must be present to enable troop pickup.
`vehicleStock`	table `{ [type] = N }`	pickup + vehicles	Per-type stock, same `-1` / `N` / `All` rules. Must be present to enable vehicle pickup.
`aiDropMode`	`"G"` / `"P"` / `"GP"`	drop-off	`G` ground, `P` parachute, `GP` either. Default `"GP"`
`troopTemplates`	`{ "Name1", ... }`	optional	Whitelist of troop templates eligible at this zone
`vehicleTypes`	`{ "TypeName", ... }`	optional	Whitelist of DCS vehicle type names eligible for loading

troopStock and vehicleStock are tables, not plain integers. Per-template / per-type stock replaced the old single-integer form.

AI transport setup¶

Create trigger zones in the ME (any name, any radius suitable for landing).
Declare them in aiZones (above).
Add each AI unit's exact DCS unit name to transportPilotNames, which is a plain list of names:

mm_facing:
  transportPilotNames:
  - heliai_supply
  - heliai_medevac

Route the AI unit so it lands inside the zones (waypoints with a "Landing" task).

A whole vehicle is only loaded if its weight does not exceed the transport's maxVehicleWeight and at least one aircraft has canTransportWholeVehicle = true. See Configuration for weights and capabilities.

Validation report¶

At mission start CTLD validates every aiZones entry and, if there is anything to report, displays a grouped list of errors and warnings on screen (30 s) and in CTLD.log, in the mission language. If everything is valid, a single INFO line is logged and nothing pops up.

An entry is ignored (error) when it has no dcsZoneName, a duplicate dcsZoneName, a zone absent from the Mission Editor, a missing or invalid coalition (must be RED / BLUE / NEUTRAL), neither isPickup nor isDropoff, or vehicle cargo (V / TV) while no aircraft can carry a whole vehicle. Common warnings (the zone is still created): an invalid cargoType falls back to "T", an invalid aiDropMode falls back to "GP", a pickup zone missing the matching troopStock / vehicleStock has that pickup disabled, unknown troopTemplates / vehicleTypes names, and a pickup zone overlapping a drop-off zone of the same coalition (risk of an instant pickup+drop-off loop).

Legacy zone configuration¶

Missions built the classic CTLD v1 way — zone names listed in config tables rather than parsed from trigger names — are still supported. The _ character is allowed in the names here, because these are plain DCS trigger (or unit) names, not parsed schemas.

These are ordinary configuration settings, and their entries are positional arrays: the meaning of a value comes from its place in the list. ctld-tools edits them as named fields under the Zones family, which is the safest way to touch them; written by hand they look like this:

mm_facing:
  # Troop pickup zones — v1 called this pickupZones.
  # [ DCS zone name, smoke colour, limit, active, side ]
  #   smoke colour : none | green | red | white | orange | blue
  #   limit        : -1 = unlimited, or any integer >= 1
  #   active       : yes | no
  #   side         : 0 = both, 1 = RED, 2 = BLUE
  troopZones:
  - - pickzone1
    - blue
    - -1
    - yes
    - 0
  - - USS Tarawa      # a ship unit name is also accepted — the zone rides the ship
    - blue
    - 10
    - yes
    - 2

  # Waypoint zones (deployed troops march to the centre)
  # [ DCS zone name, smoke colour, active, side ]
  wpZones:
  - - wpzone1
    - green
    - yes
    - 2

  # Logistic units: unit or static names placed in the ME.
  # If the named object is destroyed, its logistic zone is removed automatically.
  logisticUnits:
  - logistic1
  - logistic2

dropOffZones is not read in CTLD 2.x

v1's dropOffZones table (AI auto-deploy points) has no equivalent setting in CTLD 2. AI drop-off is configured with AI transport zones — an aiZones entry with isDropoff: true. A v1 config carrying dropOffZones will have that table ignored — CTLD says so once at mission start, in the startup report. The v1 smoke colour has no equivalent: an AI zone is deliberately unmarked. See Migration v1 → v2 for the before-and-after example and the way to mark the spot anyway.

Legacy zones and auto-discovered zones (TRZ / WPZ / LGZ) coexist without conflict: a zone already registered from trigger-name discovery is never overwritten by legacy config.

For the full v1 ctld.* compatibility surface, see Legacy API.