Learn how to use CTLD in DCS World multiplayer: load troops and crates, deploy assets through the F10 menu, and fix common failures.
CTLD—Complete Troops and Logistics Deployment—is a mission-side DCS World script that lets authorised aircraft transport troops, crates and deployable assets in multiplayer. Open the mission’s communications menu, choose F10 Other and its CTLD submenu, then follow the configured options to load, carry, unload or unpack cargo.
CTLD is not one fixed multiplayer mode. The mission designer decides which aircraft can use it, where logistics zones are placed, what each crate builds and whether operations such as airborne drops, sling loading or forward-base construction are allowed.
Is CTLD built into DCS World?
No. CTLD is mission scripting packaged with, or loaded by, the multiplayer mission. Players normally need no separate CTLD download because the server runs the logic and supplies the required mission data when they connect.
Different CTLD branches and customised server versions do not always use identical commands. Some missions label the submenu CTLD; others call it Logistics, Transport or something specific to the scenario. Treat the mission briefing and on-screen messages as the authority for that server.
How do you use CTLD in a multiplayer mission?
Use CTLD by selecting an enabled transport aircraft, entering the correct pickup or logistics area, loading through the communications menu and delivering the cargo to a valid destination.
- Check the mission briefing. Confirm which aircraft are CTLD-capable, where supplies originate and what the objective requires. A transport-looking aircraft is not automatically enabled.
- Plan the route. Locate pickup zones, forward operating bases, delivery areas and marked objectives. Our guide to using the F10 map for coordinates and mission planning explains the map tools commonly needed for logistics flights.
- Enter the correct zone. For troops, land inside the designated pickup area. For crates, park in the permitted logistics area or near the required friendly logistics unit. Unless the briefing permits hover loading, settle on the ground and stop moving.
- Open the communications menu. Use the command bound to Communication Menu, select F10 Other, then open the CTLD or logistics submenu. This F10 entry is a numbered radio-menu option; pressing F10 by itself normally opens the map.
- Choose the required action. Select the configured command to load troops, extract a nearby group, spawn a crate, load nearby cargo or list what is aboard. Menu wording differs between missions.
- Carry the load correctly. Simulated internal cargo is recorded by CTLD and usually disappears from the ground when loaded. Native sling cargo remains visible beneath the helicopter and must be attached and released with the module’s cargo controls. If those controls are unfamiliar, configure the cyclic, collective, pedals and cargo bindings first.
- Deliver and verify. Land at the destination, unload troops or place the required crates close together, then use the unload or unpack command. Check the CTLD status message before leaving; dropping a crate does not necessarily unpack or activate it.
| CTLD operation | What you normally do | Common gotcha |
|---|---|---|
| Load troops | Land in a configured pickup zone and select the troop group from the menu. | Aircraft capacity and available troop types are mission-defined. |
| Extract troops | Land close to an extractable friendly group and use the extraction command. | Not every infantry group placed in the mission can be extracted. |
| Move an internal crate | Spawn the crate at logistics, move within loading range and select the nearby-cargo command. | Spawning a crate does not put it aboard. This is a mistake we see constantly. |
| Carry sling cargo | Spawn the external load, attach it with the aircraft’s cargo system and release it at the destination. | The helicopter must have the required hook controls and enough lifting performance for the configured weight. |
| Build or repair an asset | Place the exact crate types and quantities together, then select unpack or build. | A SAM site, vehicle group or forward base may require several different crates. |
Once troops are unloaded, they usually become an AI group. Direct player control is available only if the mission provides another system for it. The same applies to deployed JTACs, air-defence units and vehicles: their behaviour, laser codes, ammunition and replacement rules come from the mission configuration.
On organised servers, logistics crews normally announce pickups, landing zones and completed deliveries over the assigned radio channel. Our instructions for setting up DCS SRS for multiplayer radio coordination cover the usual voice-radio arrangement.
Why is the CTLD menu missing or not working?
A missing or failed CTLD action usually means the mission has not enabled the player’s aircraft, the aircraft is outside the required zone, or the requested cargo conditions have not been met.
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| No CTLD submenu | The mission does not use CTLD, the script failed to initialise, or that slot is unsupported. | Read the briefing, try a documented transport slot and re-slot once. A client cannot enable CTLD locally. |
| “Not in pickup zone” | The aircraft is outside the trigger area, moving, airborne or beside the wrong logistics unit. | Move closer to the marked centre, land fully and stop. Shut down only if the server’s message requires it. |
| No nearby crates found | The crate is beyond the loading radius or the mission expects native sling loading instead. | Park closer without landing on the crate and check which loading method the briefing specifies. |
| Crates will not unpack | The recipe is incomplete, crates are too far apart or construction is restricted at that location. | Confirm every required crate label and quantity, group them tightly and try valid level ground. |
| Troops will not load | The aircraft is full, the group is not extractable or the slot lacks troop capacity. | Use the cargo-status command, unload existing cargo and verify the aircraft in the briefing. |
| Menu command produces nothing | The script may be delayed or the server mission may have encountered an error. | Close and reopen the menu, wait briefly and re-slot. Persistent failures require the mission administrator to inspect the server mission. |
Do CTLD deployments persist after a server restart?
CTLD deliveries should be assumed to last only for the running mission unless the server explicitly advertises persistence. A mission rotation or restart can remove constructed bases, deployed troops and delivered vehicles unless another server-side system records and restores them.
How is CTLD added to a DCS multiplayer mission?
The mission builder must include and initialise a compatible CTLD script, define pickup and logistics zones, list permitted transports, configure capacities and create the available crate recipes. Exact setup names and functions vary between CTLD implementations, so mixing configuration examples from different branches is a common source of broken menus.
Zone and unit names must match the script configuration exactly. Builders should also test with a real multiplayer client slot because group menus and player-unit detection can behave differently from an editor-only test. Our practical introduction to Lua mission scripting in DCS World covers the underlying trigger-and-script workflow.