Trouble getting my soldiers to follow orders

[KenNitro 1]

I've added soldiers to team red and team green. Just a little mission in the editor to learn to order my teams around.

After putting my soldiers on the 2 teams, I select red or green with shift+f1/f2, I can see they are selected, I can get them to move, but if I select for example team green and order them into a wedge formation with 8 menu they don't seem to do anything, I then order them to move somewhere to check if they obey the formation order, but they just run over there in no specific formation and I'd like my teams to be in a formation depending on their task, moving fast somewhere go in a column, the other team is attacking enemy in front of them so I'd like them in line formation etc..

Many times when I issue an order my character doesn't say anything, and my teams don't say anything in reply, I get the text messages in the bottom stating they are doing it and my order, so they are carried out, just get no audible acknowledgements.

Hmm, been messing around some more, it seems there can only be one formation order? No matter what team I select and issue a formation order, all teams go into that formation and they only seem to do it if they are following me, not when ordered around on their own.

So it's not possible to have one team in line formation and another in wedge formation and order them to different positions where those formations will have a tactical advantage?

Edited May 14, 2012 by KenNitro

[nkenny 1057]

As you note there is only one formation per squad. Note that units set to SAFE will tend to adopt relaxed column formations and soldiers set to DANGER will largely ignore formations to prioritize getting into cover. STEALTH mode is worthless and does nothing.

Adopting the Close Column (8-8) or Delta (8-9) formations makes the AI ignore cover regardless of ROE.

-k

[KenNitro 1]

Thanks, now I can at least move on to something else, was going crazy trying to get them to follow my orders.

[anthropoid 1]

It seems it is not very practical to lead a squad on a stealthy attack. Even when I put them into a formation and have them follow me by moving forward and after telling them to either Get Prone or Copy my Stance, as they advance they always seem to get up and run instead of staying down and crawling. I've been experimenting with Switching to control the other squad members and that works reasonably well (allowed me to finish the Eye for an Eye scenario). Only problem there is: I leave my squad member 25m off of a dozing enemy sentry laying prone and being quiet and switch to move the other squad members closer . . . when I get back to the squad leader he's standing up straight and tall!?

The enemy AI clearly uses crawling in attempts to sneak up and flank you; why is the player AI so feckless?

[orcinus 121]

@Anthropoid: try the excellent addon Gib_Copy_Stance. This can force your AI squad to mimic your stance, selected from the action menu. You can also select which units will be controlled by or exempt from this. Exempt units will use the AUTO stance mode unless you give them a specific stance order via menu 7, though as you've found this is not entirely reliable.

Stealth missions in particular become much easier as your AIs will not keep popping up into a crouch or even a standing stance while your team is crawling across an open space to reach a target.

You can find the addon o Armaholic (requires CBA), also worth looking at the thread:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?107058-Gibbet-s-Copy-My-Stance-Version-4-0&highlight=Gib_copy_stance

[anthropoid 1]

Thank you Orcinus :)

I had heard there is a vast repository of mods for the game, including short singleplayer scenarios?

[orcinus 121]

I had heard there is a vast repository of mods for the game, including short singleplayer scenarios?

There is indeed a huge list of mods & addons, and many missions. If you haven't found it yet, take a look at Armaholic

www.armaholic.com

Browse the different sections in the download area. Each entry has its own page with, usually, a link to the relevant thread in these forums so you can check out exactly what the mod or addon does, or what mods/addons a user mission needs. Also there will be feedback from other users, so you can judge which are most to your taste.

Don't dismiss the user campaigns, either. There are some that rival the official campaigns. Look for authors like Bardosy, Zipper5, W0lle, Saok, IndeedPete, etc.

Armaholic also has some great tutorials (e.g., a neat one on how to best install addons & mods).

Enjoy :D

[anthropoid 1]

ADDIT: ah nvm ;) I installed one of the launcher apps and got it to recognize CBA.

Thanks man, will check it out.

Will have to get active on the mods site as so far I'm not having any luck getting the CBA or Gib mod to run. I've just been trying to get CBA installed, following the directions here

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=13628

My original path for my ArmA2 install is:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2\arma2.exe"

When I follow the directions to get CBA to run by editing it as follows:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2\arma2.exe-nosplash-mod=@CBA;CBA_v0-7-6"

and then click OK, the shortcut properties window gives me an error saying that path above is invalid.

Probably the directions were fine for pre Windows 7, but not okay for Windows 7 I'm guessing.

Edited June 3, 2012 by Anthropoid
problemsolved

[orcinus 121]

My original path for my ArmA2 install is:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2\arma2.exe"

When I follow the directions to get CBA to run by editing it as follows:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2\arma2.exe-nosplash-mod=@CBA;CBA_v0-7-6"

Glad you got it to work, but for future reference & potentially to aid other new players:

I don't have W7 but XP Pro, however your command line looks thoroughly borked to me.

The basic launch should be

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2\arma2.exe" -nosplash -mod=[i]@mod1[/i];[i]@mod2[/i]

etc.

You must have a space between the options like nosplash, as I have shown.

I have no idea what you have in those @CBA directories. You should use at least v0.8.3, 0.7.6 is quite old now.

[anthropoid 1]

Ah thanks Orcinus ;)

[anthropoid 1]

Just to let you know Orcinus; between Copy My Stance, and Twirl Hide, I would say that my AI teammates now behaves as I pretty much would hope/expect them to behave ! :)

Thanks a lot for your help.

[orcinus 121]

Great, Welcome to the Armaverse :D

As for missions, how could I have omitted to mention thomsonb's "Flashpoint..." series? Some of the most popular SP missions around, & deservedly so IMHO.

I'm curious - what prompted you to buy Arma? - you may have seen the several threads debating certain recent developments.

Edited June 4, 2012 by Orcinus

[anthropoid 1]

I've heard about it for years, but just never felt like I had time to get into something that is so obviously complex. Here lately I've been kinda 'catchin' up' on older games that I've meant to play for a long time.

What is the best thing to do with wounded troops in the "Warfare" missions? Disband them and buy new ones?

Also, I can't seem to figure out how to replenish my troops ammo. After an engagement I brought them back to the base on Utes Island (this is the "War Welcome" Mission in the stock Arma2) but cannot find any option to replenish their ammo. Do I have to interact with each one of them and put the ammo in their slots manually?

[domokun 515]

@Anthropoid: try Robalo's ASR AI mod as it includes the AI rearming mod whereby your AI will automatically search bodies for extra ammo or even take fresh weapons

[anthropoid 1]

Cool. Will check that one out too :)