[SP] MACV SOG: BDA Version 1

[DAMIAN 10]

Scenario: MACV SOG: BDA

Version: 2.0

Author: Damian

Requirements: Arma 2: Combined Operations or Arma 2 with Operation Arrowhead (V. 1.62)

Unsung Vietnam War Mod Release 2.5

Community Base Addons

@Blazes Pack (For backpacks)

Overview:

You play as Captain Daniel Thompson, the newly appointed One Zero (Team Leader) of Recon Team (RT) Wyoming, a team with Command and Control North (CCN), Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACV SOG). Your team has been tasked with a Bomb Damage Assessment of a B-52 strike in target area Juliet 8, located in Laos. This scenario attempts to recreate one of the most dangerous missions conducted by SOG recon teams during the Vietnam War. I understand that SOG teams don't utilize tiger stripe fatigues when operating across the fence. However, the Unsung mod has not yet been released with SOG teams yet, so some imagination is needed for this mission. Also, I know Captain's don't usually take on the role of recon men in SOG, but they have been instances of officers being in SOG teams. I just called the player character Captain to be in line with the fact that the player character is set to Captain so that he is the team leader.

Mission Objectives:

Phase 1 - Conduct BDA

Phase 2 - Conduct Area Recon

Phase 3 - Proceed to LZ for extraction

Mission Features and Tips:

•The scenario now utilizes the in-built UNSUNG Support script instead of Draper's Air Support Script.

•The scenario also uses the TPW Suppression script, so you will see the enemy and your team members reacting more realistically to gunfire. You will also experience suppression as well.

•Your teammates have a tendency to stay in the fight and not break contact. That could lead to all of them dying. One way to prevent this is to get them to fall back at the first sight of big trouble (you'll understand when you play) even before you are ordered to. Then utilize air strikes to cover your retreat. But you can play it any way you want to.

•For the mission to play out as it should, you are strongly recommended to stay along the pre-planned route throughout the mission.

•Daniel Thompson (main player character) must survive the mission as some triggers are initiated by him.

Changelog:

* Made the mission updated to UNSUNG Release 2.5

* Changed CAS script to the in-built UNSUNG CAS system

* Re-worked the talking to use titletext instead of radiotexts (UNSUNG units don't have radios)

* Provided a pre-set weapons loadout that should be adequate for the mission (Player still can modify and change the loadout to their preferences)

* Utilizes Blazes mod to allow units to carry backpacks

Credits & thanks:

- The Arma2 community for all the information and help they provide in mission making

- The Unsung Mod team for the best Vietnam War mod there is (For the whole ARMA series! Along with Jungle Fever for OFP by Hawkins! I hope there will be a continuation of UNSUNG in ARMA 3...hinting hehe)

- TPW, -Coulum-, fabrizio_T, and Ollem for the mission enhancing suppression script

- Blazes for the backpack and ammo mod

- Alex / Headup for his briefing template and for beta testing the mission and for his many suggestions and inputs (Sorry to bother you so much!)

- The CBA team for the CBA system

- Bohemia Interactive for the best military simulation franchise in the world!

Mission can be downloaded here: MACV SOG: BDA VERSION 2 FROM ARMAHOLIC

Looking forward to any comments, feedback and mission experiences! Thanks!

Damian

Edited April 24, 2013 by Damian

[-Snafu- 77]

First of all, thanks for making a mission for The Unsung!

It was a solid effort with the only issues I encountered so far being native Arma 2 AI ones. By the way, for those that don't know, putting the AI into formation Delta forces them to move at a faster pace.

The briefing was very good and detailed. A lot of missions skimp on the briefing but I feel that a well fleshed out one like you have in BDA helps give the mission a bit of "life" to it.

The mission is interesting, I can't remember having played anything like it, it's very challenging though to get out with everyone alive. Need to sharpen those FAC skills!

If you ever do an updated version I'd put a reminder into the readme or something for the player to change the default weapons and gear. I found myself losing the firepower battle first time around.

I think this mission would be pretty good in COOP too but I know MP editing is a bit of a tricky business. Really nice mission overall.

[DAMIAN 10]

Hey Snafu,

Thanks for trying out the mission. I hope you found it enjoyable. I, too, feel that detailed breifings help to set the mood for the mission. The template for it I got from Alex/headup, and the idea for the briefing I got from the game Elite Warriors: Vietnam, a game about SOG.

The challenge to get your team out alive is very much affected by the AI I feel. I don't know how to get them to disengage and just run. In the end, instead of a fire-and-maneuver withdrawal, I get a stand-your-ground-and-fight situation. Of course, it is possible to get your team out alive, but it takes some practice and timing hehe.

Yeah, I figured the mission will be more realistic and fun as an MP COOP mission. I just never made one before. Anybody wants to convert the mission to COOP? Be my guest haha.

Hmmm, I'm wondering how else I can update the mission. Does anyone have any suggestions? If not, this might be the only version of SOG:BDA. It had gone through alot of changes from the first few versions, which were tested by Alex/headup. His advice and suggestions led to this mission release. I'm thinking of working on some missions based on those in the game Elite Warriors Vietnam. But maybe later. Am eagerly awaiting Unsung release 2.5 for ARMA 2, and for ARMA 3, and for Unsung ARMA 3 haha.

Damian

[Kommiekat 11]

This was a very difficult mission. I died, then died again and finally, died.

Have you considered releasing it as RWO? If you talk to HeadUp, he can explain. You've got all it takes in that mission for RWO.

[DAMIAN 10]

Hey Kommikat,

Hmmmm, I don't know if you getting killed so often makes the mission good or bad, but thanks for playing haha!

From what I gather from the RWO thread, I see that most of the missions span during the more modern era, at least after the Vietnam War. But I think I'll give Headup a PM and see what he says. He was the one that helped me in testing my mission, anyway.

Thanks for the comments!

Damian

[DAMIAN 10]

Hey everyone,

Just to keep all in the loop, MACV SOG BDA has just been updated to version 2. It has been updated to UNSUNG Release 2.5 standard, and comes with a few more knick knacks added here and there.

Hope you guys enjoy it.

Damian

[Kommiekat 11]

Glad you are still working on this.

You might be interested in joining up on a Unsung Campaign that can be found here:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?144822-SP-CAMP-CO-Real-World-Operations-(RWO)/page16

Some folks got together to pull resources. Your help and mission making skills as well as familiarity with UNSUNG would be greatly appreciated on this.......

Please think about it.

Have any questions, ask Texkaz (campaign director) or myself (campaign wannabe).

[h34dup 147]

I was just about to post something about TexKaz's project, I recommended Damian to him, not sure if you've heard from TexKaz yet, or if you're even available what with school and military service. I'm going to contribute one mission to his project, which I believe is based on Op Silver Bayonet (aka the Battle of Ia Drang) though I'm not 100% certain of this.

[DAMIAN 10]

Hey Headup,

I'll pm TexKaz and see what he says. Exams are over, so I think I can manage a mission or two hehe.

Hope you played and enjoyed the mission!

[domokun 515]

The URL

http://www.gitsarma.gamingdeluxe.net/mo%20...%20eapons.rar

Seems to be broken

[DAMIAN 10]

Hi domokun,

Yes, the link posted here appears to be broken. I will fix it ASAP. You can get the download from my mission page on ARMAHOLIC. The link to that page is on the first post as well. Thanks for informing me.

Does anyone have any mission trouble? If you do, please post it here so I can see if the mission requires further updating. I saw on the ARMAHOLIC site that someone's extraction chopper was shot down. That never happened before for me. I don't think there is much to update with regards to that. It's probably a one-off thing.

*edit*

The broken link brought to my attention by domokun has been fixed. Sorry for the inconvenience guys.

Edited April 24, 2013 by Damian

[Andy Mcnab 10]

Damian why not create a whole campaign elite warriors vietnam, except for the first mission about destroying construction equipment?

[DAMIAN 10]

Hey Andy,

I have thought about it, but I don't think my mission making skills are polished enough to do up a campaign. I will try to recreate missions from the game though, and see what I can do. I loved EWV although it really wasn't very good. I guess it's my biasness to SOG and the fact that John Plaster himself was the game's tech advisor.

Thanks though for bringing up the idea. I might just try it out, but like I said, it'll lack the polish that come with campaigns from the guys like, Headup, Kommiekat and the like.

Hope you enjoyed SOG BDA Version 2!

[texkaz 33]

Nice mission Damien. Always appreciate the "let's get the fuck outta here!" type of missions.

[crazyquick 10]

Can someone please explain how to call in air supprot with the ation menue? I dont have the back pack addon, the only addon i have is unsung 2.5. but is that all I need? Please help.

[DAMIAN 10]

@TexKaz

Glad you liked the mission! I tried as much as possible to make the mission as realistic as possible. But not being a SOG man myself, a lot of the info for the mission was taken from the SOG books I have.

@crazyquick

The backpack addon is a very small addon that won't take much time to DL and use. It gives you the ability to use backpacks so you can beef up your load out. I've not tried playing without the mod, but I think the mission should still run okay.

As for air support, the new version of the mission uses the Unsung in-built support function. You must be near your RTO, or you can switch to your RTO, or you can take over the radio from your RTO. You will then have a "call support" icon in the action menu. Select it, then select support type, how many planes, what type of bomb drop, direction and distance of target, and from what direction the planes should come in from. Then click request.

Suggest you spend some time in editor to try out the support function, get used to it, then play the mission. It'll greatly increase your team's survival. :)

[texkaz 33]

@crazyquick. A hint about the support module and ARMA2 in general: the compass is your friend.