Operation Goswell

[sproyd 2]

Description:

Fully playable as either SP Mission (with 2 AI) or Co-Op up to 3 human players.

Situation Report:

27th March 2023

A small NATO-led SBS fireteam has been tasked with assaulting the North Eastern lighthouse of Stratis, Greece in order to eliminate OPFOR forces posted there ahead of a suspected Iranian WMD delivery to the island that night.

Mission Map:

http://s24.postimg.org/feieetbhx/missionmap.jpg (253 kB)

Installation:

Extract the .pbo file to your Steam/SteamApps/common/ArmA 3/Missions folder for Single Player or MPMissions folder for multiplayer/coop. Special care has been taken so its equally playable in both modes.

Features:

• Flexibility to complete the mission on your terms - plan your approach with the ingame map markers and briefing intel
  
• Boat & SCUBA insertion, operate as a highly skilled militarised dive squad
  
• Dusk TOD - deteriorating light conditions (NVGs, IR and Flashlight available for all units)
  
• Suppressed weapons and lightweight loadouts
  
• (Basic) Dynamic Tasks
  
• Highly skilled AI team mates
  
• Custom Script - Auto-detection of which friendly units are AI and allows for equipping of NVGs and IR Lasers after dark.
  
• Radio for boat extraction
  

Media:

Screenshot

Known Issues:

• No silencers on the TAVORs... this is an A3 Beta bug.
  
• Boat Extraction is sometimes buggy - mainly due to your AI team mates communicating with the boat driver to come to shore instead of them swimming to the boat. Sometimes the boat gets beached, sometimes the AI won't swim to the boat However, mission completes if you get all surviving team members in the boat after completing the main objective.
  
• You may come under fire on insertion, this is uncommon but due to randomization of enemy positions. Unlikely to change.
  
• In future I may change Boat and Driver Must Survive task to just Boat Must Survive as divers in theory could swim to the boat to extract if the driver was killed.
  
• Intro & Outro to be added (low priority)
  

Changelog:

Version 1.6 now on Steam Workshop

- Now works with latest Beta build

Version 1.5 23/06/13

- Fixed: Beta Compatibility (the mission will no longer work in Alpha non-dev build)

Version 1.4 18/06/13

- Fixed: Site Modules seem broken, missed this in 1.3 - switched them out with old fashioned units.

- Fixed: Deleted a guy on a quadbike that had a tendency to murder his fellow OPFOR buddies in cold blood (DUI?)

- Added: QRF HMG Ifrit

- Should be somewhat more challenging now.

Version 1.3 16/06/13

- Fixed: Ammo classnames changed to 5.56mm (BIS changed the ammo for the TAVOR)

- Fixed: Boat must survive task auto-completing due to BIS changes

- Added: Overview description, picture, loading screen description, picture, author name, Co-Op mission tag on Loading screen.

- Added: New pictures in briefing notes

- Added: TeamSwitch to a playable unit on side upon death.

- General tweaks to adjust for Alpha updates

- New Task: Optional destroy lighthouse task

Version 1.21 not publicly released

- Changed colour of Extraction Marker to improve legibility

- Added TeamSwitch (press U to switch player to an AI member of your team). SP only.

Version 1.2 14/04/13

- Fixed: NVG equip script will now intelligently execute only on non-human members of the Dive Squad, this should also fix a bug where players would lose their NVGs

- Fixed: Briefing now displays at mission start. Edited briefing.

- Fixed: Boat and Driver Must Survive Task - will now correctly trigger as Failed and Lose the Mission, and the task can be set as current to help locate the boat - also, the task now completes upon Mission Completion

- Insertion time is now 5 minutes earlier (1830) so there is more daylight time - twilight was too advantageous for the enemy AI

- diver3 now has his 3x HE Grenades in backpack (previously on person and hence couldn't be easily accessed by other team members)

- diver2 now has his 3x Explosives in backpack (previously some on person)

- diver1 now has 2x First Aid Kits in backpack (new)

- Fixed: mid-air hovering container box at beach

- Minor editing of Extraction Task name, description and location - also Mission should now complete even if the driver bugs and gets beached upon extraction

Version 1.11 not publicly released

- Tweaked NVG equip script

- Tweaked insertion

- Increased AI team mate skill to help counter increased difficulty

- Tweaked (reduced) number of OPFOR in the lower beach/forest/cliffs area which was a bit too high

Version 1.1 07/04/13

- Shortened insertion time to get into the action faster and change of insertion direction

- Far less prescriptive mission - no longer based on waypoints, plan your own approach with improved map markers to show you the intel

- Dynamic tasks

- Scripted AI to equip NVGs and IR after 20 minutes of game time.

- Equipment changes, Primary is now a suppressed TR-20 with a zoom/collimator optic, and the 2 non-lead divers have explosives or grenades

- Many other minor changes including improvements to task completion detection, world items, addition of other nearby forces who may intervene if the battle gets messy, increased difficulty level and more.

Version 1.0 16/03/2013

- Initial public release

DOWNLOAD V1.5 via Armaholic

Edited August 17, 2013 by sproyd
Changed download link to Armaholic

[sproyd 2]

Edit: not relevant any more.

Edited March 17, 2013 by sproyd
Released!

[sproyd 2]

Just updated the OP with the PBO file, now released - check it out!

Edited March 17, 2013 by sproyd

[Hapistorique 1]

The video is really too dark, does the mission only take place at night ? (I'm not a fan of night mission)

[sproyd 2]

The video is really too dark, does the mission only take place at night ? (I'm not a fan of night mission)

Sorry - I think this was my video capture software rather than the mission. In-game it is much lighter. The mission takes place at dusk - should take c. 30-40 minutes and by the time of extraction it will be night. There are NVGs for all units in their backpacks.

[Variable 322]

Mission sounds great. I like the Israeli angle ;)

Please tell me this has no instant or base respawn...

[igge 1]

Can the mission be played with only two players (no AI)? Or is it subject to the "three squad member must" restriction in any case?

Nice title sequences on your video btw. ;)

Edited March 17, 2013 by igge

[sproyd 2]

Mission sounds great. I like the Israeli angle ;)

Please tell me this has no instant or base respawn...

Thanks. In this case it's just Israeli intelligence given they would likely have assets in Turkey, through where the Shahab-3 is being moved.

Perma-death, no respawns.

---------- Post added at 15:45 ---------- Previous post was at 15:43 ----------

Can the mission be played with only two players (no AI)? Or is it subject to the "three squad member must" restriction in any case?

Nice title sequences on your video btw. ;)

I've just checked and can confirm the mission can be played in the following configurations:

1 Human, 2 AI

2 Humans, 1 AI

3 Humans

2 Humans

1 Human

but not

1 human, 1 AI - as you need to disable AI either completely not per playable character. For realism sake I would keep the AI in, as having only 2 players assaulting will be difficult and not as realistic. Of course you could always execute your AI team mate once you get to the coast.

Please let me know what you think as I need feedback to improve this and future missions.

FYI - the enemy AI is fairly good, but your team-member AI is stronger (reflecting the fact these are SBS operators with better training and natural selection).

[igge 1]

Alright, thanks! Will give it a shot as soon as my coop m8 has time for this. :)

[sproyd 2]

Okay v1.1 released - lots of changes, OP updated!!

[Millenium7 0]

holy crap, worst download site in the world

Please host it somewhere that works

[sproyd 2]

Sorry - I haven't had any issues with Mega.co.nz but I guess its in Beta. Not sure what issues you are experiencing.

Anyway, I've linked to Armaholic now instead.

---------- Post added at 23:16 ---------- Previous post was at 23:15 ----------

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=19476

[Sixgears2 1]

A buddy of mine and I tried out your mission last night. I enjoyed the concept and setup, but there were a couple of issues that hampered things a little. Here they are:

1. Only the squad leader was able to equip NVGs. I didn't have them in my inventory and even picking them up off of dead Opfor soldiers didn't work. T" hat's a real bummer in a mission that gets so dark that you can't see without them within 15 minutes of insertion time. Please add NVGs as default equipment for all characters.

2. We ran into at least one vehicle that we had no real way to deal with. It's possible that we simply missed a resupply box down on the beach (we approached the lighthouse from the cliffs further up the shoreline), but without any means of defending ourselves the vehicle chewed us up.

3. Our AI squadmate would not eject from the rubber ducky. Only a "get out" option appeared in the command menu and he didn't even respond to this. This meant that we had to play through the mission down a man.

That's all I've got for you! Thanks for the mission and I look forward to playing an updated version of it soon!

[sproyd 2]

A buddy of mine and I tried out your mission last night. I enjoyed the concept and setup, but there were a couple of issues that hampered things a little. Here they are:

1. Only the squad leader was able to equip NVGs. I didn't have them in my inventory and even picking them up off of dead Opfor soldiers didn't work. T" hat's a real bummer in a mission that gets so dark that you can't see without them within 15 minutes of insertion time. Please add NVGs as default equipment for all characters.

2. We ran into at least one vehicle that we had no real way to deal with. It's possible that we simply missed a resupply box down on the beach (we approached the lighthouse from the cliffs further up the shoreline), but without any means of defending ourselves the vehicle chewed us up.

3. Our AI squadmate would not eject from the rubber ducky. Only a "get out" option appeared in the command menu and he didn't even respond to this. This meant that we had to play through the mission down a man.

That's all I've got for you! Thanks for the mission and I look forward to playing an updated version of it soon!

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for trying it out. I'll address your findings

1. All 3 playable units are equipped with NVGs in their backpacks. However, I think the problem has to do with a script which is used for AI to equip NVGs once it gets dark - it currently applies to the 2 non-squad leader characters and is probably glitched when these slots are played by non-AI. I'll try and fix this in a future update. The workaround would be to equip NVGs to your person as soon as you reach land and then just enable them with N once its dark.

2. It should be possible to complete the mission without encountering enemy armoured vehicles if you are quick and quiet. The vehicles are spawned outside the AO to simulate a nearby base and will usually only come if they detect activity in the AO. Otherwise they may approach your position and once they've entered the AO it will be difficult to destroy them as you are not equipped with AT. Remember your mission is only to clear the AO of OPFOR so once you have done that you have completed the Primary Objective. One of the divers is equipped with detonation explosives though if you want to lay a trap on any potential incoming vehicle routes. I may tweak this however if it continues to prove problematic.

3. I don't think this is a bug. If the group leader selects the AI squadmate and presses 6 he should find the Eject command as item 1 (there is a popup hint explaining this). The Get Out command is the only one in the default command menu and is not appropriate as when you ask your team mate to 'Get Out' he will;

1- Automatically communicate with the AI driver (who is not in your control)

2- The boat driver will try and drive the boat to land to drop off the cargo which is not advised because

a- You are a dive squad who are performing a boat entry into the water

b- the boat is scripted to have zero fuel at the diver insertion point to simulate the driver cutting fuel to the outboard and so he can't drive anywhere until you safely leave the area (hint - 15m) and the fuel is subsequently re-enabled (FYI for editors reading this: the EngineOff/On command doesn't work effectively in this instance)

c- the AI for driving boats is not great and usually ends up in the boat getting stuck on a rock or on the beach, rendering extraction impossible

3- the team mate will only 'Get Out' once he has reached land, and seeing as he is a diver this is counterintuitive!

Instead, the group leader should use the Eject command which works everytime by pressing 6, then 1 (and I've tested this mission at various stages well over 100 times). In reality Eject should be the default command in this situation.

[sproyd 2]

Great news - V1.2 is here and its by far the best yet. A considerable number of improvements, I have added tweaks and fixes to address nearly every comment sent to me by testers including savedbygrace from OFPEC. This is now a much higher quality mission with working briefing, dynamic win and lose tasks, randomness of AI placement and many other tweaks as highlighted in the updated changelog in the OP.

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=19476

Edited April 16, 2013 by sproyd

[sproyd 2]

v1.3 released today. Fixed a load of problems (mostly due to alpha updates) and made other improvements. Refer OP for download and changelog.

Apologies to anyone that tried to play v1.2 which became broken due to class changes in alpha updates.

[msilva 2]

I´d like to say thanks for this mission. Very cool but could be a bit harder...after kill the enemy patrol group and destroy the lighthouse, I have not found any more enemy, and reach the extraction point with no problem.I´m expecting after call the boat by radio, face a few waves of enemies until boat arrive with some guy inside who will blow up enemy lines with a machinegunner or something.

P.S. excuse for my bad english...

[sproyd 2]

I´d like to say thanks for this mission. Very cool but could be a bit harder...after kill the enemy patrol group and destroy the lighthouse, I have not found any more enemy, and reach the extraction point with no problem.I´m expecting after call the boat by radio, face a few waves of enemies until boat arrive with some guy inside who will blow up enemy lines with a machinegunner or something.

P.S. excuse for my bad english...

And that would be because the Site Modules are not working properly!! The life of an A3 Alpha mission designer is fraught with frustration. Not only do you have to contend with making your mission stable, it could be broken at any time by BIS updating the game!! (not a dig at BIS, I'm eyes wide open here).

hotfix incoming...

Update: Hotfix released (and some other goodies. Check OP for download and changelog.

Edited June 18, 2013 by sproyd

[msilva 2]

Thanks.I´ll try later.

[sproyd 2]

Updated for Beta build.

[sproyd 2]

Updated for latest Beta build and added to Steam Workshop.