[CO 10] PMC Versus mission pack #3

[fuiba 10]

Private Military Company Versus has been assigned by the Takistani paramilitary group Al-Azif to destabilize the Altian government by any and all means necessary. The third party commission for this whole operation (designation 'Cronos') is 4.2 million euros. Prepare for asymmetric warfare and effects-based operations. Prepare for the blackest of operations known to Versus. Prepare for questionable ethics. Prepare for a fat paycheck.

The mission pack is a spiritual successor for the earlier mission packs in the series (for Arma2OA with ACE):

PMC Versus Chernarus operations (30 missions, co05)

PMC Versus Thirsk operations (7 missions, co05)

What's to be expected:

• SP/Coop mission pack for 1-10 players.
  
• Small scale hit-and-run black operations with infantry.
  
• A backstory to tie the missions loosely together.
  
• No cutscenes, no zone restrictions.
  
• Group respawn.
  

Mission content:

• Operation Resurreximus: eliminate the local extremist group key personnel, acquire weapons and vehicles.
  
• Operation Metamorphoses: eliminate the last of the extremists and steal explosives from the AAF.
  
• Operation Afflamus: destroy liquid containers and eliminate a distillery foreman.
  
• Operation Alcyon: seize an AA installation and ambush transport helicopters.
  
• Operation Ignis Graecus: eliminate a plantation owner and destroy olive tree saplings.
  
• Operation Semideus Rabiosus: sabotage a go-kart event.
  
• Operation Caesiae Maria: ambush a fuel transport convoy and free prisoners.
  
• Operation Canes Currunt: deliver intel and avoid search patrols.
  
• Operation Terriculi: investigate an unknown contact.
  
• Operation Argentum Vivum: clear an LZ for extraction.
  

Requirements:

NATO SF and Russian Spetsnaz Weapons (Armaholic.com)

Get version 2.06 from Dropbox.

Or subscribe at Steam workshop.

---------- Post added at 19:13 ---------- Previous post was at 19:12 ----------

First and foremost I'd like to thank Variable from Comrades in Arms for getting me involved in Arma 3 and also all the CiA members for providing invaluable feedback and play testing! That's what keeps a mission maker going! I plan to add more missions to this pack.

If you want to immerse yourself in the world of PMC Versus, you can read the mission briefings in the operation dossier: http://pmcversus.weebly.com/

Edited January 27, 2015 by Fuiba
Added link to the new version.

[fuiba 10]

Updated the pack and added two new missions putting the total to 10. Also some bug fixes.

[Variable 322]

Guys, this is a must play mission pack. The missions are engaging, immersive and offer a lot of tactical action. The briefings alone are a masterpiece and the action is densed and always within a context. You practically fall in love with those Versus operators you play although this is practically a terrorist campaign (ever attacked a go-kart competition event or freed convicts from their high security prison?).

Don't miss it!

Fuiba, I recommend adding waypoints to the leader of Derelictus team in all missions so that SP players will be able to to play this pack as well by commanding Perditus team. It won't work perfectly in all missions (AI don't know how to lay down ambush, for example) but that's better than nothing.

Edited November 18, 2014 by Variable

[fuiba 10]

That's a good suggestion, Variable. I intentionally avoided placing waypoints for the teams because I find the in-game markers a bit distracting. And in MP the waypoints give away a "plan to complete the mission" even though I think that making an effective plan is the most fun part in a mission. I added the "join teams"-command so that Perditus leader could take control of Derelictus and issue them waypoints via command menu and map. I'll give the waypoint approach a go though, thank you!

[Variable 322]

Right, I didn't think of that since I have those WP markers removed. If you can join the teams it's good enough. Have a look at the high command option, you might like it better.

[fuiba 10]

I've added a Steam workshop link to the op. The workshop versions are always the latest so I recommend you use those, thanks! I'll release a new version on Dropbox soon and it will contain some bug fixes and balance tweaks.

[fuiba 10]

The mission pack is updated with minor balance tweaks for the first four missions and the second mission has been fixed!

[semiconductor 309]

Hello!

First of all, let me thank you for your great work! Our small group enjoying your awesome missions since Arma 2 (the day-off mission in forest at night was breathtaking!) and it's really nice to see them coming into Arma 3. :cool:

We almost finished your pack and have a few little suggestions (if you wouldn't mind):

1. Quality of RU and NATO SF Weapons pack is well... mediocre especially for marksmans, their scopes are completely off (well, I was told they are). There is an amazing CUP Weapon Pack and it's made really well (apart form some minor issues that currently being fixed AFAIK). Could you please consider replacing current weapons with CUP ones in future?

2. Support of Authentic Gameplay Modification. We truly enjoyed your missions with ACE and while right now your missions are working more or less fine with AGM, some intervention via debug console is still required and it would be awesome to have the same experience in Arma 3 out of the box.

Yet again, thank you for your great work! We are totally looking forward for new missions.

Edited December 8, 2014 by Semiconductor
tyops

[Variable 322]

1. Quality of RU and NATO SF Weapons pack is well... mediocre especially for marksmans, their scopes are completely off (well, I was told they are). There is an amazing CUP Weapon Pack and it's made really well (apart form some minor issues that currently being fixed AFAIK). Could you please consider replacing current weapons with CUP ones in future?

I support this motion! :)

2. Support of Authentic Gameplay Modification. We truly enjoyed your missions with ACE and while right now your missions are working more or less fine with AGM, some intervention via debug console is still required and it would be awesome to have the same experience in Arma 3 out of the box.

Fuiba, please don't make AGM mandatory. There are a lot of groups that do not use it.

[fuiba 10]

Thanks for the feedback, it's most welcome as always!

Semiconductor, it's great to hear that you liked my Arma 2 missions, especially the night in the forest (Operation Caedes Et Instructus, if I remember correctly), that was my own personal favourite!

I'm aware of CUP and actually making a new mission pack with that. The reason why it's not used with this mission pack is simply that (if I'm right) it wasn't out when I started making this one. I could definitely see this mission pack updated so that the RU/NATO SF weapons were replaced with CUP counterparts. The main problem for me with CUP is that the reload animations are straight from Arma 2 and I think we all can agree that no trained soldier reloads his/her gun like that. I know it's a small thing and hopefully fixed in the future but right now it just completely kills the immersion for me. I guess for now I could replace the marksmen weapons with CUP ones and require both the mods. Would that be ok?

As for the AGM, even though the feature list looks very appealing, Comrades in Arms is my "employer" now :) I could perhaps make another versions of my missions pack with AGM support but would come after I've finished and released the mission packs without AGM. I have never actually used AGM and I'm not sure much work it would take to incorporate support for it.

Again, thanks for the feedback, that's what got me into making missions again!

[semiconductor 309]

Sorry for the late reply, I had an unexpectedly busy week. :)

I guess for now I could replace the marksmen weapons with CUP ones and require both the mods. Would that be ok?

It would be great but it will require 1.5Gb download for those who haven't got those mods installed previously and search for a new coop to play. Maybe there are scopes in RU/NATO SF pack that could replace current ones for a time being, until CUP Weapons Pack will reach it's full potential? :)

As for the AGM, even though the feature list looks very appealing, Comrades in Arms is my "employer" now I could perhaps make another versions of my missions pack with AGM support but would come after I've finished and released the mission packs without AGM. I have never actually used AGM and I'm not sure much work it would take to incorporate support for it.

It's quite similar to ACE2 and most of it's features work out of the box with missions that are made without AGM support in mind. There are two problems: first, AGM's medical system sometimes conflicts with mission's custom medical system (e.g. player falls unconscious in both medical systems, gets revived with AGM but can't be revived with mission's medical system because Medikit was automatically converted to morphine/epinephrine/blood bag by AGM). The second one is quite trivial - some launchers that are reloadable in vanilla became disposable with AGM. We didn't encountered any other problems. Oh, and by the way Task Force Arrowhead Radio support could be implemented by simply adding this line "tf_no_auto_long_range_radio = true;" into mission's init. This will prevent automatical replacement of SL's backpack with long-wave radios, TFAR will take care of everything else automatically.

Again, thanks for the feedback, that's what got me into making missions again!

No problem, I'm glad that I managed to be helpful somehow. :D

[fuiba 10]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I'll keep the RU/NATO SF pack as the only required addon for now but I'll look into changing the scopes for the next update. I hadn't even noticed that the weapon pack had some flaws (except for the one scope reported by the CiA players). I've decided to leave that weapon pack out of future missions to come and concentrate on CUP provided weapons.

I'm not familiar with TFAR or the practical effects of the squad leader not having a long range radio. I've always kept the leader free of any backpacks :)

Edited December 19, 2014 by Fuiba

[Variable 322]

I'm not familiar with TFAR or the practical effects of the squad leader not having a long range radio. I've always kept the leader free of any backpacks :)

That's good practice,because TFAR will add a long range radio automatically.

Regarding Massi's weapons, they have just been updated.

[fuiba 10]

I've added a link to the new version in the op. Minor fixes, proof reading and balance tweaks for most of the missions. I tried out the updated massi's weapon pack but the problem with the ARCO scope persisted so I replaced all of them with different ones.

[fuiba 10]

I have added a link to the op for the new version (2.05). The new version fixed some balance issues in operation Argentum Vivum.

[Variable 322]

We have completed all missions in coop mode. Kudos to you Fuiba! Wonderful job on one of the best coop mission pack out there.

[fuiba 10]

We have completed all missions in coop mode. Kudos to you Fuiba! Wonderful job on one of the best coop mission pack out there.

I'm glad you guys liked it! Thanks for the feedback, as always - it's much appreciated!

[fuiba 10]

Hi ya, I've added a new version, 2.06 (link is in the op) with mission-pack-wide tweaks and fixes. This one took a while.

• Total objective trigger overhaul: loosened trigger conditions.
  
• Total ending trigger overhaul: switched to Arma3 end function.
  
• Total loadout overhaul, eveything set up again from scratch.
  
• Mission pack is now dedicated server compatible (thanks Alwarren and Varanon!)
  
• Balance tweaks for most of the missions based on feedback (thanks everyone!)
  
• Lots of minor and a couple of major bug fixes throughout.
  

Once I've finished the fourth mission pack (still WIP), I'll take a look at AGM support!

Edit: oh and I've added more mission screenshots to the missions in Steam Workshop.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Fuiba