Fix High Command?

[SenorTactician 28]

There has been an element of Arma 3 that I have always admired and sought to master, but have been blocked by the interminable problems that have plagued it. High Command, a unique feature that brings out the best of Arma's combined-arms large scale warfare setting is almost unusable, be it through it's finicky interface or the inability for the AI to use the features that are said to be there. Heck, you can't even have the AI dismount from the vehicles they were just transported in, and there isn't even a showcase or tutorial, as there was in Arma 2 and it's OA. 

One could dismiss this as a feature not in demand by the community, but you'd be wrong. At the time of writing, Dynamic Combat Ops, a mission which puts you in command of a platoon and uses the many facets of high command to allow the player to coordinate said platoon, is one of the most popular scenarios on the steam workshop with close to 30,000 downloads at present. Introducing a patch that would simply fix some of the flaws of High Command, like it's general inoperability, would be welcomed by many, and perhaps introduce a new shift in the way arma could be played in some communities.

 

Not having this feature functioning as it should flies in the face of arma's purported ability to replicate large scale warfare (even in singleplayer), and has already been remedied by some modders, can the devs not do the same?

[4 40]

I agree that it should be fixed, but I'd place so many other things above it on the priority to-do list.

[cas 41]

For me it would be one of the highest priority fixes!

 

-Load / unload of vehicles (most important)

-Better waypoint system for helicopters and planes, including height and take-off + land waypoints

-rearm orders / waypoints

-Go codes and timing for waypoints

 

In the long run it would be perfect if a real chain of command with autonomous subunits could be implemented:

-If you select a single soldier you can order them as we know it today

-If you select a sergeant in his function as a squad leader  he will use the rest of the team to accomplish the given mission.

  The AI splits the squad in teams and uses leap frogging and flanking manoeuvrers ( works OK with today's AI)

-If you select a lieutenant in his function as platoon leader he will use his squads in the same way (and the squads using their teams)

-you could extend this system all the way up the chain of command (with the proper routines for the level of command, platoon (or company) size would be  enough for a beginning)   

-Airborne and mounted troops should have better routines when to unload their transports and continue on foot when used by the AI.

 

If this update to the AI and user interface could be implemented large scale missions would be easier to set up and more fun to play.

 

 

[Joe98 92]

Arma was originally intended as a first person shooter.

 

I am a wargamer so I would love it if high command worked in the way it ought.

 

Many wargamers would be attracted to the game.

[scottb613 285]

Hi Folks,

 

Concur on vanilla being pretty useless...

 

For those who haven't tried it - recommend Duda's Advanced AI Command - fixes and improves many of the issues...

 

Regards,

Scott

[snackynak 38]

I would prefer to have a complete DLC overhaul of the high command system, just to add the wargamer element into the game. Being a milsim, I feel that just about all milsim type games completely leave out the most basic aspect of the military, which is the hierarchical command structure of units. You typically get "groups" or "squads", but nothing really beyond that with out scripting and hand crafted missions(and mods like hetman or alive). 

 

What I would like to see, is a real chain of command system for both the player and AI, using the module system. For instance, have a platoon module and a company module. Multiple squads would then be synced to the platoon module, with the highest ranking member being made into the platoon leader. Then have multiple platoons synced to the company module, and the highest ranking member would then be the company commander. Combine that with a variety of mission objective modules to sync up with the command modules so that the commanders can give orders to subordinate units as well as call in air or artillery support.

 

An example for a scenario could be an assembly area module is placed and synced to the company module. This is where the CO will order support units to assemble and await orders and well as act as a forward HQ. An assault module is placed with a defined trigger area, and in the assault module you could input "expected resistance" to help define how the CO will order the attack, like armor or infantry, open field or urban. The CO could then send out a platoon to conduct recon of the objective and the platoon leader the sends each squad out into screen lines around the objective until visual contact is made with the enemy. After contact is made, the CO could then use assigned support like artillery or air to help soften the target. Then the actual assault where the remaining platoons position themselves around the target and bound forward, calling out targets and calling for support (like dust off, resupply) if needed. If there's too many losses then the CO can order a retreat where every one pulls back to the AA, or if successful occupy the objective and send resupply there.

[fn_Quiksilver 1636]

game is over 4 years old now and only skeleton staff + DLC designers remain assigned to the arma3 project ... appreciate what we have :)

[b00tsy 28]

Coincidentally I am  using High Command in the mission I am creating now and it is a bit dissapointing that the High command only can give basic move waypoints. It's better than nothing, but it is not a fleshed out module. They have added a lot of other modules in ArmA 3 though that makes mission creating a lot faster and easier compared to ArmA 2 so it's all good.

[AveryTheKitty 2626]

Pro-tip: Right click on waypoints to modify their properties. Yes, you can load infantry into vehicles via the load/unload setting; only issue is that the vehicle must be grouped to them.