CiA co-op night

[llauma 0]

Comrades in Arms hosts co-op nights for serious team players on every Wednesday at 20:00 CET. During summer, daylight-saving time will be in effect. If you are uncertain of the current server time check it here. The server is online 24 hours, 7 days a week in either FDF-BAS or WGL modes.

CiA have been running serious Flashpoint games for the past six years. We are mostly known for our strict but simple modus operandi during our missions. There are no trainings or role playing; we concentrate on the coop and the ways to complete it, no more, no less. We choose a commander, we lay out a plan, and during its execution we follow the team leader's orders carefully. In spite of that, the atmosphere is light and calm. Every one, including guests, can lead in our games. However, once a leader was chosen everybody are expected to do exactly as he says.

In order to assure serious team play the server is password protected. Until now, the server was open for all that have the addons but lately, an over flux of players have brought immature behavior to coop nights. Thus, the old password is in use again. The password will be provided to those who will show, outside the official coop night a grown and productive way of playing. If you posses the password, please don't forward it to anyone else.

CiA Server Rules

1. Orders

If the leader gives you orders, follow them at all costs, even if it may seem senseless in your eyes. This also requires that each unit knows their number so you will know which order is addressed to you. Orders are given either via Teamspeak, OFP's built in commands, or in the text chat. You should be attentive to all of these comm channels.

2. Reporting Back

If the leader addresses you, respond. If you have been given an order report 'Roger' so the leader will know that you have received and understood it. Upon completion of the assigned task report 'Ready'.

3. Formation

Stick with the formation unless told otherwise. Even numbers should be to the right hand side of the leader, while Odd numbers to his left. If the main squad is split up into smaller squads, each squad moves as an independent team, led by an assigned secondary leader.

4. Map

Stay focused on the map. Know where you and possible friendly units are to avoid friendly fire.

5. Firing

Don't open fire without being ordered. Before firing on a unit, check the map for friendly units! Also right-click will help, but not always. Rather be shot by an enemy than shooting a friendly!

6. Chat

Don't chat if it has nothing to do with the current combat situation. Dumb comments result in overfilling the chat space, thus no one realizes when important orders are given. Switch to group chat during missions, if you aren't leading.

7. Concentration

This is the last and most important rule: Concentrate. We don't forbid joking, but once a mission has started, stay serious, calm and focus on the game!

Everyone who doesn't follow one or more of these rules will be asked to leave.

Needed Addons

Finmod, BAS addons and some more addons are in use. Please do not attempt to connect to the server without them installed. All the addons are available for download in an easy to install single pack from the CiA website addons page.

Servers Info

Game server IP: 85.252.203.43

Port: 2302

Teamspeak 2 server IP: 85.252.203.43

The TS password is ciafdf

CiA Server Mission List

Check this Google spreadsheet to view the missions we have on our servers. In order to pursue the sense of achievement we use it to keep track of successfully completed missions. We keep it up-to-date.

WGL Server

If you play WGL mod, feel free to join us on any other day of the week. If you and your friends wish to play WGL and the server is on FDF-BAS mode, please leave us a request on our homepage 'shoutbox' and we will gladly switch the server to WGL.

ArmA 2 Server

If you play ArmA 2 mod, feel free to join us on our Sunday ArmA 2 coop night. Check this thread for more details.

See you on the server!

Edited March 21, 2011 by Llauma
Reactivating the server password

[llauma 0]

The server is currently up and running so drop by

[marcusjm 0]

Too drunk to try it today but next time...

marcus

[ebns72 0]

I'm going to start coming to these things, because I just realized in US time your coop sessions happens right as I come home from school and usually just play ofp anyway

I'll try to be there next sunday

[hardrock 1]

Thanks for the games, though it weren't that many.

[llauma 0]

Thanx for the games.. Hopefully you'll return on Sunday.

I'll edit the first post before Sunday so it'll contain some basic guidelines of the team play we expect on the server.

[Radnik 18]

... i must say good missions where chosen for tonight, bad we where totaly unorganized on some

it`s a litle bit strange since Llauma is allway the leader (keep it up ), he does not have mic. and he loses planty of time on type, it a hard to folow messages and focus on play

thus is more like to him as a leader to have mic in future

[Stuphor 0]

I'm determined to be there on Sunday. I have the modfolder all set up, I have teamspeak and a microphone is built into my laptop and I've been practising my marksmanship ready for this.

I just hope my ping is low enough!!

[Balschoiw 0]

Thx for the games as well. Radnik you got my apologies

Cu on sunday !

Edit: Just forget about the spelling. Too lazy to correct my errors

[llauma 0]

... i must say good missions where chosen for tonight, bad we where totaly unorganized on some  

it`s a litle bit strange since Llauma is allway the leader (keep it up   ), he does not have mic. and he loses planty of time on type, it a hard to folow messages and focus on play

thus is more like to him as a leader to have mic in future  

The main problem is that when there are more than eight players people loose focus and start behaving like on a public server. The funny thing is that each of these players are great team players when there's a small group.

The key to good co-op is not people following the orders of the leader but people working together as a team. This becomes hard when there are lots of players who haven't played together before.

Every players first priority is too do what's good for the team. Still alot of people seems more eager to get some kills but for the co-op to work we can't have such people joining. It's okay not to know for sure after a few games how we want the game to be played but when some haven't seemed to got the message after months you start to doubt whether they'll ever get it.

Perhaps I expect too much of the players but I know what good team work is and I like it so I won't rest until I got it. A mic is a useful thing but it's not really about time in OFP. When you got good team work you really dont need much communication. I know it's not fair as me and bals have been playing together for so long but I never really need to give him any other orders than the commands the leader has.

It would be nice if all tried to lead at least once so they know what a huge difference team work does.

[Balschoiw 0]

Quote[/b] ] i was refering to you: how it must be hard for you to type and focus on play, nothing more

Problem solved. I will send Llauma my old, custom built headset

[llauma 0]

Llauma, don`t get me wrong, i`m new to online play, specialy to coop, and i do not have nothing smart to add nor to say about team coop play, just watch and learn ...

i was refering to you: how it must be hard for you to type and focus on play, nothing more    

All of us were new to online play at some point. It's nice to see that you want to learn 'cause not all do that.

Actually I like to take it easy, have a cup of coffey and type instead of shouting on TS. The best is when I don't have to do anything but to relax and watch the team do the job. Once you learn of the AI's capabilities and limitations it's easy to do that.

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

YES YES YES, yesterday night was great. Especially since the mission were well chosen. Lots of great battles, no stupid rain&night missions, no stupid flying around just ordinary infantry tasks! Great!

I am going to post some good screenshots this evening! I think I made some realy good ones!

[hardrock 1]

Problem solved. I will send Llauma my old, custom built headset

I doubt that it'll change anything. Maybe Llauma would install it, but he wouldn't talk but write anyway I guess. In fact, Llauma's got no voice I believe

He's an alien, that's why he is that good.

[meio_maluco 1]

count me in, i like ur coops style (team work is alot better and funnier

[marcusjm 0]

Just a side question. If you use a tool like team speak, would it conflict with other communications programs like Skype? I normally close down all resident software when playing OFP but I guess there needs to be something running for microphones to work?

marcus

[Donnervogel 0]

About Teamplay.

Well Llauma. There is some difference with big groups and small grops. Of course it's easy for everyone to know what to do when there are only 4 or 5 people playing. There is always sufficent cover near the leader and mostly everyone has a specific task given by the type of equipment he has (AT, MG, etc)

But if you play with 8 or more people you need more precise communications. It's not really about what the leader orders to them. That should be clear (like waiting for permisssion to fire). But sometimes the communication in the other direction is lacking. When you got 8 people not everyone can find cover in the bushes next to the leader. Also it's not very wise to have all men in the same spot (Grenades anyone?). Therefore those people need to find a suitable position first. Sometimes there is none nearby. So those people run or crouch to the next pile of bushes nearby without the leader ordering it.

Another situation is that the leader orders Line formation. A large group can spread over a quite large distance then. Due to Terrain and objects everyone will see different thing. Especially people on the edges of the formations sometimes will see things the leader doesn't see or won't see the things the leader sees. Now when the leader gives order to target a specific group of people those players sometimes need to find a new position to have a sight on them. I ususally try to write that when it happens but sometimes there is no time because the leader already gave fire order. This sometimes leads to people "running around in different directions".

Unfortunatly OFP has no suitable menu for fire team based squads. At least it is pretty complicated to handle it. Therefore you need good and disciplinated communication with large groups. Meaning the leader must understand the situation of squad members a bit away from him and give them precise orders. Also the squad members need to tell the leader what their situation is (not too compilcated of course), Ideally that is archieved with voice communication. I have a microphone but for some unknown reason it rapes my voice into unaudible gibberish when using teamspeak. Therefore I can't use it. And writing in ofp is of course a bit clumsy. I often play on the utw servers where they use Ventrilo for voice communications and there my microphone works well. And there it clearly is a benefit when people use communications correctly.

I think the problem with large groups sometimes has to to with lacking communication (from both sides). Of course sometimes the problem is that some people don't even follow the most basic orders from the leader (Hold fire guys until told to fire ;)

[llauma 0]

I agree with you but the main reason why it doesn't work is still because people tend to prefer to go for some own kills instead of holding the line even though you can't see everything. When people start advancing or flanking even without informing the team we get in trouble. This action forces the group to advance too which leads to the group taking a risk. Often people get's stuck behind when they spot a patrol at 200m and instead of reporting it they get down while the rest of the group advances 100m. Then they either ask permition to fire cause they have to (get some kills) or they just fire and say that had to. If the enemies are being reported right when spotted I often check if we can advance or not and if we can I give the order to advance but not all listens.

When moving as a big group everyone can't get the front row. So instead of running of to find the perfect spot they should just get down and cover the flanks and rear. We have been killed too many times by enemies coming from the flanks or back. It's not really acceptable that a 10 man group has no eyes on the flanks or back.

I'll make a list of what the different commands means..

[Donnervogel 0]

Of course nobody likes to watch the rear when the fun is on the other side ;) The thing is just that nobody will really put his main attention on "boring" things when not ordered to. Also we don't have clear tasks assigned to people. Maybe we should define some rules on that, so that everyone knows what to do when the mission starts.

Also on a sidenote. I was watching the flanks yesterday in a mission and a 8 man squad was approaching me. I reported but the leader didn't react because I guess he thought I meant the enemies inside the town we were attacking. So I kept asking for permission to shoot because they were coming to my direction and if I moved away I'd be killed pretty surely. In the end they were like 20-30m infront of me when the leader gave order to fire and nobody helped me on the flank because all attacked the village. I luckily managed to take out 7 of the 8 enemies and the last one fled. The morale. Even when you have guys watching the flanks you still need the leader to be aware of who is watching the flanks so he knows that those contacts might be different ones. Therefore it might be a good idea to have roles assigned before the shit hits the fan ;)

[wheres my rabbit ? 10]

maybe you could when possible split the people up into 2 fireteams(when there are 8 or so players) and have someone as second in command responcible for fireteam 2.that way the groupleader doesn't have to worry about everyone all the time and can just give orders to fireteam 2 leader then he only has to worry about his 4 men.this will allow easier coordination between the players and also allow for realistic tactics, providing cover fire while the other team advances etc.

the problem with public games or in this case semi public games is that you always get 1 nooby twat coming allong and thinking its safe to blow that satchel up he left behind at the last objective ay donner ? last time i joined i seem to remember bals shooting me in the face in 1 mission .lol shit happens sometimes i guess but i think you'll have calmed down now lol.

hats off to you CIA guys for hosting this night cos coop takes patience n dedicated players and all in all seems to work pretty well at you coop nights and i like to pop in for a game now and then cos its the only real chance i get to play finmod..

thnx

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

[Albert Schweitzer 10]

[wheres my rabbit ? 10]

[Donnervogel 0]

maybe you could when possible split the people up into 2 fireteams(when there are 8 or so players) and have someone as second in command responcible for fireteam 2.that way the groupleader doesn't have to worry about everyone all the time and can just give orders to fireteam 2 leader then he only has to worry about his 4 men.this will allow easier coordination between the players and also allow for realistic tactics, providing cover fire while the other team advances etc.

the problem with public games or in this case semi public games is that you always get 1 nooby twat coming allong and thinking its safe to blow that satchel up he left behind at the last objective ay donner ? last time i joined i seem to remember bals shooting me in the face in 1 mission .lol shit happens sometimes i guess but i think you'll have calmed down now lol.

hats off to you CIA guys for hosting this night cos coop takes patience n dedicated players and all in all seems to work pretty well at you coop nights and i like to pop in for a game now and then cos its the only real chance i get to play finmod..

thnx

well there are two problems with that. OFP supports only one leader per squad, so only one can give ingame commands and since not everybody has a microphone you can't always do it over voice com.

secound problem is that covering fire is very limited in OFP because AI does not take cover and is not surpressable. So real tactics are not very useable in OFP. Also the any cover your squad uses becomes useless as soon as you start shooting because the AI then exactly knows where you are and can shoot you trough bushes and trees. However it's good to have some people watching a village and shooting AI that is poping up while others approach the village. But that's all use of "covering fire" in OFP I can think of.