Command Structure

[Blanco 0]

Yeah, shoot is freeware and works very well in OFP.

http://clans.gameclubcentral.com/shoot/

There's even a profile for OFP.

[frederf 0]

"- Ordering individuals as well as the team to 'cover' a certain direction."

In OFP you could do this with the "Watch" command, also accesible by selecting the unit and "ALT + left click" in the direction to Watch.

I apologize about the team-green speculation before. It was heresay but I do know there's /something/ special about how units behave when ordered as team-green.

BTW, does anyone know HOW MANY COLOR GROUPS THERE ARE? In ofp you had, 5? red/blue/yellow/green/white. That was for 11 commanded soldiers... are there more for ArmA?

[CANavar 0]

Agree, it would be very nice to see the quick command demonstration.

Lack of fire team functionalities is a big problem in OFP. As mentioned before, when you create fire teams with color codes, formations stays at squad level.

Worse, there is no tight/loose formation options.

It is very difficult to command an AI fire team during urban operations which necessitates relatively tigther formations.

My current method:

- Take 2-3 squad members with me and execute bounding by directly setting their positions/watch directions. I cover them while they move, they cover me while I am moving. Cumbersome? yes. But better (=min casualties) than any other method I tried.

Formations are NOT fancy visual treats. They:

1) are essential for organization and coordination

2) provide cohesion

3) provide safety separation between a) fireteam members b) fireteams

4) allow proper coverage of threat directions (based on your position in the formation you have a primary watch direction)

5) are essential initial step and provide tactical positioning for maneuver execution (Ex. suppress/flank)

6) provide interlocking fire lanes and establishes fire support between fire team/squad members

Official patch or a mod, ability to:

- create formations at fire team and squad levels independently (SL: "Red...column formation...Blue wedge...Squad...staggered column, Red take point)

and

- adjust separation between a) fire team members b) fire teams independently (Ex. SL: "Red team..switch to tight formation...Squad...stay loose)

will make a great tactical game like OFP/ArmA even better.

I hope developer/community appreciates the tactical significance of fire teams and formations to make these necessary additions.

[lee_h._oswald 0]

Everyone here should take a look at the Logitech G11 or G15 gaming keyboards.

They have programable macro keys: G1, G2, G3........, G18.

And 3 "layer" M1, M2 and M3, so you have 3x 18 programable keys.

I think, they could be very usefull for squad handling.

Btw, you can program those keys ingame!

MfG Lee

[Pierrot 0]

I sometimes think that we need other ROE(Rule of Engagement) except OpenFire/HoldFire for AI. AI whom I set HoldFire often loses his life when he encounts enemies because I forget to set him OpenFire and he cannot return fire.

So I'd like to add another engaging mode: Exclusively Defensive Security Mode. That means "do not fire until you are attacked". AI in this mode does not attack enemies who do not notice him even though they are within easy reach of him. But unfortunately once the enemies notice and attack him, he immediately uses his weapon and returns fire. After he confirms that he eliminates all threats, he disengages and holds fire.

I guess this Exclusively Defensive Security Mode gives varieties to sneak missions.

[spitfire_142 0]

I sometimes think that we need other ROE(Rule of Engagement) except OpenFire/HoldFire for AI. AI whom I set HoldFire often loses his life when he encounts enemies because I forget to set him OpenFire and he cannot return fire.

Isn't the meaning of HoldFire that the soldier is not to fire unless fired upon first?

[Pierrot 0]

Isn't the meaning of HoldFire that the soldier is not to fire unless fired upon first?

Oops. I completely mistake?

[zwobot 17]

In Ofp there is "Never fire" and "Hold fire" (at least in the editor).

I don't know if one could issue these two seperately ingame.

[Pierrot 0]

I have checked each behavier in OFP. But I am not a mission editor so I just tested on a simple mission.

AI which is set HoldFire do not attack enemies automatically even though he is under fire. He just simply waits for his death without firing when he encounters enemies.

But the AI ordered HoldFire sometimes uses his weapons against enemies. When his squad leader gives him a target and orders Engage or EngageAtWill, he uses his weapon to detroy the target. After he destroys the target, he returns to formation and holds his weapons. If the squad leader is you, you can easily make him engage by clicking the targets, for clicking targets includes set target and engage.

This procedure is quite tiresome especially when AIs are located far from you. So I hope ArmA has some modes for AI to save his own life even in sneak missions.

[zwobot 17]

ArmA AI ignores hold fire commands when you have enemy contact. That is really annoying, you cannot assign color teams as well. The only way to do it is in the editor via "unitname assignTeam "teamcolor"" so you can have color teams but you cannot select them like in Ofp via command menue so it is absolutely useless.

That has to be fixed.

[Blanco 0]

AI in holdfire mode should hold fire until you open fire.

They can still spot & report enemies & you can assign targets to you men, but the hold fire command should change automatically to open fire mode when the officer (=you) fires his first leading shot.

Some kind of only-fire-when-I-fire-mode...

I tried to script this in OFP with a "fired" EH and a combatmode check but in OFP the combatmode command is bugged.

[zwobot 17]

Well my experience with ArmA and hold fire is a different than you stated Blanco.

I am not sure about the lead shot thing but I am sure that when your squad is firing at enemies they wont even stop firing when you order no target and hold fire

[Blanco 0]

I think you misunderstand me, Nepumuk

The holdfire mode I describe is one of my wishes, it's in OFP either.

An only-fire-when-I-fire-mode is perfect to setup an ambush imo.

[EddiePrice 16]

ArmA AI ignores hold fire commands when you have enemy contact. That is really annoying, you cannot assign color teams as well. The only way to do it is in the editor via "unitname assignTeam "teamcolor"" so you can have color teams but you cannot select them like in Ofp via command menue so it is absolutely useless.

That has to be fixed.

I have the same problem. I get the "Assign" command icon, #9, in the command menu sometimes, but I'm not sure what is removing it. I made a new topic about this but I guess I'm better off asking in here.

[zwobot 17]

Sorry Blanco, you are right I really exactly understand what you are meaning.

Anyway I think this color team issue should be adressed to some official guy from BIS as the teams are a vital feature and it should at least be at the same level as it was in Ofp.

Instead they implemented a quick command system which's use I cannot understand. Whats the difference between pressing an F-key or the spacebar to select a squad member for issueing orders

[Maddmatt 1]

AI in holdfire mode should hold fire until you open fire.

They can still spot & report enemies & you can assign targets to you men, but the hold fire command should change automatically to open fire mode when the officer (=you) fires his first leading shot.

Some kind of only-fire-when-I-fire-mode...

I tried to script this in OFP with a "fired" EH and a combatmode check but in OFP the combatmode command is bugged.

Sure you're using the setCombatMode command correctly? http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/setCombatMode

[Blanco 0]

Absolute, I'm not a newbie

The problem with combatmode in OFP (dunno in ArmA, I'm ArmAless) is that the return is incorrect when you change the ROE via the commandmenu.

Let's say you start in "aware" mode, check the combatmode, it will be "aware", but when you change the ROE via the commandmenu to holdfire and you check again with the combatmode command, return will still be "aware".

You have to use the Setcombatmode command, then return of combatmode is correct.

[Blanco 0]

Whats the difference between pressing an F-key or the spacebar to select a squad member for issueing orders

From what I've read on the forums, you have to use your mouse in the quick command system, so you don't have to watch your keyboard anymore. Everybody can press a spacebar without looking.

Actually, in OFP, I don't use the F keys to select units, I only use the Ë› key to select all units.

The cursor changes, and I can draw a rectangle with my mouse to select the units I need or I select them one by one and hold the shift key to select multiple units.

[Maddmatt 1]

Absolute, I'm not a newbie

The problem with combatmode in OFP (dunno in ArmA, I'm ArmAless) is that the return is incorrect when you change the ROE via the commandmenu.

Let's say you start in "aware" mode, check the combatmode, it will be "aware", but when you change the ROE via the commandmenu to holdfire and you check again with the combatmode command, return will still be "aware".

You have to use the Setcombatmode command, then return of combatmode is correct.

I didn't check your nick before I posted that, I've seen some of your work before .

As far as I can remember (long time since I played OFP), when the player changed combatmode via the command menu it would change the combatmode of the selected soldiers, but the player himself would not change (since you don't give yourseld orders ). So when you used the combatmode command it would return the combatmode of the leader (in this case, the player). The combatmode of the player is determined by what he does - put your weapon on your back and after a few seconds it will return "safe", equip your weapon and it goes to "aware", and shoot/crouch/go prone and it goes to "combat".

I did alot of messing around with this at one stage, getting a squad to raise/lower their goggles depending on their combatmode. It was for a mission which I never finished.

[zwobot 17]

I've found something out about the color teams see this thread