Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for ArmA

[txalin 2]

I love you!!

[LoFFeN 0]

Awesome guide, Dslyecxi. A lot of reading, but it's very interesting though.

Cheers.

[-DirTyDeeDs--Ziggy- 0]

thanks for your hard work and community contributions. I appreciate it, as do many others.

[Törni 0]

You mention Advanced Combat Environment several times. It sounds really a "kick butt" modification/addon. Do you have any idea when they are going to made it available?

[sanctuary 19]

Very nice guide.

Also, in ArmA, unlike OFP, the size of the "float zone" is configurable.

Actually in OFP the floating area is configurable too but just in a less user friendly way than in ArmA.

The difference is that ArmA allow this configuration to be made in the game options, while the OFP configuration of the freeaim zone was done by editing manually the main config file and changing 2 values.

[-Snafu- 78]

Cheers Dslyecxi for this excellent guide for ArmA it is much appreciated. I'll get it printed off ASAP.

[SoldierIsNotHistory 0]

Amazing ressource,

respect Dslyecxi

[OrLoK 20]

Hello,

Just to confirm,looking back and the timing of it, this post may have looked like a slight at Dslyecxi's site.

Not that at all. If you not visited it, I would recommend a peek. Informative and attractive too. (and thats just Dslyecxi ).

Ok back on topic.

I think some of you have a better grasp about what I was on about than I did meself.

The fable about Army chaps vs CS chaps paintballing does fit into my thinking, even though, as pointed out, paintballing and Arma differ considerably.

When I play (perhaps a tad less so on evo/air cav etc). I really really really try to avoid death, even in a re-spawn situation.

This usually involves me circling around enemy areas, sneaking from house to house, not shooting when I have a target for fear of attracting enemy attention.

Ive actually been trapped in a building for 15-20 mins unable to move due to troops deciding to sit outside.

This kind of happening makes arma (and ofp before it) great to me.

But as I have said before, the "Rambos" jump in a jeep drive right into town amongst the enemy and chew them to peices, perhaps or perhaps not dieing in the process.

Obviously not a real world tactic.

sorry, whaffling again...

Ok, perhaps I should clarify my origional questions...

1.Which real world tactics work in Arma?

2.Which do you use often and which of those tactics have you tried that don't translate well to the Arma engine?

There, thats better, and more positive sounding too.

Rgds

LoK

[Callsign 128]

fantastic and informative, as always with your work dslyexci :P

bootneckofficer

[Enders 0]

Absolutely superb guide, some things there for rookies and veterans alike. Going to take a while to read it all mind...

[OblivionX 0]

Wow...just wow. Great work Dslyecxi. Took me a hour to read and look on all the videos.

I wish I was in a clan who used such rules. But Im just too scared to make a fool out of my self and I dont use team speak as my english is pretty bad.

I was a Platoon Medic in the military here in Sweden. I wish sometimes that ArmA would simulate the chain within the logistics and medical part of the army too. But I guess thats to much to ask for and maybe not so much fun for some. After all this is a "action" game.

The wounded would slowly bleed out and the Medic could only do so much. Still bleeding (but slower after the medics threatment) the wounded must be transported to a field hospital to recover to full health.

Well now im just talking rubbish here.

Thanks fo the great guide.

[baddo 0]

Thank You.

[DucusSumus 0]

I want to know more about the ACE mod. When/where can one get it?

[colkurtz 0]

Worthy of a Phd in my opinion, a splendid resource for an Arma player.

[dslyecxi 23]

To the questions about the ACE mod:

It isn't out yet. ETA is unknown, but if I had to guess I'd say we'll see an initial release sometime in the next three months. I wish it'd get out faster, but in the long run I know that it's going to be worth the wait, so I'll be patient.

I have no doubt that ACE is going to do to ArmA like what WGL did to OFP.

[Zarkan 0]

Very nice done

[celery 8]

The gameplay is far too dynamic to allow clumsy by-the-book maneuvers and tactics. In real life people fear to lose their lives and so they keep more static positions and use methods that work against their static death-fearing enemies. In a game things are not that final and greater good will be achieved through a little bolder action. I'd say no, some or most of real life tactics do not work in the game, be the opponent AI or another human squad. A machine gunner that "lays area fire until the enemies die" would be the subject of ridicule for the rest of the day

Just to throw in a bit of heat in here, a coop squad that uses real life tactics against a team that regularly plays PvP without strict orders would get leathered nicely nine times out of ten, respawn or no respawn. Odds may vary but you get my point.

Ok, perhaps I should clarify my origional questions...

1.Which real world tactics work in Arma?

2.Which do you use often and which of those tactics have you tried that don't translate well to the Arma engine?

Only the basic guidelines like look and listen around, keep a low profile, flank often and zig-zag under fire work. Human vs human tactics resemble a football match. Usually they just decide who stays back and who is on offensive and the players will perform as they see fit.

[dslyecxi 23]

The gameplay is far too dynamic to allow clumsy by-the-book maneuvers and tactics. In real life people fear to lose their lives and so they keep more static positions and use methods that work against their static death-fearing enemies. In a game things are not that final and greater good will be achieved through a little bolder action. I'd say no, some or most of real life tactics do not work in the game, be the opponent AI or another human squad. A machine gunner that "lays area fire until the enemies die" would be the subject of ridicule for the rest of the day

Just to throw in a bit of heat in here, a coop squad that uses real life tactics against a team that regularly plays PvP without strict orders would get leathered nicely nine times out of ten, respawn or no respawn. Odds may vary but you get my point.

Ok, perhaps I should clarify my origional questions...

1.Which real world tactics work in Arma?

2.Which do you use often and which of those tactics have you tried that don't translate well to the Arma engine?

Only the basic guidelines like look and listen around, keep a low profile, flank often and zig-zag under fire work. Human vs human tactics resemble a football match. Usually they just decide who stays back and who is on offensive and the players will perform as they see fit.

Very bold statements from someone who, by the looks of their sig, is mainly interested in CTF/DM styles of play.

You're welcome to have that opinion, of course, but I doubt you've ever played scenarios like those that my group does. If you had, you'd know that there are a load of real-world tactics and such that come into very real and very applicable play in such situations. In CTF/DM, they have little application, but in actual realistic scenarios they have realistic uses. That shouldn't come as a surprise.

Really, though, judging by the amount of attitude you're slinging in your post, I don't think you're open for discussion on this.

[celery 8]

Very bold statements from someone who, by the looks of their sig, is mainly interested in CTF/DM styles of play.

You're welcome to have that opinion, of course, but I doubt you've ever played scenarios like those that my group does. If you had, you'd know that there are a load of real-world tactics and such that come into very real and very applicable play in such situations. In CTF/DM, they have little application, but in actual realistic scenarios they have realistic uses. That shouldn't come as a surprise.

Really, though, judging by the amount of attitude you're slinging in your post, I don't think you're open for discussion on this.

Speaking of attitude, you are as if you are the author on the matter. You spent a lot of time writing that guide but forgive me if this comes as a surprise, many of your tips work only on a theoretical level.

I'm making a guess here and say that you are mostly a coop player. That's fine, but you shouldn't exclude CTF, C&H or other PvP modes from this discussion as irrelevant just because human opponents don't do what you want them to do.

[dslyecxi 23]

You spent a lot of time writing that guide but forgive me if this comes as a surprise, many of your tips work only on a theoretical level.

I'm making a guess here and say that you are mostly a coop player. That's fine, but you shouldn't exclude CTF, C&H or other PvP modes from this discussion as irrelevant just because human opponents don't do what you want them to do.

You're welcome to believe whatever you want. Everything in that guide works in ArmA, as it did in OFP. We've been using those kinds of tactics extensively in the past to good success. And yes, this is in both coop and adversarial. We don't play CTF or DM, because that's not really what ArmA/OFP are meant for, and I don't believe most tactics have any application in those.

You're practically playing a different game than we are. The guide is not titled "The Ultimate CTF/DM ArmA tactics!". It's oriented towards realism mods like WGL/ACE and realistic, authentic combat scenarios. Scenarios where, surprise surprise, these tactics do apply, do work, and are completely reasonable to use.

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Very bold statements from someone who, by the looks of their sig, is mainly interested in CTF/DM styles of play.

You're welcome to have that opinion, of course, but I doubt you've ever played scenarios like those that my group does. If you had, you'd know that there are a load of real-world tactics and such that come into very real and very applicable play in such situations. In CTF/DM, they have little application, but in actual realistic scenarios they have realistic uses. That shouldn't come as a surprise.

Really, though, judging by the amount of attitude you're slinging in your post, I don't think you're open for discussion on this.

Speaking of attitude, you are as if you are the author on the matter. You spent a lot of time writing that guide but forgive me if this comes as a surprise, many of your tips work only on a theoretical level.

I'm making a guess here and say that you are mostly a coop player. That's fine, but you shouldn't exclude CTF, C&H or other PvP modes from this discussion as irrelevant just because human opponents don't do what you want them to do.

Adversarial (PvP) missions are very boring to create IMO. At least in cooperative missions the mission maker can play a lot with the AI, where as adversarial missions is just placing spawn points and ammo creates... and that's pretty much it. Most adversarial missions like CTF and DM also don't play out as well since you never get into the immersion of the situation (mainly since there is no real situation, it's tournament style is all it is, and there's no consequences for dying/losing).

[celery 8]

You're welcome to believe whatever you want. Everything in that guide works in ArmA, as it did in OFP.

Yes, disregard any who you don't agree with.

We don't play CTF or DM, because that's not really what ArmA/OFP are meant for, and I don't believe most tactics have any application in those.

You're practically playing a different game than we are.

Isn't that joke getting old? ArmA is meant for whatever its users come up with, and CTF only happens to be one of the ultimate tests of teamwork, even in the real army. I get a feeling that you're thinking of all CTF maps as three rows of houses on flat ground.

The guide is not titled "The Ultimate CTF/DM ArmA tactics!". It's oriented towards realism mods like WGL/ACE and realistic, authentic combat scenarios. Scenarios where, surprise surprise, these tactics do apply, do work, and are completely reasonable to use.

You're not calling it "The Ultimate Ultrarealistic COOP/CTI Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures" either. Why do you even bother me if your stuff clearly doesn't work in "CTF/DM" like I explained?

[lwlooz 0]

I would like to point out that while this tactics wont work in classic pvp scenarios(CTF and DM and the likes) , this very much works in A&D , which is surprisingly enough a PvP GameType.

2 Teams with or without AI in their teams battle for an objective , say a town or a hill or any other important location with none or limited respawn.

Having played that game-type with WGL in the end of OFPs life area , I can assure you that what Dslyecxi writes in his guide isn't bollocks.

The only thing that doesn't really work is the defensive bonus one would have in real-life , but Dslyecxi mentioned those limitations in his nice guide as well. So as long as you treat everything as a meeting engagement and don't get frustrated over ArmA's limitations , you should be fine

So .. less bickering and more trying out A&D , I figure most people (Coop and Classic PvP players) will enjoy it

[DaSquade 0]

First of all, thanks Dslyecxi for putting your time in this. Very handy and usefull guide (although a lot of info was already covered in other forms and might not be all to 'new', but still the more guides the more change someone actually uses it ingame ).

As for the point if it is useable ingame or not. I would say, defenatly yes. There is indeed a valid point that all these 'rules' can cause some delay on the battlefield and delay can cause s**t happens in between the rules...and need a new chain of commands etc...But in the end, it is all about teamplay and getting it to the next level imho. Ok, one can rambo and do a better job (with or without loss of life), but in the end it is what you want the game to be for yourself (and clan/team). One thing i learned to enjoy was with good coms (by the book or not) and good tactics (again by the book or not) you can get more things done good then solo. It also give me a better fealing when you acheaved a objective by using tactics and good coms...

Sadly it takes a lot of practice, a good team and motivation to keep it up through the full session, if you understand.

Anyway, keep up the good work Dslyecxi and hope to see more use of your guide on servers although most of it will only be used inside clans or teams witch take it more seriously then the average gamer.

[wamingo 1]

There's not very much left of the simulation, if you spawn continually and have little or no fear of death and know exactly where the enemy spawns etc. That would make you pretty deep into the arcade. So, the discussion would probably end there.

Imagine a CTI where instead of having to conquer x towns all at once, you have to conquer a point of interest which changes every hour or so. Imagine traveling there takes several minutes "flying". Imagine you could only return there once your whole group has died and respawned.

Perhaps not until now can we start talking about actual fear of death - the kind that mainly coop players face. And perhaps first now would tactics with first priority to keep you and your mates alive, really apply in a pvp environment.

my 2 cents anyway. (and I'd really like to play this cti fashion)