Identifying the other team

[nuggetz 0]

After playing lots of MP today, I managed to kill alot of my team mates on Domination maps. Is there a way for me to absolutly ID the enemy and stop mistaking my team mates as the enemy? I guess it depends on the situation like if you're all walking towards a town, anyone in the distance is AI but sometimes people flank the enemy and I shoot them :-)

Its even harder on servers that disable the visual markings of your team mates when hovering your sights over them. What's the trick?

[galzohar 31]

Lower difficulty - you get markers and it's easy. Higher difficulty - need to communicate and know wtf everyone is doing.

[Inkompetent 0]

Space-scanning. Hold down spacebar and point at a unit and you should see their tag, as long as the unit is 'revealed' to you (i.e. someone in your group has spotted it, you can hear it, or you reveal it yourself (hold right mouse button).

The best way not to shoot friendlies without using cheaty methods like the above though is to never have your finger on the fire-button unless you intend to shoot, to communicate with the team (obviously means they need to communicate back), and never shoot unless you are certain it is an enemy or it fires on you first.

[galzohar 31]

He was looking for a way to identify friendlies, not for a way to prevent himself from shooting by mistake.

Like I said, if the difficulty high, at long distances target ID is impossible without communication. RL is pretty much the same btw, though IRL you'll be more familiar with how your uniforms should look ;) Low difficulties give very easy and clear-cut-dry IFF that you can't read the wrong way.

[kdjac 19]

Bug in the game and on some user made missions where if you get into an enemy vehicle you show as red, have seen the same thing with someone picking up an enemy weapon. And i have shot them both times :(

If space bar is on use it if not have a quick look at the uniforms.

[FINALCUT 10]

having a quick look at the uniform does no good when the enemy is in a ghillie suit,i found that one out the hard way today.:o

[galzohar 31]

Or when they're 5 pixels big.

[walker 0]

Hi all

ArmA II Bible

http://ttp2.dslyecxi.com/

The Chapter on Basic Rifleman

http://ttp2.dslyecxi.com/basic_rifleman.html

In particular Identifying Friend/Foe (IFF)

As others have noted position is key factor. Mark your position, make sure others do the same. Work in Line or L shape Formations. A U shape formation is a Blue on Blue waiting to happen. Beware of Rambo's they give your position and line of attack away; and get them selves killed Blue on Blue. In MP you need to communicate. TeamSpeak, VOIP, and the Map all help. A good Battle Commander (BC) marks Limits of Advance in waypoints and ensures fire team commanders keep to them. Know your arcs make sure your BC assigns arcs for fire teams to ensure fire teams do not fire on each other. Maintain separation between you and the enemy, 300m is a good engagement distance. If you are mixed in with them and you request support, you are more likely to end up in a Blue on Blue.

Other than that; set up basic SP missions in the editor and practice, practice, practice; eventually you learn to recognise the enemy from just single parts of their gear, or even the sound of their weapons. If you play MP with any pro team you always have to report taking an enemy weapon as your Blue on Blue chance go up dramatically otherwise.

Kind Regards walker