co65 Platoon

[[asa]oden 0]

Platoon

(selected items from ingame notes)

'Platoon' is a Infantry Tactics Coop Game with 'sequencial respawn'. This means you should play as if there is no respawn option but if you get struck by bad luck, you'll get back in play when the current mission is completed.

BIS High Command is implemeted on a Chain-of-Command basis so Platoon Co controls the three Squads while each Squad leader freely control it's three FireTeams to solve each mission as appropriate (only USMC version).

Your task is simple, help securing the target area and stay alive.

Game Play

With AI commander the assault is divided into 3 steps. First all units move up to the target area and stop some 200m outside while the first unit arrivning calls in Fire Support.

Second step is that all stays disembarked while the Fire Mission executes.

Third step is the actual assault with all units moving in with somewhat cover from the just finished WP Fire Mission.

AI

If Platoon Commander is AI there will be Orders sent to each squad for different sections of the town to secure, ofcourse this is supposed to be managed by a human player but is no requirement. AI teamleaders will follow AI squadleaders and do their best to clear each corner of the target.

AI groups will split/merge teams (not all versions) and disembark vehicle at a fairly correct manner. Armed vehicle will keep its crew supporting dismounted squad/teams.

Forward Aircontroller

Forward Air Controller have the ability to call in Air Support (N/A for AI) in which case he'll leave the Platoon HQ team and are free to laser mark targets for the attached Close Air Support pilot. When CAS returns to base FAC will return to Platoon HQ team.

Respawn

Each unit that die will be moved to a remote spot and need to wait there until mission is over, failed or not. While at respawn area you may listen to some tracks and/or spectate the ongoing mission.

Supply

After each mission all units will rearm and restore it's health (after some R'n'R hours not part of the game). If mission was successful there will be a supply convoy heading towards you (in case you need to rearm your vehicle).

Mission comes in 2 versions, one US Marines (co56) and one Russian (co47).

co56 may be run using MTVR or AAV as Transport.

co47 may be run using BTR-90 or BMP-3 Transport

since 1.03 ded.server laughs at us silly ppl setting param1 and 2 there are two missions with AAV and BMP3 preset included.

download from my weak server: http://odenhouse.servegame.com/Platoon.zip

(there is also a swedish infantry/Stryker version with @Oden addon available, but I expect less interest for that so it's been excluded from this pack)

/theOden

[kremator 1065]

Cool ... gonna try it now.

[Gutm@sher 10]

Thanks Oden. Always enjoy your work and will give this a go this week.

[galzohar 31]

Just wondering, if you get your platoon back to full force after each sub-mission, why not simply make them separate missions in the firstplace? Is there anything that actually carries over that makes the "multiple missions" an advantage over splitting it?

[[asa]oden 0]

..Is there anything that actually carries over that makes the "multiple missions" an advantage over splitting it?

Currently, not much. Only that those missions the platoon failed will glow red in task list and on the map :p

The spectating with music option as dead hopefully keep players connected while waiting for the next mission and you'll keep your slot/role.

[colligpip 0]

Oh i really like the idea of this. Would be good if you could make a PVP version where you can play as opfor that spawn at the mission locations and have to stop west completing missions. Love the respawn/mission system. There is a penalty for players who die but you still keep the players in game. This system

should work really well with a full server.

[kremator 1065]

Played it last night. Really enjoyed it.

One problem that I found was that if a human platoon commander got hit and HEALED by a medic he lost the ability to high command after that.

I like colligpip's idea ie when each battle is over the enemy players respawn in random places at the new target. This COULD be a domination/evolution beater if oyu got it right.

Will try the mission again tonight.

Good job.

[Gutm@sher 10]

this is unique. the hc inclusion with chain of command really makes arma2 what it should be. i didnt know arma2 had the ability to put all your guys into a single squad or break them into teams with a single command! great idea of herding the dead guys together for a "grab ass" session while they wait for the next objective and this should keep guys on server if they know they'll live to fight another day. i wouldnt break up the objectives into seperate missions as suggested it would make it much less epic imo. Just a fantastic infantry focused mission with support options and I've only scratched the surface. I also appreciate the ability to have a good game with just a handful of human players (or none at all!). I think you're really on to something here Oden. Thanks again.

[[asa]oden 0]

Glad to hear you enjoy it.

Personally I prefer to play as a dirty useless smelly PFC rifleman and just experience the ride :p

I'm currently reworking this into ArmA (gotta love ic_barbuda and schmalfelden but Sahrani and Uhao will also be available) and having a permanent AI Platoon Leader (playable as human but a ghost AI keeps on ordering the AI squadleaders/teamleaders) and thought this could be a edit for this ArmAII version too as the HC have some issues upon command going down the hierarchy as platoon leader dies (also this getting healed issue reported by Kremator).

You noticed you might endup as platoon commander starting as Alpha Squad Leader?

Time will tell, if HC gets too bugged it will be removed. After all, if players fill squadleader and teamleader spots one can "HC" over text as in the good'ole'days.

Opposition is "dynamic" and increases as more players join, so playing alone you'll only need to harass the camp teams and one patrolling team (that might spawn as mech-infantry or armor) up to a maximum of 5 patrolling units/apc's/mbt's with 5 players or more (this is still random so it may still be an easy target - but you'll never know :) ). Any feedback on this "balance" system would be nice as I only play max 2 players with my son so I have no clue if 12 players would be bored.

back to Barbuda - see you lads.

/theOden

[Gutm@sher 10]

Ive only just begun playing w/ this but it seemed to start off easy and get more difficult as i went (playing by myself). first objective was a breeze. i became commander on the 2nd or third objective after the lead elements had an encounter with armour and by the time it came down to me there was only a handful of guys left so i just ordered them into 1 squad. restarted several times as a squad leader but have not run into the issue yet of being platoon commander right off the bat as alpha squad leader. you are right, its just as fun just being a small grunt cog in the big machine. one question: at the holding area for dead guys, i noticed a few still with weapons. are they there to ensure my "cooperation" ?

[[asa]oden 0]

armed dead guys are bugs - slap them in the face and say hi from me. Tried to nail that bug but failed so far :(

[kremator 1065]

The AI platoon commander was pretty good with his orders until it comes to armour. The AT squad dont seem to rush forward and take out the armour (which can be VERY bad!)

One thing I would like to see is when I pick up a weapon from a dead enemy/ally I want to keep hold of it. Please change the auto-rearm.

Apart from that it is great!

[Gutm@sher 10]

the guys with guns in the holding area dont impact the gameplay in any way that I can tell, was just curious if they would shoot me if i tried to run off or failed to recognize how "super-cool" the provided music was! they are friendly enough and told me the weather was going to stay this way for awhile.

[Gutm@sher 10]

question concerning the dead guy waiting area - while waiting for the next objective, i decided to go for a swim maybe 200-300 meters from the holding area. when the objective was taken i did not spawn back with the platoon. walked back to the holding area and forced a repawn. respawned in the holding area. at this point all of the previous dead guys had rejoined the platoon except me. i assume there is a limit you can wander off and still spawn back into the platoon when the objective is achieved. can you confirm this oden?

[[asa]oden 0]

naaa, respawn script waits for mission to complete and then all "dead" guys should be returned to the new "base" no matter where they are - could be that you got too close to the new base and as such no repositioning occurs, but you should still rejoin the group and get the rearm done.

I suspect a bug - let me have a look at it when the ArmA version is done.