u/TealArtist095

Let me preface this by saying I know it may take a lot of work, and might be something more for Arma 4, but I think reworking this system is much needed.

Camo nets can make a HUGE difference to gameplay, but are rarely used because of how difficult they are to work into builds.

That said, I think it would be worth reworking them!

Make it based on a “per pole” system, where the poles can be individually placed, can clip through structures, be set at varied heights, and can connect to one another to create a better variety of coverage.

Openings on the sides would be made using a second type of pole.

Destruction would occur through explosions and such for each pole, causing it to go down.

Again, I know it would be a big ask, but if it can be done, it would bring an awesome new layer to base building.

It’s a tactic that is sometimes utilized in real life, where the shooter will set their pack down and rest their weapon on it while prone.

Much like if you were using sandbags or other brace on the shooting range, this is done to further steady your weapon for more reliable shots.

Would also be nice if a backpack being used this way would pause the timer for the backpack to despawn, so you don’t run into that issue.

Id like to see this added to Vanilla, not just as a mod, as it should be a rather simple QoL add.

Both of these new options require a fair amount of teamwork to utilize to their fullest potential, but it honestly astounds me the the Soviets (who many of the experienced players prefer to use) haven’t been making use of their new option!!

A MG squad utilizing the PKMN with a scope, carrying a tripod in with them and some belts WITHOUT tracers can cause a whole new level of devastation on the battlefield. ESPECIALLY considering the new grass mechanics.

While there is still some recoil, it’s pretty minimal. You can effectively turn it into a belt fed sniper.

I saw first hand just how brutally effective it is, watching a single MG squad, utilizing 2 of these from slightly different angles and absolutely decimating the US forces.

Yes, it requires some rank and coordination, however it is honestly much stronger than the smoke launcher addition.

Heck, bring some additional sandbags and build a fortified nest in a building. It’s now much easier to manipulate sandbags too, allowing for better stacking to cover your sides.

Im seeing lots of posts as well as people in game complaining about dying constantly when trying to defend bases. While some casualties are to be expected, I see a vast amount of them that could have been very easily prevented.

In the photos are just a couple basic “do” and “do not” situations that really do make that difference, and I’ll try to detail the reasons. If you have questions, I’ll try to answer when I can.

1. I’m frequently seeing players cramming some of the basics together, with a bunch of supply containers all lined up on the road, and little to no actual fortifications. This is listed as number one for a reason. Do NOT do this. It makes very easy for host of different situations to occur:

• An enemy MG can sweep back and forth, punching through walls with little to no resistance.

• Enemies can lob grenade rounds in and easily hit every spawn location, and everyone attempting to take cover.

• Enemy mortars or chopper strikes can easily wipe out supply structures, as well as wipe out everyone trying to spawn.

• Very difficult to properly distribute supplies if crates are destroyed.

• Vehicles coming and going have no cover from further up the road.

2. The second picture is a bit of a greyzone, as some situations it can be useful, but when overused quickly becomes a death trap.

• Sandbag walls can stop MOST types of incoming damage. The exception is direct hits with rockets.

• You don’t necessarily need to have tall sandbag walls everywhere. If you are prone or crouched, a medium height wall will protect you from nearby explosions, like that of a grenade.

• Having a “bunkered” position with sandbag walls here and there helps to offer protection when the need arises, but be careful about not having an exit.

• Using camo nets is helpful to obscure enemy vision, as well as catch lobbed grenade and GL rounds. (Be careful, with the 1.8 update, bots have a harder time detecting enemies through them.)

• When using windowed sandbag walls, always have a backstop behind them. Otherwise the enemy can use them from the outside to shoot in. (It CAN be good to set AP mines on the outside where these are, so enemies trying to peak through step on them.)

3. Furthering my point about sandbag walls. This picture shows several good ideas.

• Note that while the med tent is almost completely surrounded by walls, they are MEDIUM walls. So crouching or going prone while inside renders the player relatively safe.

• Using pre-existing buildings can help give a lot of cover and firing positions, without having to spend the supplies for a similar effect.

• Sandbag BUNKERS and GUARD TOWERS serve as additional spawn points. Adding in these structures help to not only provide safe cover, but help you from spawning into the same location that is getting pinned down.

4. Furthering the point about using pre-existing structures, tree lines, and using hazards.

• especially in the case of large warehouse structures, using them to conceal supplies or arsenals (if you can fit them) is quite helpful

• Deployable pieces for MGs and sandbag mounts can be found in the Arsenal (right side) you can use these to deploy these weapons in more advantageous positions, such as rooftops, guard towers, or even windows of buildings. Keep in mind, you need to manually haul ammo to them as well.

• It’s very easy to get carried away with barbwire and anti-vehicle defenses. My best advice is to use them mostly towards the outer edge of the base. If something is too close to middle, it can be dug out while enemies are capping. Having it further out makes it harder for them to deal with.

• While the prefab “roadblock” pieces are tempting, they take up more % of limit. I recommend using barbwire near tree lines (where vehicles are unlikely to come from) and vehicle blockers elsewhere. If it’s a spot teammates don’t realistically need to access, plant AP mines between the blockers. Make sure to mark on map.

• Treelines can greatly help against distant snipers and incoming choppers.

5. Speaking of trees… While it can be rough trying to weave a base into a forest, it can be useful if you are willing to put in the effort.

• Again, distant snipers and choppers can have a REALLY rough time targeting it, and if it’s deep enough in forest, BTRs/ LAVs, guntrucks, etc will also have difficulty targeting it.

• Trees can block GL and thrown grenades quite well.

• AP mines REALLY shine with these. Cover the perimeter with them (make sure they are marked for team) and you will inevitably hear enemies trying to approach. AP mines are 4 supply each, so setting large quantities can absolutely be worthwhile, since it usually only takes 1 to kill and an enemy kit is valued generally 80- 225 cost.

• Weaving in camo nets further adds protection.

6. Last but not least, camo tents for the win.

• Using a few camo nets can prevent the enemy from making easy callouts. “Next to the camo net” means a whole lot less when there are numerous.

• While the enemy can see the layout roughly on the map, covering arsenals, small barracks, light vehicle depot, bunkers, supply crates, and command tent with nets can make it very disorienting for enemies trying to target from a distance, and extremely difficult for chopper pilots.

• Mixing in some medium nets (good to add sandbag walls inside of for emergency protection) can help obscure AA tents from enemy choppers. Making it harder for them to identify those threats.

I could go on, but hopefully this at least puts a dent in the issues. Feel free to ask questions.

My buddies and I were FIA, setting up an ambush point near Simon’s Wood.

The US had just put a base only a couple hundred meters North of us, and that was what the Mi8 was initially targeting.

It saw us as we were bringing in more equipment, but made a maneuver around the back side. We thought we were in the clear when we got to the trees…..

WRONG. The Mi8 in question pulled the tightest maneuver I’ve ever seen one do, lowered itself to about 10m off the ground, and was side-strafing, pointed directly at us at no more than 50-60m. His front MG sweeping across us.

He had us dead to rights, the ONLY reason he didn’t was because we had a sandbag guard tower up for my buddy to get cover, pull out the single shot rocket, and hit the chopper. Under normal, unfortified circumstances, we would have been toast.

GFG to that pilot. You proved that the Mi8 is definitely a lot more maneuverable and useful than people generally give it credit for!!!

I hope you see this post, and you and your gunner(s) keep slaying! That was a hell of a rush!

My friends and I have experienced many servers that end up resetting because they have run too long, and I honestly feel like that’s an unfortunate waste.

I realize that a lot of players don’t feel that FIA should have a win condition, but I think giving them a different set of rules for a win condition is the better answer.

Suggestion: Have servers time out after a specific amount of time, but start a timer 30 minutes from the end. If neither team (US or USSR) has 5 points taken by the end of that timer, the FIA secure a victory.

Continue to allow FIA to capture radio towers.

Allow FIA to capture supply bases.

Allow FIA to recapture objective bases.

They would still not be allowed to capture FOBs that are built by the other teams. __

Reasoning for suggestion and parameters:

• this encourages FIA to go after both sides, rather than sticking to one side the entire game

• only allowing them to capture the listed bases keeps them from getting too powerful

• it encourages the other teams to build better networks of bases, instead of one straight line

• gives FIA incentive to keep pressure on the front lines, and helps to reduce how much they go after rear supply lines

• by securing supply points, it allows the AI to spawn back at that location, which can be a source of additional equipment, intel documents, and xp to fresh players coming in on the other teams

• additionally, those supply point spawns provide a more reliable location which FIA players can pull AI from.

• by allowing the capture of radio towers and main objective bases, FIA is incentivized to use this ability to alleviate pressure on an underdog team, helping to bring about a more balanced fight

Overall: Having this as an option could greatly shift gameplay to be a lot more middle ground fighting, rather than one side dominating the other, as FIA would now have more incentive to keep both sides from winning. As the FIA can now secure a victory if both sides stall out.

Bonus: Games would be more likely to end with a debrief screen than simply crashing, which many players do like to see their stats at the end.

The bag that is used to haul tripods and such could be used for this suggestion, hence the photo.

FUNCTION:

• Can be used to carry fairly large amounts of equipment, but items inside it must be manually taken out, it doesn’t automatically pull ammo, grenades, etc.

• Can hold weapons making it easier to reclaim weapons from fallen troops

• When turned in at an arsenal, it refunds the cost of all the items inside, making it ideal for scavengers to clean up items from a battlefield and return supplies.

• Provides better option for those carrying ammo to MG nests, providing at least enough space to carry 2 if not 3 belts of ammo at a time.

Essentially it is a large carry pack with some tradeoffs that make it ideal as a support pack or scavenger pack.

Having something like this could help put a decent dent in the supply drain.

So here are some tips (as I’ve spent hundreds of hours testing various defense methods):

1. Push your Dragon teeth lines out further from the base. Generally speaking, majority of them you want out on the outer most edge of the build zone. They are cheap and low cost %, so you can build a ton of them. The reason you build them that far out is that enemies that come to attack can only dig out structures WHILE they are capping. So your outermost defenses are what you really want to be impervious to that.

2. Between the tank stops that are on outer perimeter like that, set AP mines. If you are concerned with the cost, consider they are only 4 supply each, and even setting 200 of them (which is roughly what you would need for a perimeter) = 800 supply. Meanwhile, the average kit costs about 100-200 supplies, so killing only 4-8 enemies already pays for itself. In my experience, AP mines will stop more enemies than almost anything else.

3. Inner defensive structures should be built with a construction truck (with the exception of guard towers). This is because it doesn’t get counted against your build limit. If they get close enough to begin capturing, they would be able to dig it out anyways.

4. Utilize MG nests at gates, AA in likely directions of air attacks, and guard towers overlooking the rest.

5. Guard towers are usually not used to their fullest potential. They function as spawn points as well as defenses. So make sure to have an arsenal at each end of base that can be accessible when spawning from them. Also don’t forget that using the sandbags from equipment arsenal + tripod + MG = a mounted MG in the upper floors of guard towers!!!

6. Barbwire can be set in the middle ground between walls and outer anti-vehicle line. Since you don’t need to worry about vehicles, you can use the cheap ones to fill out the lines.

7. Camo Nets. Build them over any structure you can, most definitely the supply containers. The thing is, from the air it can be difficult to figure out what is what if there are numerous camo nets up. Also protects against snipers.

8. Set bots in pairs. Putting too many together makes them easy to kill, plus you can cover more MG positions with pairs.

9. Make “bunkered” positions where players can take cover from choppers and mortars.

10. Identify any locations that might have an advantageous angle on the base, like bushes and hills, and set AP mines there in advance.

11. Use floodlights to blind enemies. Setting them up facing an enemies direction makes it much harder to see you when looking in that direction. (Try it and you’ll see.)

12. Last but not least, make sure to have at least 1 radio antenna far out, to prevent enemies from digging it out when capturing.

I know this is a long list, but hopefully you find it useful.

Don’t get me wrong, the API has its uses, but I would absolutely love to see it get a 3rd ammo option, that is strictly AP ammo without any tracers.

(For Vanilla, not modded.)

One thing that has always bothered me is that the emplaced MGs take incredibly long to reload, and your guy is just sitting there with his head in the open, and teammates can’t assist with the reload to speed it up.

In reality, these weapon systems have at least a pair of guys working together to get it reloaded usually. It CAN be done with one, though.

SUGGESTION: It’s pretty simple, when you are actively reloading, a teammate can use the “interact” button on the MG and help speed up the reload.

It would be great to see an animation along with it, but at the very least bring this mechanic in without it.

This would help IMMENSELY both for offense and defense.

Most of us are all too familiar with the pain of getting supplies up to a FOB, enough to finally get some much needed reinforcements there, just for it all to disappear instantly because someone decided they wanted a chopper or armored vehicle.

While the first thought might be “deconstruct the pad”, that also comes at the cost of not being able to rearm/ repair when needed. Likewise, deconstruction of a heavy depot may not be wise either.

The Solution: Allow the commander to stop the ability to spawn certain types of vehicles from that structure.

This way, you can continue to repair/ rearm vehicles at those structures, obtain other vehicles, etc. without the issue of players wiping out supplies so easily.

For those that have used a Command Truck, you know that you can go up to the back of it, and press the button to “deploy” it. This basically turns it into a “structure”, preventing it from despawning and also enabling its functions.

Imagine that function for ALL Heavy Support Vehicles (this means NOT the BTR/BRDM/LAV). _ Vehicle Effects when Deployed

• Supply Truck, rather than needing to drop supplies on the ground, it would automatically feed into any other structure/item/deployed vehicle within range. (Essentially like the supply caches at base)

• Arsenal Truck, range of its ability to restore vehicle ammunition increased.

• Repair Truck, range of its ability to repair and flip vehicles increased.

• Fuel Truck, range for refueling is increased, and any fuel container spawned within its radius (such as from Arsenal truck) spawns full.

• Construction Truck, speeds up building by removing one input cycle for everything within its range.

Also keep in mind that being deployed means they are now treated as a structure and won’t despawn even if there isn’t a bot in them. This helps to remove the need for taking bots from bases, just to make sure a vehicle doesn’t disappear.

Adding this functionality would greatly help in the usage of support vehicles that currently are rarely utilized, and help teams make advances forward, without the exposure of a full base. Additionally, it helps to open the door more for repair/rearm stations for heavy vehicles and choppers that often may otherwise be abandoned in the field.

I’ve come across a few FIA snipers that spawn with this on, and it can be taken from their corpse and used, so it exists in the game…

So why can’t FIA players obtain it from the arsenal??

It has less storage than the other options, but being able to have this rather than just the red camo would be GREAT.

I am frequently hearing players in game complaining that they are “constantly getting killed by grenades” and “there is no defense against blasts (grenades and choppers)”.

News Flash for those that aren’t aware: taking cover behind SANDBAG WALLS will prevent you from getting hurt.

I also see people making the mistake of all out perimeter walls be built with sandbags. Don’t.

All you need is a few areas bunkered in with sandbags. **Heck, you can even use the short curved walls to make “foxholes”, where laying prone inside them can still prevent damage, even if a grenade lands right next to it!!! (You can carry sandbags from the arsenal, carry about 25 and you can set up a decent cover. Make sure to bring a shovel.)

For added protection, use a medium camo net structure with sandbag walls built in its inner edges. From the outside it looks like just another tent. Meanwhile, when inside, you are almost impervious to grenades. Having a few of these around the base can also project you against chopper fire, assuming you get to them as soon as you hear them coming.

I know combat engineering isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but learn some basics to prevent getting fragged every 5 minutes.

Currently there is a lot of issues with the options we have for marking the map:

• scaling changes according to zoom

• icons often meaning different things to different people

• in the case of mines, you end up with teammates complaining that you didn’t label every single mine.

The suggestion: Allow players to select points that then connect and get filled in with color to better designate area.

Obviously, there would need to be an option for the team to vote to scrub marks from the map too, as some people will naturally abuse it.

Overall, I think an addition like this to base game would be very beneficial to help prevent team kills as well as better relay information as a whole to the team.

So, an idea that I’ve tossed around a few times, and would REALLY make sense now that we have commander mode and playable FIA, is LPDs in place of the faction MOBs.

LPDs are essentially a small type of carrier (Austin class for US, Alligator Class for Soviets).

They are capable of launching aircraft and armored amphibious vehicles from the water, but can also pull up to shore to deploy other ground vehicles.

Basically, the thoughts with this is that the commander can MOVE the LPD as needed, via map coordinates, beach landings, and ports. If no commander is present, it makes it a team vote decision.

Its radio connection distance is like that of the radio towers.

It still passively generates supply, and the storage capacity is 30k. However, unlike currently, it’s safe from getting blown up.

It has boards for all the normal structures, though obviously a bit different setup. Arsenals, medical, vehicles, etc. (Standard land vehicle deployment would be restricted unless at a beach or port)

When it comes to AI, it’s a bit different. On board there are AI personnel on the HMGs and AA guns. These CANNOT be recruited, and if killed can be replaced Manually or after 5 minutes (if there is supply) automatically.

It can be damaged but not destroyed. Engines and various parts can take damage and require repairs, but never be fully destroyed.

*Before I go further, I want to mention a change for bases regarding radio signal, since this can move. A “Comms relay center” (much larger version of radio tent) could be built at bases for 6k supplies, which makes it emit a signal for other bases to connect to. Helping to prevent being cut off. It’s expensive, but worth it. (Cannot be built or dug out below Sergeant rank).

Overall effect on gameplay, in theory:

• ⁠Much better movement option for support.

• ⁠Helps prevent getting pinned down at a static MOB.

• ⁠Offers safety for supplies.

• ⁠Offers a way to launch/ repair/ rearm aircraft with relative safety even late game.

• ⁠Makes setting up defenses at ports and beaches worthwhile and an interesting game mechanic.

• ⁠Decisive movements can turn the tide of a battle.

• ⁠Makes use of the many kilometers of coasts and ocean.

• ⁠Near constant AI cover helps prevent ambushes.

I couldn’t find a good photo of what exactly I’m looking for, but hopefully the description will make up for it.

Basically, one of the issues that currently exists when trying to set up a decent firing position is that the ground is angled and no amount of messing with it will fix it. Whether it’s a hill, rocky outcrop, ruins, roofs, etc.

My suggestion: An option for the deployable sandbag pieces (even if it costs 20 of them), that creates a basically flat 1mx1m surface a few inches above where it’s placed. The bottom edges WILL clip through whatever surface it is on. So the surface will ALWAYS remain level.

Other deployable items can be set up on this as well.

This way, deployable firing positions can be a bit more adaptive.

Before someone tries to say “that’s not realistic”,* yes it absolutely is. Sandbags can be used to adapt to terrain that might otherwise present a challenge.

I think this is something that should be added into VANILLA, not just some mod.