Letter status 17092015

[Plant1ing]

Hello everyone,

 

This time I'll try to explain and cover every subject I intended until last status while retaining briefly explanations. Let's start.

 

1. General update

 

1.1 I salute new map Gauntlet Zagrabad. It is really a nice map, and what distinguishes it from Fallujah is that all streets and corners of the towns and villages are unique. Even buildings have their particular function like mosque, different towers, squares that are converted into marketplace, workshops and others. You can see that the map is created by someone who understands how city is developed. Just today we were at a remote village and were engaged in fight at a marketplace. Truly something new. There were no ordinary fights; you need to move constantly because the angles of the streets are not commonly shaped and you always need to check your surroundings. Also on a plus side is that every building that you can climb on has a disadvantage of covering all the angles. Trees are placed thoughtfully around the buildings and you can also see that the creator has payed attention on open fields which have been separated by “green fence”. This gives European type of arranging fields.

Very big PLUS is going to creator who integrated Logistics squad. We need to understand how to use it and how to deploy it on the field. Imagine admins integrate fatigue which has drastic impact. You won't place then two Javelins or carrying twenty mags (I've typed in letters to keep it low profile).

One thing that really needs fixing is that strange helicopter echo when you first spawn on the map.

BLUFOR base where we spawn is something special. It is created by @MessedUpSmiley and @alganthe. These guys know how to make the base in a hurry. It is like there was a mission in planning and the remote FOB needed to be set with utmost priority. Base is uncommon like the map; unique, detailed and well organized. It has mission planning site, small barracks, salvaged metal, guarding points. There are a lot of helipads which gives it a look of fast response FOB, and a feel that all the equipment was brought by air and established on sight. Positioning of helipads is a little bit off. While this is okay I'd like to see more scrap metal around repair area like barrels and crates around helipads for fuel and rearm. This is our little gem which we call re-spawn; well, that in most cases.

 

1.2. I have never seen so much team killing on EU#3 server. Just WOW how we can even manage to step on foreign soil and engage the op forces. The team killings were not preformed by usual grenades inside the FOB and our beloved Arsenal box (yes I gave it personality). No these killings were preformed inside AO, on the battlefield. It mainly because of lack of coordination, not identifying targets, untrained use of AT equipment, or CAS preforming gun runs without permission.

Regarding AT equipment, there are plenty of videos around the web how to use one and remember, this is not a Single Player game. You are not Master Chief or Dr. Gordon Freeman. You are individual surrounded by friendly individuals and only teamwork will bring you back to base so you can see your beloved Arsenal again. When you hear play your roles it doesn't mean only which gun you can take. Just yesterday guy discharged AT equipment not securing his back blast. One guy was incapacitated and the other guy was given CPR for five minutes. It wasn't even American AT.

Moving to CAS. If the commander on field gave you a permission to preform gun run, IT ALWAYS tells you where and how, with what approach in mind not to endanger assets on the field. You were not supposed to engage every other target you see in the AO. If you are inpatient, just don't be a pilot. Keeping this in mind I'd suggest integrating white list for pilots who can CAS or which ones can actually use helicopter in transport purposes. Today everybody wants to be an air ACE.

 

“Whacha wearing, Barbie? I think I'll go with olive one.” giggles.

 

1.3. For the last week I'm hearing here and there about chick-chat on the radio communications. When we are at Ops, let's keep the chat on the minimum. When we are near Arsenal, form a group therapies, social interactions and what not. Just not at the AO. This causes assets to team kill. One asset is starting setting channels for general squad, and fire team like 100,110,120. This is a good division. Keep fire team chat between fire teams because nobody says whole squad will clean same side of the town. Keep your squad general channel as additional channel. But if you are not TL or SL report only to your specific channel. Make sure always to mark your channel on the map. If you get team killed in hijacked enemy vehicle, your own fault. First, we don't drive enemy vehicles, If we are driving we make sure to report to our TL and advise him to report to SL. That is the main role of the Chain of Command Communications. If you are still uncertain how to use radio communications, visit your Ahoy Bible Forum.

 

 

2. Suggestions:

 

2.1. One thing to consider is re-enabling side chat or global. I know that new players aren't actually reading any of the rules like we saw in earlier iterations filling side chat and asking questions: “Where are the tanks?” Heh that is probably my favourite one when guy asked exact that question on Chernarus. Immediately after that always someone writes in capitals RULE4. I admit, when I've joined EU#3 for the first time I also greeted everyone with Hello on side chat. Everybody was furious and after that when I thought what I am doing I questioned myself. Problem for me not having a side chat is that I can't stand while marking targets or way points on map to change every marker to side so everybody can see. I was really fast at this and now this gives me a hard time. If we really have problems reading general rules, Then I don't know how people install the game in the first place. Hell, how do we even use this thing we call PC.

 

2.2. Yes we need training, not just air but also how to preform house cleanings, using equipment and communications. But be sure, if you ask anyone who is in the game or setup room politely and in good timing (that means not in the AO, keep your question in mind, if you can't remember write it down) you will get an answer. If nobody knows, join us on forums and we'll have discussion. Keep the game play flowing, question decisions later. Let's make the most enjoyable experience. If you are new pilot or just insecure, we have good pilots and if you ask them politely they will gladly give you co-pilot seat. They will maybe even give you that joystick so you can preform that hard maneuver which was bugging you for a while. Give interest and attention in the role you want to play, the others will follow and help you out. New players keep coming. While we all know each other, experienced players should help new ones. Not leave them behind on AO alone like lost sheep. I was CMD Engineer and I took a role of leading four new players through streets of Fallujah. First they shouldn't be there in the first place, the team leader was also a new guy. ASL was just coordinating with one fire team and left other team to wonder around the streets of Fallujah. I can see lone wolf-ers and how they actually become one. Thankfully CMD Medic called for immediate EVAC and guys went home – all with injuries.

 

2.3 On a suggestion thing just for discussion, integrating two types of team, infiltration and breaching. Breaching vehicles or helicopter, Infiltration H.A.L.O jumps on point. I saw a glare in all those eyes when you've jumped from that Huron on Fallujah during sandy sunset. This would only be viable by night. For the Infiltration team to be enabled and deployed all slots from that team have to be filled.

 

 

3. Other:

 

3.1. If SL or TL asks to use laser, it doesn't mean we are having laser party.

3.2. Ambient AI is your ticket to have fun.

3.3. LEARN TO USE PUSH TO TALK.

3.4. I will repeat this one. ARSENAL IS NOT WHY PEOPLE ARE TAKING A LONG TIME IN BASE. If you wonder why you will ask yourself which will lead you to conclusion. If not, leave it and be that guy which you already are. If you are not liking people talking and playing around Arsenal, take initiative.

 

3.5. I think that Ambient AI is misunderstood how it is supposed to be working. We are all rushing to complete that one mission which is always repeating. But why? I had better fights and experience fighting ambient AI while they ambush than actual AO. Why are we all rushing at it and avoiding ambient AI? Do we get points or something for completing missions fast. Are we keeping track of some hidden score? Just today I've had the best experience in a while fighting my way through Ambient AO to actually going to the best AO of clearing city from enemies.

 

3.6. Players keep asking SL/TL what should they do, should they do it and such. Don't be lost sheep, Keep your buddy (TIP: you should always have a buddy at your side) close and take initiative, but not initiative Jack Churchill – like. How I know when I play with players who play their roles and actually are doing team play? Simple, they are constantly looking at the map. Today SL ordered specifically my team to check particular side of AO. Why my team? Because SL saw who is on that particular far side of AO on the map so he knew how to shape his order. Check your map constantly, shape your thought with intel you have been provided from the comms.

 

Well, I was thinking to write briefly… I'm obviously unable to do that. I want to be precise. Well at least the ending is short.

 

Good plays,

 

Plant.

[kennychr]

Logi is rolling out with the full .31 udate coming soon as we need to add the trinkets from the new ace update.

Also dividing one squad into 3 radio channels is way too impractical, keep it on one, use local talk for random chitchat and just use radio for critical stuff as we have done since we ran acre on the old modded. If everyone does proper radio disipline the only thing youll ever hear on a radio is movement commands and contact calls. TFAR on yelling reches very far ,so inside a fire team its enough imo.

[BACONMOP]

Also the teamkilling probably stems from having every fireteam be on a seperate radio freq and splitting squads halfway across the AO. Fireteams should for the most part stick fairly close together covering each other with bounding movements and should not really be more than 50 meters apart when not engaged with the enemy.

[Ryko]

I'm going to write a longer post on my experience with radio channels but I'll just say that the 100/110/120 idea is mine and I'm finding it works exceedingly well - as do the teams that are lately playing as my team leads.  It cuts down on radio clutter dramatically.  Bacon, you suggest that everyone should be in close proximity and bounding together - I agree with this - but having them in the same channel doesn't prevent them all from speaking at once and plugging up the channel.

 

Having everyone on the same channel doesn't impact on FF; from what I've been seeing these incidents occur when different teams don't coordinate with each other (ie., MMG with Alpha).  I have seen more than one instance where MMG or HAT hasn't marked their radio channel on the map, or are not responding on Long Range, which has led to mishap.

 

In short - TFAR has the capacity to use alternate channels - they aren't hard to learn and use - and I don't see a compelling not to leverage the technology to my advantage.

 

-R

[Josh]

Thanks for the feedback planting! It's great to have!

[MessedUpSmiley]

1.1
I totally agree with you, playing on this map offers different experiences to any other, most of the experiences & firefights and movement is unique. I can't quite compare it too Fallujah either, seeing Fallujah is repetetive.
Also you should really swap out '@alganthe' with '@Josh'. He worked really hard to get this working for everybody.
Logistics is very nice, although I haven't seen much (proper) use of the supply depot(s) yet.

1.1* Only thing I'd like to ask is that we don't overplay the map right now; so that we don't all turn our heads downwards when it comes into the rotation like we used to do with Fallujah after overplaying that for about a month or two.

 

1.2
^Chris & BACON are both right about it just being general stupid to divide the radio in 3 - SLFTLFTL - FT1 - FT2. Also I've noticed that a lot of people; especially new ones tend to come in blank (not calling their callsign) or directing their calls to everyone.

On the (CAS choppers); you are supposed to request permission not like this: "I'm going to lift off and scan the area around base" (Note: blank) or "Engaging enemy offroad". Also, could CAS pilots please stop engaging targets which are so far out of the AO / off route that they don't even pose a threat anymore. It just leaves you with less munition.

 

 

 but having them in the same channel doesn't prevent them all from speaking at once and plugging up the channel

You know what does? Telling them to keep their mouths shut unless they got something useful to say.

 

1.3
Keep the stuff on radio to what your fellow fireteam mates would want to hear or be aware of such as contact or orders. Just use friggin' direct otherwise.

 

--

 

2.1
I do agree, the markers are becoming a pain in the arse, but I still think it's better like this.

 

2.2 
I think the problem is people are afraid to ask questions. There is also plenty of useful infomation on this forum or any other fora. YouTube videos might even help.
Next time, get someone to boot the A SL off his seat, he should look after all his troops. Not just a selective group of experienced ones.

 

2.3
Rather have Logi have a UAV controller or a Recon squad instead of CT or Charlie.

 

--

 

3.1
I don't think there is any rules concerning this, but it used to be a standard to keep your laser off unless you were designating contact or setting up defensive directions.

 

3.2 & 3.5
Ambient AI is okay as it is I guess, but on some ops - Convoy and nuke - I prefer double timing it past the ambient to prevent the objective vehicle to get less exposed. It is fun as it is a surprise most of the time, came into an awesome situation with duffyman and Josh today.

 

3.3
I couldn't agree more. And then there is people who keep hotmic'ing with push-to-talk...

 

3.4
Remove the arsenal and force people to use (improved) randomized standard loadouts. Randomized as in diffrent beard or glasses etc. every once in a while.

 

3.6
Initiative is never a bad thing, unless exposing/endangering yourself or teammates in the process or going against orders.

[Amentes]

could CAS pilots please stop engaging targets which are so far out of the AO / off route that they don't even pose a threat anymore. It just leaves you with less munition.

 

I don't know what specific experiences you've had with this, but to give my perspective as someone who often provides said CAS; something that is not a danger to the boots on the ground may well be harassing your CAS, and sometimes changing position is not an option.

 

Obviously a strike on such a target should be cleared with Command, but it does happen that a low flying CAS asset gets surprised by something and needs to react quickly.

 

On the subject of convoys, that's a whole other can of worms, as it can sometimes be hard to exactly predict what will pose a threat to a convoy that isn't neccesarily sticking to a preset route, this especially being the case on Fallujah.

[Ryko]

I don't want to divert from plant1ng's post, so I will add my comments to his:

 

1.1 - I agree with the comments about the Zargabad base, it's great.  The only glitch I've found is that being dropped in the medical tent for surgery I got teleported to the most south-east part of the map.  I love the pole to the east side of the base which lets you spawn cargo boxes: these will be very useful now that the new version of Ace lets you put boxes into vehicles as cargo.

 

@plant1ng - I think fatigue is implemented?  Anything over 45kg in weight impacts dramatically on how fast you accumlate fatigue.

 

One thing about the mission in general - can we implement some Patriot missile defenses?  It seems that every time the mission is loaded a Hind does a flyby, so everyone has to get onto Stinger duty.  Unless this is intentional.

 

1.2 - The one thing I'll say about the FF incidents lately is that there have been some new players learning the ropes (backblast was by from a new player) and there has been some miscommunication (squad used an enemy technical for transport and the message hadn't been received by all squads).  It would be great if we could get attached strobes working for night ops.

 

1.3 - I'm not sure how people can say that the 100/110/120 doesn't work when they haven't been in my squads to assess its performance.

 

Telling people to shut up is one thing when it's all idle banter.  In the heat of a combat situation, when multiple contacts are being called out by two different squads, in two different directions, there's your recipe for disaster.  Also, as someone in the fire team, I don't want to necessarily hear about what Squad lead is planning.  I want my Fire team lead to tell me what to do because it's specific to my situation.

 

2.1 - Side chat seems to be disabled on Zargabad, I think it still works on other maps.  I'd vote for it to be re-enabled, unless there's a specific reason it's been disabled.  I don't think it's overly abused and I'd prefer the channel was enabled both for the ability to call out emergency messages (not all of us know an Admin IRL or on steam) or, more practically, to speed up the placement of markers on the map.

 

2.2 - I don't recall that particular case and I hope I wasn't acting as ASL at the time.  I should note that sometimes teams form up after the plan has been formed and the main insertion has been made, and even worse, these teams enter the AO without notifying anyone.  I don't know if this was the case here.  This just underscores the need for good communication and ensuring people's radio channels are marked on the map; this should be the first thing the TL / SL / PL does before insertion.

 

2.3 - I think Infiltration and Breaching teams are a bit too specific for these maps; when any team is clearing a town, they are breaching and should have a basic understanding of how to breach and clear.  I don't know how this kind of knowledge can be transmitted except on a case by case basis as we don't have any kind of training nights.

 

I'd also be in favour of a UAV team.  Except that they're only really useful when you're in the AO.  The spawning / de-spawning system of Gauntlet makes advance planning with the UAV useless.

 

3.1 - I agree that laser use should be kept to a minimum because too many lasers is just as bad as none.  Because we don't have attached IR strobes I've taken to asking squads to turn on their lasers so they don't get FF'd during night ops.  It's not the preferred solution but I think it has worked.

 

3.2 /3.5 - Ambient AI - my experience is that in convoy missions, the longer the route, the greater chance that the Ambient AI system is going to screw you.  When ambient AI spawns, you have three choices - drive on by, engage while driving, or stop and engage.  The later two have led to catastrophe in about half the times.  Yes, it makes the mission more interesting - there have been plenty of exciting medical extracts to evacuate the wounded - but it's frustrating because people want to follow the plan, ie., get to the AO and do the mission.

 

Just today we had a convoy mission where (surprise, surprise) our HMMVV got RPG'd. Our squad booked it to a nearby group of houses and defended until we could get a pickup.

 

3.3 - push to talk - there are times when Arma glitches and you will hot mic.  It happens.  I use push to talk and it happened to me today.

 

3.4 - I agree that people are not playing dressup and taking forever at the Arsenal, and a lot of people I've talked to have commented that things have really gotten very good in terms of people saving loadouts or getting ready quickly.  The problem is mission organization.  I like to thing that when I'm running things I try to get things mobilized quickly in terms of forming up a plan and doing a quick brief.  Usually things bog down because command is taking a long time to get a plan organized and communicated to SLs / TLs.  It's absolute death to have everyone sit down in the hangar for a fully company briefing because everyone spends 10 minutes figuring out how to sit down in a chair.

 

That said, I'd totally be in favour of removing the arsenal and going with vanilla loadouts.

 

3.6 - Couldn't agree with you more, especially about the buddy system.  Mostly I keep on hammering on about colour-coded buddies when I'm TL because when someone gets hit and takes on a morphine addiction, you need your buddy to keep supplying you with your fix.

 

 

Regarding the point on CAS, personally I use CAS in very specific situations:

- To take out vehicles or large formations of infantry which are outside of the AO and moving in, and becoming a problem;

- To engage targets which are causing immediate problems for soldiers in the AO that cannot be engaged by specific teams.

 

I think this works to balance things out: if we have HAT/MAT I want them to engage armor targets in the AO, because that's their job, and that's what they want to do.  If we've got a platoon of enemy AI charging a position, I'd leave that to MMG.

 

I don't know if I've seen instances in the last few days where CAS has engaged targets so far outside the AO that they have stopped being useful for boots on the ground.

 

-R

[ranarick]

Got a thing to add about the friendly fire accidents (as i was victim of one yesterday). People should check their targets in the case that i was involved in i was actualy on my point guarding the way i was supposed to look till i got shot from behind by other squad. (to give you more insight Alpha was inserting from the east side of town and Bravo (wich is what i was part of) was dropped in the west and guarding west till Alpha moved closer. While Bravo was engaging enemies on the city limits i thus got shot in the head from behind by a member of Alpha...)

 

so long story short : Check targets be it radio, visual or map the only one that can prevent you from making a teamkill is none other than yourself

[Amentes]

Regarding the point on CAS, personally I use CAS in very specific situations:

- To take out vehicles or large formations of infantry which are outside of the AO and moving in, and becoming a problem;

- To engage targets which are causing immediate problems for soldiers in the AO that cannot be engaged by specific teams.

 

I think this works to balance things out: if we have HAT/MAT I want them to engage armor targets in the AO, because that's their job, and that's what they want to do.  If we've got a platoon of enemy AI charging a position, I'd leave that to MMG.

 

It's a very sensible way to use CAS; just do keep in mind that the CAS pilots are players too and will not stick around for long if they never actually get to do anything.

 

If you do not believe CAS will be needed; as a pilot, I'd rather fly reinforcement in a smaller aircraft than orbit an AO without ever being called in

[S0zi0p4th]

I don't want to divert from plant1ng's post, so I will add my comments to his:

1.2 - The one thing I'll say about the FF incidents lately is that there have been some new players learning the ropes (backblast was by from a new player) and there has been some miscommunication (squad used an enemy technical for transport and the message hadn't been received by all squads).  It would be great if we could get attached strobes working for night ops.

 

1.3 - I'm not sure how people can say that the 100/110/120 doesn't work when they haven't been in my squads to assess its performance.

 

Telling people to shut up is one thing when it's all idle banter.  In the heat of a combat situation, when multiple contacts are being called out by two different squads, in two different directions, there's your recipe for disaster.  Also, as someone in the fire team, I don't want to necessarily hear about what Squad lead is planning.  I want my Fire team lead to tell me what to do because it's specific to my situation.

 

2.3 - I think Infiltration and Breaching teams are a bit too specific for these maps; when any team is clearing a town, they are breaching and should have a basic understanding of how to breach and clear.  I don't know how this kind of knowledge can be transmitted except on a case by case basis as we don't have any kind of training nights.

 

I'd also be in favour of a UAV team.  Except that they're only really useful when you're in the AO.  The spawning / de-spawning system of Gauntlet makes advance planning with the UAV useless.

 

3.1 - I agree that laser use should be kept to a minimum because too many lasers is just as bad as none.  Because we don't have attached IR strobes I've taken to asking squads to turn on their lasers so they don't get FF'd during night ops.  It's not the preferred solution but I think it has worked.

 

Just some answers from my side 

 

1.2

The attached strobes work like a charm and people need to use them more often.

They are already in the game so don't get it why people aren't using them same counts for light-stick's

 

1.3

We tried all different ways off radio grouping and even the one you using now

from most off our experience the 1 squad per channel works the best

reasons are easy  

1. Only TL and SL have the 152 rest are carrying a rifleman radio which cant have a additional due to my knowledge

means if  TL goes down there will be no contact with Sl beside changing channels all the way.

2. Fire teams are supposed to stay close to each other like bacon says so yeah its important to know where both teams get engaged from .

 

 

2.3

 

Short one tell your grenadiers to bring Hunt IR's 

 

3.1

 

Lasers are only used for pointing to enemy mainly inside building's  ( and then still they get used rarely due to the ability to trace them back to your position so easy) for strobes read 1.2

[MessedUpSmiley]

1.2 - The one thing I'll say about the FF incidents lately is that there have been some new players learning the ropes (backblast was by from a new player) and there has been some miscommunication (squad used an enemy technical for transport and the message hadn't been received by all squads).  It would be great if we could get attached strobes working for night ops.

 

1.2

The attached strobes work like a charm and people need to use them more often.

They are already in the game so don't get it why people aren't using them same counts for light-stick's

 

3.1

 

Lasers are only used for pointing to enemy mainly inside building's  ( and then still they get used rarely due to the ability to trace them back to your position so easy) for strobes read 1.2

1.2 Strobes weren't able to be attached to you last ACE verision. Should be fixed with yesterday's update.

 

3.1 I use lasers for alot more; designating targets for my Missile Spec or MMG gunner. To mark a bujidling or designate the crate/uav/nuke.

[Nicolai]

IR strobes and IR grenades:

Last time I checked it, before the large RHS and etc. update yesterday, the IR strobes ran out of power after a short while, what also made them undetachable with a requirement to relog. Also it was bugged, when taking some posture, the IR strobe would disappear early, even earlier than the event of it running out of power. With no difference to the IR grenades in this. The bugs made the IR strobe a pain to use.. as it was practically a single, time limited use. I still have some of them in some loadouts (for the team, those who forgot them and myself), still not using them anymore because of those bugs. Is it worth to have another look at it, or is it still bugged like that? Currently I only carry IR grenades for throwing on my position in my loadouts, when I'm staying in that location for more than a few seconds.

 

No enemys:

What was significantly boring for me in several roles yesterday: no enemys to shoot at, no enemys to spot, again practically nothing to do for me anymore and my team for about ten to fifteen AOs in a row. No matter if I was the logistics medic, rifleman, LMG assistant or whatever. The only "casualties" we had, when I remember correctly, is when some people fell off the buildings.

 

Might be I'm always ending up in the loser team, where you can be happy when all participants manage to have a radio and set the frequency, at all.

 

The day before ambient AI and other enemys were there in more reasonable (read higher) numbers, so we had actually something to do.

 

What also is becoming a bad habit is telling people to stop lonewolfing, when they move away from their position for like 5 meters, and those other micro managing habits are continually getting more unpleasant, unsatisfying with regard to gameplay and obviously plainly idiotic, when there were reasonable numbers of enemies.

 

Yesterday, most of the time our team was like a group of animals of prey, bunched together in such a way most of the time, that a single RPG would have killed us, which never came for several hours. All we did was watching the sky and pointing around with the rifles.

 

So when a lot of people obviously have cried about there being too many ambient AI enemies, and those calls seem to have been followed immediately, giving more room for social awkwardness to show, where there is practically no enemy now, here is the call for more enemies, like it was before.

 

I've seen the teamplay to be more satisfying, when you give the team something to do, except for being an audience to your elite planning, briefing, leading and shooting capabilities.

 

Maybe I'm also completely wrong here - at least it feels like that.

 

Thank you.

[Plant1ing]

@kennychr:

Sweet, can't wait for .31 to roll out. I really appreciate all the stuff you guys at developement team are giving to us. Regarding channels; well if you have good SL he knows what he's doing. You can't stop people for talking but you can divert communications or filter them.

@BACONMOP:

This can me interpreted in various scenarios and deployment instances depending of the type the mission in which assets are involved. Since we are all going for the same AO it's kind of boring just rushing from one side if you take that path. You know you will just overrun them and kill everyone inside AO or you will all get blown up by MBTs or IFVs or an enemy grenade. In PVP I don't think going as one would be ideal. This all matters mostly of individuals. Since we are battling AI we have comfort of doing that. We don't need ten players of clearing a town from one direction or guarding AO from one point. AI spawn in twelve at most. Five men team can manage that. If we all go on same path, players behind sometimes won't even fire a single shot. It's not supposed to endanger anyone but with separating into smaller groups gives us opportunity of that unique fights, location medevacs and wipe outs.

*And there comes the problem of people near Arsenal talking their war stories. How they've managed to pull that off? There is excitement.

Example4warstories: A1 has been pinned down but HAT saved them with their appropriate action and accuracy miles away. The moment happened @Zargabad 17th September when SL @Ryko personally greeted HAT team over radio chatter for taking that awesome cross-long land shot). Mom I was there.

Example 1: Defend AO. I don't think you will even be near 100 meter radius if the terrain doesn't allow that (plain surfaces like Zargabad, deploy Antenna Array) I want to create and play real scenarios.

Example 2: CMD has three birds at disposal. They coordinate through FAC. And you (Devs) were actually considering of removing that role. Let's make it real. No FAC = No flight. All birds remain on the ground. Imagine all the traffic on CMD using just three birds. I saw only one guy on EU#3 managing all communications from only one LR. It was @Raz during Raz's Playground Gamenight which happened 12th of September. They haven't divided CMD and AIR channel. I was behind the Leopard wheel. But Raz kept all conversation and all responses like a machine:

-Identification: Identifies you on the appropriate channel.

-Destination: To which asset you want to send transmission

-Confirmation from other side that it is listening

-Transmission allowed from the other side

-Sending transmission to its receiver.

-Receiver replies that the transmission has been received

-After every change of transmission, it ended with “over”.

There wasn't even a five second of radio silence. Since we are not Raz, and we don't have that Top Gun or Huston calm voice we are prone of prolonging transmissions which leads to misunderstandings. I'm still learning how to use communications properly. It's the little things that keep communications “voice-jammed”. For example “I see enemy forces on bearing xxx”. Then I've changed to “Enemy contact at bearing xxx”. Now I want to force myself of doing this: Contact at xxx yyy; while x being a bearing and y being approximate distance of contact. If I involve exact same,calm,deep,professional, tone and using of all that cool top notch layers of short terms that military radio operatives use I'd be personally really happy while drinking my coffee and reading newspapers in my control tower while coordinating all the CMD and AIR communications.

We have radio equipment at our disposal, why not use the best of it?

Every time I join EU#3 I configure all the channels on my radio device. For example: NUM1 being default one, using NUM2 and NUM3 for special teams, while squads are being set on NUM4 to NUM6. I always leave NUM8 for Air SR since it's the highest number so I interpret it as the air unit. If I'm Logi Engineer I use LR. For this I set up CMD LR and AIR LR if they are divided. I set additional channel according to which squad has the main role while keeping myself on my specific SR. If anybody needs me, my SR is on the map.

@Ryko

I've assumed that idea of dividing channels is yours. And I know it works just fine leaving you plenty of space to coordinate with teamleads on separate general channel. It also tells what hype you are causing when you come or leave the server. Maybe we should consider teamleaders have also task of marking their location and movement on map. But that brings us of map being undreadable.

@Josh

you devs are doing hardlifting we are here to help with in-game experience. We will be always thankful to members of DevCave Club.

@MessedUpSmiley

Man you are messed up. . I've asked you yesterday and you told me that the base was created by @alaganthe and you. I know that @Josh has done all the rest because I've asked him how many days he has spent (the answer is three) And props went to @Josh @alaganthe and you if you read carefully (@Josh's name remained hidden for other reasons).

You haven't seen me driving MHQ truck? I feel really sad now. This map is God sent for small base player. Anything greater than let's say 15 this map is not good at all. Since I'm playing most of the day (yes I do sleep and eat) I see empty server and actually experience that 15 cap joy on this map. When It is prime-time I urge moderators to switch to other greater maps.

The problem with CAS is they were given permission to attack a marker on map but they go bat*hit crazy and killing everything around.

@Amantes

Obviously a strike on such a target should be cleared with Command, but it does happen that a low flying CAS asset gets surprised by something and needs to react quickly.

Yup ground troops haven't given right information to the pilot.

@Ryko2

-Oh sweet, I need to try that teleporting device. “Base this is Plant, one to beam somewhereup.”

-I haven't tried that cargo stuff yet… I guess my favourite roll will be Logi *rubbing hands.

-Yes fatigue is implemented but not with full potential. I was playing on other server before and if you have carryall backpack fully loaded you actually can't run even 300 meters. You immediately walk slow. That's why we can't even use Logi in it's full glory. No Assistant will run to Logi truck or crate to equip with more javelins since they already have 5 of it. Missile Specialist; only one in tube and Assistant maybe but maybe two in backpack. Imagine all the horror then when you see three T90s on Chernarus. And SL sends a squad to deliver Javelins to remote position and obviously secure their flank. Then on the way there you get ambushed by ambient AI. Create the plays. Share experience.

-No you were not in case. Like I've said earlier. When you come online there is a hype glowing around.

-Push to talk always works fine for me. Sometimes only in-game voice chats gets somehow enabled. Happened two times in my two months on this server.

-I'll think I'll create tutorial for how to sit on the chair.

In addition that may concern multiple players:

@MessedUpSmiley; @Ryko; @S0zi0p4th;

-And I oppose to every UAV or HUNT IR. For AI fights UAV should be disabled. No excitement.

-I oppose to every intention of removing Arsenal. Better integrate new training slot where you can be Barbie, Ken, Role model I don't care. Stay at base in trainer slot and shoot targets at firing range.

-strobes were able to attach before 3.9 update. I've attached them on vehicles but not on players. And I've attached them multiple times on same vehicle. They maybe run out of battery but if you are carry more of them you can attach new one on the same vehicle.

-One thing I'd like to add we need to stop wondering around medic and injured person and looking what is going on around them. If medic is present and he didn't ask for your help, go watch that corner where enemies are coming from. Yes we are still doing that.

[Nicolai]

> One thing I'd like to add we need to stop wondering around medic and injured person and looking what is going on around them. If medic

> is present and he didn't ask for your help, go watch that corner where enemies are coming from. Yes we are still doing that. 

 

Being Platoon Medic and Logistics Medic yesterday, I can say without a single doubt of bad memory: I wasn't called in a _single_ time in several hours of gameplay.

 

But I was scolded at several times, because I wore a TAR EGLM, as it was against the rules - it was filled with purple smoke grenades. People what has become of you?

 

I currently enjoy playing cards with grandma more.. it's more entertaining, it's more of an adventure.. because I don't know the cards I'll be dealt. And when grandma is cheating by looking at my cards, while I fill up cookies and tea in the kitchen, it's still a challenge, because I still don't know how the game will unfold.

 

I want back the CHALLENGE!

[Amentes]

Being Platoon Medic and Logistics Medic yesterday, I can say without a single doubt of bad memory: I wasn't called in a _single_ time in several hours of gameplay.

 

This goes back to why I sometimes ask people to drop those AT4s.

 

I constantly see people carrying huge amounts of medical gear, and more often than not they will fix themselves up time and time again, instead of using the Medic. Obviously this does not make for entertaining gameplay for the people in the Medic roles.

 

Same goes for fireteams carrying three or four AT4s when you have dedicated AT teams on the ground. I get that a well placed AT4 will take care of business right quick, but in this way I believe people are robbing themselves of a fun gameplay aspect; the neccesity to fall back when opposed by enemy armor, and call in MAT or HAT to assist, after which you can then start moving up again.

[Vlk]

1: Ryko for president. I enjoy his leadership. that includes 100/110/120 etc

2: IR strobes still bugged after RHS update. THey stop working after a short period of time.

3: Friendly fire. Its not funny getting killed by a player. That being said, its a game, on a pc, with humans behind a keyboard and a mouse, generally with no experience of real life situations/training which they can bring into their gameplay, so FF will happend once a while.

Real life situations/training includes: Situational awerness, general understanding of warfare etc.

 

4: To be honest, EU3 is at its peek now when it comes to playerbase, nice players and optimation compared to 1-2years ago.

 

vlk

[Nicolai]

Yeah, the AT4s.. I remember I carried mine around yesterday while I switched to A2 rifleman, until I grew significantly miffed about not having anything reasonable to do few hours after equipping it. Finally I took out a technical with it, just to see some fireworks and to get rid of the extra weight of the AT4 before disconnecting.

 

Goes along with AR in A2 realizing he has no assistant.. and the following crying circus. My A2 AR loadout doesn't even have a backpack. Yesterday I was asked to carry belts for an A2 AR, who had a full carryall already and an AT4. Srsly?

 

I've been experimenting with ligthing up my loadout and differing between night/load/twilight loadouts maybe a bit too much. Currently I'm thinking if I should probably try to go on sidearm only..

 

Right now, when I'm using no scope to get some less distance to the enemy for more adrenaline rush.. I notice other players and teamleads seem to prefer to use scopes and long range rifles. YES, long range rifle is something you use to shoot at enemies >400m away. Not that it's completely stupid to waste a mag on scatter for each enemy you take out from that distance, not that it's EU1 style, misplaced and simply boring to only setup the whole team bunched up on roofs, hills and hit away on enemies between 400 and 650m away from you. It's wrong from so many more perspectives. And boring to be anything except a point man. I remember it to be actually interesting and that there were no secondary roles before enemy count was reduced to almost nothing - when an ambush from behind was not just a fantasy.

 

I want the high difficulty due to high number of enemies back we had on 16th of Sept. This would help because those guys who break the game for me currently wouldn't even have a chance to get to the AO in one piece because of their negligence. It would create a bit more pressure on them to ask the more experienced players on how to proceed with a mission, after they have tried it a few times on their own. Right now, everyone seems to be maximizing loadout weight, just to die early in the field and respawn..

 

And I would also like seeing teams leaving people back at base again, who finally do not manage to get a loadout and radio setup in less than five minutes.

 

Right now, when it is considered to be lonewolfing when moving 5m away from the team, even for addressing issues in direct talk, it's not possible for me to participate in any discussions, dialogue or help for others in the field, because when everyone talks at the same time in the same spot, nothing is going to happen. So I keep my mouth shut and try to be the sluggard you want me to be: showing no initiative, waiting for orders and rule picking at every occasion I find.

[Plant1ing]

Somebody wants to attend lasershow? We've got that covered.

Yes we can be really organized and disciplined

 

This is how much love Arsenal has during Gamenights

 

 

[Nicolai]

Well, browsing to the 2 TB of raw video material I recorded during the last days, I got more depressed than I was before.

 

What came to my attention, what we need to look into, and what I didn't realize while in-game so much is about the 100/110/120:

 

* on the 100, the A SL freq, there was almost constantly an enormous amount of chatter, which seems to mainly circulate around the question "how can I get me an my buddies to 500m distance to the enemy and on a roof and start EU1-ing from a static position?" - comms discipline was bad on that freq and I don't think good leaders can enjoy that for long (looking at Ryko), as it was not team oriented, but only oriented in "me me me"

 

* at least in our team, where also vlk was in (see above), the radio discipline was good: the radio was used occasionally for combat specific comms

 

We didn't harrass SL with constant suggestions on what to do next, what we would want and not want next. It was terse and how it should be.

 

 

BACONMOP explained, probably for the 100th time, also in this thread, how it can work with the radio comms AND the moving of units.

 

I'm happy about the 100/110/120 as well, as it enables me to use the radio at all, while being parked somewhere. So I'm happy about playing the game in a wrong way? Because then the game offers me some space to be right for me? This smells fishy to me. How can I be happy about playing the game in a wrong way?

 

Let's face it: the situation, where you move in as two teams close, lead by SL, like told in the primers, is when things go good. As soon as things go awry or RPG gunners are around you, standing in voice distance is just like "dancing" formations in the field. You look at keeping a formation and forget looking for enemies. In the end result maybe a nice moving pattern to watch for CMD, still ends in death for the team.

 

 

No questions asked, when the team gets blunt faced when asked to get into some formation, because the members don't know what that means, is depressing. It's just the same with the radio or all the other equipment used in the game.. when the players never use it, they don't know how to use it, when they actually need it. So a big part of the gameplay we have is also a training. We have in other spots these discussions about training, skill certification and that direction.. well it's not gonna happen.. staying casual.. so we have to live with players being incompetent at the start. Good with me, I've seen many players becoming highly apt in everything in only a few days of playing on that server, changing their behaviour a lot and becoming very strong and reliable battle buddies. Same I experienced with the radios, a few days into 100/110/120 and the people start actually being able to use their radio. Whooha.

 

What we did wrong, from my perspective, in the past few days is not so much dividing the radio circuits, but to play a squad like it was a platoon, and to play the team as it was a squad. That aberration is not caused by the radio circuit division but highly fostered by it. So while being happy about 100/110/120, I'm unhappy about it at the same time. I've talked directly to my teammembers yesterday, and again teamlead and the AR guy as the two other and me were agreeing upon being bored for several AOs following up on each other, disbanding and disconnecting not because it was late, but because it was - while being a good team - just BORING to stand around doing nothing. It was just politeness we didn't mention it, yet.

 

 

It's certainly an arbitrary assumption, but to me it seems like the radio freq division into 100/110/120 is abused by teamleaders being attention hungry, the SL giving up against that constant amount of nagging, resulting in moving the teams as if they were squads and reducing themselves to being radio prostitutes for the teams.

 

As good as I like Rykos leadership, as sure I am that anyone having to deal with such behaviour will not enjoy it for long.

 

As long as we need to continue like this.. I suggest we put more squad in our teams and more platoon in our squad, so that we can enjoy platooning while fireteaming and squadding while we're platooning. Everyone else maybe should get back to EU1 and continue to be a scrub.

 

[Josh]

TL:DR but y'all seem to be complaining an awful lot and it gets really tiring for us. I'm on the verge of departing from eu#3 because of how negative shit constantly gets. I can't even play for 5 minutes anymore without being barraged with stuff. Like I understand some things but this is like the third thread like this. and YES i asked for it be posted but i didn't expect this. I wish sometimes people would say thank you instead of the on-onslaught of flame and issues we get. 

 

I wont comment any further i'm done. You guys keep your chat up.

[Solex]

100/110/120 Works great!

Love the new map, it runs smooth.

 

Its hard to read the map in the dark

[Nicolai]

Its hard to read the map in the dark

 

You can use the item "Maglite XL50".

 

You will find it in the "Virtual Arsenal".

 

You find the "Virtual Arsenal" when starting up the game with all EU#3 mods, without joining a server right away.. in the "Learn" section..

 

 

This will lead you to a place, where you can work on your saved loadouts..

 

In any backpack under "Miscellaneous Items" you will find the "Maglite XL50" somewhere at the bottom.

 

 

Once in your backpack you can use it on the self interaction while in the map to switch it on.

 

Like this:

 

[Ryko]

Technically this isn't a Gauntlet feedback thread but plant1ng's observations.

I would suggest that from what I've read in this thread no one is actually complaining but making observations ... some more laden with emotion than others.

No one is going to post a thing if they're not motivated to do so, both for the good and the bad: I believe everything that's posted is done with the express intention of improving everyone's experience on EU3.

I think if someone were to post a thank you thread you'd find it quickly filled up with a lot of echoed sentiments - I think AW folks do a great job maintaining the server, and while I couldn't name off all the people who keep the Arma / EU3 / Gauntlet experience rolling, I'm enjoying it to the extent that it's currently the only game I play.

-R