Mission concepts

[fer]

As good as it is that we're starting to pull this together (with the forum, channel, etc.), everything will hinge on the missions. I've already done quite a lot of work with the new ORBAT in vanilla ArmA2, and will try and do some more in the next next few days (to add group switching).

Whilst it's also true that we'll need to port F2 to ArmA2:OA, I'm hoping that will be no more complex than replacing classnames. In the meantime, perhaps we should start thinking about the missions we want to make for folk session? We might even make them in vanilla ArmA2, on the assumption that porting them is possible. Here are a few ideas, to give a flavour of the types I think we'll need:

Ambush:
The folk platoon + 1 x MMG (assume we'll have no more than 3 FTs) has to ambush a BLUFOR convoy of 4 x armed humvees and 2 x trucks full of infantry in hilly terrain. We'll get 2 x satchel charges (in total) as our special equipment. Victory conditions are to destroy at least 75% of the vehicles and then disengage and withdraw to a designated settlement. After the first shots are fired in the ambush, there will be a limited (and semi-random) amount of time before an angry BLUFOR helicopter (or tank platoon) turns up - so we will be encouraged to stick to hit-and-run, and not get drawn into a protracted fight.

Patrol vs. Patrol:
The folk platoon (with no attachments) will be tasked with going into some woods, in which we know there is a BLUFOR patrol moving on a randomly selected path. Our task will be to locate the enemy, close and inflict at least 50% casualties on them, then withdraw to our jumping-off point. What might be nice to script is some kind of basic artillery support for the AI, so that we'll start to get shelled if we stick around for too long. Again, hit-and-run.

Swept:
BLUFOR is mounting a block-and-sweep operation on a valley at night, and the folk platoon (with the option to have MAT and MMG attachments) is sheltering in a settlement. The enemy blocking force is composed of some stationary AFVs and supporting infantry at one valley exit, and the sweeping force is all infantry. Our goal is to punch out, either as a single fighting unit or in fragments, and reach a choice of safe areas. The mission ends when we're all dead or out of the valley (and the proportion of dead determines victory).

BTW For two of these ideas I've drawn heavily on some Soviet AARs from Afghanistan I've been reading recently, in the book / training manual: The bear went over the mountain, which is really interesting.

[mort]

I know some ppl used to hate it but I used to really enjoy the Serial Killer mission on Nogova back in the OFP days maybe we could develop a mission on those lines with a Hunter Force and a fugitive terrorist (with or without accompanying bodyguards).

If there is interest I could try to develop the mission concept a bit further but I'm not really a mission designer.

[fer]

I don't think having a few gimmick missions can hurt us at all. However, here's a challenge: can you re-imagine that mission but without making it about killing women and not making the prey a terrorist? What about having loads of angry Afghan villager-types chasing down a lone SpecOps character (who needs to blow up various things in various places)? That's a decent excuse to give the prey some fancy kit to compensate for him being all alone. Also, it means we can have un-fancy helicopters for the hunters (if you want helicopters at all). What do you think?

[mort]

I don't think having a few gimmick missions can hurt us at all. However, here's a challenge: can you re-imagine that mission but without making it about killing women and not making the prey a terrorist? What about having loads of angry Afghan villager-types chasing down a lone SpecOps character (who needs to blow up various things in various places)? That's a decent excuse to give the prey some fancy kit to compensate for him being all alone. Also, it means we can have un-fancy helicopters for the hunters (if you want helicopters at all). What do you think?

Perhaps in the Central Asian environment of the upcoming Operation Arrowhead we could make it something to do with the heroin trade - chasing down a drug lord or something?

Maybe a couple of low tech choppers like a single AH6 for guns and an MH6 for transport could be added. Maybe a UAV as well?

Or perhaps a re-imagining of the movIe BAT21?

[fer]

Or perhaps a re-imagining of the movIe BAT21?

Capt. Bartholomew Clark: Let's get the basic relationship down... I'm the lifeguard, you're the drowning man. If you relax, I can bring you to shore. If you fight me, then I'll have to slap you around

Like that idea; but above all, I'm keen to get away from playing as BLUFOR all the time. If only we had VietCong models ...

[fer]

Added this (draft) thread about making missions for folk in the administration area:
http://www.ferstaberinde.com/folk/forum ... p=117#p117

Please can you let me know your thoughts? Thanks

[mort]

Or perhaps a re-imagining of the movIe BAT21?

Capt. Bartholomew Clark: Let's get the basic relationship down... I'm the lifeguard, you're the drowning man. If you relax, I can bring you to shore. If you fight me, then I'll have to slap you around

Like that idea; but above all, I'm keen to get away from playing as BLUFOR all the time. If only we had VietCong models ...

I'm sure we can come up with scenarios that involve corrupt Central Asian cops armed with rusty AKs chasing even more corrupt Central Asian heroin smugglers in rusty Ladas

Sorry about the delay in replying my gaming/everything PC went tits up last week and I have no idea how to fix it at the moment so I am currently operating on a crappy old notebook with no gaming capability

[fer]

Sorry about the delay in replying my gaming/everything PC went tits up last week and I have no idea how to fix it at the moment so I am currently operating on a crappy old notebook with no gaming capability

Ouch! Sorry to hear that. If it's any consolation my shiny new Alienware M11xR2 arrived yesterday, with it's Core i7 CPU, 8Gb of RAM and fancy new Optimus-enabled GFX card that should allow it to play ArmA2 (which I duly bought on Steam). Only it doesn't, because the Optimus drivers are borked on the M11xR2, and nVidia/Alienware haven't issued a fix yet. So it's now a very expensive paperweight. With flashing lights.



But back on topic, it's not that I think we need to become the anti-BLUFOR or anything, but given the amount of people in this forum who will be playing with ST or TG (or similar groups) at other times, I think it would be a shame if we didn't try to make missions that provide a different experience. A glance at the (hilarious) squads and fanpages part of the BI forums would seem to suggest that everyone and his dog wants to be a Ranger/Marine/Soldier/PMC/Sex Kitten*. I think it'd be cool if folk let you be something else. Perhaps even more importantly, my hope is that by playing as irregulars we can better avoid creeping milsim-ery.

* I may have only imagined this last one, but that's the demographic Lor is here to look after.

[LiddleFeesh]

I think it'd be cool if folk let you be something else. Perhaps even more importantly, my hope is that by playing as irregulars we can better avoid creeping milsim-ery.

I concur.

Indeed the serial killer mission, while gimmicky, was a lot of fun. And harkening back to the OFP days, it was always good to have a fun warmup mission or two - just to get everyone connected. Think of it as some open bar time with bar snacks just before everyone gets together for the main course(s). And in the same spirit, such a 'serial killer' styled mission would be great for late joiners too.

It doesn't have to be a serial killer, par-se, but I think the lone player needs more options than simply engaging static targets. Some of the best moments in that game came from the lone player kidnapping an NPC and taking it somewhere remote. The scripts would report the murder being somewhere totally unrelated and thus began the wild goose chase of the skilled lone player.

Alternatively if the lone player has to destroy targets, he should be able to gain superior firepower in order to provide balance to the other players who would outnumber the sole player. How this could be done, I'm not sure - perhaps each town could contain an artillery fire control computer that the lone player may choose to try their luck to get. This would alert all players to his/her location but of course the 'police' bases might get hit first?

To be honest, I always preferred Fer's "Treasure Hunt" map and would love to see that ported over

[fer]

After last night's missions, I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't think about asking mission makers to consider reducing the number of EIs - not overall, but in each concentration (i.e. village, bunker complex). Personally, I'm against making any hard-and-fast rules, because I don't want to constrain mission makers' creativity. However, I'd like to propose the following guideline:

Missions should try to limit the number of EI stationed in a village (or similar-sized area of open countryside) to 20 (on the assumption that our average playercount is around 10). Of course, many more EI can arrive as reinforcements once the shooting has begun, but the intent is that the players should have a fighting chance of winning the initial firefight. Obviously, if vehicles are used then common sense should see the number of EI reduced accordingly (a tank is probably worth 20 EI, a UAZ with a DshKZ is probably worth about 5 EI.

What do others think? This isn't going to be an enforced rule or anything, just some advice for mission makers. As with all things folk, common sense applies, so if a mission maker has decided to put us all in JGSDF Type 97s, then being surrounded by 100s of EI is just dandy!