[IDHAW] TacOps

Welcome to ARMA3. If you're new to ARMA, here are a few tips and tricks to keep you alive and your experience pleasureable.

ARMA3 is NOT a "shooter" game, it is nothing like Battlefield, Call of Duty, Insurgency, or anything else you may be famliar with. ARMA3 is a "military simulation (MilSim)" game that is quite impossible to play as a shooter. Here is why.

#1: ARMA3 has a stamina system. You can only run for short distances before becoming fatigued, which GREATLY reduces your accuracy and makes it nearly impossible to hit anything you shoot at. NOTE: Fatigue can be recognized by foggy view, heavy breathing and gasping for air, moaning and groaning. Fatigue is also increased by a weight system determined by the amount of gear you are carrying. The less gear, the longer and farther you can run; the more gear, the less farther you can run. You can also be overloaded and unable to run at all, forced into a walking pace.

#2: ARMA3 has a ballistic system that puts Battlefield to shame. Bullet drop is more realistic; altitude, elevation, and wind calculation can even be factors to be considered in certain situations. You can "zero" in your rifle using the Page Up/Down buttons next to your number pad. Use a range finder, or ask for distance to help you determine where to set your scope. You'll never hit anything with "hipfire", right mouse click to draw up your sights.

#3: You'll find that unless playing on recruit, AI is very intelligent and accurate; additionallly, location of impact determines damage dealt and chances of fatality. This means that if you take a bullet in the arm, you may only be wounded and simply need to be treated. But if you take a bullet to the chest, you may become instantly incapacitated and in critical condition, requireing a medic for revival. Headshots will always result in instant death.

Conclusion: Don't run, walk; run only when needed. Yes this will make your missions much longer.

Never "spray and pray", not only will you fail to hit anything, but you'll also run out of ammo, and nobody's going to want to spot you after playing like a dumb ass. Calculate your shots, and conserve ammo; single shot and controlled bursts only. Full auto is for the fools.

Never aim for the head unless you can with absolute certainty land the shot, make it common practice to aim for the chest. Its a larger target zone and will almost always incapacitate your enemy.

TAKE COVER! Don't stand out in the open! Use buildings, walls, trees, even small hills and rocks for cover to protect you from incoming fire. Adjust your stance using Z,X, and C. Micro manage your stance by holding CTRL+W/D which will slightly raise or lower your character between all major stances. Using Q/E will lean your character either left or right for peaking around corners; CTRL+Q/E will exaggerate a lean in either direction.

Communicate. You can't handle a mission alone, and you need your team mates. Talk to them, keep them informed of what you see. Situational awareness is key.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.