Resupply in Arma 2 subject logo: MILGAM
2013-08-29
Posted by: badanov

A modern combat unit in combat uses a lot of ammunition. In Arma 2 your squad, if it is in sufficient enemy contact will use up most of its load, and will require more to continue. What to do? One scenario I have written, a CNF marine strike team is tasked with penetrating enemy lines to locate and extract two air crews and destroying several enemy weapons emplacements. The squad is task organized with several non standard weapons.

You can read the scenario description here.

In the squad the player has two PK 7.62x54mm machine gunners, two snipers one medic and six rifemen. In the scenario, the player also requires no fewer than nine satchel charges to destroy enemy antiaircraft artillery emplacements. Additionally, the squad leader, has a special AK-74 rifle suppressed with thermal sights and a laser designator. That rifle requires a special magazine which is not usually found in standard Russian ammo boxes. The snipers use a Cheytac M-200 .408 caliber rifle. The squad leader is also porting 2 satchel charges while the other riflemen all transport two each. I.E., they double as porters.

When a standard Chernarusian rifle squad needs to resupply, they can access ammo trucks, even enemy ammo trucks, but what if that unit is deep behind enemy lines and sending for an ammo truck would endanger resupply? You would think the creators or the modders would come up with a quick and easy way to send supplies by air, and they have, but not in very large quantities.

Using the (unitBackpack this) addmagazinecargo ["magName",6]; command, a player can add small quantities of ammo by helo, but the quantities are limited.

You can't actually pack a standard ammo box onto a helicopter and then send the helo to a preset location without a special script. In Arma 2 I have tried to avoid specialized scripts for specific purposes instead focusing on standard means to resupply.

I did try this script, which I am told works well for packing ammo aboard aircraft, but the player has to be present to load the supplies and has to be present to unload them. I tried to use the attachto command and it worked, but a new problem cropped up: Helos would explode after flying at normal speed and after less than 500 meters.

In the air crew rescue scenario, three and a half hours later in real and game time, running out of ammunition and sending for a helicopter with an ammo box packed with everything the squad needs, waiting at the rendezvous point, I heard a muffled "whump" and I knew the helo exploded.

Helluva way to run an army.

My solution is simple, inelegant and reliable. using the (unitBackpack this) addmagazinecargo ["magName",6]; command I select one UAZ ( a Russian Humvee) and pack the maximum amount of ammunition of one type onboard. I have conglomerated a convoy of six UAZs, two of them with Dushka 12.7mm machine guns as an armed escort, and can now move large amount of ammunition at night.

The only drawback is speed and that fact that that convoy probably wouldn't be able to move through enemy lines without being noticed by the enemy.

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