ARMA 2, regular FT(s)/SQ

[suomikeizari]

Ok so after having so Fun time on ARMA 2 event last Saturday I had an Idea of setting up regular FT(s) or a whole Squad that we could use for playing with other clans and on events setup by others.
I really dont have much else to add here even tho I feel like I should write like 1 A4 of stuff clarifying my point while augmenting it and such.

ATTENTION! this/these FT(s)/SQ WILL primarily be in =VG= events and Secondarily on any other.
also with this group we could play more often due to lower amount of players.

so just a simple Question, who's up for it? and who's not, why not?

Players ATM:

1. =VG= Castor
2. =VG= SavageCDN
3. Wooz2770 (Support)
4. =VG= Terremer (Recon)
5. AirborneAlways (Sniper)
6. =VG= Renainn (Sniper/M1A1)
7. Murderface (FTL/Pilot/Inf)

IF YOUR NAME WASN'T MENTIONED PLEASE NOTIFY ME, ALSO YOUR TIMEZONE AND A SUGGESTION ON THE EVENT DATE WOULD BE APPRECIATED!

[=VG= Eclipse002]

not yet...need more training in ARMA2. Not that i dont know what im doing...we need more training in "being a squad".
More training on comms.
More training on weapons...bullet drop..zeroing.
More training on gear.

[Jager]

When we recruit new players for Lambs they get enrolled in a squad and normally stick with them for the duration of a campaign.
Our regular nights looks something like this

19:30-20:00 We start with basic map where we can run through training with our squads, be it firing range, small basic courses, formation or basic procedures.
20:00-2300 Live mission

In most cases there is never more than one recruit in one squad and they only need to focus on covering their sector and use 343.

Some recruits have played arma 2 for years and others have more experience but all have read the lambs CoC and parts of the arma 2 guide.

So I guess having a VG CoC for these events and more defined roles would be helpful, we have the basic roles you'd expect and some of them require completing a qualification so that we know you can handle that role.

-Grunt
-FTL
-SQL
-CMD
-Transport / Cas pilot
-FAC / RTO
-Medic
-Demolition
-MG
-Sniper / spotter
-Armor Commander / gunner and driver

These are simply suggestions and what works for us does not necessarily work for these events.

Below is our CoC:

Land/Air Make It Go Booom Squad aka L.A.M.B.S.

Background

To achieve in the ARMA series is fun.
Good cooperation and teamwork is a prerequisite for achievement in the ARMA series.
Effective communication is a prerequisite for good cooperation.
Understanding the communication structure within LAMBS is a prerequisite for effective communication.

What is Lambs.

LAMBS is for everyone, people from all clans and skill levels are welcome.
LAMBS participants must be willing to give the little extra initiative and effort to be a team player. Cooperation being the key word.
LAMBS participants should be able to attend at least one gaming activity per month.
LAMBS participants are encouraged to contribute to the positive development of LAMBS using forums or other channels.
LAMBS participants are required to install and adopt the current addons and communications tools used on the LAMBS server.
LAMBS specialist roles are for anyone who is willing to put down the extra effort and time into a specialist role and have proven to their fellow players and higher ranks that their skill level can be depended on in combat.
LAMBS formal activities requires a sign up on the forum by its members to ensure your privilege of joining the event.

Code Of Conduct

As participants of L.A.M.B.S. you will be expected to behave in a civilized and professional manner during any preplanned or unplanned L.A.M.B.S. session or training.
This includes the following:

Following orders from your FTL and/or HQ officers
Not purposely killing, harming, misusing or destroying your team or any equipment that is available in a L.A.M.B.S. session or training.
L.A.M.B.S. participants does not engage in meta gaming and a "dead men don't talk" philosophy is adopted. This goes for debriefing only, forums are free*.
Keep communications to effective minimum, no chatter on coms.
If you are unfamiliar with the weapons or weapons systems we are using in a session, contact your FTL or HQ officers for instructions on that particular weapons or weapons systems.
If a sign up is required for a session, you will have to sign up to be able to play, this can be done as an individual or as a LIMA team. If you are by any chance not able to attend a signed game, you will let CMD know you will not be able to attend BEFORE the sessions starts.
Operations/sessions start at a set time, do not be late. Warm up starts at 19:30 and the main operation at 20:00. You do not come late for war! We do encourage you to arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before main sessions starts.

Signed "The Shepherds"

And while our sessions have a high level of focus I feel that we don't take it too far either.

Footage from our SQL from last mission, communication is sometimes hard to hear with the music in the background.
Link will take you to that video but it's part of the playlist that shows the operation from two different povs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Egv7iNN6xs&feature=share&list=PL3F1D4419E1649C68

[=VG= SavageCDN (Inactive Duty)]

The only issue I can see is that you probably won't always get the same people for each event which means no guarantee your squad will all be there. We also need to learn to work together in a 'standard' way so that anyone can be in any squad and know what to do and when to do it.

[suomikeizari]

So what's the basic organization of L.A.M.B.S?
It doesn't seem like a Clan or Community type of organization, if so I wouldn't need to join it I could just play with you regularly, right?
also I had a hard time finding the web page of Lambs, does it have one?

also savage the overall idea was to get experience with ACE/ACRE, leading, map reading, tactics, teamwork ETC. I didn't mean that the FTs would be locked but we would have a full FT or FTs available for smaller event or events ran by us and later bigger ones ran by =VG=, LAMBS, Shacktac, 15th MEU, etc. etc.

EDIT: the SQ idea is pretty hard to make reality because it requires about 12 players

[lupago]

I dont think it is good to set that now, for simple reason, we are just starting, we have to see how does everyone work not only in one position, as Savage said we dont have the same people per event, new players should not get one by one in new squads, they should mix with the guys with more exp so they can learn.

[suomikeizari]

ATTENTION!!!

you guys are missing the point! the idea isn't to join the BIG EVENTS yet! the idea is the get more experience faster! the idea is to arrange a mass of smaller events where we can train for example only on using specific vehicles, weapons, etc. also training formations, Radio coms, Map reading etc.

but to get 4 guys once or twice a week to play isn't that hard i think

[=VG= SavageCDN (Inactive Duty)]

I see what you're saying but I think that's pretty much what we're doing now... events where we can practice working together as a team/squad/etc.

Of course there's nothing stopping anyone from getting together in smaller groups and doing some formation or firing drills on a public server. If you're talking about having actual training missions that we create ourselves we could do something like that but it would take some planning and implementation.

That being said I'd be up for it!!

[=VG= Calv]

Castor =VG= LAN_WROTE ...

ATTENTION!!!

you guys are missing the point! the idea isn't to join the BIG EVENTS yet! the idea is the get more experience faster! the idea is to arrange a mass of smaller events where we can train for example only on using specific vehicles, weapons, etc. also training formations, Radio coms, Map reading etc.

but to get 4 guys once or twice a week to play isn't that hard i think

Yeah as mentioned that is pretty much exactly what is happening. The campaign missions I'm making are allowing me to train new stuff that is relevant for that mission.

For example next week our training will be on formation, contact drill, vehicle usage, and movement in urban environments including buddy teams.

The week after we will have some CAS and artillery available in the mission so I will be conducting training on how to determine the grid ref of targets and the standard way of calling in support. Also I will likely the introducing the 117f backpack radio so will cover the usage of that.

After that we will most likely be starting to use ACE, I intend to create a training area that can be downloaded and played in SP with various areas to practice the features of ACE, with a load of relevant information in the mission notes on the many new features.

I'm trying to avoid doing too much training at once as people can be turned off by that much information and there is less chance of people remembering it, so things will be introduced gradually.

Training on how to use the various weapons and vehicles is really going to have to be a personal thing though because the weapons/vehicles are easy to learn and get a feel for by just using them solo.

That said, if you want to have a persistent fireteam that is fine, grab three other people and get their agreement then let me know. Then it's down to you to arrange some sessions where you can train as a team, whether it's just playing on insurgency together or going through missions is your choice. I'm happy to put together some training missions that you can run through as a team if provided with a specific area you want to practice. (Urban clearing, patrolling in woodland/open terrain, night ops, etc)

[=VG= Wooz2770]

I like the idea, Although i would probably need some training in ACE/ACRE.
so setting up missions to train e.g. formations and CAS really sounds like a good way to improve skill of new players like me. i also like what lupago said, mixing the new players with players that have more exp.

[Terremer]

im down castor I get what you're trying to say. just some regular play with the same people to get familiar with the squad. for example i've played loads of insurgency with Lupago as my squad lead and now we can play together easily because we know how each other works. but yeah i think doing that for the events isnt going to work for said reasons. im always down to play organized groups though.

[lupago]

Terremer =VG= LAN_WROTE ...

im down castor I get what you're trying to say. just some regular play with the same people to get familiar with the squad. for example i've played loads of insurgency with Lupago as my squad lead and now we can play together easily because we know how each other works. but yeah i think doing that for the events isnt going to work for said reasons. im always down to play organized groups though.

;)

[Terremer]

its true man we had a few days we played like 8 hours straight or whatever, lol

[suomikeizari]

Yeah the idea is like small scale training and re-training from shooting to making sure people now what like ''staggered column'' means. at the same time we would learn to use for example grenade launchers (I forgot to use it in missions as an example), and making sure everyone who wants can get more experience. The thing is even if the weekend events are training they still are almost full blown missions and I for example would like to fare on them way better, after all we have always lost at least 50% of our manpower on every missions, not to count the ones we have failed, I am not blaming here for it was as much my fault those missions failed as it was others.

Calv LAN_WROTE ...

That said, if you want to have a persistent fireteam that is fine, grab three other people and get their agreement then let me know. Then it's down to you to arrange some sessions where you can train as a team, whether it's just playing on insurgency together or going through missions is your choice. I'm happy to put together some training missions that you can run through as a team if provided with a specific area you want to practice. (Urban clearing, patrolling in woodland/open terrain, night ops, etc)

If you could make an ACE/ACRE compatible map kinda like ARMAX at start (all weapons, lots of vehicles, firing range, maybe somekind of killhouse event) we'd be setup.
When we got stuff cleared we can go Insurgency for a while (lets say next thursday) and after that we could request more maps from you.
also we can test new missions like the one charry is doing. where we can train using these mods while getting familiar with FT roles, movement, organization and other important stuff, everyone would be free to join (it wont need a dedicated server, lets keep it simple) This also makes your job easier for we will teach new players to use ACRE and other stuff you taught us.

yeah fixed FTs are cool and make stuff easier tho it's not needed and might be better for long term ARMA 2 experience that you switch around, for you wont be playing with your mates all the time.

gonna make another thread for this and depending on persons joining we can decide who runs the server. (if there is too many players from down under we will have to get someone from Americas to run the missions)

that being said I'll gather a list for willing players, and after that I'm going to pic a date, the list a make here will be more of a guideline how many dudes I could get on. (most likely friday or sunday but if it can be arranged then in the middle of week)

Players:

=VG= Castor
=VG= SavageCDN
Wooz2770
=VG= Terremer

IF YOUR NAME WASN'T MENTIONED PLEASE NOTIFY ME, ALSO YOUR TIMEZONE AND A SUGGESTION ON THE EVENT DATE WOULD BE APPRECIATED!

[=VG= Calv]

Castor =VG= LAN_WROTE ...

If you could make an ACE/ACRE compatible map kinda like ARMAX at start (all weapons, lots of vehicles, firing range, maybe somekind of killhouse event) we'd be setup.

OK, got a basic training area setup, still needs a fair bit of work but should give an idea, feel free to say if there is anything specific that it's missing.
Ammo crate includes weapons that are likely to be used in campaigns, most main AT weapons and the M4 and mk16. Use the ACE self-interact key on the ammo crate while holding the M4/MK16 to add/remove weapon attachments.
[EDIT] See later post for updated map.

[Guest AirborneAlways]

I am looking at taking the sniper/spotter slot. While at current size of operation it doesn't seem appropriate to move to that slot yet.

For those who don't know, sniper/spotter fills to roles. 1) they take the enemy out if need be. 2) they provide visual intel to those one the ground.

So if someone want to work together, we can hit the sniper range on the CLAfgan map to sharping shooting skills.

[=VG= Renainn]

Castor,

I play mainly on Monday or Tuesday nights after 8 pm PST.
Role: Armor (M1A1) or Sniper.

Ren

[Terremer]

id be down to spot or something i like sneaking around and gathering intel.

[=VG= Wooz2770]

Great to see this project gaining momentum:)
this week ill be available from wednesday to saturday morning. most other weeks i?m available from friday 5pm GMT to sunday morning.
ill happily fill in any support role:)

[=VG= Calv]

AirborneAlways LAN_WROTE ...

I am looking at taking the sniper/spotter slot. While at current size of operation it doesn't seem appropriate to move to that slot yet.

For those who don't know, sniper/spotter fills to roles. 1) they take the enemy out if need be. 2) they provide visual intel to those one the ground.

So if someone want to work together, we can hit the sniper range on the CLAfgan map to sharping shooting skills.

Once we're using ACE I may introduce a sniper team but anyone wanting to play those roles would have to pass a qualification mission. Due to the close co-operation required in sniper pairs I would most likely expect people to find and train with a buddy beforehand and qualify together.
Minimum skills I would be testing would be:
* Knowledge of basic equipment: DAGR, prc117f radio, spotting scope (maybe), windometer (Kestrel).
* Sniper would be expected to be able to reliably hit a stationary target at 600m with the first shot, and at 800m within 2 shots. (This is based on what I can do with minimal practice, the bar may be raised if candidates impress me)
* Ability to reach a target area with minimal engagement of enemy patrols.
* Accuracy of target reports - would be x number of reportable targets in an area, scored based on how many you report.
* Able to provide an 8 digit grid ref for observed targets. Both with and without using the DAGR/Vector.

I would most likely lump the burden of JTAC duties onto the spotter aswell so they'd need to know how to use the laser designator, and how to call for air/fire support. This would be trained and tested separately though and wouldn't be required to qual as a basic spotter.

[=VG= Murderface0151]

im down, will make an effort to get there. sorted my Arma problems, just need to re-download ACRE and get some basic training from someone (most likely TS3 one on one if i can catch someone online)

i am unavailable to play every day except Sunday due to new work hours. if we could organise it to be on the weekend like the past two, that would be brilliant, but i understand we must cater for the needs of the greater numbers.

suitable roles would be FTL, CAS and Transport helo pilot, failing that i'm just as happy being general infantry.

and as said above, great to see this gathering momentum, i think it's what we've all wanted to get from OA..

[=VG= Calv]

Murderface LAN_WROTE ...

im down, will make an effort to get there. sorted my Arma problems, just need to re-download ACRE and get some basic training from someone (most likely TS3 one on one if i can catch someone online)

i am unavailable to play every day except Sunday due to new work hours. if we could organise it to be on the weekend like the past two, that would be brilliant, but i understand we must cater for the needs of the greater numbers.

suitable roles would be FTL, CAS and Transport helo pilot, failing that i'm just as happy being general infantry.

and as said above, great to see this gathering momentum, i think it's what we've all wanted to get from OA..

Don't worry, the normal weekly session will be remaining at it's current time, which is Sunday morning for you I believe.
They're just talking about doing additional sessions for training, which now I've finished the ACE training area map it can be added to the server once ACE is setup there and people can practice whenever they like.

The map contains a shooting range, kill house, kill house located in an actual compound, contact drill area, and various target areas around zargabad with simple targets that teams can practice assaults on.

Equipment consists of M4 and Mk16 rifles that can have the various attachments add/removed by using the ACE Self-interact key while at the weapon crate. When changing attachments it is technically removing and adding your weapon, so it will switch to you next available weapon, usually pistol or grenade. So check your weapon selection before firing.
All main AT weapons are available and various respawning targets are on the range to practice on.
Both the M249 and M240 are available, attachments can be added same as with rifles.
M40A3 sniper rifle is available.

There are additional weapon crates near the supply trucks one has ropes for fastrope and sling loading, the other has basic ordnance like claymores, bouncing bettys and M4 SLAMs for explosive practice.

4 humvees are included for vehicle formation and mounting/dismounting practice.
Blackhawk and Littlebirds are also available for use.

Vehicles are set to respawn so will vanish if left vacant.
vg_training_ace.zargabad.rar

[Pvt. Pirate]

=VG= Eclipse002 LAN_WROTE ...

not yet...need more training in ARMA2. Not that i dont know what im doing...we need more training in "being a squad".
More training on comms.
More training on weapons...bullet drop..zeroing.
More training on gear.

indeed. its a good idea, but its not the right time yet.
and as lupago said, we should first setup a few standards that work in every team, no matter who's in that team.
i know there will be procedures we cant just copy and paste from real military, but we should orient on those.
like we have some real veterans here and could possibly make some traing sessions in
"Comms"
"weapon adjustment"
"moving in formation"
"tactics"

that way we can even easier introduce new members later.
those who played in that fashion for a while can be fireteamleaders and every fireteam gets one new member maximum to teach them how it should work.
but that includes no branded fireteams with neverchanging members, but the basic training for all members of the whole community, so they are interchangeable.

[Guest AirborneAlways]

Calv LAN_WROTE ...

AirborneAlways LAN_WROTE ...

I am looking at taking the sniper/spotter slot. While at current size of operation it doesn't seem appropriate to move to that slot yet.

For those who don't know, sniper/spotter fills to roles. 1) they take the enemy out if need be. 2) they provide visual intel to those one the ground.

So if someone want to work together, we can hit the sniper range on the CLAfgan map to sharping shooting skills.

Once we're using ACE I may introduce a sniper team but anyone wanting to play those roles would have to pass a qualification mission. Due to the close co-operation required in sniper pairs I would most likely expect people to find and train with a buddy beforehand and qualify together.
Minimum skills I would be testing would be:
* Knowledge of basic equipment: DAGR, prc117f radio, spotting scope (maybe), windometer (exact name escapes me).
* Sniper would be expected to be able to reliably hit a stationary target at 600m with the first shot, and at 800m within 2 shots. (This is based on what I can do with minimal practice, the bar may be raised if candidates impress me)
* Ability to reach a target area with minimal engagement of enemy patrols.
* Accuracy of target reports - would be x number of reportable targets in an area, scored based on how many you report.
* Able to provide an 8 digit grid ref for observed targets. Both with and without using the DAGR/Vector.

I would most likely lump the burden of JTAC duties onto the spotter aswell so they'd need to know how to use the laser designator, and how to call for air/fire support. This would be trained and tested separately though and wouldn't be required to qual as a basic spotter.

That is kind of why I put it out there to find someone to start working with. The way I look at both sniper and spotter should be able to verse roles, which mean a lot of learning for both. Not uncommon for snipers to do JTAC as well as needing to be proficient in several other areas.

[suomikeizari]

umm, pirate remember to read all the comments next time :).
I've highlighted the point of this training a couple of times, to re-train the skills we already have learned and to do just the things you are saying, to make sure everyone keeps up and that if you wish additional training you can get it.

the ultimate point of this and calvs events are (in my opinion) to get us up there on top ranks in ARMA 2 as a unit or with events. ALSO TO HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF FUN WHILE BEING AT IT! :D

/locked