Folk Workshops

[Siaynoq]

I couldn't participate in the last pre-session, but I really enjoyed this "textual workshop" by Kefirz
I think it would be beneficial for newcomers (like me ) to summarise what has been learned and highlight problematic areas for future reference.

I know it takes practice, but personally I have problems identifying "directions" ("enemy at 6 o'clock" or "contact from southeast"). I know how to use my compass, it just feels bulky that I "forget" where I was watching (or suppose to watch).

Any advice on using "in-game commands" ("Spacebar" by default)?

Thanks for the tips

[Kefirz]

To Siaynoq and maybe someone else that is reading this topic,
All I can say is that you shouldn't feel discouraged because you are a newcomer, everyone dies and I mean everyone. (That convoy was an excellent example )
A man could know a lot of useful things, but we all do ''heroic'' sometimes maybe stupid things and bite the dust.

It's a game and last time I checked this group was all about fun times with exceptional comrades from all over the world, shooting some shit up.

[SuperU]

I know it takes practice, but personally I have problems identifying "directions" ("enemy at 6 o'clock" or "contact from southeast"). I know how to use my compass, it just feels bulky that I "forget" where I was watching (or suppose to watch).

Any advice on using "in-game commands" ("Spacebar" by default)?

Thanks for the tips

If you have not yet got STHud I would highly recommend it, since it gives you a massive amount of situational awareness!

I still also struggle when people call out enemy at 6 o'clocks, I wish people would use more accurate terms (an enemy on another players 6 may not be the same as my 6, being dyslexic also does not help with figuring out clock positions fast!) Don't be shy to ask for a compass bearing(They do help pin point targets!).

For example if someone calls "contact north east!" and you can't see the enemy just ask back "I need a bearing, I can't see them" at this point someone will give you a compass bearing to pinpoint the enemy location!

As for "In-game Commands" just ignore them and don't use them! They seldom work, the only use I have with them is to know if a friendly is hit.

You are far better off listening to your team mates on comms or group and then using your own voice to reply!

[Thirith]

I joined my first workshop yesterday; I really enjoyed it and I think I learned a lot. Thanks to the guys running it!

One thing I noticed, though: I'm crap at spotting and relaying important information to the team. I haven't played much MP, and obviously that's something that is entirely missing in this form in single player. I'm twice as bad at it when under fire. Is this something that's every concentrated on as the main element in the workshops, or is it something that's in there simply because it's such a core element of MP gameplay but it isn't focused on specifically?

Another question: yesterday when we were in two vehicles as A1 and A2, the former didn't inform us where enemy fire was coming from. In practical terms, what's the course of action in such a case: does A1 use Arma's built-in VoIP or do they use Teamspeak? Who exactly communicates with whom?

(My sad attempts at spotting in yesterday's workshop: seeing the enemy, shouting into my headset, "Contact! Contact!", realising that a) I was shouting when there was no need and b) I hadn't pressed the necessary button to begin with, so the only people benefiting from me seeing the guy were my wife and the neighbours. By the time I pushed Caps-Lock and went, "Ahem... Contact," the target was far gone. Never mind that I never said *where* he was or where he was going. Good times!

[Ferrard Carson]

Thirith, I'm glad you came along, and I'm glad you enjoyed and learned from the experience!

Contact reports in general are a habit that we try to drill into people in a broad sense. We've only rarely dedicated entire swaths of the workshop to contact reports specifically, but I personally try to enforce my own simple rule of thumb whenever I receive a less-than-adequate contact report. Everyone has a different way of doing it, but I generally try to report Direction, Distance, and Description. "Bravo lead, this is Bravo 1." "Send it Bravo 1." "Sou-sou-west, 300 meters, enemy fire-team crossing the intersection West to East. One had an RPG." "Bravo lead copies."<-- that right there is an example of a good, clear, concise contact report, and a good example of how to handle comms between an SL and FTL.

As for when and how contact reports should be sent around, it's mainly predicated on common sense.

• It's an immediate threat to the squad? Then it should be reported to the SL via TS.
• It's not an immediate threat to the squad? Let your FTL know via Group, and he'll pass it on or not depending on the situation.

Anyways - there are some fast-and-dirty tips. Like the tip I gave yo mama last night!

~ Ferrard

[Thirith]

Thanks, Ferrard! You're the nicest necrophiliac I've had the pleasure of encountering on Arma. (Not sure which smiley is most appropriate. )

Your answer raises another question, though: is there a useful Arma newbie glossary available somewhere? I've played the SP since Operation Flashpoint, but I am pretty weak when it comes to the terminology (and my academic background and general tendency towards being verbiose make it difficult for me to be concise, unfortunately). Chances are I'd spend too much time looking for the right words to describe what I'm seeing, and as a result I'm likely to stay quiet when I should inform my group. Knowing what the key terms are would already help.

[Mojo]

Thanks, Ferrard! You're the nicest necrophiliac I've had the pleasure of encountering on Arma. (Not sure which smiley is most appropriate. )

Your answer raises another question, though: is there a useful Arma newbie glossary available somewhere? I've played the SP since Operation Flashpoint, but I am pretty weak when it comes to the terminology (and my academic background and general tendency towards being verbiose make it difficult for me to be concise, unfortunately). Chances are I'd spend too much time looking for the right words to describe what I'm seeing, and as a result I'm likely to stay quiet when I should inform my group. Knowing what the key terms are would already help.

Noone is expecting you to describe the enemy with pin point accuracy and you should not try to force it on yourself

A good idea is to have STHud as it gives you a compass toegther with the position of nearby groupies.

A rule of thumb I personally learned from the danish army was the 2 Ws. What (Infantry, technical, IFV, armor) and Where (Direction and range) it really does not have to be any longer than: Infantry, 300m SW. To make it more accurate you can add outstanding details like "near the green house" or "in fers backyard pool". A good way is to report anything suspicious to your FTL through squad chat, even if it turns out to be a bush and not a actual treat, it is always best to stay on the safe side.

If you have a tendency to only shout "contact!" then it could be a good idea to train yourself in the editor, or with some fellow folks in the TS on non regular days, to shout "Contact" followed by the direction. Dont worry if it doesnt go right at times, we all make mistakes.

On to terminology, a lot of people in folk use a basic system to IDing objects and I guess it is commonly accepted throughout the community.

Infanry - Infantry, INF, EI (enemy infantry, most commonly used)
Trucks and jeeps - Technicals
Armored Person Carrier - APC, IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle)
Tanks - Tank, Armor

You do not have to know the correct name of the vehicle and everyone has theyr own way of describing the type of objects they meet. Knowing the basic shape of the vehicles will make it really recognisable in the field. If you cannot identify the objects you are seeing but you are sure that it is enemy, call it either "enemy contact" or "enemy unknown". Again, practice makes the master

You can contact some of us on the forums or in TS and ask if they would like to share some of theyr battlehardened skills with you or train by yourself in the editor by placing some objects and learning theyr shape and name.

Happy hunting
Mojo

[Kefirz]

it gives you a compass toegther with the position of nearby groupies.

I wish I had STHud in real life..

[Medic Eugene Roe]

When will we start having Workshops in the future? Like learning the best way to report enemies when scouting with Future UAVs. Or practicing not crashing your Future Helicopter full of comrades.

[Ferrard Carson]

I'm currently in the midst of creating the first A3 Workshop map, so let me share with you what I am envisioning:

The first priority I have with our new workshops is to really explore the area of infantry maneuvering in more depth. Between the increased weapon sway, increased weapon recoil, and decreased visual effect of bullet-hits, it has become much, much harder to land shots on target at even 200m, unless you are prone. This, plus the good work of those determining our difficulty settings, has made it both much less effective to sit still and much easier to run around under fire, making maneuver far more important than it was in A2. So beyond our standard "fire and maneuver" lanes, I've gone ahead and created a whole maneuver course about 400m across, where the goal is to practice flanking, envelopment, and overall coordination of two or three separate elements in an effort to get one of them within 50m of the enemy.

Beyond that, I currently have exercise locations mapped out for:

• Urban combat
• Compound assaulting
• Convoy ambush
• Convoy protection
• Controlling key terrain
• Air mobile deployment
• Bronegruppa operation
• A detailed shoot-house to practice room-clearing (if I can get the pieces to cooperate)

Is there anything not on this list that Folk ARPS would desire to see?

~ Ferrard