Mateo

By: Chuck “Magnum” Ankenbauer

Introduction

Armed Assault is a work-in-progress by Bohemia Interactive. This AAR was based on the E3Expo press demo CD-ROM that was only ~ 75% completed. The final Armed Assault shipping product may be different than what you see in this feature article.

In my second article covering the Armed Assault press release demo that I got my hands on due to a few new best friends, I will cover the second supplied multiplayer mission, Capture the Flag.

Capture the Flag is simple, and like almost all tactical shooter games, in Armed Assault you have 4 people on your team and 4 on the other. This is multiplayer, but since only LAN is supported in the demo it’s me controlling 3 other AI soldiers on my side, against 4 enemy AI soldiers on the other side. (I am not sure if more then 4 would be supported in the final, I would think so, since OFP does.) You have options but I go with the default 30 minute time limit and 5 capture victory conditions.

Mission Briefing


Find Flag, Capture Flag, Return To Base, Rinse, Repeat

Like I said, I control a team of four, and the enemy has four. The map is two town type area’s on opposite ends, with a nice, large opening in the middle. Each team has a flag in there respected town, and the enemy must infiltrate, retrieve, and return the enemy flag to there respected flag pole on the opposite side. There is a mission zone area and if you exit out of that area you will be instantly killed.

I study the map and like the rolling hills on the left side of the map. I decide to take my team on foot along those rolling hills, around the open danger area, and into the flank of the enemy town. We set off in wedge formation. (Since that’s all the entire demo allows right now.)

The Mission
We move from hill to hill, every now and then I order a halt, while I go prone and low crawl up the hill crest. Once there, a scan the battlefield for signs of the enemy. None yet, so I move on, re-ordering the “fall into formation” order.


Cresting the Hill

We get to the enemy town’s left flank without a shot fired, or for that matter an enemy spotted. We begin moving into the town using bounding over watch maneuvers to get to the enemy flag. I spot the flag and scan the area for a defense team, none spotted. I then order my men around the area for defense and issue the “fire at will” command. I then move up to the flag pole, thinking this is too easy. I take the flag and we’re off running.


Run Magnum! Run!

I order the team to fall in and we decide to utilize the heavy foliage on the opposite flank to get back to our safe haven. Things are going good, too good. Not only have we captured the enemy’s flag and now making our way back to home plate, but we haven’t seen an enemy or fired our weapons.

We enter the friendly base and I see my flag pole about 50 yards away, I get too excited and charge the last 50 yards to the flag pole. As I turn the corner, standing 5 feet in front of the pole is an enemy infantry man with an AK47. I score the flag point due to the proximity, but at the same time I take a few rounds to the chest and go down.


Scoring the hard way.

I wait my required 30 seconds for my respawn, meanwhile the rest of the team engages the enemy forces around the flag pole, all but one of the enemies are killed and must respawn in 30 seconds over at there home base.

I spawn in, and re-arm. I start taking fire from a hidden enemy in a nearby building of some type. I engage and kill the last enemy in our home base.

I decide this time that we aren’t walking all that way and jump into a nearby Hummer; I order the team to mount up. They comply and it’s off to work we go.

I take a direct route this time knowing the enemy hasn’t had time to make it across the danger area yet. Once my team crosses the open danger area, I order a dismount. We all get out and form up for movement.


Nice Dismount!

As we move closer to the enemy town we get ambushed. They may not of had time to cross Death Valley, but they sure had time to take up nice fire positions within the town. The battle only last about 5 minutes or so, but at the end my complete team including me, the fearless leader lay dead on the town border.

After another 30 second wait, and another spawn in I decide to try something new. I move to the flank using the hills for cover while I keep my men on a defensive line, protecting our base. I move through the foliage in prone and overlook the open danger area once again.

This time I see the complete enemy team, all four of them moving across the open area towards my base, and my men. I first consider take a shot or two, but at this distance I may miss and cause unwanted attention to myself.


Discretion being the better part of valor.

I then decide and execute another plan.

I order my men using the map and move command menu up closer to the enemy; I order “danger close” so they stay low and engage on contact. This is just what I wanted! I hear the sounds of the battle begin and that is my cue. I jump up from my flanking position and make a B line dash to the objective.

Once again, I capture the enemy flag, I hear my soldiers report that they “got one”, that means in 30 seconds they will be re-spawning somewhere near me. I jump into a nearby enemy vehicle; the enemy flag pokes out of the vehicles back like a giant “shoot me here” sign.

I then realize that I have 2 minutes left in the match, I floor the gas and race off hoping to make it to my base, and get another capture before the game is over. My team continues to fight on my right, I dare not stop and watch, I continue full speed, racing on the outside ridge of the open and dangerous area, I then enter my small town where my home base is located, I drive like a mad man through the streets honking the horn so all the children could get out of the way (There are no children or civilians really; it’s for story effect. ).


Armed Assault is also a racing sim!

I make it to the flag pole jump out and gain another successful capture with about 10 second left.


Been there, done that!

The fire fight continues until the score board pops up.



We win 2 to 0.

munchkin

Great article, Magnum. Thanks again for providing us the benefits of your journalism skills.

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loyalguard

Another awesome AAR Magnum! Thanks again! I'm really looking forward to this game.

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|TG| LoyalGuard

Turbo

Nice writeup Magnum!

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Obi

Oh yeah can't wait.

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Magnum50

Yes, will get you that info ASAP.

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Magnum
www.gettacticaldammit.com

Evo<^|SiNz|^>

Sweet, sounds like fun!

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"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country.
He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
- Attributed to General George Patton, Jr.

Slammer

Great write up magnum I can't wait to play the full version!

Slammer