MP Combat Patrol – Arma 3
Introduction
Combat Patrol is a game mode which can be easily set up on any map and offers short, randomized CQB scenarios on a location selected by the players. The system scans for any predefined map locations like towns or villages and allows players to vote for them. You can add custom locations as well.
Creating custom scenarios
Note: While it is technically possible to play Combat Patrol in singleplayer, it is recommended to set up a multiplayer scenario instead, mainly due to respawn.
- Open the mission editor.
- Set respawn setting to Custom Position (Attributes > Multiplayer > Respawn > Respawn on Custom Position). Set the Respawn Delay in the same window to any value you like, preferably > 0s.
- In the Rulesets directly below, check "Show respawn counter" and "Substract respawn tickets".
- (Optional) Enable Revive.
- (Optional) Uncheck "Enable AI" in the Lobby section.
- Place playable units (the team conducting the patrol) somewhere far from any possible target locations. Make sure they are all in the same group. As of build 1.94, full support for all factions is available.
- Place the Combat Patrol Init module. It can be found under Systems (F5) > Combat Patrol.
- Save the scenario in MPMissions.
Now you are ready to play. There are some more options available to further customize your scenario:
Combat Patrol modules description
Apart from the aforementioned Combat Patrol Init, there are some modules you can use:
- Combat Patrol Azimuth Blacklist: Blacklists the nearest location's (1000m radius) azimuth range so it can't be used for the starting / ending position or reinforcements spawning points. Imagine a location that has very steep hills to the north. You don't want to climb up there while exfiltrating or see enemy reinforcements try to find their way down to you. You place this module near this location and blacklist North using azimuth arrays. In this case that would be [[330,30]].
- Combat Patrol Location Add: Adds a new selectable location to the map. You can define its name and relative size which is used to determie how big the AO is and how many units are stationed inside.
- Combat Patrol Location Remove: Removes the nearest (1000m radius) location from the selection screen.
- Combat Patrol Location Reposition: Moves the nearest (1000m radius) location to this module's position. Some times the location keypoints are placed quite far from the actual location center so the name is properly visible in the map. This module allows you to remedy that.
Using scenario parameters
Parameters are editable in the MP lobby and offer even more control over various scenario rules. To be able to use them in your scenario, find the scenario folder (usually in Documents\Arma 3\MPMissions) and create a new file inside it. Name this file description.ext and put this code iside it:
class Params
{
class BIS_CP_startingDaytime
{
title = $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_1;
values[] = {-1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4};
texts[] = {$STR_A3_bis_fnc_respawnmenuposition_random, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_2, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_3, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_4, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_5, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_6};
default = 1;
};
class BIS_CP_weather
{
title = $STR_A3_rscattributeovercast_title;
values[] = {-1, 0, 1, 2, 3};
texts[] = {$STR_A3_bis_fnc_respawnmenuposition_random, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_7, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_8, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_9, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_10};
default = 1;
};
class BIS_CP_garrison
{
title = $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_11;
values[] = {0, 1, 2};
texts[] = {$STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_12, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_13, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_14};
default = 0;
};
class BIS_CP_reinforcements
{
title = $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_15;
values[] = {0, 1, 2};
texts[] = {$STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_12, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_13, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_16};
default = 0;
};
class BIS_CP_showInsertion
{
title = $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_17;
values[] = {1, 0};
texts[] = {$STR_A3_cfgvehicles_modulestrategicmapimage_f_arguments_shadow_values_yes_0, $STR_A3_cfgvehicles_modulestrategicmapimage_f_arguments_shadow_values_no_0};
default = 0;
};
class BIS_CP_tickets
{
title = $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_18;
values[] = {5, 10, 20, 50, 100};
texts[] = {"5", "10", "20", "50", "100"};
default = 20;
};
class BIS_CP_enemyFaction
{
title = $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_19;
values[] = {0, 1, 2};
texts[] = {$STR_A3_cfgfactionclasses_opf_f0, $STR_A3_cfgfactionclasses_ind_f0, $STR_A3_bis_fnc_respawnmenuposition_random};
default = 2;
};
class BIS_CP_locationSelection
{
title = $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_20;
values[] = {0, 1};
texts[] = {$STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_21, $STR_A3_bis_fnc_respawnmenuposition_random};
default = 0;
};
class BIS_CP_objective
{
title = $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_22;
values[] = {-1, 1, 2, 3};
texts[] = {$STR_A3_bis_fnc_respawnmenuposition_random, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_26, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_27, $STR_A3_combatpatrol_params_28};
default = -1;
};
};
You don't need to use all of them of course. Check ingame to see what they offer and feel free to remove some of them if you want.