Basic Guide to Berzerk!

Introduction

Berzerk! is a user made game form, often found on public servers. It is the closest ArmA II game form to Battle Field. Battles tend to last one hour and are fought over geographic zones such as towns or radio towers or airfields or other strategic objectives

Mission Author:

Berzerk is by Zaphod

Game play type

Hold

Objective

Berzerk is a fairly a simple Hold type game where your team gain points for holding a flag zone. You hold a zone by being the controlling team in it. So the more combat power you have in a zone is important. Where the combat power of either side is not enough the site is contested. There is the rub though if all your combat power is at a zone you loose mobility and the enemy know exactly where to fire. So a side must juggle how many troops to put in each zone.

Start up

When you first enter the game you have a dialogue to chose weapons your basic load out, this stays the same until you change it. Some weapons such as sniper rifles, AT and AA launchers are limited. So you cannot always get them. This is signified by a red circle bar. You cannot even spawn if you have an AT or AA launcher that has reached its limit in the inventory. This can happen if some one respawns just before you and grabs the weapon. So in this case you have to change your inventory.

Base Respawn

First spawn into the game can only be at base. Your base is the only protected respawn. Your sides base has the basic vehicles: two tanks one light one heavy, an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), two helicopters, one attack helicopter and one transport helicopter and of course the MHQ. At the base from the command tent you can also individually spawn a light vehicle such as a motor cycle, or grenade launching jeep, or a Truck. So that if all the base spawn vehicles are in use you have a method of getting back into battle.

Flag Zones and Advanced Respawn

As your side gains control of forward respawn points you respawn at those advanced respawn but beware you are spawning into a battle. The actual spot you respawn at is random over a large area of the flag zone so getting killed as you spawn is rare, but can happen. In Berzerk any flag zone controlled by your team can be used as advanced spawn, but beware advanced repawn locations have no spawn protection, so you are often spawning directly into a firefight. Contested spawns where there is no overall majority of combat power cannot be respawned into. Another Respawn option is the MHQ. The secret with the MHQ is to place in or near a spawn your side are contesting to reduce travel time; but it needs to be hidden so that the enemy does not destroy it.

Vehicles

We already mentioned the base vehicles. Other vehicles only spawn at forward bases, these MAY be locked so that only the side who's vehicles they are can use them so IF the advanced vehicles of the opposition are locked, you should destroy them; as once you control the zone your sides vehicles will replace them. If they are not locked you can use them as a Trojan horse to enter an enemy spawn, but beware you need to tell your own side as a blue on blue is a potential result, also kills from an enemy vehicle count negative! Should not be so dishonourable!

If any vehicle is destroyed, MHQ included, it respawns at its original spawn point after a short period.

Leave it and loose it

A vehicle left alone will after a time respawn. So do not abandon a vehicle.

Vehicle Etiquette

In the field Do not get into a vehicle some one else is using without their permission! It will be there for a reason. They may be over-watching their team. Getting into the vehicle in the driver slot or gunner slot often turns on the engine thus turning it red on enemy radar.

Team-play

Berzerk is about team-play. You can actually create and join a squad in game, then use green group channel to mark map and control the squad over VON. A good mix is two AT, an AA, a sniper on a motorbike (pedal bikes would be better) and an AFV.

Here is a basic example plan for such a team.

Phase 1) Movement to the FUP

The sniper scouts, snipes and spots targets for the AFV. The AT and AA act as infantry screen for the AFV and along with the AFV cover the Sniper.

Phase 2) Once in position at the FUP

AT team and the sniper secure the FUP and patrol for enemy AT. All vehicles turn off engine so they become grey. AFV driver moves to the command slot, checks the radar for both red and grey targets any immediate area. A plan is made to neutralise them. AA scans and listens for helicopter threat.

Phase 3) Prep firing the objective

The AFV is base of fire along with the AA manning the grenade launcher. The AT team are the Assault team. Sniper is assault over-watch and spotter. Assault team moves out 200m to a flank and marks its proposed route into the objective. AFV switches to HE and along with the Grenade launcher plaster the objective and disguised in this the route of the assault team. Between shots AFV checks the command radar and the AA and Sniper spot and listen for threats.

Phase 4) Assaulting the objective

At an appropriate point the assault team shouts "Going In" at this point all fires along the assault line are lifted and fire is concentrated on the objective. As the Assault team moves sniper scans spots and covers them. Once close to the objective assault team shouts "We are in!" base of fire lifts fire and switches to MG and distant cover fire. Once at the objective the assault team secure and mark a zone for the AFV clearing and marking any or command line explosives or mines. AFV checks radar then rushes to secure zone covered by the grenade launcher and sniper. Once in position in town AFV covers move first of the Grenade launcher then the sniper.

Phase 5) securing the objective

AFV concentrates on using MG weapons to support AT team as they hunt enemy armor. Grenade launcher maintains AA over-watch and prep fires assault team routes sniper moves to an over-watch and spotting position. Once the objective is secured the team rorgs and plants mine fields and command line explosives. AFV moves out of town or somewhere in cover to a hull down position with engine off. Grenade launcher moves to a covered position and or switches to AA role near to the ammo box. AT team patrol the objective clearing enemy and spotting for threats. Everyone stays in cover.

Scoring in Berzerk!

The best Berzerk servers turn off the ability to see the individual score board because what counts is who holds the ground not the body count. To win a war you have to hold the ground. If your side can take all the punishment you can beat a stronger side, you just have to be tough enough and brave enough.

If your side looses all the advanced respawn points and is loosing badly it gets additional weapons at the base respawn like advanced helicopters. In all honesty this is like the Nazis and their V weapons, you can have all the advanced weapons in the world but if the other side is holding the ground then they are winning.

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