ArmA 2
Encyclopedia
ARMA 2 is a tactical shooter
video game for the PC developed by Bohemia Interactive Studio. It is considered the spiritual successor in the Operation Flashpoint-series following its predecessor, ArmA: Armed Assault (ArmA: Combat Operations in North America). ARMA 2 was released in June and July 2009. An expansion pack titled ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead
was released in 2010. In June 2011 a free to play version of the game was released, featuring multiplayer and limited singleplayer modes.
with significant vehicle and aircraft elements. The player is able to command AI
squad members which adds a real-time strategy
element to the game. This is further enhanced by introduction of the high command system, which allows the player to command multiple squads using the map. ARMA 2 is set primarily in the fictional Eastern European nation of Chernarus, (meaning "Black Russia"). The Chernarus landscape is based heavily on the Czech Republic
, the home country of the developer.
The entire campaign can be played either offline (singleplayer) or online (cooperative play for up to four players).
Harvest Red is set in autumn 2009 in a fictional post-Soviet country called Chernarus (Black Russia). The country is in a state of political unrest, with a western backed democratic
government trying to hold onto power from pro-communist rebels, among the most powerful of the rebels, is the group calling themselves the Red Star Movement. Referred to by the locals as the "Chedakis". The Chedakis are led by Gregori "Akula" (Shark) Lopotev. After many months of civil war, the communist rebels fail to overthrow the current government and to set up the Socialist Republic of Chernarus. The Chernarussian government asks the west for help and the United States
sends the U.S. Marine Corps via an Expeditionary Strike Group
off the coast of Chernarus hoping that the Marine presence would deter the Rebels.
However, the rebels are undeterred, and in 2009, the Chedakis launch a coup against the Chernarussian government, taking control of Northeastern Chernarus, and forcing the remaining Chernarussian military to retreat to the town of Zelenogorsk.
On September 21, 2009, as part of the coup, the Chedakis assault Strelka Village on the island of Utes. Overwhelmed, the Chernarussian Defense Force in the area who had set up an outpost at a bombed out church in the village attempted to fight off the attack. Unfortunately, the attack was too great and the outpost fell. As a result, the U.S. Marines were deployed to Utes to help recapture the island.
A few days later, on board the USS Khe Sanh (LHD-9)
, the Marines prepare to deployed to Chernarus as part of Operation Harvest Red to quell the civil war and re-establish Chernarussian control. Under official documents, the troops are deployed as a peacekeeping force. Unofficially, they are to quell the Red Star Movement, and capture "Akula".
are deployed into Chenarus behind enemy lines to weaken the defenses for the main force. Among the marines is Sergeant Matthew Cooper, from a 5 member elite Marine reconnaissance team; Razor Team (led by Master Sergeant
Miles). Razor's mission was to conduct a raid on the town of Pusta to disrupt enemy communications in preparation for the main assault force. During the raid, it was revealed that the Red Star Movement have been conducting acts of genocide and war crimes in Chernarus.
The secondary task of Razor Team is to unite government Chernarussian Defence Forces (CDF) and the National Party (NAPA) forces, led by the man named Prizrak who are hostile to each other at the beginning but their cooperation will help to restore the peace to Chernarus.
During the campaign there is a terrorist bombing of the Red Square
in Moscow
. Chedakis blame this attack on NAPA which brings a Russian contingent in. Later it is revealed that this false flag
attack was commited by Chedakis to portrait NAPA as the terrorists. Razor Team is now also tasked with providing the evidence which will show Chedaki involvement in this bombing.
Dependent on whether Razor Team eliminated Prizrak who is opposing the alliance between CDF and NAPA and arrest Lopotev, the campaign is said to have five different endings ranging from victory to elimination of Razor Team by victorious Chedakis.
The area of approximately 225 km2 is based on actual satellite photos
of České Středohoří
. All necessary data is loaded silently in the background, therefore the player is at no time interrupted by any loading screen
s while traveling through the terrain, though there are loading screens between episodes.
. There are around 130 vehicle variants, and any vehicle that exists in-game can be controlled by the player, including everything from civilian cars, tractors and bicycles. Similarly, all aircraft encountered in the game can be flown by the player. All have limited fuel and realistic weapon loadouts.
are modeled, and rounds lose velocity and knockdown power over time traveled. The ranges at which weapons are zeroed are fixed in the base game, although the Arrowhead expansion allows this to be modified. Sniper rifles can use stadiametric rangefinding to adjust for long-range shots. US rifles use mil-dot scopes while Russian rifles use Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) scopes such as the PSO-1
. In additions, bullets will ricochet from surfaces depending on angle of impact. Penetration is also modeled, with rounds that pass through materials suffering from altered velocity and direction.
Engine includes a built-in scripting language to do tasks such as control AI characters, create triggers and waypoints, and add post-processing
effects.
It features realistic day-night cycles, changing weather, fog and visibility, and a view distance of up to 10 kilometres. Every weapon in the game fires projectiles with real trajectories, drop off, and penetration characteristics. As such, no weapon system in the game is a "guaranteed" hit - only after the engine has simulated the event can it be determined if a given shot or missile has hit the target.
The number of agents
supported by the engine is limited mainly by computer performance. This allows a wide range of scenarios to be played, from small unit actions up to large-scale battles. Almost all events in the game are dynamically defined, including most unit speech and AI choices about how to evaluate and respond to specific situations in the game world: scenarios rarely unfold the same way twice - although a side with an overwhelming advantage will tend to win consistently.
The player can choose to turn their head independently from their weapon / body, unlike in most shooters where the view is locked to the weapon. This allows players to look left and right while running forwards to maintain awareness of the battlefield or to look around while in a confined space without having to lower their weapon.
In order to make immersive missions faster to develop and less predictable, ARMA 2 features an optional "ambient battle" feature in which the world around the player can automatically be populated by friendly and hostile units who will engage in combat.
Another patch, v1.02, was released on 20 June fixing more AI pathing issues and various singleplayer campaign problems. Then, another updated patch v1.02.58134 was released on 26 June. Patch v1.03 was released on 4 August, albeit without an option for stand-alone server hosts. Patch 1.04 was released on 15 September. On 22 December, patch 1.05 was released, which includes a new mini-campaign, Eagle Wing, and a new vehicle, the AH-64 Apache
. Patch v1.07 was debuted on 28 June 2010. Changes of note include improved performance within larger cities, enhanced AI driving skills, a raise of the file cache size to 4 GB RAM or more to take advantage of 64-bit operating systems, and improving the game engine's use of processors with 4 or more cores.
On August 19 Marek Španěl from Bohemia Interactive announced that the latest beta patches are available to everyone from the official ARMA 2 website.
In the demo version, the player is given the possibility to play two single player missions as well as six of the eight training missions. There is limited access to the mission editor. There is also access to a benchmark and limited online multiplayer.
or DLC content. Essentially it serves as a "Lite" version of the game.
. If the software detects that it was pirated, the FADE-system degrades features of the game, rendering it unplayable. Downloaded version on STEAM is not limited by number of installs yet other download services may utilize some limits. As of version 1.05 the publishers copy protection have been removed from ArmA 2 although FADE is still included.
The developers have since released several patches addressing common bugs.
in a fictional region of west-Asia named Takistan, where the terrain is based on Afghanistan. Operation Arrowhead will include three new maps, a variety of new units, vehicles and equipment, as well as the eponymous campaign. Among the new units are a new array of US army personnel and vehicles, Czech forces and German KSK units. UN peacekeepers are also present as an independent faction.
The expansion is a standalone, meaning it can be run without the content in the original ARMA 2, but players who purchased ARMA 2 will also be able to integrate that content into Operation Arrowhead. The developers plan on releasing some of the core changes introduced in Operation Arrowhead (such as performance optimizations) as patches, allowing regular ARMA 2 players to access to any engine improvements introduced in the expansion. New content, however, will remain exclusive to Operation Arrowhead.
Bohemia Interactive has so far released two downloadable content packs
for Operation Arrowhead. The first DLC called British Armed Forces adds units from the British Army
, and a new mini-campaign, where players assume the role of a company from The Parachute Regiment operating in Takistan. The second DLC called Private Military Company includes a new campaign, environment, vehicles and weapons.
is in development. The game is said to offer radical engine improvements and a unique sandbox-style military gameplay. The campaign is said to follow a small group of special forces and researchers that are sent to a Mediterranean island of Lemnos
deep behind enemy lines. The game is set to ship for Windows PC in summer of 2012.
broadcast footage taken from the game in a documentary aired on 26th September 2011 entitled "Exposure: Gaddafi and the IRA", mistaking it for footage taken of an IRA
attack in 1988. The broadcaster apologised, blaming human error.
A spokesperson for ITV commented on the error and said:
Tactical shooter
A tactical shooter is a subgenre of shooter game that includes both first-person shooters and third-person shooters. These games typically simulate realistic combat, thus making tactics and caution more important than quick reflexes in other action games...
video game for the PC developed by Bohemia Interactive Studio. It is considered the spiritual successor in the Operation Flashpoint-series following its predecessor, ArmA: Armed Assault (ArmA: Combat Operations in North America). ARMA 2 was released in June and July 2009. An expansion pack titled ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead
ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead
ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead is a stand-alone expansion pack of the tactical shooter MilSim developed by Bohemia Interactive, ARMA 2...
was released in 2010. In June 2011 a free to play version of the game was released, featuring multiplayer and limited singleplayer modes.
Gameplay
ARMA 2 is a tactical shooterTactical shooter
A tactical shooter is a subgenre of shooter game that includes both first-person shooters and third-person shooters. These games typically simulate realistic combat, thus making tactics and caution more important than quick reflexes in other action games...
with significant vehicle and aircraft elements. The player is able to command AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
squad members which adds a real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
element to the game. This is further enhanced by introduction of the high command system, which allows the player to command multiple squads using the map. ARMA 2 is set primarily in the fictional Eastern European nation of Chernarus, (meaning "Black Russia"). The Chernarus landscape is based heavily on the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, the home country of the developer.
Plot
Bohemia Interactive revealed during E3 that the game will have a "roleplaying feel to it"; with in-game events affecting the character as well as the entire campaign. An example would be terrorizing noncombatants and losing their trust, thus encouraging them to give away valuable information to enemy forces.The entire campaign can be played either offline (singleplayer) or online (cooperative play for up to four players).
Harvest Red is set in autumn 2009 in a fictional post-Soviet country called Chernarus (Black Russia). The country is in a state of political unrest, with a western backed democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
government trying to hold onto power from pro-communist rebels, among the most powerful of the rebels, is the group calling themselves the Red Star Movement. Referred to by the locals as the "Chedakis". The Chedakis are led by Gregori "Akula" (Shark) Lopotev. After many months of civil war, the communist rebels fail to overthrow the current government and to set up the Socialist Republic of Chernarus. The Chernarussian government asks the west for help and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sends the U.S. Marine Corps via an Expeditionary Strike Group
Expeditionary Strike Group
The Expeditionary Strike Group, or ESG, is a concept introduced in the U.S. military in the early 1990s, based on the Naval Expeditionary Task Force. The U.S. Navy fields 12 Expeditionary Strike Groups and 11 Carrier Strike Groups, in addition to surface action groups...
off the coast of Chernarus hoping that the Marine presence would deter the Rebels.
However, the rebels are undeterred, and in 2009, the Chedakis launch a coup against the Chernarussian government, taking control of Northeastern Chernarus, and forcing the remaining Chernarussian military to retreat to the town of Zelenogorsk.
On September 21, 2009, as part of the coup, the Chedakis assault Strelka Village on the island of Utes. Overwhelmed, the Chernarussian Defense Force in the area who had set up an outpost at a bombed out church in the village attempted to fight off the attack. Unfortunately, the attack was too great and the outpost fell. As a result, the U.S. Marines were deployed to Utes to help recapture the island.
A few days later, on board the USS Khe Sanh (LHD-9)
Wasp class amphibious assault ship
The Wasp class is a class of Landing Helicopter Dock amphibious assault ships operated by the United States Navy. Based on the Tarawa class, with modifications to operate more advanced aircraft and landing craft, the Wasp class is capable of transporting almost the full strength of a United States...
, the Marines prepare to deployed to Chernarus as part of Operation Harvest Red to quell the civil war and re-establish Chernarussian control. Under official documents, the troops are deployed as a peacekeeping force. Unofficially, they are to quell the Red Star Movement, and capture "Akula".
Campaign
In preparation for Operation Harvest Red, U.S. Marine Corps' Force ReconUnited States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance
The Force Reconnaissance Companies , are one of the United States Marine Corps's special operations "capable" forces that provide essential elements of military intelligence to the command element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force ; supporting the landing or joint task force commanders, and...
are deployed into Chenarus behind enemy lines to weaken the defenses for the main force. Among the marines is Sergeant Matthew Cooper, from a 5 member elite Marine reconnaissance team; Razor Team (led by Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...
Miles). Razor's mission was to conduct a raid on the town of Pusta to disrupt enemy communications in preparation for the main assault force. During the raid, it was revealed that the Red Star Movement have been conducting acts of genocide and war crimes in Chernarus.
The secondary task of Razor Team is to unite government Chernarussian Defence Forces (CDF) and the National Party (NAPA) forces, led by the man named Prizrak who are hostile to each other at the beginning but their cooperation will help to restore the peace to Chernarus.
During the campaign there is a terrorist bombing of the Red Square
Red Square
Red Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. The square separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Chedakis blame this attack on NAPA which brings a Russian contingent in. Later it is revealed that this false flag
False flag
False flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is flying the flag of a country other than one's own...
attack was commited by Chedakis to portrait NAPA as the terrorists. Razor Team is now also tasked with providing the evidence which will show Chedaki involvement in this bombing.
Dependent on whether Razor Team eliminated Prizrak who is opposing the alliance between CDF and NAPA and arrest Lopotev, the campaign is said to have five different endings ranging from victory to elimination of Razor Team by victorious Chedakis.
Setting
The game takes place in autumn 2009 in the eastern part of a fictional post-Soviet state called Chernarus, particularly the region of South Zagoria and the remote island of Útes.The area of approximately 225 km2 is based on actual satellite photos
Satellite imagery
Satellite imagery consists of photographs of Earth or other planets made by means of artificial satellites.- History :The first images from space were taken on sub-orbital flights. The U.S-launched V-2 flight on October 24, 1946 took one image every 1.5 seconds...
of České Středohoří
Ceské Stredohorí
České středohoří or Central Bohemian Uplands is a mountain range located in northern Bohemia, Czech Republic. The range is about 80 km long, spanning from Česká Lípa to Bílina and from Litoměřice to Děčín , intersected by the river Elbe.The name středohoří can be roughly translated into English...
. All necessary data is loaded silently in the background, therefore the player is at no time interrupted by any loading screen
Loading screen
A loading screen is a picture shown by a computer program, often a video game, while the program is loading or initializing.-Loading times:Loading screens that disguise the length of time that a program takes to load were common when computer games were loaded from cassette tape, a process which...
s while traveling through the terrain, though there are loading screens between episodes.
Factions
ARMA 2 (plus its Arrowhead expansion) features nine distinct armed factions, all with their own vehicles and weapons. Caught in the middle are the Chernarussian and Takistani civilians.- United States Marine Corps
- Armed forces of the Russian Federation
- Chernarussian Defence Forces "CDF"
- Chernarussian Movement of the Red Star "ChDKZ"
- National Party "NAPA"
- Citizens of Chernarus
- United States Army (Operation Arrowhead only)
- Takistani Army (Operation Arrowhead only)
- NATO and UNO (Operation Arrowhead only)
- People of Takistan (Operation Arrowhead only)
- British Armed Forces (British Armed Forces DLCDownloadable contentDownloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
) - ION, Inc. (PMC Expansion)
Equipment
ARMA 2 features around 80 realistically represented weapons with many variants from including assault rifles, machine guns, and missile launchersShoulder-launched missile weapon
A shoulder-fired missile, shoulder-launched missile or man-portable missile is a projectile fired at a target, small enough to be carried by a single person, and fired while held on one's shoulder...
. There are around 130 vehicle variants, and any vehicle that exists in-game can be controlled by the player, including everything from civilian cars, tractors and bicycles. Similarly, all aircraft encountered in the game can be flown by the player. All have limited fuel and realistic weapon loadouts.
Ballistics
All weapons have realistically simulated ballistics. Rounds travel in parabolic trajectories and show effects of bullet drop dependent on their caliber. Muzzle velocitiesMuzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
are modeled, and rounds lose velocity and knockdown power over time traveled. The ranges at which weapons are zeroed are fixed in the base game, although the Arrowhead expansion allows this to be modified. Sniper rifles can use stadiametric rangefinding to adjust for long-range shots. US rifles use mil-dot scopes while Russian rifles use Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) scopes such as the PSO-1
PSO-1
The Soviet PSO-1 telescopic sight was at the time of its introduction , the most technically advanced telescopic sight ever designed for a mass-production designated marksman or sniper rifle...
. In additions, bullets will ricochet from surfaces depending on angle of impact. Penetration is also modeled, with rounds that pass through materials suffering from altered velocity and direction.
Mission Editor
ARMA 2 includes a feature rich mission editor which makes it possible to create user made single player missions or campaigns and multi player missions. Mission editor includes a wizard which makes the creation of basic missions extremely simple. More complex missions can be enhanced with scripting commands. The syntax and interface has been kept largely consistent with ArmA, meaning that missions are easily ported across and that there is a wealth of documentation available for new users.Modding
ARMA 2, like its predecessors, has an extensive support for modding the game. The developers have released a complete suite of tools to modify and create new content for ARMA 2. The Real VirtualityReal Virtuality
Real virtuality was coined by Castells, M. in 1996 within his trilogy entitled The Rise of the Network Society. He intended the term to show how the Internet has entered the tissue of society to the extent that there is no virtual reality to talk about; the virtual has become real in its consequences...
Engine includes a built-in scripting language to do tasks such as control AI characters, create triggers and waypoints, and add post-processing
Video post-processing
The term post-processing is used in the video/film business for quality-improvement image processing methods used in video playback devices, , and video players software and transcoding software...
effects.
Technology
Engine
ARMA 2 uses the third-generation Real Virtuality game engine, which has been in development for over 10 years and of which previous versions are used in training simulators by militaries around the world. This engine has full DirectX 9 support (Shader Model 3).It features realistic day-night cycles, changing weather, fog and visibility, and a view distance of up to 10 kilometres. Every weapon in the game fires projectiles with real trajectories, drop off, and penetration characteristics. As such, no weapon system in the game is a "guaranteed" hit - only after the engine has simulated the event can it be determined if a given shot or missile has hit the target.
The number of agents
Software agent
In computer science, a software agent is a piece of software that acts for a user or other program in a relationship of agency, which derives from the Latin agere : an agreement to act on one's behalf...
supported by the engine is limited mainly by computer performance. This allows a wide range of scenarios to be played, from small unit actions up to large-scale battles. Almost all events in the game are dynamically defined, including most unit speech and AI choices about how to evaluate and respond to specific situations in the game world: scenarios rarely unfold the same way twice - although a side with an overwhelming advantage will tend to win consistently.
The player can choose to turn their head independently from their weapon / body, unlike in most shooters where the view is locked to the weapon. This allows players to look left and right while running forwards to maintain awareness of the battlefield or to look around while in a confined space without having to lower their weapon.
In order to make immersive missions faster to develop and less predictable, ARMA 2 features an optional "ambient battle" feature in which the world around the player can automatically be populated by friendly and hostile units who will engage in combat.
Game updates
Shortly after the game's German release a 1.01 patch appeared, with the objective of improving AI.Another patch, v1.02, was released on 20 June fixing more AI pathing issues and various singleplayer campaign problems. Then, another updated patch v1.02.58134 was released on 26 June. Patch v1.03 was released on 4 August, albeit without an option for stand-alone server hosts. Patch 1.04 was released on 15 September. On 22 December, patch 1.05 was released, which includes a new mini-campaign, Eagle Wing, and a new vehicle, the AH-64 Apache
AH-64 Apache
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
. Patch v1.07 was debuted on 28 June 2010. Changes of note include improved performance within larger cities, enhanced AI driving skills, a raise of the file cache size to 4 GB RAM or more to take advantage of 64-bit operating systems, and improving the game engine's use of processors with 4 or more cores.
On August 19 Marek Španěl from Bohemia Interactive announced that the latest beta patches are available to everyone from the official ARMA 2 website.
Demo version
The demo version of ARMA 2 was released on Bohemia Interactive forums June 25, 2009 and shortly thereafter on Steam.In the demo version, the player is given the possibility to play two single player missions as well as six of the eight training missions. There is limited access to the mission editor. There is also access to a benchmark and limited online multiplayer.
Free version
In June 2011 Bohemia Interactive released a free to play version of ARMA 2, featuring full multiplayer compatibility with the retail version of ARMA 2. However the singleplayer campaign has been omitted and players will not be able to use HD textures, mods or play with Operation ArrowheadARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead
ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead is a stand-alone expansion pack of the tactical shooter MilSim developed by Bohemia Interactive, ARMA 2...
or DLC content. Essentially it serves as a "Lite" version of the game.
Copy protection
ArmA 2 uses different copy protections depending on publisher as well as a inhouse-coded copy protection solution against tampering known as FADEFADE
FADE is digital rights management software developed by Macrovision. It operates by detecting if a game has been pirated, and initially allows the player to use the game normally but eventually and gradually degrades certain game features over a time, eventually rendering it unplayable.- How It...
. If the software detects that it was pirated, the FADE-system degrades features of the game, rendering it unplayable. Downloaded version on STEAM is not limited by number of installs yet other download services may utilize some limits. As of version 1.05 the publishers copy protection have been removed from ArmA 2 although FADE is still included.
Reception
ARMA 2 has been praised for its realism, graphics, and the sheer scale of the game. However, as with the original Armed Assault, the game has received criticism for the number of bugs it contained on release and the quality of the AI. A reviewer at TheReticule.com ultimately felt that though at times it "doesn't work", the game is "a genuinely excellent game of the same pedigree of Operation Flashpoint and has done a lot of [sic] regain my faith in BIS". Another reviewer noted that the game managed to show the "job of a real soldier today: contact with the population", something that is lacking in other similar gamesThe developers have since released several patches addressing common bugs.
ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead
On 22 April 2010, Bohemia Interactive confirmed that the expansion pack titled Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead would be released worldwide on 29 June 2010. According to the site, players will be able to play as members of the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in a fictional region of west-Asia named Takistan, where the terrain is based on Afghanistan. Operation Arrowhead will include three new maps, a variety of new units, vehicles and equipment, as well as the eponymous campaign. Among the new units are a new array of US army personnel and vehicles, Czech forces and German KSK units. UN peacekeepers are also present as an independent faction.
The expansion is a standalone, meaning it can be run without the content in the original ARMA 2, but players who purchased ARMA 2 will also be able to integrate that content into Operation Arrowhead. The developers plan on releasing some of the core changes introduced in Operation Arrowhead (such as performance optimizations) as patches, allowing regular ARMA 2 players to access to any engine improvements introduced in the expansion. New content, however, will remain exclusive to Operation Arrowhead.
Bohemia Interactive has so far released two downloadable content packs
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
for Operation Arrowhead. The first DLC called British Armed Forces adds units from the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and a new mini-campaign, where players assume the role of a company from The Parachute Regiment operating in Takistan. The second DLC called Private Military Company includes a new campaign, environment, vehicles and weapons.
Overview
| Name | Release date | Type | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead | 29 June 2010 | Standalone Expansion pack | DVD DVD A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions.... Download |
|
| ARMA 2: Combined Operations | 29 June 2010 | Standalone Expansion pack | DVD Download |
ARMA 2 + ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead |
| ARMA 2: British Armed Forces | 26 August 2010 | Expansion pack | Download | Units of the British Armed Forces British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the... |
| ARMA 2: Private Military | 30 November 2010 | Expansion pack | Download | Units of private military companies Private military company A private military company or provides military and security services. These combatants are commonly known as mercenaries, though modern-day PMCs refer to their staff as security contractors, private military contractors or private security contractors, and refer to themselves as private military... |
| ARMA 2: Reinforcements | 1 April 2011 | Standalone Expansion pack | DVD Download |
Addons British Armed Forces + Private Military Company |
Sequel
On May 19th, 2011 the developers at Bohemia Interactive officially announced that ARMA 3Arma 3
ARMA 3 is an open world tactical shooter video game developed by Bohemia Interactive and expected to be released in summer 2012. The game takes place in near future during Operation Magnitude, an operation launched by NATO forces fighting "Eastern armies" in Europe.-Campaign:The game is set in the...
is in development. The game is said to offer radical engine improvements and a unique sandbox-style military gameplay. The campaign is said to follow a small group of special forces and researchers that are sent to a Mediterranean island of Lemnos
Lemnos
Lemnos is an island of Greece in the northern part of the Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Myrina...
deep behind enemy lines. The game is set to ship for Windows PC in summer of 2012.
ITV Documentary Error
British TV network ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
broadcast footage taken from the game in a documentary aired on 26th September 2011 entitled "Exposure: Gaddafi and the IRA", mistaking it for footage taken of an IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
attack in 1988. The broadcaster apologised, blaming human error.
A spokesperson for ITV commented on the error and said:
"The events featured in Exposure: Gaddafi and the IRA were genuine but it would appear that during the editing process the correct clip of the 1988 incident was not selected and other footage was mistakenly included in the film by producers. This was an unfortunate case of human error for which we apologise."