ARMA II: Operation Arrowhead
Windows - Released - June 29, 2010
ArmA II: Operation Arrowhead is the first add-on to ArmA II. It either runs stand-alone or can be integrated into the main game, transforming it into ArmA II: Combined Operations.
The core of the expansion is a new campaign with eight missions, taking place three years after the liberation of Chernarus and taking place in the country of Takistan. On April 17th, 2012, a group of CIA-backed rebels attacks important oil drilling sites throughout the country, destroying a year's worth of production and 68% of all the oilfields. With the resultant economic disruption and lack of resources, the government is destabilized and lacks the resources to retain power. Institutions and societal infrastructure starts breaking down, and the country experiences unrest as people take to the streets demanding change. Desperate to shore up support and obtain resources, the Takistani government demands neighboring Karzeghistan cede the oil-rich Sharig plain to Takistan, threatening attack with chemical weapons if Karzeghistan does not comply. In response, Allied forces, under Operation Arrowhead, began building bases in rebel-controlled areas and are tasked with neutralizing any threat to Karzeghistan.
Once again, the player is dropped together with his squad into the target zones to fulfill different objectives using a vast array of real-world weaponry, including more than 300 new units, weapons and vehicles like the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), H-64 Apache, MH-47 Chinook, AH/MH-6 Littlebird, Stryker, M3 Bradley, T-55, BTR-60, M113, UH-1H, and FN FAL, used by factions including the US Army, the United Nations, the Takistani Army and the Guerillas. Unlike the main game, the player can play not only as infantry, but can also play as a tank commander or helicopter pilot throughout the campaign. The game includes a new 15-mission tutorial.
In the course of missions, the player encounters civilians who may request protection from approaching enemies. The player may accept or decline these requests, affecting the population's attitude toward the player and the allied faction in the future. When they are favorably disposed, the civilian populace may help in future missions, showing, for example, where the enemy has placed mines. On the other hand, a hostile population will turn against the player.
In addition to the campaign, the add-on features seven unique scenarios, a weapons chamber the player can play around in to unlock additional weaponry, and a powerful but complex editor that allows him to create his own missions. Also back is multiplayer modes featuring Deathmatch, Team-Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Co-op and more. New, large Central-Asia-style maps with urban, desert and mountainous terrain featuring a fully destructible and interactive environment now can support 100+ players on a server.
The expansion features a several other major enhancements, including a new enemy position reporting system in which the player's AI teammates give more precise and specific descriptions of enemy contacts, instead of just shouting reports like "enemy, right, far!" Also featured are detachable equipment backpacks, advanced weapon optics, and material penetration modelling.
