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Operation Flashpoint - Vehicles Land, sea and air... It's not all about being a foot soldier
in Operation Flashpoint! You'll have to pilot aircraft though thick gun fire.
You'll drive tanks through enemy territory, where bushes could conceal
a soldier armed with a missile launcher - or worse - a T80. Then there are gun
boats used for dropping off squads - and when things get too hot, one of many
civilian vehicles dotted around the island can provide a quick getaway, or an early death
as the enemy riddle the car with bullets.
Overall, vehicles add a whole new dimension to the game.
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 Most of the vehicles will display the following
attributes on screen:
- "Vehicle Indicator" located in the top left. This shows
that status of the vehicle - the damaged areas get darker and darker depending on
how bad the damage is. For example a turret with an orange colour (badly damaged)
will have trouble turning and will move sluggishly.
Also indicated are the current weapons selected (including the type of
ammo) and the number of rounds left for that weapon. In the case of tanks the
colour indicates the weapon's readiness. Green = Shell loaded and ready to fire.
Yellow = Priming. Red = Not loaded. It takes a few seconds to reload tank
shells so in that time you'll have to keep moving and be on the alert.
- "Scanner Array" Located in the centre, the
scanner array indicates targets: Red for the enemy. Green for friendly units, and
White for non-threats like civilian cars and destroyed vehicles. Yellow
indicates an unknown target.
The darker grey box within the scanner array represents what you can see
on screen at the time.
There is also a compass indicating your direction of travel. This is handy
for most missions that require you to follow strict paths.
- "Command Bar" This is used as you would on foot.
However, when in a vehicle, each icon indicates the vehicle status (from normal to different shades of red), and the status of
each vehicle's crew.
The number representing the commanders or the pilot will be to the left of
the vehicle's icon (so in image left 1,2,3,8 are commanders), followed by the gunner then
driver.
You'll use both third and first person views when in a vehicle. Some
vehicles - like the truck - are easier to drive in 1st person view, whilst the tank is a
lot easier in 3rd person because you can see a great deal more of your surroundings.
When it comes to helicopters, an inside, 1st person view is best for
general combat maneuvers - plus you get the bonus of viewing the artificial horizon so you
can see if you're level. However when making moves close to land, like hovering or
landing, the 3rd person view is ideal, so you can avoid trees and other obstacles.
 Right clicking on a target will highlight it, and
indicate to the gunner to aim at it. Once the gun is brought to bear on the target
and is locked, the square will change to the icon shown left (two squares on top of each
other, one shifted slightly). For the best possible shot ensure your cross hair is
over or near the target and press fire. This will issue the fire command and the gunner
will open fire for as long as it is possible to do so.
Note with guided missiles and rotating gun turrets, especially in
helicopters, you will not need to align your own cross hair over the target. Once a target
is locked (indicated by the two squares) it's just a matter of pressing fire and watching
the shots hit home :).
Pressing tab will cycle through available targets.
If there's no gunner at hand, or you trust your own judgment over that of
your gunners, you can select manual fire. Using manual fire means you have to line up all
your shots and it can be a real job. I'd only recommend doing it for short periods, say if
the shot is really tricky. Take over and fire, then return control to the gunner.
Some helicopter missions require you to manually fire as you'll have no
gunner - and you'll soon see how hard it is to fly and aim at the same time :)
There are a number of ways to do this.
Re-arming - Call support from an ammo truck (if
available). It will arrive and you can re-arm (to do this, make sure the truck is
nearby and in the action menu select "rearm at truck").
Repairing - Call support from a repair truck (again, if
available). It will arrive and you can make repairs (make sure truck is nearby and
in the action menu select "repair at truck")
Refueling - This can be done at any fuel stops, usually
located in towns or at army bases. Or again, you can call for a refueling truck.
When in a vehicle you can turn the lights on/off by pressing L.
Each vehicle has it's own set of head lights, or in the case of the helicopters
powerful search lights. I'd recommend never using vehicle lights if possible
(some maps maybe so dark your forced to) because you'll instantly stand out a
mile off.
Air
 Death from above ! Being in the air allows you to pose a
serious thorn in the enemies' side, and take out targets before they become a threat to
your ground forces. In Operation Flashpoint they are easy to use, and with a bit of
practice you'll soon be flying them like a professional.
Whilst in a helicopter or plane you'll see your speed, altitude, armour,
and fuel status along with the status of the weapon you're currently using.
I'll leave the basic controls as they are outlined in the manual, but take
note...
To fly faster in a helicopter pitch the nose forward. This is to
increase the pitch on the rotors which in turn increases your air speed.
Landing auto-pilot (for planes only) will take you directly to an airfield and land for
you. You don't have to touch a thing.
The flaps on the planes work in the following way: Flaps Down
- more lift, less speed. Flaps Up - less lift, more speed.
With your flaps up the plane will be more aerodynamically shaped. Rising
flaps and also dropping your landing gear is a good way to slow down in a panic.
Landing gear; if you land manually do not forget to drop your gear
otherwise you'll scrap all the paint work off the bottom of your plane! Or blow
up;).
TOW - Tube Launched Optically-Tracked
Wire-Guided Missile
A powerful guided missile. One shot will destroy just about anything.
FFAR - Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket
No guidance system and it works by a pilot / gunner selecting a target. Once a lock
is achieved (right click on a target) and the fire button is pressed, the gunner will fire
the rockets when he is in appropriate position to do so.
AT-6 Spiral - Anti-tank Guided Missile
Once this guided missile is launched the helicopter must remain in line of sight of the
target and wait for the missile to hit before moving off.
AGM-65 Maverick
A air-to-surface guided missile for tactical close air support.
M60 7.62mm Machine Gun
The M60 will be found attached to the doorway of a helicopter, usually on the Blackhawk
where it can provide covering fire for troops wanting to make a quick extraction from a
hot zone.
M197 Barrel 20mm Gun
Located underneath you, the barrel gun can rotate 30 degrees each way, this allows it to
fire at greater lengths of time. A skilled pilot can circle around whilst the gun
keeps on firing at a target
Note: Speed = In relation to other vehicle types.
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Civilian
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Cessna
Crew : 1 Pilot
Passengers : Room for 1 (excluding crew)
Firepower : None
Armour : Very Light
Speed : Fast
You won't see these much in the campaign mode, but when you do get your hands on one
you'll find they are a joy to fly. Very agile in the air, but with no armour or
firepower, the Cessna is a sitting duck. If you're flying one of these in enemy
airspace keep low to the ground, or if you think there are enemy troops nearby fly up high
(you should be able to go higher than most helicopters). |
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NATO |
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AH-1 Cobra Helicopter
Crew : 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner
Passengers : None
Firepower : TOW, FFAR, 30mm Cannon
Armour : Very Light
Speed : Fast
A feared helicopter and rightly so. It packs a punch and is effective against air
and ground targets. Fast in a straight line, but when turning tightly it can seem to
"hang" in the air and slow down making it an easy target for ground fire.
That said this is one of the best air units in the game, and is relatively safe as long
as you're not passing over an enemy Shirka gun platform :). |
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UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter
Crew : 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner
Passengers : Room for 14 (excluding crew)
Firepower : None, or armed with a side mounted 20mm Machine gun.
Armour : Medium
Speed : Average
A large troop carrier that can take a fair amount of small arms fire, but won't last
long against a missile attack. The Blackhawk can carry large squads across the battlefield
in quick time.
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A-10 Thunderbolt Tank Killer
Crew : 1 Pilot
Passengers : None
Firepower : Mavrick, 30mm Cannon
Armour : Medium
Speed : Fast
The name "Tank Killer" says it all. This plane will rip apart heavy armoured
targets like a knife through butter, and due to its fast speed it's not easy to hit from
the ground.
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AH64 "Apache" Helicopter
Crew : 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner
Passengers
: None
Firepower : 30mm Cannon, Hellfire, and FFAR missiles.
Armour : Medium
Speed : Average
Very similar to the "Cobra", but slightly slower and
different weapon selection.
Performs the same roles as the "Cobra".
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Ch47-D "Chinook"
Helicopter
Crew : 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner
Passengers
: Around 25 passengers
Firepower : m60 Machine gun
Armour : Light
Speed : Fast
Designed primary as a troop carrier.
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Soviet |
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Mi-17 (Mi-8MT) Helicopter
Crew : 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner
Passengers : Room for approximately 20 troops (excluding crew)
Firepower : 57mm Rockets
Armour : Light
Speed : Fast
A troop carrier that has a large arsenal of rockets at its disposal. Like the
Blackhawk the Mi-17 can transport troops into battle quickly, but is vulnerable to
missiles.
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Mi-24 Hind Helicopter
Crew : 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner
Passengers : Room for approximately 8 troops (excluding crew)
Firepower : 30mm Cannon, AT-6, 57mm Rockets
Armour : Light
Speed : Medium
A mobile gun platform that can dish out a lot of punishment, but not as fast as the
Cobra Helicopter - meaning in a one on one situation the Hind will come off worse (unless
it spots the Cobra first). Not much can touch the Hind on the ground except missiles, and
only the Stinger missile poses a large threat since it will home in on the Hind's engines.
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SU-25 "Frogfoot"
Crew : 1 Pilot
Passengers
: None
Firepower : Various
Armour : Light
Speed : Fast
Heavily armed and swift, the SU-25 can cause serious problems for NATO
forces on the ground.
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Land
A large number of vehicles to choose from, each with a style all of its
own.
HEAT - High Explosive Anti-Tank Round
An anti-personnel weapon that is best used against enemy squads.
SABOT
An armoured piercing round. Best used against other vehicles, but also effective against
small groups of enemy soldiers.
M240 Machine Gun
Mounted on the M60 Patton tank, this machine gun has a high rate of fire and ensures
nearby soldiers are cut to pieces in quick time.
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Civilian
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Cars & Tractors
Driver : 1 Driver
Passengers : Room for 4 in a car (excluding Driver)
Firepower : None
Armour : None
Speed : Medium/Fast (depending on car type)
You'll find these dotted around the islands. There are a number of different cars
available from old style to fast sports cars, and of course the good old tractor.
Unlike military vehicles, civilian autos will make a lot of noise and attract a
great deal of attention. Especially the sports car :). |
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Praga V3S Truck
Driver : 1 Driver
Passengers
: Room for 11 (excluding Driver)
Firepower : None
Armour : None
Speed : Medium
A large truck designed for moving around heavy equipment or groups of
people. Can also be customised to be a carrier for fuel, ammunition and
more.
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NATO |
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M151 A2 Jeep
Driver : 1 Driver
Passengers : Room for 3 (excluding Driver)
Firepower : None
Armour : None
Speed : Fast
A good scout vehicle. The A2 Jeep can transport 4 men on a patrol or
scouting mission
Modified M151 Jeeps carry a machine gun on the back and can become good
mobile gun platforms. |
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M939 5T Truck
Driver : 1 Driver
Passengers : Room for 11 (excluding Driver)
Firepower : None
Armour : None
Speed : Medium
A large truck designed for moving around heavy equipment or troops. It
can also be customised to be a carrier for fuel, ammunition and more. |
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M113 APC
Crew : 1 Driver, 1 Gunner
Passengers : Room for 11 (excluding Crew)
Firepower : M60 Machine Gun
Armour : Light
Speed : Fast
Armed troop carrier with a mounted machine gun. The M113 can also be
customised to become a ambulance to pick up wounded troops.
An excellent vehicle for rapid deployment of units.
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M163 Vulcan
Crew : 1 Driver, 1 Gunner
Passengers
: Room for 11 (excluding Crew)
Firepower : Vulcan AA Gun
Armour : Light
Speed : Fast
Armed troop carrier with a mounted AA gun. customised to become a ambulance to pick up wounded troops.
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M60 Patton Series Tank
Crew : 1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander
Passengers : None
Firepower : M240 Machine Gun, Main gun can fire HEAT & SABOT
Shells
Armour : Medium
Speed : Medium
Quite fast on the ground, but it has a long reload time. The M60 Patton
is effective overall in areas where there are low concentrations of enemy
tanks. A soldier armed with an anti tank weapon can seriously damage the
tank, but with the mounted machine gun a gunner can down most enemy troops
nearby while the main gun is reloaded.
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M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank
Crew : 1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander
Passengers : None
Firepower : M240 Machine Gun, Main gun can fire HEAT & SABOT Shells
Armour : Heavy
Speed : Medium
Much better than the Patton series tank, but has only the main gun to
protect itself with which lucky is easy to reload quickly. The M1A1 packs
a punch and can hold it's own in most situations. AT soldiers will not
pose much of a threat, although the enemy T80 is a different
matter...
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HMMWV
Crew : 1 Driver
Passengers
: Room for 4 (excluding Driver)
Firepower : None
Armour : Light
Speed : Fast
Very fast and maneuverable over a number of terrain types.
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Soviet |
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UAZ 469b
Driver : 1 Driver
Passengers : Room for 3 (excluding Driver)
Firepower : None
Armour : None
Speed : Fast
A good scout vehicle. The UAZ can transport 4 men on a patrol or
scouting mission.
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Ural Truck
Driver : 1 Driver
Passengers : Room for 11 (excluding Driver)
Firepower : None
Armour : None
Speed : Medium
A large truck designed for moving around heavy equipment or troops. It
can also be customised to be a carrier for fuel, ammunition and more.
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BMP-1
Crew : 1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander
Passengers : Room for 11 (excluding
Crew)
Firepower : Main gun can fire HEAT & SABOT Shells, M60 Machine
gun, AT3 Launcher.
Armour : Light
Speed : Fast
An anti-tank and troop carrier all rolled into one. The BMP can play
one of
many rolls. Troops can be dropped quickly where they are needed most, and
then the BMP can turn into a tank hunter or give support to ground troops.
It can also be fitted to become an ambulance providing assistance to
wounded troops. Overall an outstanding vehicle.
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ZSU-23 Shilka
Crew : 1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander
Passengers : None
Firepower : 4 x 23mm Cannons
Armour : Light
Speed : Medium
Its main role is as a anti-aircraft vehicle, but it is also effective
against light armoured ground units. The four cannons can make short
work of enemy troops, and against targets in the air the high rate of fire
can cripple a helicopter in seconds unless the pilot takes evasive
manoeuvres.
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T72 M1 Tank
Crew : 1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander
Passengers : None
Firepower : Main gun can fire HEAT & SABOT Shells
Armour : Medium
Speed : Medium
A tough tank. It's relatively fast enabling it to appear where it's
needed
most. Has a powerful main gun and reasonably quick reloading time.
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T80 BV Tank
Crew : 1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander
Passengers : None
Firepower : Main gun can fire HEAT & SABOT Shells
Armour : Heavy
Speed : Medium
Probably the most feared tank in the game. The T80 has explosive
reactive armour which makes it extremely tough. Only the enemy's M1A1 tank
and Cobra can dispatch this tank quickly. Anti-tank soldiers will fear
this tank for it will never be badly damaged by one shot alone.
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T55 Tank
Crew : 1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander
Passengers : None
Firepower : Main gun can fire HEAT & SABOT Shells
Armour : Medium
Speed : Medium
Mostly used by the resistance. The T55 is similar to the M60 Patton
Series tank and is rarely seen.
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Vehicles - Sea
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NATO
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Mark II PBR
Crew : 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander
Passengers
: 5 (excluding crew)
Firepower : Machine Gun
Armour : Light
Speed : Fast
Standard boat used to drop off troops or pick them up from hostile
zones. |
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Soviet |
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Russian Boat
Crew : 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander
Passengers
: 5 (excluding crew)
Firepower : Machine Gun
Armour : Light
Speed : Fast
Standard boat used to drop off troops or pick them up from hostile
zones.
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