Squad Level Tactics v1.3 final

Description
[RELEASE] Squad Level Tactics by tvig0r0us

************IMPORTANT***********************
The campaign is not enabled by default!! To enable it you
must go to the soslt folder after install. There you will find
a file called "Campaign.zip".
Extract the file from that folder into the soslt folder to enable
the campaign.
********************************************


MISSION SUMMARY
Squad Level Tactics is a mission for Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising that focuses primarily on the players ability to command a squad of AI soldiers through a gauntlet of hostile PLA forces in an attempt to complete a series of six dynamic mission objectives. This mission offers a completely dynamic tactical gaming experience. With random weather, time of day, infantry and vehicle spawning, objective placement, eleven different start zones and the complete use of the island of Skirinka in addition to the entire island of Skira, anyone will be able to play this mission with virtually unlimited outcomes.

The mission itself is actually eleven missions, one for each start zone, all linked together by an external game data saving system that allows for the missions to be played as single missions and still record all of your statistical data, including mission progress and overall campaign statistics.

In addition to the standard tactical gameplay, there is also a little twist with the introduction of and experimental game mode I call command and control. Activated by way of a quick change in the user editable configuration file, command and control mode changes the way you have to approach the completion of your objectives by taking the focus off of self preservation and putting it on the survival of your squad. In C & C mode the player is invulnerable, but is unable to fire a weapon. The catch is that you must keep at least one of your squad members alive, or the mission ends just as if you had died.

There are no other us forces in the game other than those assigned to your command, so you must keep them together and learn the best way to approach your objectives with "Squad Level Tactics" in mind at all times. This takes the element of run and gun out of the game and puts the chess move in!

INSTALLATION
Simply copy the "soslt" folder from the zip file into the "game directory../win_data/missions" folder. Load up Operation Flashpoint Dragon Rising and select single mission. The page through the mission categories until you find soslt. The ten missions you find there are all the same mission, just from the startzone as indicated by the name in the list.

THE STARTZONES
The startzones will give you an opportunity to organize your squad the way you want it. Instead of having a preset squad, you get to choose how your squad is put together. By this I mean, you will be able to assign up to 3 us specops directly to your command or up to 4 echelons including your own. Any combination of single specops or echelons can be used up to a total of 16 US troops at a time.

There is a unique vehicle spawner at the startzone that allows you to spawn one vehicle at a time by cycling through all of the vehicles available to the US forces on the island. It is activated by walking up to the flag that is directly behind you at the start of the mission located in the sand bag bunker. When you stand next to the flag the vehicles will begin to cycle in front of you. When the vehicle you want to use has spawned, walk away from the flag. If you would like to use more than one vehicle, you can order your troops into the vehicle and order the vehicle away from the spawn zone. When they are clear, repeat the process. This can be done as many times as you wish, but beware... it is much more difficult to keep your squad together when using multiple vehicles.

You will also notice two other flags at the startzone, one in between the tents at the front, and another in between them at the rear. The one in the front, or closest to you is the checkpoint flag. When you touch this flag, the game will checkpoint regardless of what state the game is in at the time. Use this flag to create a checkpoint before you leave the startzone, that way if things get a bit hairy right off the bat you have saved your squads configuration and any of the weapons you might have picked up from the many weapons crates you will find at the camp. The flag farthest from you, or behind the tents is the retire flag. When you touch the retire flag your stats will be saved and displayed and the mission will end. Use this flag to save your progress and gracefully exit the mission.

All of the startzones will be visible and their distance will be indicated from anywhere on the island at any time... just look around to see where they are!

THE OBJECTIVES
Aside from the dynamic nature of the environment and the combat, is the dynamic nature of the objectives. In Squad Level Tactics there are six objectives, or goals that you need to reach to complete all of the game objectives. Although there are primary and secondary objectives as dictated by the Dragon Rising engine, none of the objectives in Squad Level Tactics carry any more weight than the others.

The clear location objective is simple enought. There is an area in each town or compound that must be held for a set amount of time for the area to be cleared. This does not necessarily mean that all of the PLA forces must be eliminated in the area, but that you (the player) must hold the position until the timer triggers the objective. If the player leaves the zone, the timer will reset and you will have to start it again my reentering the zone. When you are in the proper place, the score board will display a message telling to hold the position, and a message indicating the position has been cleared when the timer runs out.

When you clear a position, it the PLA will contiue to assault the position in an attempt to drive you out. Before you leave the area, you need to search the surrounding buildings and the general area for intelligence assets. These will be visible and come in the form of a box or a small trash can. When you spot one, you must move to it trigger the objective. When you have the asset it will disappear and a message will be displayed indicating the aquisition of an intel asset.

The are three different kill objectives. For the first, most locations will have the presence of a local force commander. Take him out to trigger the objective. The second and thrird involve killing General Han and General Zheng. These two are constantly moving around the island making sure their rank and file are falling in line. If you capture 10 intel assets your scoreboard will indicate your distance to General Zheng which can be used to calculate his direction. In the like, when you obtain 20 intel assets, the same will happen for General Han. Should you stumble into either of the Generals locations before you reach obtain this number of intel, you will be given the distance for whichever General you have found up until a time when you find and kill him.

The last two objectives involve the destruction of the PLA's mobile anti aircraft artillery systems, which while in the game will not hesitate to take you out, and the destruction of all of the PLA's dredded Sunburn ballistic missile systems on the island. When one of these is known to be in your vicinity, a message will appear on your score board indicating that one of them has been sited. The rest is pretty straight forward, take it out.... Often easier said than done. Once all of the aa and missile vehicles are destroyed, they will no longer be spawned into the game. If you are unable to find the vehicles, they will likely be in a different place by the time you make it to the position at which they were sited.

Special thanks to Ben S, TemplarGFX, Haywood Slap, Influx, RikkiB and many others that contributed coding solutions wether directly or indirectly. Squad Level Tactics never would have happened without you!!