Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I'm gonna start this thread since I discovered some people who visit our server informed me they do not know the ins-and-outs of reading the map and basic land navigation. I'll be posting more info as I go, but just wanted to get this started so I don't lose my links. The information I'll be providing is directly out of my experience in the US Army, where map reading/land nav was one thing I excelled at. Basic Map Reading: http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army...map-readi.shtml (I haven't tried to explain this stuff to people in years, so apologies ahead of time) Identifying Terrain Features Using Your Fist: This is by far the best method of identifying land features on a map and in the field. I've used it almost every time i've tried to find my way around in-game and in real life. I've also started a land nav course based on a few I took years ago, (Some may really like it) with varying degrees of dificulty. Before I spend too much time on it, though, I'm using this to gague the level of interest. More to come..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Sign me up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicSN6 Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 (edited) I too had a successful run with Landnav in BASIC, AIT, and in post AIT training. In BASIC, I was assigned as Platoon Guide and had to lead my first squad through a damn swamp. All of the teams were timed and had to meet each waypoint, which was merely a colored piece of tape wrapped around a tree, within a time limit. My entire Platoon made it in first that day and met all time limits. The next day, I was demoted from PG by the Senior Drill Sgt. because, and I'll never forget this, "soldiers do not learn from success, they learn from failure." So he made me drop, push 50, and assume the 1st squad leader position. Anyways. LandNav, especially at night, is a blast. Looking forward to this. Edited August 4, 2009 by Medic~SPARTA~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 Yeah, I'm writing out pre-manuals right now so people can have a quick read-through before they go on the course. The biggest problem is trying to explain this stuff in-game, which is almost impossible. The main things I'm looking at is how to make a trigger turn day to night, and if it's possible to teleport. Other than that, I'm solid. I've always loved maps, especially mil maps, but I was fortunate enough to have a former Cav Scout teach me what he knew about this stuff. It was tough for him to teach giving compass bearings and such, since he did most of his work while mobile, but his knowledge of this stuff was top notch. My buddy who's in flight school went to the Ft. Benning (Ranger's Home) course and beat the day record there a few years ago using this knowledge. The instructors got pissed because a bunch of surveyors broke the record, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 Triangulating your position using the Map and Compass. If you have read over the previous documents on how to read a tactical map properly, you should be able to use triangulation easily to find your place anywhere on the Arma2 map. All you need is a compass and the map and a working knowledge of terrain features. (The FIST method is by far the easiest and fastest way of understanding map features) Step 1: Let's say, for instance, we've parachuted into an area where we have a general idea of where we're at, but we need to know exactly what grid so the commo specialist can radio in an ammo crate. Our GPS has been damaged during the landing (Murphy's Law), so all we have to go by is the surrounding terrain. Take a look at the map and let's see what we can identify... Ok, so we can no see that the most identifyable parts of the map are a short ridgeline with a small saddle in between. There's also a road moving NW to SE into the town of Guglovo. We also have some structures showing on the map, namely in the town. Note: If you can find an individual building, you will get a more accurate triangulation. Let's take a look at the physical world and see if we can match up the areas we identified on the map... If matching up terrain didn't make sense before, taking a close look at this photo compared to the map should clear things up. We can see the saddle, as well as the road, town and some buildings scattered about. We're off to the next step. Step 2: Pull out your compass and point it at the nearest building in Guglovo to get your Azimuth. "Azimuth" is just a fancy word for direction, by the way. Point your compass so that the metal azimuth marker rests on top of your target.... Then, being careful not to change direction, pull up your map... Your compass should still be pointing at the building, so now rest the straight edge over it. Start placing markers (I prefer the dots, in one color) along the edge unti you are comfortable. Step 3: Now point your compass at another land feature. The closer to 90deg you get, the more accurate you will be. In this situation, I could've got my azimuth (dir) from the hilltop, the most noticable area, but I found a small house on the treeline that's marked on the map as well, giving me better accuracy. And now we pull up the map, rest the straight edge on the house, and plot the "dots" along the line. I typically use different colors so I don't get mixed up. When the lines intersect, you have your position on the map! You can now pull out your GPS and double check to see how accurate you are. It seems like a long drawn-out process, but once you practice it a few times, you'll get the hang of it and plotting out your start-point on a map will seem like second nature. Nowadays, I do rough estimates and find my grid square, then go from there. Try it out and let me know how it worked out for ya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightspeed~SPARTA~ Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchman~SPARTA~ Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I'm writing this realising that it's probably a stupid question BUT are you rotating the compass when you are in map view or is it's position ( in line with landmark) a result of you facing the landmark in normal view and as you say, not moving and switching to map. I'll check tonight but I've never really noticed my compass being orientated any other than the normal north/south, in the bottom right corner of the map. If you can rotate it, how? Thanks, Watchy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeno~SPARTA~ Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 The azimuth (the wire in the top half of the compass point the way your character is oriented in game on the map but is (obviously) always pointed the same way as you in game. Nothing is easy if you have never done it and I want to practice this a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 When I'm taking a reading while in game, I will point to a landmark either with my compass or my weapon. I then pull up the map, and my compass is already pointed in that direction. I just double click it to enlarge and I use the straight-edge to plot my lines. When in map, I can turn in any direction I want, and it will turn the compass as well. BIS put in a couple keys just for this purpose. I have binded them to my NUM PAD Ins and Delete keys. It's extremely useful if you know where you are, and you know where you want to go, but you can't see it in game. You just turn your compass to that direction on the map, and when you get back in-game, you're pointed in that direction. (It's the "Turn Left" and "Turn Right keys in the options menu) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlarmedBread Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Personally I have not learned as much about this as I should have, even in flight sims without map markers I just use the 'follow that river and look for that one bend then head east' method. Thanks a lot for posting this, very easy to understand how you've explained it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shinobi_EBDA Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Very good write-up, mate! Now, if we could get you to learn how to throw a grenade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 LMAO, during that TvT match we did on Saturday, I tried to throw one, and everyone here knows how much harder throwing something is in Arma vs. Graw....Didn't go well, lol. It was like a switch was turned on and started happening again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drew Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 good stuff durka! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 Alarmed, this should be the post you were asking me about in PM. There's also another one with a mission at the link below. Hope this helps! http://www.legionofspartans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4290&st=0&p=32279&hl=land%20nav&fromsearch=1entry32279 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster90 Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 Ah, good ol' land nav. Loved it in Boy Scouts, loved it even more when I became a Cav Scout. If you can't navigate or properly operate a radio, you're worthless as a Scout. That "soldiers learn from failure" quote made me chuckle. It's still like that today. They set you up for failure all the time in Basic/AIT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlarmedBread Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Thank you! This should be a sticky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 So that land nav course is for Spartans only? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 I don't believe so. What makes you think that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 When I click the link, I get an error message. [#103139] You do not have permission to view this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeno~SPARTA~ Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Its also available here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yoshi Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 So the Land Nav Course is just Durka's Rescue Mission? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 There's another mission that is both coop and single-player for a fun little landnav course, but I can't find it. Check the links in those threads and you may see it somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durka-Durka~SPARTA~ Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 Here's the original course, I believe it's SP. It should have everything you need to use only the compass. It's not fast, but it's based off real-world stuff and at least I thought it was fun. http://www.legionofspartans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4235&view=findpost&p=31869 SPARTA_Nav_Course.Chernarus.zip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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