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Altis is a playable terrain in ArmA 3.

Overview[]

Arma3-terrain-altis-satellitemap


« Clocking-in at 270 km², Altis truly is the star of Arma 3. From expansive cities to rolling hills, from wind farms to solar farms, whether steamrolling your tank across the southern plains, or waging asymmetric warfare from the northern hills, the Altis landscape lends itself to some of the most detailed locales and varied engagements.
Official ArmA 3 website
»


Arma3-terrain-altis-topographicmap

Topographical map with major settlements and POIs labelled

The mainland island of the Republic of Altis and Stratis, Altis as a whole consists of five regions: the East, South-East, Central, West, and the South-West:

  • Beginning with the city of Paros, the East extends all the way to the edge of the north-eastern corner of the island.
  • The South-East starts at the cities of Rodopoli and Charkia, ending at the south-eastern tip of the island at Feres and Selakano. Pyrgos serves both as the regional and national capital.
  • The second smallest region out of the five, the Central section of the island ranges from the village of Kalithea on the eastern edge to the cities of Frini and Athira to the north. Athira serves as the regional capital of the sector.
  • The largest of the regions (landmass-wise), the border for the West begins at the city of Zaros to the south and ranges through to the cities bordering the central region; Poliakko and Neochori on the east, up to the village of Ifestiona in the north. Kavala serves as the region's capital.
  • The smallest region, the South-West only consists of remote villages and is mostly surrounded by water. It begins at the small strip of land running along the south of the western region's border, which connects it to the mainland at Drimea.

Every single region (except for the South-West) is connected via three main highways that run through each of them: one for the West and Central regions, another for the East, and a third for the South-East.

The South-West region can be accessed via a small dirt road which is linked to an arterial road that splits off from the main western highway.

Geography[]

Arma3-terrain-altis-overview

Rocky hills and steep valleys are a common sight all across Altis

Covering an area of 270.5 square kilometres[1][2], Altis is a volcanic island with a corrugated and mostly rocky landscape. Scattered throughout the more remote regions of the archipelago are large pine forests and the occasional outcrop of tree groves. A tiny desert also exists north of the village of Abdera and is unique for its micro-environment condition.

Arma3-OPREP-Screenshot-20

The mini desert north of Abdera

The length of Altis' coastline extends well over 200 kilometres, with a total of twenty bays that surround it as well.[3] The largest of them, the Gulf of Pyrgos, is located in the central sector and partially divides both halves of the island.

Three inland bodies of water: Limni, Ochrolimni, and Almyra, also exist. Periodically inundated and flooded in all seasons except for summer, they are entirely saltwater-based. During the summer, the cracked surfaces become completely hard and dry.[4]

The highest point on the island is located at the peak of Thronos at the north-western section of Altis (near the abandoned village of Oreokastro). Measured at a height of 350 metres above sea level, the ruins of a castle built by Arabian warlords during the Middle Ages remain on top of it.[5]

Settlements[]

Arma3atlis

Simplified topographic map with major roads displayed

Including all cities, towns, and villages, there are a grand total of forty-nine settlements established on Altis. Of these, twenty-two are considered to be major cities. One of them, Pyrgos, is established as the capital city of the nation.[6]

Aside from the larger cities, twenty-seven villages/towns are scattered throughout each sector of the island. Numerous military installations and outposts are also littered throughout Altis, usually distinguished by their tall observation towers and research domes.

Up to one hundred and sixty-five chapels are present on Altis, with many more being roadside/hilltop Greek Orthodox shrines.[7] The chapel located atop Agia Stemma (a mountain in the eastern region) is particularly notable for its hard-to-access but great viewing position.

Settlements on Altis
East DelfinakiGhost HotelIoanninaKalochoriMolosParosSofia
South-East Agios PetrosChalkeiaCharkiaDoridaEkaliFaronakiFeresNifiPanagiaPyrgosRodopoliSelakano
Central Agia TriadaAnthrakiaAthiraFriniGraviaKalitheaTelos
West AbderaAggelochoriAgios DionysiosAgios KonstantinosAlikamposAthanosBomosEdessaFotiaGalatiGoriIfestionaKatalakiKavalaKaviridaKoreKoroniKrya NeraLakkaOreokastroNegadesNeochoriNeriOrinoPanochoriPoliakkoStavrosSyrtaTherisaTopoliaZaros
South-West DrimeaEginioSfakaVikos
Islands Stratis*
Military installations Altis Aero Club AirfieldAltis International AirportFOB TyphonFOB Whiskey
* denotes settlements that are technically considered to be standalone terrains.

Points of interest[]

AAC Airfield[]

Arma3-location-aacairfield-overview
Main article: Altis Aero Club Airfield

The Altis Aero Club airfield is a small dirt airstrip located near the city of Therisa.

First built in 1916, the AAC was one of the very first airfields built on Altis during its days as a colonial subject of the British Empire.[8] Since then, it has been retained for civilian recreational use, though it has also served as rudimentary forward airbase for both NATO forces and AAF.

Agia Stemma[]

Arma3-terrain-altis-13

The mountaintop of Agia Stemma, south of Topolia, provides great views of the entire island in all directions. It is very difficult to access both on foot and by vehicle due to its steep terrain inclines however, so air transportation is preferred.[9]

Altis International Airport[]

Arma3-location-altisinternationalairport-overview
Main article: Altis International Airport

Located directly in the centre of the island (specifically the Central region), the Altis International Airport is the main hub from which civilian air travellers and commercial freight arrive and depart from.

It has two major runways which link to a main passenger terminal in the centre of the airport. Non-hardened hangars are set up on the western side of the airport and are mainly reserved for military aircraft instead. A large radar dome is set up here, with a control tower located in the middle between the two areas as well. A Go-kart racing track is set up along the main western highway close to the military portion of the airport, which also includes a gas station. A small barracks with a fuel depot is also present on the eastern side of the airport.

Lastly, an industrial yard full of shipping cargo containers is located directly to the south of the airport. This is connected to a harbour that is coasted to the Gulf of Pyrgos.

Atsalis Island[]

Arma3-terrain-altis-14

Isolated from the rest of the mainland, the northern island of Atsalis is defined by a small mountain that is completely surrounded by the sea.

Desert[]

Arma3-terrain-altis-15

A strip of arid land that is mostly devoid of flora. This "desert" is unique for its terrain that is not available anywhere else on the Altian mainland. Unlike the dried-up saltwater lake of Almyra, this micro-environment features rolling sand dunes instead of the usual bare/grassy knolls scattered throughout the island.[10]

Ghost Hotel[]

Arma3-location-ghosthotel-overview
Main article: Ghost Hotel (Altis)

Located along the northern coastline on the eastern regions of the island near the city of Sofia, this abandoned resort has several dilapidated buildings scattered around the nearby forest.

Terrain-specific texts[]

« The Airstrip of the Altis Aero Club was the first airfield on the island, built in 1916 by the British. »
« Today's city of Kavala was founded by Venetian merchants on the ruins of a Phoenician city, and was the island's capital for several centuries. »
« The population of Altis traces its origin to the Phoenician civilization of traders and explorers, but all of the rulers left traces in the populace in past centuries. »
« The highest point of Altis is the peak of Thronos (350 m above sea level), with the ruins of a castle built by Arabian warlords in the middle ages. »
« Pyrgos is an important port and the newly established capital of the Republic of Altis and Stratis. »
« Total area of the Republic of Altis and Stratis is slightly smaller than twice the size of Washington, D.C. »
« There are 49 settlements on Altis, including all towns and villages. »
« Altis is a volcanic island with corrugated terrain and plentiful rocky areas. »
« There is a myth that remnants of an ancient civilization lies underwater near the coast of Altis. It's possible that the shape of ancient Altis was reshaped by volcanic and tectonic activity. »
« There are large pine forests north of Frini, covering the demand for wood for the whole archipelago. »
« The mountain village of Oreokastro was abandoned during the civil war. »
« The total coast length of Altis is over 200 km. »
« The distance from Pyrgos to the north-easternmost Cap Strigla is almost 20 km. »
« The driving distance from Pyrgos, the capital, to the ancient city of Kavala is 20 km. »
« There are 165 chapels on Altis. »
« The Monument of Kalithea is commemorating one of the old legends pertaining to Altian history. »
« The Agia Stemma mountain with a remarkable chapel on its top provides great views on the island, but it is extremely hard to access. »
« The beaches of Thelos Bay and Chalkeia Bay are popular among surfers, providing the best waves in the central Mediterranean for the last few years of global climatic changes. »
« The geographic coordinates of Altis are 35°9'5.12N 16°39'37.60E. »
« Zaros is often called the 'Pine City' due to the pine groves surrounding it. The chapel overlooking the town is one of the nicest vantage points in the area. »
« Strong winds and plenty of sun make Altis a perfect place for renewable energy sources: many wind and solar power plants have been built in the last decade, replacing two older oil-burning power plants. »
« Many windmills are scattered across Altis, with the most notable ones in Zaros, Telos and Kore. »
« The ruins of Pyrgos Castle can be found between the harbor and the closed complex of government offices. »
« Most guides recommend a visit to several Antique ruins scattered over the island: the Old Kavala, the Amphitheater and Temple of Iraklia ruin over Pefkas Bay. »
« There is a picturesque chapel on the rocky promontory over the sea in Agios Konstantinos, believed to be built on the much older remnants of an Antique temple. »
« The mountain cave chapel of Agios Panagiotis north of Panochori is a popular place for local pilgrimages and festivities. »
« Almyra, the biggest salt lake on Altis, serves as an auxiliary airstrip during summer, when the surface is dry and hard. »
« There are 3 periodically flooded salt lakes in the east of Altis: Almyra, Limni and Ochrolimni. »
« There is a desert north of village of Abdera, featuring a truly unique environment and popular sightseeing spot for adventurers. »
« Altis covers an area of 270.5 square kilometers. »

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Altis is directly based on the real-world Greek island of Lemnos in the Aegean Sea.
    • However, the in-game island is approximately 25% smaller than its real counterpart. As a result, its total landmass is slightly smaller than twice the size of Washington, D.C, the capital of the United States.[11]
  • Altis was not included during the Alpha release of ArmA 3 and was only made available after the Beta's conclusion (coinciding with the full launch of ArmA 3).[12]
  • Landmarks like the Ghost Hotel and the Kavala Stadium were not added until the release of Game Update 1.14 as part of the main campaign's third episode.[13][14]
    • Other minor updates included the addition of small kiosks and other miscellaneous objects to enhance Altis' visual variety.[14]
  • It is the biggest official terrain in the series to date, with only its Chernarussian predecessor in ArmA 2 following closely behind in second place.[1][15]
The information below details unused, pre-release or removed content.
  • Prior to ArmA 3's major development overhaul in 2012, Altis was previously known as "Limnos" instead.[16][17][18]
    • Many cities were named differently and were mostly identical to their counterparts on the real Lemnos island, such as the city of Kavala being called "Myrina" and its bay "Myrina Bay", or the capital of Pyrgos being referred to by its real-world name of "Moudros".[19]
    • During the Alpha, it was still possible obtain textures of various road signs and signposts with the original names of each settlement from the game files.[20][21] All were eventually replaced following the design shuffle, however.
    • Oddly enough, some in-game map objects with the original settlement names do still label the terrain as "Altis Island" in the lower right-hand corner. This could imply that at some point during the pre-Alpha the island was still referred to as Altis, but settlements retained their pre-2012 names.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2013, Terrain, Arma 3, viewed 28 March 2023, <https://arma3.com/features/terrain>.
  2. Mořický, K 2016, 'Arma Terrains', Karel Mořický, 22 June, viewed 28 March 2023, <http://moricky.com/2016/06/arma-terrains/>.
  3. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis, "The total coast length of Altis is over 200 km."
  4. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis, "There are 3 periodically flooded salt lakes in the east of Altis: Almyra, Limni and Ochrolimni."
  5. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis, "The highest point of Altis is the peak of Thronos (350 m above sea level), with the ruins of a castle built by Arabian warlords in the middle ages."
  6. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis, "Pyrgos is an important port and the newly established capital of the Republic of Altis and Stratis."
  7. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis, "There are 165 chapels on Altis."
  8. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis, "The Airstrip of the Altis Aero Club was the first airfield on the island, built in 1916 by the British."
  9. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis, "The Agia Stemma mountain with a remarkable chapel on its top provides great views on the island, but it is extremely hard to access."
  10. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis, "There is a desert north of village of Abdera, featuring a truly unique environment and popular sightseeing spot for adventurers."
  11. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis, "Total area of the Republic of Altis and Stratis is slightly smaller than twice the size of Washington, D.C."
  12. van 't Land, J.J. 2013, SPOTREP #00010, Arma 3, viewed 28 March 2023, <https://dev.arma3.com/post/spotrep-00010>.
  13. van 't Land, J.J. 2014, SPOTREP #00021, Arma 3, viewed 28 March 2023, <https://dev.arma3.com/post/spotrep-00021>.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Pezlar, M 2014, OPREP - ALTIS UPDATES, Arma 3, viewed 28 March 2023, <https://dev.arma3.com/post/oprep-altis-updates>.
  15. Mořický, K 2013, 'Video Game Terrains', Karel Mořický, 26 August, viewed 28 March 2023, <http://moricky.com/2013/08/video-game-terrains/>.
  16. Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2013, 'New name for main island in Arma 3', Developer's Blog, 1 February, viewed 28 March 2023, <https://www.bohemia.net/blog/new-name-for-main-island-in-arma-3>.
  17. Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2011, Limnos, Arma 3, viewed 28 March 2023, <https://web.archive.org/web/20110925084035/http://www.arma3.com/arma-3-overview/limnos/>. (archived link)
  18. Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2012, Limnos, Arma 3, viewed 28 March 2023, <https://web.archive.org/web/20120614131728/http://www.arma3.com/arma-3-overview/limnos/>. (archived link)
  19. Lahti, E 2012, Arma 3 E3 hands-on preview: 8 important questions answered, PC Gamer, viewed 30 March 2023, <https://www.pcgamer.com/arma-3-e3-hands-on-preview-8-questions-answered/>.
  20. ARMA 3 Alpha 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., \a3\signs_f\signs\data\sign_settlement_2_ca.paa
  21. ARMA 3 Alpha 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., \a3\signs_f\signs\data\signs_settlement_1_ca.paa

External links[]

See also[]

Playable terrains in ArmA 3
Official Terrains Altis (Amsterdam) • LivoniaMaldenStratisTanoaVirtual Reality
Third Party Terrains Cam Lao NamGabretaKhe SanhNormandySefrou-Ramal"The Bra"Weferlingen
Official DLC: Apex DLC | Contact DLC
Creator DLC: CSLA Iron Curtain | Global Mobilization - Cold War Germany | S.O.G. Prairie Fire | Spearhead 1944 | Western Sahara
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