| « | CTRG lead an operation to extract Nikos from Stratis. Mission Description
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Attention Deficit is the sixteenth mission of ArmA 3's The East Wind campaign.
Overview[]
The player controls FIA squad leader Ben Kerry. Having linked up with Captain Miller's team, the primary phase of the operation to rescue Nikos Panagopoulos from Camp Tempest can begin.
However, the facility is still too heavily fortified and it would be suicide for Miller's men to assault it in its current state. Kerry will need to cause a major distraction along the southern tip of the island to provide Miller's team the opportunity they need to extract Nikos.
Kerry's role/class:
- Infantry / Grenadier
Default loadout:*
- Primary weapon: TRG-21 EGLM (6× magazines)
- Secondary weapon: ACP-C2 (2× magazines)
- Equipment: RGO (2×), Smoke Grenade (White) (1×), 40 mm 1Rnd HE Grenade (3×), Smoke Round (White) (1×), Smoke Round (Green) (1×), Chemlight (Blue) (2×)
- Backpack: None
The briefing loadout menu is not available for this mission.
(*) This is the default loadout assuming that the player has not customised the loadout given by the previous mission. If customised, your chosen loadout will carry over from that mission.
Objectives[]
Primary[]
- (1) Create Distraction
- (2) Extraction
Optional[]
- (3) Leave Stratis
Mandatory[]
- Kerry must survive
- Avoid collateral damage/friendly fire
- The insertion vessel must not be disabled
- Do not exit the AO
- You must complete the mission in 46 minutes or less
Walkthrough[]
Primary 1: Create Distraction[]
When prompted, you can choose any one of four insertion points around the southern tip of Stratis. None of the positions have specific advantages or drawbacks - it is entirely up to your personal preference as to where you want to start off.
The bulk of this mission is to simply cause as much noise as possible by eliminating enemy forces and demolishing military camps/checkpoints:
LEGEND
Green: AAF sentry patrol spawn points
Blue: Starting locations
Orange: Potential targets
Red: CSAT reinforcement spawn point
You have a hidden "chaos" meter which begins at zero and maxes out at a value of 2,000.
It will rise depending on the strategic value of each target; for example, smaller AAF camps and isolated sentry patrols will not reward much in the way of "chaos" points, whereas CSAT checkpoints and large structures - such as the lighthouse, will dramatically increase the meter:
| Target type | "Chaos" value |
|---|---|
| Lighthouse | 500 |
| Medium vehicles (Zamaks/MRAPs) | 250 |
| Small vehicles (Quadbikes) | 100 |
| Aircraft (PO-30 helicopters) | 500 |
| Supply/ammunition crates | 50 |
| Unarmed boats (Assault Boats) | 100 |
| Armed boats (Speedboats) | 250 |
| Anti-aircraft vehicles (Tigris SPAAG) | 500 |
As the "chaos" meter rises, be on alert for enemy reinforcements as well. Enemy behaviour will similarly begin to change as it transitions between the thresholds:
- At 25% "chaos", all enemies - regardless of whether they are patrols or static guardsmen - transition to the AWARE status instead of SAFE. Patrols will no longer walk but jog and/or sprint and will deactivate their flashlights.
- At the 50% mark, Capt. Miller will alert you to the presence of a heavy machine gun-armed MRAP being dispatched to your location.
- At 75% "chaos", all enemies now transition to the COMBAT status. Isolated patrols do not flee from firefights and guards will pursue your team if detected (they will track you down eventually even if you attempt to hide).
- At maximum "chaos", CSAT MRAPs - armed with both HMGs and automatic grenade launchers and loaded with a fireteam's worth of troops, will be sent to your location. A helicopter will also begin flying towards the AO and loiter around the extraction point. If it detects your team, the reinforcements will be ordered to zero in on your position.
However, keep in mind that you have a limited amount of time to complete the mission. Once you land on the shores of Stratis a 2,800 second timer (or roughly ~ 46.5 minutes) will begin to count down. Once it expires, you will automatically fail the mission if you weren't able to reach the 2,000 "chaos" point threshold.
...that being said, you can easily complete this mission in under 20 minutes (even 15 or less depending on how optimised your loadout/route is). Some of the larger targets like the lighthouse can easily bump the meter up to a quarter in one go. Remember that it isn't necessary to raze structures with satchels as anti-tank launchers can do the same thing from afar. Likewise, high-explosive based UGL grenade rounds also work but will require several more hits depending on your aim.
Primary 2: Extraction[]
Once you've created enough chaos, you will be directed to head for the extraction point (callsign Gamma). The extraction boat will always be docked at a static location so how you get there is entirely up to you. Do be careful of stray patrols and CSAT/AAF reinforcements along the way who may still be scattered around the area.
Your team's survival is not required, so if you don't feel like waiting for them to catch up you can simply dash straight for the extraction. Upon reaching Gamma's location, the mission will end shortly following some dialogue and a fadeout.
Optional 3: Leave Stratis[]
You have exactly five minutes (300 seconds) to rendezvous with Gamma's boat. If you didn't manage to reach the extraction point before this expires, Gamma will leave behind SCUBA gear to let you swim towards their boat a short distance off the coast.
Once you are within reach of Gamma's boat the mission will automatically be finished.
Tips[]
- Do not forget that all preplaced enemy troops for this mission - including CSAT soldiers but excluding reinforcements, do not have access to night vision goggles and rely exclusively on their weapon-mounted flashlights for visibility (which are conveniently toggled on by default). Combined with the fog, this can render your team almost "invisible" to the AI at a distance up until the first "chaos" threshold is reached.
- Since your team is equipped with suppressors by default and you (probably) have access to NVGs, you retain a significant tactical advantage most of the time.
- Remember to space out your shots so that your weapon's muzzle flash does not give away your presence as the suppressor does not fully conceal its flash. Take your time to go prone, aim solely for headshots, and regain your stamina/stability before each engagement.
- Make good use of your weapon's bipod (if applicable), particularly on marksman rifles like the Mk14/Mk18 ABR.
- Your subordinates are automatically given suppressors for their primary weapon on this mission, though don't forget that their loadout can't be customised since the briefing isn't accessible before the mission begins.
- Some of the camps like the AAF Weapons Depot contain supply crates with valuable weapons, accessories and ammunition which you may find useful to collect for the upcoming mission. This even includes weapons from the Marksmen DLC.
- Don't stress if you can't haul the goodies with you though, as there is another opportunity to go scouting again soon after this mission with (arguably) better things to salvage.
Trivia[]
Night Percussions from ArmA 3.
No Man's Land from ArmA 2: PMC.
- The intro theme played when Kerry is inserted into the AO ("Night Percussions") is a modified version of the second track ("No Man's Land") from the soundtrack of ArmA 2's Private Military Company DLC.
- The basis of the mission's structure for Attention Deficit is completely reused from the Night showcase made for ArmA 3's Beta.
- Aside from the dialogue, characters, and goals being changed, the mission has also been made easier in several respects since the player now has a team of AI subordinates to support them.
- Suppressors are also equipped on their weapons by default, making shootouts more viable as opposed to being an extremely risky option. However, this has also come at the cost of doubling the mission's duration (as the player must now accrue 2,000 "chaos" points rather than 1,000 like in the showcase).
- Attention Deficit also has several more targets of opportunity to destroy, though many of them have been significantly buffed in terms of security and defences when compared to the showcase version.
- You are automatically given a 5.56 mm/.45 ACP suppressor even if you brought a primary and secondary weapon chambered in completely different calibres.
- Following the release of the Helicopters DLC, the ability to use firing from vehicles (FFV) capability on the Assault Boat was enabled but it was not disabled for the mission's intro sequence, allowing Kerry to empty his weapon's magazine while still in transit.
- However, reloading the weapon will not be possible until landing as non-FFV actions are still disabled by the cutscene's script.
- Gamma can potentially come under fire from stray patrols. Additional dialogue will specifically trigger for this sequence where the driver urges Kerry's team to hurry back before his position is "overrun".