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« Tensions grow as NATO peacekeepers prepare to leave the island of Stratis.
Mission Description
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Drawdown 2035 is the first mission of ArmA 3's The East Wind campaign.

Quotation[]

« Wars are like deaths, which, while they can be postponed, will come when they will come and cannot, finally, be avoided.
Phillip Bobbitt, The Shield of Achilles (2002)
»

Overview[]

The player controls U.S. Army infantryman Corporal Ben Kerry. The last of the American peacekeepers from NATO's Task Force Aegis are commencing the final stage of their pullout from the island nation of the Republic of Altis and Stratis.

CPL Kerry, his squad leader Staff Sergeant Thomas Adams, and fellow squad member SGT Lacey, have been reassigned by TF Aegis' commander to run some logistical errands before they ship out.

Kerry's role/class:

  • Infantry / Rifleman

Default loadout:

  • Primary weapon: MX (5× magazines)
    • No attachments fitted
  • Secondary weapon: None
  • Equipment: Binoculars
  • Backpack: None

The briefing loadout menu is not available for this mission.

Objectives[]

Primary[]

  • (1) Rendezvous with your CO
  • (2) Board the Helicopter
  • (3) Report In
  • (4) Board the Truck
  • (5) Provide Logistical Support
  • (6) Pass the AAF Checkpoint
  • (7) Retreat
  • (8) Get to Safety

Optional[]

N/A

Mandatory[]

  • Kerry must survive
  • Follow Adams' orders at all times
  • Obey the directions of the AAF officer at the checkpoint
  • Avoid collateral damage/friendly fire
  • Remain within the combat area

Walkthrough[]

Primary 1: Rendezvous with your CO[]

You start off at LZ Connor. A helicopter will soon be landing on the pad in front of you, so start making your way towards it.

Primary 2: Board the Helicopter[]

Nothing to do other than to board the helicopter as a bench passenger. You'll be flown straight to Camp Rogain afterwards.

Primary 3: Report In[]

Speak to Lieutenant Edwards (the NATO officer sitting on the H-barrier in the centre of the camp) to receive your orders.

Primary 4: Board the Truck[]

Head straight for the truck parked in the corner of the camp. SSG Adams will follow and board the truck as passenger alongside you.

Primary 5: Provide Logistical Support[]

This objective runs concurrent with the next one as well. You must drive straight to the Kamino Firing Range; fortunately all you have to do is follow the track straight to the camp itself. When making your way there, stick to the road and do not attempt to divert through the valley or you'll instantly fail the mission.

However, you can "safely" go off-road and drive straight down the slope after leaving Camp Rogain. Adams will reprimand you for doing so, but you won't fail the mission unless you somehow flip the truck over.

Not long after you pass the security checkpoint, you will spot an overturned MRAP in front of you with a bloodied body lying next to it (also take note of the AAF fireteam that you passed by). Stop the truck as Adams tells you to and disembark from the vehicle.

Primary 6: Pass the AAF Checkpoint[]

Runs concurrently with the previous objective. You must pass the first AAF checkpoint without "provoking" the troopers. Just stop at the barrier and wait for the sequence to finish. When the barrier is raised and Adams gives you the all-clear, drive on through and continue along the dirt road.

Primary 7: Retreat[]

The AAF have turned on NATO for unknown reasons. Follow Adams into the forest (on foot) and get set to engage. Remember that AAF fireteam earlier? They're now on the hunt for you and will be approximately 150-200 metres ahead of your current position after entering the forest.

Open fire on them immediately (ignore Adams' calls), making sure that you're behind decent cover. The trees in the forest are large enough to cover your body. Ensure that you only peek out to fire off rounds and do not leave your entire body exposed when reloading or aiming. Do not waste your time attempting to "protect" Adams; he cannot be killed and the enemies will usually focus their fire on him so as long as you remain in cover.

When the fireteam have been dispatched, check their corpses for a helmet to wear and some RGO grenades; you'll be needing them shortly. Keep your MX and plate carrier however, as they're much better than their AAF counterparts.

Move up with Adams until you get to the top of the ridge with a view of Camp Rogain. Adams will then move again up the hill towards LZ Baldy. Another fireteam of AAF troopers will be there, so stay low and behind cover. Don't forget to toss a few RGOs in their direction as needed. Once eliminated, you can swap your vest and helmet for better ones from the dead NATO soldiers at the peak of the hill.

A helicopter will soon fly above your position. Your new goal is to reach it for extraction. Head in its direction, but stay on alert for another fireteam of enemy troopers further down the valley. Since there's not much cover for you to hide behind, you'll need to eliminate the troopers quickly before they can get a shot off on you.

Primary 8: Get to Safety[]

When you are almost halfway to the helicopter's position, an AAF jet will destroy it with a bomb. Out of options, Adams has decided that your best course of action is to retreat into the woods for now. Continue following him along the valley; another fireteam of AAF troopers will be encountered along the way.

One of the troopers is a marksman who carries a Mk18 ABR, which you may want to swap your current primary for as it has both superior stopping power and range compared to the MX. If you're uncomfortable with utilising the Mk18, do take his MRCO optic at the very least to attach onto your MX.

Continue following Adams to the marked point deep within the forest. Shortly after entering it, the mission will be completed.

Tips[]

  • Stay behind Adams at all times. Unlike Kerry, he's invincible for the entirety of the mission which makes him a great bullet sponge.
  • Make sure to grab a helmet from one of the dead AAF troopers after the first ambush. Then swap it for one of the (better) Enhanced Combat Helmets or regular Combat Helmets that can be found on the dead NATO soldiers at LZ Baldy. A little bit of extra protection never hurts after all...
    • Swapping your Carrier Lite vest for one of the Carrier Rigs (worn by NATO grenadiers) or even a Carrier Special Rig (worn by NATO combat life savers) is also helpful. Don't worry about carrying capacity that much as backpacks are plentiful throughout the entire mission.
  • Don't neglect to pick up optics for your primary weapon like the MRCO/RCO. Both riflescopes are extremely helpful for the rest of the episode since your average engagement will take place at distances of 200+ metres, and very rarely in close quarters.
    • Do ignore useless accessories like laser pointers, however. They only add to Kerry's weapon inertia (which lowers your turn rate) and you will not be fighting in darkness anytime soon. Night vision is similarly useless and is a waste of stamina/storage space until the latter half of the episode. When you do fight in darkness, you will be granted easy access to them once they're needed.
    • Except for RGO/RGN grenades, disregard picking up chemlights and IR strobes. You will never require the illumination or marking capability that they are designed to provide and are a complete waste of storage space.
  • So long as you remain within the mission area boundary, you can technically walk to most of the surrounding areas (roughly from Camp Rogain to the flipped MRAP) after Adams orders you to go to the forest and loot whatever you can from dead enemies and allies alike.
    • Doing so allows you to gain a PCML (from Camp Rogain), a better rifle like the MXM, and plenty of 100-round MX SW magazines. Visiting the helicopter wreckage is also a good idea, as there are a few dead NATO recon troops with plenty of specialised gear (including another MXM).

Trivia[]

  • During the intro, Kerry can be seen using the original one-handed weapon hold walking animation upon arriving at LZ Connor.
  • A running joke throughout the campaigns relates to a TF Aegis soldier named Private Nelson and his..."fondness" for goats, mentioned early in the mission when Kerry and Adams drive to the first checkpoint.
    • Arma3-Screenshot-177

      Promotional image released for ArmA 3's ninth anniversary (as part of the so-called "Legendary Assets" series), jokingly referencing PVT Nelson's antics.

      A whiteboard at Camp Rogain humorously has a so-called "NATO-Goat R.O.E" list written for the camp's peacekeepers, warning them to not:
      • FEED THE GOATS
      • TOUCH THE GOATS
      • GO NEAR THE GOATS
      • DO WHAT PVT. NELSON DID TO THE GOATS
      • ENGAGE THE GOATS
    • PVT Nelson interacting with the local goats is later referenced in the Laws of War DLC campaign. Though what exactly he "did" still isn't specified, it was subject to much controversy between the Altian government/commanders of TF Aegis according to AAN journalist Katherine Bishop and IDAP consultant Nathan MacDade.[1]
  • The radio in Kerry's HEMTT will uniquely play a music track once its engine is switched on (titled simply as "radio_music").[2]
  • Several of the dialogue lines in this mission are throwbacks to Cold War Assault's Cold War Crisis campaign. Notable examples include Broadway's "Code Foxtrot!" alert to all NATO forces after the AAF counterattack[3] and SSG Adams' "We're alive but, Jesus, for how long!?".[4]
  • Officially, it remains unclear as to what led to the AAF launching their retaliatory attacks against the peacekeepers of TF Aegis.[5]
    • However, the arrival of the mysterious soldiers at Camp Maxwell (as noted by Lacey during the flight into Rogain)[6] would suggest that were possibly responsible for "provoking" the AAF.
    • It is a possibility that is strongly hinted at by a certain event in a playable showcase mission which takes place shortly after the ending of The East Wind.[7] However as of yet, it remains uncertain given the ambiguous status of the showcase's canonicity in the main timeline[8].

References[]

  1. ARMA 3: Laws of War 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Remnants of War, Oreokastro Memory, "MACDADE: Y'know, Adams - he had a couple guys on his team. One was a real comedian. Private Nelson. You probably heard about that, um, 'episode'... with the goat? BISHOP: Who didn't? MACDADE: Y'know, after NATO lost its mandate? The guys used to joke that, um, he was the one responsible for it. I mean, it was the final straw, right? And goats are sacred animals here. Just don't quote me on that!"
  2. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., \a3\missions_f_epa\data\music\radio_music.ogg
  3. ARMA: Cold War Assault 2011 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Cold War Crisis, Montignac Must Fall, "Papa Bear to all US units, Code Foxtrot! Code Foxtrot! New orders, all US personnel must withdraw from Everon. Out."
  4. ARMA: Cold War Assault 2011 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Cold War Crisis, Montignac Must Fall, "We're still alive... but, Jesus, for how long?"
  5. ARMA 3 2014 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., The East Wind, Status Quo, "I'm not really at liberty to talk about that. But, speaking off the record ... they still don't really know for sure. I mean, Christ, sure, it's easy to blame CSAT. But the greenbacks - sorry, the AAF - they definitely needed a push."
  6. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., The East Wind, Drawdown 2035, "LACEY: Hey, check out Maxwell - there's a helo - didn't we finish with that place already? ADAMS: Guess not."
  7. ARMA 3: Art of War 2021 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Cultural Property, \a3\missions_f_aow_data\img\leaflets\dead_letter_ca.paa, "To my enemy, You are close and therefore, my time is short. To my family, I have said all that can be said. To you, there is still the truth. That was our first casualty - and yours. It has condemned me and now, it shall avenge me, for we did not start this war. You did. You coordinated the terrorist attack on Stratis and you murdered my countrymen. The evidence is here. All of it. Irrefutable evidence. But then, perhaps we have both been deceived. Perhaps we are not even enemies at all. I am sorry for what's become of my country. Nothing else. I gave consent to greater nations to save our own, to shake the earth with Poseidon's wrath and level the world. Forgive me."
  8. Mořický, K et al. 2011, Armaverse Timeline, Bohemia Interactive Community Wiki, viewed 2 July 2023, <https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Armaverse_Timeline>.

See also[]

Playable missions in ArmA 3

Beyond Hope

No ReprieveAvenging Furies

Prologue

Reality CheckCommon DenominatorDiplomatic RelationsRising TensionsDamage Control
The East Wind Survive Drawdown 2035Situation NormalBlackfoot DownPatrolDeath ValleyRadio SilenceWet WorkCrossing PathsTipping Point
Adapt Signal LostCommon EnemyScouting [Bomos]Supply NetworkScouting [Gori]Breaking EvenBingo FuelExit StrategyWithin ReachAttention DeficitScouting [Topolia]Beyond Recognition
Win New DawnResurgent WestAir SuperiorityMoral FiberPreventive DiplomacyParadise FoundStatus Quo (Game Over)
Hubs MaxwellBomosGoriTopolia
Optional Scouting

Stepping Stone

Fait AccompliDisintegration Point

Steel Pegasus

LZ NowhereBreaking ThroughFinal Strike

Altis Requiem

Lost HorizonsSalient ForceTerminal Defiance

Apex Protocol

KeystoneWarm WelcomeFirestarterHeart of DarknessExtractionApex ProtocolEnd Game
Remnants of War Memories The PeacekeeperThe GuerrillaThe RedactedThe SurvivorThe MajorThe Brother
Hubs Oreokastro Memory

Old Man

Old Man

First Contact

False NegativeGoing DarkClose EncountersAnomalous PhenomenaCarpe NoctemElimination CodaAnother Earth
Missions are listed in order of left-to-right based on chronological order.
(Parenthesis) indicate alternate and/or non-canon missions.
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