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 betterones 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 briefly seen using the original (pre-Game Update 1.56)[1] one-handed weapon hold walking animation upon arriving at LZ Connor. As soon as the cinematic ends, he will revert to using the (current) two-handed walking animation.
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.
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 DLCcampaign. 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.[2]
The radio in Kerry's HEMTT will uniquely play a music track once its engine is switched on (titled simply as "radio_music").[3]
Several of the dialogue lines in this mission are throwbacks to Cold War Assault'sCold War Crisis campaign. Notable examples include Broadway's "Code Foxtrot!" alert to all NATO forces after the AAF counterattack[4] and SSG Adams' "We're alive but, Jesus, for how long!?".[5]
Officially, it remains unclear as to what led to the AAF launching their retaliatory attacks against the peacekeepers of TF Aegis.[6]
However, the arrival of the mysterious soldiers at Camp Maxwell (as noted by Lacey during the flight into Rogain)[7] would suggest that they 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.[8] This has since been further reinforced with the showcase's inclusion by the main Armaverse Timeline.[9]
↑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!"
↑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."
↑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."
↑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."
