Tomas Marny is a supporting character in ArmA 2's Operation Harvest Red campaign.
Background[]
An officer in the Chernarussian Defence Forces (CDF), Marny led an intelligence unit responsible for gathering information on various radical Chernarussian groups, along with their links to Bystrican arms smugglers operating in-and-out of the country.
He is well-regarded both by his peers and high command for his intelligence gathering skills, and has extensive ties to many locals in South Zagoria.
Throughout the duration of the war, he was based at a forward outpost in the city of Elektrozavodsk. He went by the radio callsign of Consigliere.
Operation Harvest Red (2009)[]
Following the U.S.-led intervention, Marny's intelligence unit was based at FOB Reforger, a jointly-operated CDF/USMC outpost located on the outskirts of Elektrozavodsk.
His unit worked alongside Captain Carl Dressler's team from the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA) division, being left responsible for tracking down the elusive warlord of the ChDKZ, Gregori Lopotev, alongside his senior commanders. Simultaneously, Marny's unit maintained surveillance on the movements of National Party (NAPA) fighters, particularly keeping their ears open for information on the identity of its radical leader.
During the Battle for Chernogorsk, a team of U.S. Force Reconnaissance commandos, callsigned Razor Team, had managed to apprehend Lopotev thanks to his unit's intel. Unfortunately, the Marines were unsuccessful in bringing back the fugitive after they were deceived by a double agent, and Lopotev was able to flee in the ensuing chaos.
Annoyed that their only chance at putting a quick end to the civil war was foiled by the Americans' incompetence, Marny was even less pleased to hear that he would be a liaison for them. Worse yet, it would be the exact same Force Recon team that lost track of Lopotev in the first place.
| « | Marny: Yes, I am Lieutenant Marny, what do you want... Sergeant? Cooper: I'm Sergeant Cooper, Sir, Force Recon Razor. Captain Dressler suggested we buzz you for information on Lopotev. Marny: Hah, we wouldn't have to find him if you Americans hadn't lost him in the first place. MSgt. Matthew Cooper introduces himself to Marny
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When Razor's team leader arrived, he cordially reported in and introduced himself to Marny, asking for any potential leads on Lopotev's whereabouts. Marny coldly returned his greeting and mocked the man, Master Sergeant Matthew Cooper, for his team's failure in the first place. To his surprise, the American didn't rise to his challenge and continued to politely query Marny for information.
Begrudgingly, Marny gave him some potential leads on where to begin their search. He informed MSgt. Cooper about one of his NAPA contacts, a gamekeeper by the man of Yuri Olegich who lived in the village of Staroye, who might provide him with some information as well. Cooper asked a few more questions regarding other locals in the area before he bid farewell and began his team's search.
Hours later, Marny was pleased to hear that Cooper's team had succeeded in capturing a high-ranking ChDKZ official. Though it wasn't Lopotev himself, it was his aide-de-camp Mikola Bardak. Bardak's capture would certainly speed up his team's efforts in tracking down the warlord, though he would have to wait until agents from the CIA got their hands on him first.
Several days would pass uneventfully, and the Americans continued to push north towards deep into the ChDKZ strongholds at Krasnostav close to the Russian Federation's border. By now, Marny and CDF high command were confident that even if Lopotev wasn't found, the insurgents would be wiped out in a matter of weeks or even days perhaps.
But all of that immediately changed for the worse on October 16th. A terrorist attack, carried out by NAPA extremists, breaks out in the heart of Moscow, the Russian capital. In just 24 hours, all of the military's breakthroughs are completely thrown away. The Americans are forced to pull out of Chernarus, and the CDF must hand over all of its reclaimed territory back to the ChDKZ.
However, Marny wasn't convinced that the attack was carried out by "NAPA extremists". Although its shadowy leader was fervently anti-Russian (more appropriately, borderline genocidal), the group still had moderates within it, and was not so radical or sufficiently organised to the point that they could slip past Russian security forces so easily. His sentiments were personally echoed by Capt. Dressler, though they were alone in their suspicions.
For now at least, little could be done to prevent the Russian military from enforcing its peacekeeping mandate in Chernarus. Nonetheless, CDF high command were not about to allow the ChDKZ to retake South Zagoria without a fight. Following the American withdrawal, the CDF began to consolidate its assets at Zelenogorsk in preparation for a major counteroffensive to retake the entire province; all under the eye of the Russians. It would be up to Marny's unit to keep watch on the Russians and their (potentially hostile) reaction.
In the meantime, some good news had filtered through that Razor Team were still in the country, and were covertly there to support the CDF's planned offensive. Thanks to their efforts, the towns of Rogovo and Pogorevka are quickly retaken, though the heavily-fortified towns of Novy Sobor and Stary Sobor remained.
| « | Cooper: Hey Marny, what's the deal with this guy Prizrak? We keep hearing what a pain in the ass he is, over. Marny: Well, we only have the name. He's something of a talisman for NAPA we think. Early driving force in the resistance. More recently he's been forced to the radical fringes of the organization. Too senior to ignore but too crazy for most NAPA personnel. Marny explains Prizrak's background to MSgt. Cooper
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After the towns were retaken, Razor's leader, MSgt. Cooper, directly contacted Marny over the radio to query him about the identity of NAPA's leader. He points out that the CDF and NAPA should be working together to drive out the Russians and the ChDKZ, and suggests assassinating their radical leader to hasten up the process. Though he's somewhat shocked (and surprised) at the American's "suggestion", Marny tells Cooper that his idea was something that CDF high command have always considered.
| « | Cooper: Oh, just interested is all, sir. Seems like a bit of a thorn in everyone's side if you know what I mean Sir. We thought perhaps if he were out of the way...? Over. Marny: That's not a suggestion to throw around lightly Sergeant Cooper. But it has been considered. Look, I have a... colleague shall we say? A contact inside NAPA. We both deal in intrigue, you understand? He might be able to slake your thirst for knowledge about old Prizrak. Marny
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However, it had been constantly rejected on political grounds due to the fallout it would cause between the two sides. Cooper then suggested that his team carry out the assassination instead; after all, Razor Team officially didn't exist. Removing the warlord would help unite the two sides to increase their chances of success.
| « | Marny: But Razor, are you sure you want to do this? Maybe we are making some horrible translation mistake? Cooper: Uh, we're gonna kill Prizrak, right? Marny: Uh... Copy that Razor team! Christ! I will tell Yidash to expect you at 072-083, I know NAPA have a camp there that he feels safe using. OK? Marny agrees to Cooper's "request"
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Once again surprised by Cooper's conviction, Marny agreed to his request and contacted the moderates within NAPA, a representative by the name of "Yidash". Yidash would agree to personally meet up with Cooper's team and reveal the location of NAPA's leader.
Moments later, he receives a report that Prizrak had indeed been slain by Razor Team. Now that the radicals were pushed out of the way, a formal alliance could be arranged between NAPA and the CDF. The two sides joined forces, and NAPA's senior commanders began liaising with CDF high command on how best to coordinate the offensive.
| « | A free country is something we all want my friend. Perhaps, finally, this is our chance to build it? Marny
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Just as the offensive commenced the next day, Marny relocated to the forward outpost at Zelenogorsk. Furthermore, Marny received excellent news that USEUCOM intended to redeploy into South Zagoria. However, the CDF needed to first retake the regional capital of Chernogorsk before the Marines could be brought ashore. Marny also received word that a ChDKZ defector, Valery Pavelka, had come forth following the liberation of Mogilevka, and was offering to provide important information on Lopotev's whereabouts.
Cooper's team brought back the defector for interrogation, and Marny began his "work" on extracting information out of Pavelka. The fighter revealed that Lopotev and his senior officers were hiding on Skalisty island just off the south-eastern coast. Cooper's team again volunteered to personally track down and apprehend the warlord.
| « | Valery Pavelka spilled his guts, there's a comms station on Skalisty island, just off the south east coast. I want you to go and take a look, see if his story checks out. Marny
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Even better, the Russians secretly agreed to leave Chernarus in exchange for custody over Lopotev. Although loathe to relinquish Lopotev to the Russians, Marny and the other CDF officers nonetheless agreed that getting rid of the Russians peacefully was the only way forward. Once Razor Team had brought back Lopotev, he was quickly ferried to the handover on the outskirts of the airbase at Vybor.
Soon after, the Russians would depart from the country and hours later, the ChDKZ's main force would be decisively broken at Msta with the help of the freshly redeployed American task force.
Personality and Appearance[]
Marny is a Slavic male with a cleanly shaved face. He has a trimmed, light brown-coloured head of hair, and his usual attire consists of a TTsKO-camouflaged officer uniform along with a field cap.
A cold hearted individual, Marny showed little empathy toward anyone outside of his work. He - like many others in the military, were especially displeased to see Americans fighting on Chernarussian soil. In particular, he was dismissive of the Marines of Razor Team, largely due to their failure in allowing Lopotev to escape. But as time went on, his attitude towards them began to change for the better, and even holds a modicum of respect for their efforts.
| « | Marny: What about you, Marines? You going to stick around for the sport? I know how sensitive you westerners can be... I'll fill you later if you want to leave now. Cooper: Uh, yeah. This one's all yours. We'll catch up later... Marny prior to interrogating a ChDKZ defector
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On the other hand, Marny wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty, and was often involved in the less-than-savoury side of intelligence gathering. In the process of interrogating captured ChDKZ fighters, he often resorted to brutal methods ranging from psychological torture to physical beatings.
Trivia[]
- Like all the other named CDF characters with inconsistent ranks throughout Harvest Red, Marny is strangely referred to as a Captain in the briefing for Dogs of War. Canonically however, he remains ranked as a Lieutenant.