Zargabad is the regional capital of Central Takistan[1], and also serves as a playable terrain in ArmA 2. It was added with the release of the Operation Arrowhead expansion pack.
Overview
| « | The city of Zagarbad is the heart of the Central Takistan province. It is located in the center of large north-south running valley surrounded by the mountains from all sides. The city center is filled with large urban buildings, markets and offices, while the suburb quarters comprise of the simple adobe houses and farmsteads. ArmA 2: OA Official website
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War statue in the central market square, a poignant reminder of the Socialist victory in the civil war.
Like the country itself, Zargabad is city of contrasts: modern streets lined by homes and offices/shops with sprawling canvas tent markets, surrounded by a lush forest to its west, and barren wasteland in the north and east.
The local architecture encompasses a wide range of styles ranging from older stone/wooden homes traditionally found in the countryside to multi-storey brick buildings.
It has been theorised that the city could turn into one of the nation's prime tourism hotspots - if not for the constant threat of bandits and civil conflict.[1] Unfortunately, this may not ever become a reality within the foreseeable future given the country's constant state of instability.[2][3]
Geography
View of the mosque in the town's centre from afar.
Altogether, the city itself and surrounding lands/creek clock in at a total of 67 square kilometres.[4][5]
Zargabad's terrain features rugged hills and sandy desert-like terrain to its north and east. In the south, the terrain has been largely cleared for agricultural purposes and is much flatter with lush grassy fields, interspersed with the occasional outcrop of rock formations.
The city's source of water primarily stems from a small creek which runs along the south-western side of the city, originating from the south. The creek does not extend into Zargabad itself as it terminates on the outskirts of the city limits.
Settlements
Points of interest
Airport
| W | Length | Width | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 → | 800 m | 36 m | ← 36 |
The airport is located in the city's west. A relatively spartan facility, it consists of multiple plane hangars and a concrete runway surrounded by a half-constructed wall.
Post-Operation Arrowhead, the airport is mostly staffed by United Nations peacekeepers to safeguard the arrival/departure of envoys and aid workers. Its defences were initially maintained by U.S. Army and other NATO coalition forces[6] though as of recently, private contractors have begun to supplant their role.[7]
Presidential Villa
A pseudo-modern villa located on the north-eastern outskirts of the city, it was built in 1978 by one of King Abu Khazrad Jaffudi's cousins.
At the height of the civil war, it was almost destroyed in 1988 and was only recently refurbished by the then-local military commander, Colonel Muhammad Rahim Aziz. The soldiers under his personal command are stationed at the city airport, though they are also scattered throughout the city in smaller installations/training camps to the north and north-west (respectively).[1]
Gallery
Trivia
- Although commonly mistaken as such, Zargabad is not the capital city of the Takistani nation. It is merely the regional capital of the country's Central region, whereas the coastal city of Takmyr serves as the actual capital of the nation (though it isn't represented in-game).
References
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See also
| Playable terrains in ArmA 2 | |
|---|---|
| Bukovina • Bystrica • Chernarus • Desert • Proving Grounds • Shapur • Takistan • Utes • Zargabad | |
| Operation Arrowhead | British Armed Forces | Private Military Company | Army of the Czech Republic | |