Ebud recently lent me his copy of a book about 32 Battalion's history. It really got my creative juices flowing.

Back in the early OFP days, a member named Bagle made a really cool COIN mission for the Vietnam pack. The player was the US commander, with squads and support units he could maneuver. The AI controlled the VC, and the way it worked was that the VC would start out with 1-2 fixed bases which would spawn small VC cadres every few minutes of game time. These cadres would then move to a random village on the map, create a small base there and those new bases would spawn new VC cadres to go to other villages.

It was kind of an exponential war, and it was the player's job to intercept those cadres as they moved, take back any VC held villages, and raid the enemy's permanant bases. If enemy support got too strong, the NVA would start spawining, with better skill levels and weapons, making the fight a lot harder.

I was thinking that with the right SWA/Angola map, you could adopt this mission to be something akin to what 32 Battalion did for almost it's entire existence. You could have tracking, recce teams, raids on SWAPO bases, etc. I think it could be pretty awesome - especially if multiplayer was incorporated (one commander, then 3-5 squad leaders). Also, over time support for the 32 Bn team would be increased. Where when the mission starts, they might only have a single land rover or unimog for transport (and have to rely on trekking across the map to get anywhere), later on they might get access to Buffels, Elands, Pumas, Alouettes, Ratels and Olifants.

Little randomized things inside the mission would also enhance it - SWAPO and 32 Bn arms caches in the bush, random SWAPO patrols, occasional FAPLA armored patrols on the Angola side of the map, wildlife, kraals, waterholes, etc. If the player comes across a SWAPO arms cache, he can blow it up, use it himself, or wait to ambush a SWAPO patrol (this can be accomplished with a trigger and an easy script - when 32 Bn enters a trigger around an arms cache, there could be a 20% chance that a SWAPO cadre could be spawned 200m away and ordered to move to the cache).

The SWAPO base would have to be well defended, since if the 32 Bn team takes it out, then SWAPO can't spawn any more units. I think you could do this realistically - add a couple large SWAPO groups to the base, add some light AA weapons to deter curious Alouettes, etc.

The big issue would be having a map that suits the mission. Ideally it would be pretty big with minimal water area. You'd need at least one SWAPO base area (ideally with trenches) enough kraals and villages to prevent the 32 Bn player from defending all of them all the time, and a 32 Bn base area (ideally with a dirt airstrip).

The 32 Bat boys were really known for long trekking patrols. They also acted as stopper groups in almost all cross border operations. I see you´ve read the book well. The missions you describe above were commonly known as COIN (Counter Insurgency) operations and normaly carried out by a 32 Bat stick (Small Team not more than 7 operators) and typical of the warfare tactics carried out by these units (Coy). I like your idea. Once the models and map is complete would like all missions created for this mod to be hosted by us. All credits will go to the original authors.

Just want to add that Ebud will make the map, I have given him some guidelines but am leaving it up to his discretion. I trust his ability and skill and we also know his work. We just have to give him a little time. I´m also looking for community members to help out with the map by way of creating content eg. huts, bomas, buildings, signs, crates etc. So if you know any interested people send them to me. Also really need people to re skin ArmA russian weapons, tanks, vehicles etc. to the colours and cammo of the Angolan, MPLA, Cuban military schemes. I am busy and will be delivering the first add-ons for beta testing end of July. Just to give you an idea which ones will be available first, incase you want to start planning a mission, here is the list:

Buffel MPV
Ratel 90/80/60/20/Command Vehicle
Land Rover
Eland 90/60

Alouette II
Alouette III/Alouette III K-car 20mm Gunship/Alouette III G-car 4 x 7,62mm Gunship
Aerospatial Puma 330C

Hercules C-130 B (up to 60 Paras or 2 land Rovers ingame)
Buccaneer (bomber configuration)(Alpha Bomb - South African type cluster bomb)

R1 Rifle (FN-FAL in diferent configurations)
R4 Rifle (Israeli Galil 5,56mm)
FN-LMG
AKM
AKMS
Dragunov
RPG 7
Star 9mm
Takarov

This will be the base. the rest of the models will complete in time. Will try to complete the Impala aircraft as they were extensivly used in support roles.

Ebud is making some pilots and crew for us, also wants to make the different units. We are hoping that other members will join us and help make the Eastern Block units eg MPLA, UNITA, FAPLA, SWAPO, MK, Cuban, Russian etc.

We have quite a bit of work on our hands and after discusing it with the existing members I do not want to put content up for downloading just for the sake of it. We are going to deliver top quality stuff. You will see what I'm talking about once you play with the first betas ingame. Just asking that everyone be a bit patient and give us some time... it will be worth the wait. I'm also looking forward to seeing all the missions created with our content. I`m going to leave the mission discussions to NBSvieiraPT as he is the guru in this field. Must say I'm just not good at making missions. My line is the models. So everyone out there who is interested in this subject and wanting to join and help, even if only with a single item are all welcome.

So as soon as the first Mod version is released I want to see your excellent idea put into a working mission.
Thank you for the Idea and concept.

I must say it is a brilliant idea!

The dinamism and the randomization of that concept is very good. Very hard to do in the mission editor side but possible.
The map would need small villages, many places for ambushes and good reece patrols (ridges, valleys, swamps (?)) (remember the Tonal mission made by Nagual? that one you are a SF operator and must take down a weapons cache in a swamp... I am thinking in terrain like that). Actually, now that I mention it...Tonal is a good example for a map type to this concept.

It is a good concept ;) would love to see it happen in a near future.

EDIT: Do you mind to post what is the book name and author please ;) would love to read it

Just send me your address I will get my brother to send you the book, he lives in South Africa. The book is called 32 Battalion the inside story. You can see a description here http://struiktest.hetzner.co.za/book.book.....action?id=1753

Very good book... It will give you an idea what it was all about.

The idea is excellent!!

Remember the Recces used to operate this way, and these units used to interlink.

Books...books! I have lots of them. I have been collecting them for ages.
The father of 32B also wrote a few books, such as "They Live By The Sword" and "Buffalo Soldiers".
There is another ex high ranking officer of the 32B who recently wrote a book called"The Buffalo Struggle". The first edition is in Afrikaans. Recently he informed me that maybe this year we will see the English version.

Man... I wish I had more of these books focused on South African stuff, I'll scratch around and see what I can find. These I know for certain are in my collection:

South African War Machine
Modern Sea Power
Modern Air Power (Covers units like the Impalas etc)

Will check and see what I can provide you with.