EXPANDING YOUR ARMA 3 EXPERIENCE WITH MODS - FACTIONS | News | Arma 3

INTRODUCTION

Earlier this year, we released a blogpost detailing how new players could expand their Arma 3 experience with mods. For over 11 years, Arma 3 has been a major platform for mod developers and content creators, and over 150,000 mods have been uploaded to the Steam Workshop. This could be a daunting amount for our new recruits to search through - so to help, we compiled a list of longstanding mods we believe greatly enhance and expand the sandbox for limitless hours of immersive milsim action.

We decided to expand on that initial blogpost with a series of themed entries that focus on different types of mods. Written for both new and veteran players alike, these blogposts will hopefully showcase not only mods that you have heard of and have used, but maybe some hidden gems that will give you some new content to try out. The first articlein this extended series focused on weapon mods, while thesecond focused on equipment, the third on aircraft, the fourth on land vehicles, and the fifth on boats and ships.

Now we are showcasing some different faction mods!

CUP, CFP, RHS, 3CB Factions, Project OPFOR, and Aegis were faction mods that were previously featured in our initial article.

This list isn't exhaustive or comprehensive, and we may very well have missed a favorite mod of yours. Even still, what has been curated here will add an exceptional amount of variety to your Arma 3 experience.

ACR_A3 - ARMY OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

As a Czech-based video game company, was there really anywhere else you expected us to start? ACR_A3 - Army of the Czech Republic adds various high quality vehicles, weapons, and equipment to represent Czech military forces of the 21st Century. This mod, alongside our own Arma 3 Czech Veterans Pack, featured prominently in our Czech Veteran's Day Screenshot Initiative last November. This initiative was done in collaboration with Civilisté děkují za službu to honor those who have served or are currently serving in the military.

This mod is open source with all relevant source code available on the ACR_A3 GitHub page. You can contribute, create issues, requests and so on - but the authors ask you to not re-release or alter any part of their mod without their permission.

You can expand and compliment the weapons and vehicles ACR_A3 with optional compatibility extensions for both CUP and RHS, available on the Steam Workshop.

To learn more about ACR_A3, visit their BI Forum thread here.

BUNDESWEHR - MODIFIKATION (BWMOD)

The incredibly popular BWMod brings the Bundeswehr into your Arma 3 experience - focusing on the vehicles, weapons, and equipment of German forces between 2005 and the 2020s, such as the SPz Puma, the Tiger attack helicopter, the G36 rilfe series, and the IdZ system.

The source code of BWMod is public, with the exception of the models, textures, and sounds. You can contribute to the development of BWMod by visiting and participating on their GitHub page

OPERATION FRENCHPOINT

Operation FrenchPoint (OFrP) adds units, weapons, equipment, and vehicles (with ACRE2 and TFAR radio compatibility) of modern French forces to the game. OFrP is a passion project that stretches back to 2002 and ARMA: Cold War Assault, with mods released for every game in the Arma series up to Arma 3.

Operation FrenchPoint includes, but is not limited to:

PAMAS G1 and Glock 17 Gen 4 pistols
FAMAS F1, FAMAS VAL, FAMAS FELIN, HK 416 F-S, and HK 416 F-C assault rifles
Minimi Para 5.56, Minimi Para 7.62, and AANF1 light machine guns
AANF1 static machine gun
FR-F2, PGM Hécate 2 and HK 417 A1 sniper rifles
AIMPoint CompM2 M68, EOTech 552, EOTech G33 Magnifier, Scrome J4 F1, Scrome J8, Scrome J10, and SAGEM Sword TD sights
PIRAT EL-9A, PIRAT EL-9B, and Picatinny rail protection attachments
AT4-CS, AT4-CS Inerte, and ERYX AT launchers
MILAN F1 and MILAN F2 with and without MIRA optronic static AT launchers
French Salute, Présentez Arme FAMAS F1 and HK416 F static animations
F1, Spectra, TC-F NVG 2, and Félin helmets
Bob and Kepi Légion hats
47 different beret versions
Camelbak BFM 500, Crusader III, Musette Félin, and Musette Félin with Radio PR4G backpacks
S3, CIRAS, and SMB vests
T4 S2 and UBAS uniforms
NVGs - OB70 Lucie for helmet and facial mask, NVD for FELIN helmet
Rank patches from Private to Colonel in high and low visibility variants
Blood patches of all blood groups in 2 camo variants
Seven different flag patches in high and low visibility variants
22 different insignias in high and low visibility
P4, P4 AANF1, P4 M2, P4 MILAN, P4 PATSAS M2 and one AANF1, P4 PATSAS M2 and two AANF1, P4 PATSAS MILAN and one AANF1
VPS 2 HMG and VPS 2 GMG

PSZ: POLISH ARMED FORCES

The PSZ: Polskie Sily Zbrojne Mod adds yet another modern European faction to the game - the Polish Armed Forces. PSZ includes meticulously recreated vehicles, weapons, and equipment used currently by the Polish Armed Forces, such as Rosomak APCs, Leopard and Twardy tanks, Sokół helicopters, and Beryl, MSBS, and Tor rifles.

You can learn more about the mod by visiting the PSZ Discord and the mod's BI Forum thread.

JSDF MOD

The JSDF Mod adds the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to Arma 3, with equipment dating from 1954 to present day.

The mod includes:

Weapons

Colt Detective Special
M1911/M1911A1
M1/M1A1 Thompson
M3/M3A1 SMG
M1/M1A1/M2/M3/M4 Carbine
M1903A3/M1903A4 Springfield
M1/M1C/M1D Garand
M1918/M1918A2 BAR
M1919A6 Browning
P220
9mmMP
Type20 Rifle
Type89 Rifle
Type64 Rifle
Type62 LMG
Type74 MG
Minimi
M24SWS
M240B MG
Carl-Gustaf M2
M1917 Browning
M1919A4 Browning
Type70 Mine-clearing line charge

Equipment

M1 helmet
Type66 helmet
Type88 helmet
Tank helmet
AH hemlet
FHG1 helmet
Fatigues
Type65 Fatigue
Camouflage combat uniform
M2 Camouflage combat uniform
LPU-N1
LPU-2/P
M2A body armor
backpack Type73 backpack
M1 backpack

Vehicles

Type73 small-sized truck
Type73 medium-sized truck
Type73 large-sized truck
HMV
LAV
Type96 WAPC
Type82 Command Vehicle
Type87 Reconnaissance Vehicle
Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle
AAVP7A1 RAM/RS
AAVC7A1 RAM/RS
AAVR7A1 RAM/RS
Type60 APC
Type60 81mm self-propelled mortar
Type60 107mm self-propelled mortar
Chemical Nuclear Protection Vehicle
Type61 TANK
Type67 TANK Bridge
Type70 TRV
Type73 artillery tractor
Type73 APC
Type74 TANK
Type74 105mm self-propelled howitzer
Type75 155mm self-propelled howitzer
Type75 Rocket Artillery
Type75 wind measurement vehicles
Type76 radar tractor
Type78 TRV
Type87 AAG
Type87 ASV
Type89 IFV
Type90 TANK
Type90 TRV
Type91 TANK Bridge
Type92 MCV
Type96 120mm self-propelled mortar
Type99 155mm self-propelled howitzer
Type99 FAASV
Type10 TANK

Helicopters

HSS-2,HSS-2A,HSS-2B S-61A,S-61A1,S-61A2
AH-1S
UH-1B/H/J
OH-1
UH-60J
SH-60J
CH-47J,CH-47J(LR),CH-47JA

Aircraft

F-4EJ, F-4EJ(kai), and RF-4EJ
F-15J/DJ
F-1
F-2A/B
T-2

You can expand the JSDF Mod with JSDF Overhaul, which looks to combine both JSDF Mod and gac JSDF into one large faction.

TASK FORCE CANADA

The Task Force Canada mod is the successor to previous Canadian Armed Forces mods, like the popular Operation Northstar Arma 2 mod. The modern day Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, and CANSOFCOM units are all depicted, with accurate vehicles, weapons, and gear meticulously recreated for use in Arma 3.

To get the full suite of Task Force Canada, you will need to download TFC Core, TFC Army, TFC RCAF, and TFC Special Forces.

You can learn more about the mod by visiting the Task Force Canada website, or their Discord server.

COLD WAR FACTIONS

The Cold War Factions mod seeks to recreate the militaries of the mid-Cold War in a simplified but consistent way. The aim is to provide an immersive Cold War experience while being as light on system and mod requirements possible. While only the RHS mods are required dependencies, a few other mods can be run to enhance the factions with more complete and realistic assets. These optional mods currently include 3CB Factions and Military Aviation, with plans to include compatability with other relevant mods in the future.

Infantry types are currently simplified into three categories per faction (in skill order):

Conscript or Militia
Regular infantry
Paratroopers and/or Special Forces

Factions depicted include:

BLUFOR: NATO Alliance

USA
Italy
France
Denmark
Netherlands
Great Britain
West Germany

REDFOR: Warsaw Pact

USSR
Poland
Romania
Hungary
Bulgaria
East Germany
Czechoslovakia

INDFOR

Cuba
China
Japan
Egypt
Israel
Finland
Vietnam
North Korea

9ACG COLD WAR FACTIONS

9ACG Cold War Factions is a lightweight CUP, Cold War Rearmed III, and Arma 3 Creator DLC: S.O.G. Praire Fire dependent modification created by the 9th Air Commando Group Milsim Unit that adds a series of Cold War era OPFOR and INDFOR factions to the game. Most of these factions have been recreated to be as historically accurate as possible. All factions are also ACE3 and ALiVE compatible.

This mod adds the following factions:

OPFOR:

1950s

North Korea
Soviet Army
Soviet VDV
Lebanese Communist Insurgents
People's Volunteer Army (China)
Malayan National Liberation Army

1960s

Soviet Army
Cuban Revolutionary Forces
People's Liberation Army (China)
Katangese Gendarmerie
European Mercenaries

1970s

Armed European Civilians
Soviet Army
North Korea
Spanish Army
Zimbabwe Liberation Army (ZANLA)
Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Arma (ZIRPA)
East German Army
Angolan MPLA
Irish Republican Army

1980s

Central African Rebels
South American Cartel
Panama Defense Forces
Grenada Revolutionary Army
Libyan Army
Polish People's Army

1990s

Iraqi Army
Russian Mafia
Somali National Alliance

INDFOR:

1970s

British Mercenaries

1980s

Argentine Army
South American Revolutionaries

A 9ACG Cold War Allied Expansion mod is also available. This expansion adds the following BLUFOR factions:

1950s

South Korea
US Army
French Union Army
French Foreign Legion
British Army
British Army, Late
British Army, Jungle

1960s

UN Peacekeeping Forces

1970s

Israeli Defense force
Royal Netherlands Army
Taiwanese Army
US Army - Late
South African Defense Force
Rhodesian Security Forces

NORTHERN FRONTS - SCANDINAVIA IN WW2

The Northern Fronts - Scandinavia in WW2 mod includes realistic representations of weaponry, equipment, and vehicles used by Scandinavian countries during the Second World War, allowing the community to create scenarios taking place in these cold, northern countries.

Development on Northern Fronts started in November 2017. With massive support from the community, it was possible to create a large variety of assets with custom models, textures, animations and sounds.

The main features of Northern Fronts include:

1939, 1941 and 1944 Finnish and Soviet Factions
1940 Norwegian faction and Norwegian Resistance
Norwegian civilians
Accurate WW2 weaponry, uniforms, gear and armored vehicles.
Molotov cocktails and related scripting
Bolt action and casing eject framework
Magazine cross-packing system
Breath fog system
Custom mission start and ending modules

Northern Fronts is compatible with IFA3, ACE3, and Improved Melee System mods. You can also download Northern Fronts Terrains for nine different Scandinavian terrains in both summer and winter variants.

CONCLUSION

Though the mods featured above are far from an exhaustive or comprehensive list, we feel they are an excellent starting point for any player, new or old, wishing to expand their Arma 3 experience. We encourage you to look through the hundreds of faction mods on the Steam Workshop - there might well be one you have previously overlooked waiting to become a new favorite of yours.

If you feel there are any faction mods that we missed out on and should have included in this list, contact Arma Community Manager LeClair on X,Discord, or our forums. You can also let him know of any suggestions you have for future articles on terrain, gameplay, and total conversion mods.

Thank you for reading!

For more information about Arma 3, please visit www.arma3.com. To keep track of all the latest news, be sure to follow @ArmaPlatform on Facebook, X, YouTube, and Steam.