Getting Started – Arma 3 (2024)

Buying Arma 3

Arma 3 is a Steam platform exclusive game and can be bought on the Arma 3 Steam page.

Editions

Arma 3 has some Editions and bundles to purchase. Bundles are always cheaper than purchasing products separately.

• Arma 3 (Steam page) is the base game. It comes with Arma 3 Zeus and Arma 3 Malden.
• Arma 3 Apex Edition (Steam page) has the base game, 3 DLCs and the "crown jewel", Arma 3 Apex. Note that Arma 3 Apex: Old Man comes with Apex.
• Arma 3 Contact Edition (Steam page) has the base game and “spin-off” expansion Arma 3 Contact.
• Arma 3 Ultimate Edition (Steam page) has the base game and every DLCs and expansions by Bohemia Interactive.

Edition Details

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Note that no Creator DLCs (CDLCs) are included in these editions!

Content	Arma 3	Apex Edition	Contact Edition	Ultimate Edition
Arma 3
Karts
Helicopters
Marksmen
Apex
Laws of War
Jets
Tac-Ops
Tanks
Contact

Buying DLCs

You may wonder if you need to buy DLCs. You do not need anything to enjoy playing Arma 3 (but the base game), but depending on which experience you are after the common recommendations change:

• For a Singleplayer experience, the base campaign, Arma 3 Laws of War and in an other style Arma 3 Contact singleplayer campaigns are considered among the best singleplayer moments. If you can afford it too, see also the Arma 3 Tac-Ops Mission Pack for a combat experience from multiple points of view.
• For a Multiplayer experience, it is recommended to at least own Arma 3 Apex to be able to play with its assets and have access to the Tanoa terrain. The cooperation campaign is good to play through too.
• Every asset such as weapons and vehicles provided by Bohemia Interactive are free to test in Arsenal (TUTORIALS > VIRTUAL ARSENAL). If you wonder if the DLC is worth your money, it is possible to try it for free.
• You can purchase Arma 3 DLC Essentials (Steam page) to collect the entire DLC sets (except the Expansions, Arma 3 Apex and Arma 3 Contact).

Starting with the game

You bought the game, downloaded it, installed it, configured it via the launcher, started it: now what?
If you are not familiar with the Arma series, a usual recommendation is to access the main menu and select Tutorial, you can find choices such as:

• Read the Game Manual
• Read the Default Keyboard Layout Cheatsheet (printable and foldable)
• Head on the Game Options and change key bindings, languages and difficulty
  • See Arma 3: Performance Optimisation for more information on the settings
• Read the in-game Field Manual (TUTORIAL > FIELD MANUAL)
• Watch Community Guide videos (Steam page / YouTube)
• Read and watch Dslyecxi's Tactical Guides (direct link to TTP3)

then…

Playing in Single Player

In-game training

• Play the VR Training missions to understand the principles
• Play the Showcases to apply these principles in real action
• Play the Bootcamp campaign
• Practice weapons and vehicles in the Virtual Arsenal
• Discover the available Terrains in Eden Editor

Fighting

• Play the Single Player campaign "The East Wind" to learn to work in a team
• Play the other Single Player content, according to your DLC list:
  • Arma 3 Tac-Ops Mission Pack
  • Arma 3 Laws of War's campaign
  • Arma 3 Contact's campaign

Playing in Multiplayer

• If you own Arma 3 Apex, play its Multiplayer campaign "Apex Protocol" with experienced friends
• Hours of practice will help you:
  • Find the kind of game you like, among the various Multiplayer game types
  • Getting different experiences no training can bring (situational awareness, reflexes, specific cases)
• If possible, try to play on multiple servers with friends or an Arma 3 Unit!

Joining a Modded Server

A non-official server may require mods to play. The game itself cannot download the mods and will only tell you what is missing.
Joining a server from the Launcher can download the required mods before launching the game; see more information at Arma 3: Launcher - Servers.

Steam Workshop 101

Arma 3 does support Steam Workshop. You can find mods (a.k.a addons) that add some assets, features and experiences that don't exist in vanilla (addon-free) Arma 3, or user-made scenarios providing another game experience.

To add and install Workshop items, follow these steps:

Download and play a Scenario

1. Open the Arma 3 Steam Workshop and select the Scenario tag.
2. Find a scenario you like.
3. Click subscribe on to subscribe to a scenario. It will automatically download when the game is started.
4. Open the game and navigate to SINGLEPLAYER > SCENARIOS. If the mission has a Multiplayer/Co-Op tag on the workshop, you have to go to MULTIPLAYER > QUICK PLAY > HOST SERVER to see it.
5. The subscribed mission will be downloaded and found under the Steam Subscribed Content.

Download and activate a Mod

1. Open the Arma 3 Steam Workshop and select the Mod tag.
2. Find a mod you like.
3. Click subscribe on to subscribe to a mod.
4. Start Arma 3 from your Steam Library, that will open Arma 3 Launcher.
5. Subscribed mods will be downloaded automatically.
6. Click the MODS tab.
7. Downloaded mods are automatically loaded. If you need to unload a mod, click the checkbox.
8. Press PLAY to launch Arma 3 with selected mods.

Finding players, communities and help

Official communication channels

• Arma 3 Official Forums
• Arma 3 Official Discord
  • #looking_for_game channel if you are looking for players
  • #looking_for_squad channel if you are looking for squads
  • #communities_arma channel if you are looking for communities
  • #singleplayer channel for… Single Player content advices and discussion
  • #scripting channel for help in scripting, as well as Arma 3 Scripting Commands
  • #community_wiki channel where discussions about articles on this wiki happen
  • And for all your other questions, #ask_questions_here is the channel to be!

Common game modes servers

• Exile Discord
• Epoch Discord
• Antistasi Discord
• Arma RPG Life Discord
• King Of The Hill / Wasteland Discord

More links

• Reddit Arma 3 Wiki
• Reddit Arma 3 tips & performance tweaks
• Arma 3 Workshop 101

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