Standard Qualification 1

General Qualification Initiative 1 (GQI-1) is a certification course that aims to teach some basic skills necessary to play Arma with others. Being certified on this course is required in order to progress to a cadet and subsequently be permitted to participate in immersive operations.

Standard Qualification 1

Certification Information
Created by	Sirdog
Certification Checklist	[ Link]

Basic interactions

Use of ACE interact on a supply crate.

In Arma III, the default means of interacting with the environment will be the scroll wheel. This is how vehicle inventories are accessed, door are opened, vehicle engines turned on and off, and so on. Once the desired option is highlighted, use Space Bar to make the selection.

ACE interact

EDC (and a lot of Arma units) makes use of an addon known as ACE. It's difficult to describe what ACE does succinctly (and it will be referenced frequently), but one of the many things it does is introduce an interaction system. This is accessed via holding the left ⊞ Win key. Movement of the mouse will move the cursor, slightly move the camera, but any interaction options available will remain in place. When you are close to an object that can be interacted with an interaction option will appear in the form of a circle. Hovering over it will expand into further options (if applicable). To select an option, hover the mouse over the option, and then release the ⊞ Win key.

ACE interaction is used for many things, including:

• Opening a crate's inventory
• Entering and exiting vehicles
• Knocking on certain vehicles
• Joining someone's group
• Passing a magazine to another player
• Tapping a player's shoulder

ACE self-interact

Use of the ACE self-interact feature.

ACE similarly allows interaction with the self. This is done by holding LCtrl+⊞ Win. This will work in most any situation, including while your map is opened. This is used for many things, including:

• Checking your medical state
• Clearing a jammed gun
• Changing your team color
• Renaming your group
• Quick detaching/attaching attachments
• Dig a trench
• Insert and remove hearing protection
• Repack magazines
• Enabling the light to see your map at night

ACE interact settings and keybinds

There are certain settings that ACE provides which may be pertinent to look into changing. These are not required but highly advised, and knowledge these settings exists is required for certification.

Setting Location	Setting Name	Rationale
ACE Interaction Menu	Always display cursor for interaction	Detaches movement of the mouse from the camera for the default ACE interaction, making it function similarly to self-interaction.
ACE Interaction Menu	Display interaction menus as lists	Instead of having the options be a circle, it'll be a list on the left or right (see first image of this section). Some members prefer this to the circle.
ACE Interaction Menu (Self)	Move to root	Allows moving certain interactions from a sub-menu to the main list that is immediately visible when beginning self-interaction. Advise adding Clear Jam, Earplugs In/Out, and Wipe Goggles to root.

Some default keybinds are...

• Wipe Goggles is LCtrl+⇧ Shift+T.
• Take Prisoner is ⇧ Shift+F1.
• Show Names is LCtrl but it's advised to re-bind to LAlt so it matches the free look key. There is no downside to doing this.

Basic weapons

Firearms

While moving, to lower your weapon, press LCtrl x2. This will also reduce your stamina usage while moving which will be described further later. Do LCtrl x2 again to raise the gun back up.

It is advisable to enable your weapon's safety, primarily when tabbing in and out of the game to mitigate an accidental discharge of your gun. The default key bind for this is LCtrl+` (Tilde). Use the bind again to remove the safety, or simply change the fire mode with F.

HUD icon for a rested weapon.

HUD icon for a braced weapon.

In Arma, a weapon may either be braced or rested. A weapon is braced when a tripod attachment is used to "mount" the gun to cover, or the ground. This dramatically increases the stability, and decreases the spray intensity, of the firearm. This must be done manually by pressing C. A weapon is rested when Arma detects that you are holding the gun over cover, in which Arma simulates you "resting" the gun and/or your arms on the cover. This increases stability, and decreases spray, but to a lesser degree than properly bracing would. As has been insinuated, this is automatic, and requires no manual engagement from you. Whether a weapon is braced or rested is show visibly at the top-right of your HUD.

Certain firearms may jam. To clear a jam, use ACE self-interact.

Grenades and smokes

The ACE grenade throwing interface.

Grenades and smokes are a staple of infantry warfare. By default, a grenade can be thrown by pressing G and switching between the various grenades in your inventory is done via LCtrl+G. Certification requires that you go into your settings and unbind the default grenade throwing key, or set it to something far more difficult to use, such as having to press G x2. Without doing this, it is far too easy to throw a grenade negligently, would could be catastrophic to group play.

The advised way of interacting with grenades at all is via ACE, done by pressing ⇧ Shift+G. This presents a graphical UI showing the anticipated arc of the grenade, a clear visual of the grenade you are holding, and clear button prompts on how to interact with it. This same interface is also used for smoke grenades.

Smoke grenades tend to be used as long-range signaling, such as giving an air asset your location to pick you up or giving said asset a location of a target to engage with heavy firepower. Smokes come in a variety of colors. Many Arma units standardize the colors unit-wide, meaning any usage of a particular color in any operation the unit engages in has the same meaning. EDC does not do this. Whether a grenade color has any significance will be determined by the operation leader or otherwise someone in the chain of command in the operation. If you are ever confused about a particular smoke grenade color that you spot, do not hesitate to ask someone. You may just spot an enemy smoke.

Basic ACRE

The various colored bars which represent speaking volume. Level 0 is a whisper whereas level 4 is shouting.

This certification will not explain the installation of ACRE2. For that, please see the appropriate documentation. You should not perform a manual installation, and instead use the workshop addon. You may of course ask any willing EDC member for help.

Another very popular addon that EDC uses is ACRE2 (colloquially called just "ACRE" among members). It is an addon that hooks into TeamSpeak 3 and with it creates a proximity chat environment. Voices will be heard directionally, you will only hear voices in your vicinity, and, the feature it's really used for, it realistically mimics radio use.

As an simple example, the AN/PRC-343 (colloquially called "343") is a short wave radio and will barely clear a kilometer in range. In contrast, the AN/PRC-152 (colloquially called "152") can easily clear 5 kilometers. Terrain is also a factor in a radio's effectiveness. While the 343 struggles to clear a kilometer, it might do so trivially in perfect conditions and with no terrain interference. By contrast, the 343 could struggle to transmit only 200 meters away if there is some solid Earth between you and your recipient.

So long as the man on the bottom remains lying down he will not hear the man above him. There is no line of sight for the radio, and the radio cannot travel through multiple meters of Earth.

Speaking volume in ACRE can be set manually by doing Tab ↹+Scroll Wheel with scroll wheel up increasing your volume and down decreasing your volume. There are 5 speaking levels (starting at an index of 0) indicated via colored bars.

• Level 0 is a whisper
• Level 1 is speaking softly
• Level 2 is regular speaking volume
• Level 3 is a raised speaking volume
• Level 4 is shouting

The advised default speaking volume is 1 and should only increased if situationally appropriate and necessary.

While communicating with your fellow members, there are some things to keep in mind.

• All radios in Arma are what is called "half-duplex". In simple terms, this means it is not possible for 2 people to transmit on the same frequency at the same time. If attempted, anyone listening will hear the signal which is strongest the best along with plenty of static. With this in mind, radio messages should generally be brief.
• If a leadership role asks who needs ammo, please do not reply with "not me".
• If anyone invokes the term "combat comms", or contact against OPFOR is made, all non-relevant firefight communication should cease immediately (even if mid-sentence) and only resume once all contact is eliminated or disengaged from.
• Some operations may have limited to no radio use. In such situations, it is useful to parrot — that is, repeat out loud — orders given by superiors. This way it is more likely the entire element will hear and be made aware of the order.

ACRE mix settings

Development Note: Need to be at home to complete this section.

Radio manipulation

The AN/PRC-343 with the channel knob, handle, and volume controls identified.

For the purposes of GQI-1 the only radio that is pertinent is the 343. This radio — presuming the operation is in a modern setting — is the default radio given to all infantrymen in a squad for inter-squad communication. It is likely you will spawn into an operation with this radio already on your person.

Speaking on the AN/PRC-343 will likely be your PTT1 key for ACRE2. This by default is ⇪ Caps Lock.

To manipulate the radio, use ACE self-interact and select the radio by name. Once selected, a 3D model of the radio will appear. The right knob changes the channel you are on. This can be left alone, defaulting to channel 1, unless you hear otherwise from operation leadership. The left knob adjusts volume in increments of 20% with a maximum of 100%. Volume is entirely preferential, though it obviously should be loud enough to be heard whenever a transmission is received. Both knobs are adjustable by left and right clicking the knobs themselves with your mouse.

The AN/PRC-343 with the block knob exposed.

If you click the handle an animation will play and you will be shown the channel block knob. Here you can change the block of channels used. By default, your 343 will be on block 1. Block 1 has 16 channels which directly correlate to the 16 possible options on the channel knob. If you switch to block 2, this creates an additional 16 channels. In other words, channel 2 on block 1 is not the same as channel 2 on block 2, and thus 2 different squads could have the same setting on the channel knob but have isolated frequencies.

ACRE troubleshooting

Development Note: Need to be at home to complete this section.

Pinging Zeus

Zeus is a real-time mode that allows spawning units and props, editing units and props, and otherwise flying around and having powers like the Greek God Zeus would theoretically have. It is used to curate the experience for operations in real time, similar to a Dungeon Master in Dungeons & Dragons.

Individuals with Zeus access enter it by pressing Y. By default, anyone who presses Y without access "pings" the Zeus. The Zeus will see your name in a box on their screen and hear a specific sound. This is used for getting help when the game acts in a manner which is contrary to the experience that is attempting to be had. For example, a tank exploding due to an AT round and it unrealistically flying around and then landing into a friendly squad. The Zeus can then use their tools to bring the situation to an acceptable status quo.

Zeuses are advised by EDC leadership to only take a ping seriously if there are 2 in a row. This is because we are all human and hitting the key on accident is expected. This means, however, that you should not press Y twice in a row unless you think there is a genuine need for assistance that breaks the 4th wall. The point of operations is to suspend one's disbelief and be immersed in the military simulation. A Zeus' presence is incompatible with this, and they should only be summoned if needed.

Basic drill

While the following concepts are more cerebral they are nonetheless important for play with EDC — even as a basic riflemen — and are likely going to serve you well in other units or groups.

Common formations

There are a large theoretical group of formations that exist which have arguable uses depending on the circumstances. For GQI-1, we are going to go over 4 of them. Generally speaking formations are decided upon by the fireteam or squad leader. The idea is to know them so you can fall into the formation with minimal assistance. Knowing their uses is also good for your general education and allows you to anticipate a situation your leadership may be expecting.

Wedge

A visual depiction of a wedge formation.

A wedge is a good all-around formation that has favorable utility in most situations. The wedge is simple to form and the ability to shift the formation to more adequately engage contact is easily accomplished. This formation is advisable for when moving around areas where enemy contact could come from any direction.

Unless stated otherwise, the default formation is a wedge.

Line

A visual depiction of a line formation.

A line is a good formation for moving towards a position known or anticipated to possess OPFOR and bringing the maximum amount of firepower to bear in as quick a time as is possible. The major downside is that there is little to no means to ward off being flanked, and if the formation is too tightly controlled, players may focus so much on maintaining the formation they fail to give adequate focus on the position they are going towards.

A fireteam pushing in a line formation with an acceptable amount of deviation.

That said, it is natural for a line to not be perfectly straight and sorta morph into a mini-wedge as the advance progresses. Again, trying too hard to maintain a straight line can be detrimental. Focus on the idea of what the line is attempting to accomplish — maximum firepower as quickly as possible — and try to maintain the formation to meet that goal.

Column (standard and staggered)

For the purposes of certification the 2 column types count as 2 separate formations.

A visual depiction of a staggered column formation.

A standard column — that is, a column which is not staggered — is functionally a line formation but instead of being side-to-side everyone is back-to-back. Put another way, you simply follow the leader. It is incredibly easy to make and maintain, requiring little brain power, and so it's useful for quick traversal.

The staggered variation as shown in the above diagram is simply a standard column but half of the line shifts to the right or left, creating 2 parallel yet unequal columns which head in the same direction. A staggered column is classified as marginally safer than the standard variation given there is less cross-fire by it's nature. It is very likely going to be the formation used when traveling on a road.

A column regardless of type is extremely vulnerable to attacks from the direct front and rear, given the inability for everyone to quickly engage due to cross-fire, but it is fairly resilient to attacks from the sides since everyone can engage without risk of cross-fire.

Spacing and interval

Development Note: Include image of the DUI HUD showing the orange warning for spacing.

Various members may refer to this as "spacing" or an "interval". The terms are the same. It is the distance you are maintaining between yourself and the other people in your fireteam. It is advised, for everyone's safety, that you maintain 5-10 meters of spacing between yourself and any other member of your fireteam. This limits the effectiveness of ordinance with an area of effect, such as grenades or artillery.

A very good way to see if your spacing is appropriate is to look at the HUD at the bottom middle of your screen. When in a fireteam or squad, you will see arrows representing your fellow soldiers that showcase their approximate position relative to you and where they are looking. These icons are white unless changed to another color at the direction of leadership. When you are too close, both you and the other person's icon will turn orange, and it will be abundantly clear you are both overlapping. This should be corrected immediately unless there is a valid reason for it (e.g you are carrying a downed person).

Note that the 5-10 meters of spacing is a guideline, but not a rule. There are some environments where it simply cannot be helped, or maintaining it is more risky than not. A very common example of this is clearing an urban environment. With so many possible hiding places for enemy troops, it is better to remain in what little cover is found — even if bunched up — than to maintain spacing but be in the middle of the street.

Peripherally related, a common military tactic seen in media is to have one riflemen stand while another crouches in-front of them, then they both shoot in the same direction. This theoretically allows double the firepower to be aimed in a direction while costing the same amount of space. However, the odds of this resulting in a teamkill or cross-fire is much higher than you think it is. Yes, even higher still. Thus, this tactic — sometimes referred to as "high-low" — is strongly discouraged in EDC.

Pacing

Development Note: Include image of the stamina bar being visible.

There is a theoretical pace faster than sprinting, which is sprinting with your weapon fully put away by pressing 0. This is idiotic in most situations and highly discouraged, bordering prohibited.

Stamina is a major factor in Arma. How you are moving (e.g pacing), the terrain you are traversing, and the weight of your kit all contribute to how fast your stamina depletes. When your stamina is fully depleted you will lose the ability to move at any speed other than a walk. The lower your stamina, the less precise you will be, as your character will realistically react to being out of breath in a manner that makes it difficult to aim or focus. You generally lack control over the terrain you cross, or what your kit is (to a degree), so it is imperative you learn to properly manage your movement pace.

Your stamina is represented by horizontal bars that are beneath the area of your HUD where your weapon bracing or resting was discussed. At full stamina, the bar is invisible, and denotes you are fully rested. As your stamina depletes, the bar will slowly become visible. Once reaching dangerous levels, it will begin to morph into a shade of red before denoting full depletion.

There are a total of 7 states of movement speed. The faster you are, the faster your stamina depletes. Your weapon being up depletes your stamina faster than not, regardless of speed. These factors stack.

The 7 (with an index of 0) states of movement are:

Speed Level	Name	Use	How to Engage
0	Walking, Weapon Lowered	None.	LCtrl+C to get to Walking LCtrl x2 to lower/raise gun
1	Walking, Weapon Raised	Clearing interior structures.
2	Combat Pace, Slow, Weapon Lowered	General purpose movement pace out of combat.	LCtrl+C to get to Combat Pace C x2 for Combat Pace variants LCtrl x2 to lower/raise gun
3	Combat Pace, Slow, Weapon Raised	Getting to cover while maintaining fire at OPFOR.
4	Combat Pace, Fast, Weapon Lowered	General purpose cover-to-cover movement.
5	Combat Pace, Fast, Weapon Raised	None.
6	Sprinting	Traverse massive danger zone quickly to get cover or concealment, such as an open field.	Hold ⇧ Shift

For certification and being a good basic riflemen, the speed levels to really know are 1 and 2. Getting comfortable switching between and using the others comes with experience.

Situational awareness

In a warfare simulator, you are never really safe. A mission creator is within their rights to have you spawn into contact — it's just rarely done. The point is, your head should always be on a swivel. By this, we mean you should be free looking by pressing LCtrl liberally to continuously scan your environment for threats or anything else worthy of telling your fellow soldiers.

This doesn't mean you never rest your attention — this is still a game — but there shouldn't be prolonged periods of mindlessness. If you are walking in a column, chatting with your buds, and you are deciding what you want for dinner in an hour and have zoned out, you are likely messing up.

This applies even at a stationary place, like a compound, and you aren't one of the lucky ones clearing it. You should then be maintaining security of the compound's surroundings. This means you find a sector (e.g general direction) no one is covering, then cover it by focusing on it and scanning it for threats. If you notice everyone around you goofing off, it is entirely acceptable to politely remind your mates to find sectors to secure. This is important to avoid ambushes or contact getting close unexpectedly.

Something to become aware of, however, is tunnel vision. This is very common when actively engaging contact, where an entire's squads focus is on said contact. While the squad should be engaging to eliminate them, if no one is bothering to look around or keep in mind other sectors, that might spell disaster for the squad. This becomes progressively more important the higher on the chain of command you are.

Reporting contact

You have spotted the enemy. When you do, you should do the following:

• Alert — Notify your element you see contact
• Orient — Give a direction of the contact and, if they are close, an indication danger is imminent
• Describe — Give brief description of what the contact is
• Expound — Other information immediately useful to the element

First, alert your element. Some ways of doing this include yelling "Contact!", "Enemy!", "Red air!", and so on. If the contact isn't an immediate threat (e.g they are sky lining a hill multiple hundreds of meters away), you should still alert, but you can be less dramatic to set the tone. This sobers everyone up.

A compass bearing (e.g "132!") is sometimes useful. This is mainly appropriate for identifying a specific contact among multiple and time is permitting. Otherwise, just use a cardinal direction.

Second, orient your element to the direction of the contact. In order of preference, it's: cardinal direction (e.g "North!", "South east!"), clock bearing where element's direction of travel is 12 o'clock (e.g "3 o'clock!"), and then relative bearing (e.g "Right!", "Left!"). If the hostile is close enough to where it's an imminent threat, append any kind of phraseology that gives off urgency. This is normally done by yelling "Close!".

Third, describe to the element the contact type. By default, without this, it's assumed the contact is infantry unless there is context to the contrary. Examples of this include "Infanty!", "APC!", "Tank!", "Armor!", "Helicopter!", etc. The more specific you are capable of being, the better (e.g "Black Hawk!" is slightly preferable to "Helicopter!"), but you are doing fine if you can quicky get out if it's infantry, air, armor, or a combination of the 3.

Lastly, expound on anything pertinent. What to add here will come with experience. You are doing more than fine as a riflemen if you consistently give an alert, orientation, and description. As an example for expound... is the contact approaching the element or going further away? If you spotted infantry, and your buddies are in a vehicle, do you see anyone with AT? Things like that. If you didn't give a range during orient, now is the time to do it — range is required, even if it isn't specific (e.g saying "Medium!" or "Far!" is fine).

Buddy system

In almost all situations, it's preferable to make use of the buddy system. This when you and a single other soldier decide to be "buddies" and enable the feature by use ACE interaction on one another. Once you are buddies, the idea is you keep tabs on your buddy, and they do the same to you, so that you keep one another safe. At a bare minimum, once a firefight concludes, you should briefly survey the element and verify your buddy is up and has received care if needed. The intent of this system is to mitigate the risk of a soldier going down and being left behind by the element, or a soldier who is overwhelmed or otherwise needs assistance never getting it.