Don't Underestimate Logistics, Soldier!
Supplies win wars. And victory in Arma Reforger often hinges on which team runs logistics more effectively. Of course, having a strong presence on the battlefield with capable fighters is important. However, not having just as dedicated squads tasked with obtaining, delivering, and utilizing supplies makes holding these points near impossible.
So, don't run into the command tent of a freshly captured base to build an armory just yet. Be methodical, calculate your options, know your priorities, and most importantly, coordinate with your fellow soldiers. Ultimately, a unified platoon is stronger and has a higher chance of dominating the island.
The Basics
Supplies are a currency in the world of Arma Reforger. You obtain and spend them in order to reach your ultimate goal of winning the war. But it's not as straightforward as using money. Supplies have to be obtained from supply depots, capturing points of interest, even stealing from enemies. Once you have a comprehensive enough network, your bases can generate supplies in the background to keep you in the fight. Everything you request at any base or depot costs supplies. Spawning at bases or on deployed radios costs supplies. Every service you build costs supplies too, but the more services you have, the more supplies your base is capable of holding, which in turn makes your base more formidable.
Obtaining Supplies:
Supply Depots
Scattered throughout the map
Some marked on your map with a green marker, and some hidden around the map in towns, villages, houses, warehouses, etc.
More often than not defended by FIA fighters armed with small arms and RPGs
Hold medium to large amounts of supplies, but can be depleted
Usually marked with a "ZÁSOBOVACÍ STANICE - ZÁKAZ KOUŘENÍ" wooden sign
Points of Interest / Capture Points
Each base to capture comes with a small number of supplies, usually not enough to build any service unless adjacent to a supply depot
Supplies from these points can be taken to more important bases at the cost of the inability to spawn
Enemy Supply Vehicles
Usually found behind enemy lines, but can belong to an advancing force
Can be stolen upon eliminating the occupants
Can be destroyed along with the vehicle
Decommissioning
When you're low on supplies and need them ASAP, decommissioning unnecessary equipment like vehicles or services is always an option
To decommission vehicles, you need a maintenance point
The more expensive to obtain, the more supplies will be given back upon decommissioning or disassembly
Even damaged, captured, and/or civilian vehicles can be decommissioned
Generated Supplies
Up to 1500 supplies can be automatically generated
This can only happen to the bases within radio signal range of a Main Operating Base and with a Radio Relay Station built
The rate depends on the number of bases linked via radio signal
As you can see, supplies can be obtained in a multitude of ways. It is up to you, which tactic you'll choose. Bear in mind you don't have to do it alone. Get a squad together and make it your mission for the current match to keep all of your bases stocked up and built up. This can prove essential to holding the island and eventually winning the war.
Helpful tips:
Keep your team in the loop. Once you find a hidden supply cache, mark it on your map so the rest of your platoon can utilize it.
The FIA defends supply points to the death. When approaching a supply cache with a vehicle it is safer to park it further away and out of sight, clear the area of enemies, and then bring your vehicle to load up.
Read base stats. Each one of your bases has its stats displayed on the map. In the picture above, Cavalry Hill currently has 370 supplies available and is able to hold up to 3200 supplies. The number in parentheses (+5) shows the rate of automatically generated supplies.
Vehicle supply capacity:
US
M151A2 Off-Road
Open top - 30
Closed top - 100
Armed M2 - 30
M998
Light utility vehicle open top - 180
Light utility vehicle canopy - 315
M1025 Armed M2 - 200
M997 Ambulance - 180
M923A1 truck
Transport - 600
Arsenal - 450
Ammo - 450
Construction - 550
Repair - 350
M934A1 truck
Command - 450
UH-1H "Huey" helicopter
Transport - 290
Armed - 290
USSR/FIA
UAZ-469 Off-Road
Open top - 120
Closed top - 180
Armed PKM - 120
UAZ-452A "Buchanka"
Ambulance - 160
Ural-4320 truck
Transport - 600
Arsenal - 450
Ammo - 450
Construction - 550
Repair - 350
Command - 400
BTR-70
APC - 230
Mi-8MT helicopter
Transport - 400
Armed - 400
Civilian
Šárka 105 - 80
Šárka 1203 - 270
UAZ-469 Off-Road
Open top - 120
Closed top - 180
Ural-4320 truck
Transport - 600
Quick Tip:
Supplies can either be loaded or unloaded by utilizing the contextual menu at the trunk of the vehicle or by using the inventory screen.
Composition/services supply capacity:
US
Command post
Holds 600
Ammunition supply depot
Holds 2100
Light vehicle maintenance point
Holds 600
Heavy vehicle maintenance point
Holds 3400
Three separate storage points in the composition
Living quarters
Small
Holds 400
Large
Holds 4500
Three separate storage points in the composition
Hospital
Holds 2000
Helipad
Holds 1300
Radio relay station
No supplies stored
Fuel supply point
No supplies stored
All of the above allow for up to 14500 supplies in storage
The storage space effects stack
USSR
Command post
Holds 600
Ammunition supply depot
Holds 2100
Light vehicle maintenance point
Holds 500
Heavy vehicle maintenance point
Holds 3400
Three separate storage points in the composition
Living quarters
Small
Holds 400
Large
Holds 3200
Three separate storage points in the composition
Hospital
Holds 1600
Helipad
Holds 1300
Radio relay station
No supplies stored
Fuel supply point
No supplies stored
All of the above allow for up to 13100 supplies in storage
The storage space effects stack
FIA
Command post
Holds 500
Spending Supplies:
Building Services and Structures
Radio relay towers, armories, vehicle depots, barracks, hospitals, bunkers, defensive positions, helipads, refueling stations, and more
Some structures run a risk of supplies being depleted quickly by other players, so they are best built last and when the base has enough stock (armory, vehicle depot)
Not all can be built from the start, some are rank-protected
Most expensive of all player-requested content
When decommissioned, they generate the highest returns
Vehicles
Provide mobility and fighting ability at a cost
Some can even provide additional services like mobile spawn points, mobile construction points, casualty extraction, and fuel transfer
Can store additional equipment and ammo in trunk to be kept near a battlefield
Some are rank-protected
Can be destroyed, but also decommissioned (even the civilian ones found on the island)
Spawning
Each player spawn costs supplies
The cost is determined by multiple factors
Your saved loadout
Presence of certain services (i.e. living quarters)
AI units also cost supplies
Deploying a custom loadout at your Main Operating Base does not cost additional supplies
Loadouts
Every weapon and subsequent ammo for it obtained in the armory costs supplies with the exception of basic magazines for the default AK-74 or M16 rifles
Different uniforms, vests, backpacks, helmets, bags, and grenades cost supplies
All can be saved as a custom loadout to have equipped the next time you have to respawn, but the cost can then be significantly higher than spawning as a basic infantryman
Helpful tips:
Choose what you build wisely. Building an armory immediately at the beginning of the match or at a recently captured base can quickly deplete supplies.
Don't go wild with your loadouts. Spawning at a base and gearing up with tons of ammo, explosives, and weapons can be detrimental to other players who want to spawn at the same point.
Default loadouts are often more than enough. Consider using a default loadout when spawning at bases with low supplies.
Don't underestimate AI base defense. Spawning AI defenders is often a more useful investment than equipping an expensive loadout and leaving to capture more bases.
The Battlefield Is Yours
In the end, how you choose to approach the task at hand is entirely up to you and your platoon. Running your supply points dry and stretching your forces thin can be a viable tactic if you're certain your comrades can stay alive, well-equipped, and fight formidably. This way works best if you're after a quick and decisive victory. It can also backfire if you're up against an enemy playing the slow and steady approach of a fully supplied network of bases and POIs. Those can prove nearly impossible to crack and defeat. Once you have enough of everything, you can even start building up key locations, roads, and towns with roadblocks, bunkers, and defensive positions to funnel enemies into kill boxes. This will draw out their advances, deplete their supplies further, and even demoralize the troops.
Arma Reforger is a complex sandbox military simulation. Whichever tactics you choose to play can make a tremendous difference in the outcome of the match. Experiment, try out all the different ways of fighting, explore new strategies, and learn as you go. The worlds of Everon and Arland are yours.
