FLO: Frontline Operations

Project overview and operator reference.

FLO is a persistent Arma 3 combined-arms campaign packaged as a HEMTT addon. The server owns campaign startup and runtime systems, so the campaign can continue after all players log off. A logged-in admin is still required to configure a fresh campaign, and saved progress is loaded only when explicitly selected.

Features

• Dynamic objectives, frontline ownership, staged capture, and strategic links.
• Independent EAST and WEST GTN commanders for attacks, defense, reserves, and support.
• Persistent virtual groups that activate near players and return to simulation-safe virtual state.
• Resource-backed logistics, supply nodes, replacements, transport, artillery, and air support.
• Civilian population, reputation, local intel, missions, and reactions to combat.
• A Store for gear, vehicles, and recruitable AI; the legacy Arsenal and request menu are removed.
• UI-based FOB/COP deployment; physical deployment containers are no longer required.
• Explicit save, continue, and reset flows for long-running hosted or dedicated campaigns.

Requirements

Runtime:

• Arma 3 version 2.18 or newer.
• CBA_A3.
• Any mods required by the selected custom or auto-discovered factions.

Development:

• The bundled HEMTT executable at .tools/hemtt/hemtt.exe, or a compatible HEMTT installation.

Custom faction fields and runtime requirements are documented in the faction data reference.

Build and Test

Run from the repository root:

.\.tools\hemtt\hemtt.exe check
.\.tools\hemtt\hemtt.exe build
.\.tools\hemtt\hemtt.exe launch

• check validates config and SQF without packaging.
• build writes flo_main.pbo to .hemttout/build/addons/.
• launch starts the configured missions/FLO_Test.Altis development mission with CBA.

HEMTT diagnostics must be fixed at the source; do not suppress them. For a manual mod layout, place the built PBO at @FLO/addons/flo_main.pbo and load both CBA and FLO on every server and client.

Start a Campaign

Set FLO > Campaign > Campaign launch mode in CBA settings before mission initialization:

Mode	Behavior
Fresh setup	Ignores saved progress and waits for an admin to complete setup.
Continue saved progress	Loads a valid FLO save; otherwise starts fresh.
Reset saved progress	Deletes the current FLO save and starts fresh.

Fresh setup configures factions, commander posture, player start, starting territory, enemy presence, objective filtering, virtualization limits, reputation, and resources. Starting money defaults to 5000.

The setup dialog opens only for a hosted server or a client logged in as admin. Once initialization completes, no player commander or occupied slot is required to keep server-owned campaign systems running. Clients remain on the deployment screen until the server publishes FLO_MissionReady, then receive one cleanup respawn at the campaign start.

Player Controls

• Open the FOB/COP Deployment Panel with Ctrl+Shift+D. Deployment requires an admin, officer, or group leader and is validated by the server.
• Use the Store action at a FOB or COP to buy gear and vehicles or recruit AI.
• Commander support, civilian interactions, tasking, and map intel appear through their in-game actions and notifications.

Persistence and Admin Tools

FLO stores campaign data in the server profile namespace. Saves never auto-load: select Continue saved progress for the next session. Changes to faction pools or objective templates do not retroactively reseed groups already stored in an old save.

Add money from the admin debug console:

[5000] remoteExecCall ["FLO_fnc_addMoney", 2];

The amount is added to the server-authoritative balance and synchronized to clients.

Factions

Custom definitions provide the fallback unit, vehicle, air, support, and Store pools used throughout the campaign. The editable files are:

• blu_custom.sqf
• opf_custom.sqf
• civ_custom.sqf

The setup UI also discovers compatible loaded CfgFactionClasses entries. Bundled curated presets have been removed; use custom definitions for deliberate class selection and pricing, or select auto-discovered factions for loaded-mod compatibility. Numeric force composition is configured in the setup UI rather than duplicated in faction files.

Initialization

fn_addonPostInit.sqf starts the addon on server and clients. The server then runs fn_initPhaseManager.sqf in this order:

1. Detect or reset saved progress.
2. Load saved configuration or wait for fresh setup.
3. Build faction catalogs.
4. Index or restore objectives.
5. Seed or restore virtual forces.
6. Start commanders, logistics, civilians, support, and client systems.

Clients finalize only after the server marks the mission ready.

Repository Layout

Path	Purpose
addons/main	Authoritative addon source and config.
addons/main/Functions	FLO gameplay and framework systems.
addons/main/UI	Store, deployment, setup, and HUD definitions.
addons/main/Factions	Custom faction data and schema reference.
missions/FLO_Test.Altis	HEMTT launch and integration-test mission.
.hemtt/project.toml	Build and launch configuration.

Runtime systems belong under addons/main; the test mission should remain a thin shell.

Diagnostics

Use the Arma RPT and search for these prefixes:

Prefix	Meaning
[FLO_INIT]	Server initialization phases and failures.
[FLO_INIT_CLIENT]	Client readiness and finalization.
[FLO_SETTINGS]	CBA setting registration.
[FLO][PERF]	Startup and heavy-system timing diagnostics.
[FLO][MONEY]	Authoritative balance changes.

Phases 3 and 4 emit startup-only [FLO][PERF] measurements for objective indexing, graph construction, save restoration, virtualization setup, and group seeding. Compare logs only under similar map, faction, save, and objective conditions.

Common checks:

• Missing CBA settings: confirm CBA and FLO are both loaded, then inspect [FLO_SETTINGS] lines.
• Setup dialog does not open: select Fresh setup and log in as admin or host the session.
• Continue mode starts fresh: inspect [FLO_INIT] for a missing, incomplete, or incompatible save.
• Initialization stalls or fails: find the last completed phase and the reported FLO_InitError.
• Build problems: run hemtt check first and fix every reported source issue.

Contributing

Use CONTRIBUTING.md for commit-message requirements. Keep transient handoff state and implementation-specific design notes out of this operator guide.

License

FLO is distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0.