ArmA 3's Remnants of War campaign has players assume the role of Nathan MacDade, an explosive specialist working for the IDAP Non-Government Organisation. It was added with the release of the Laws of War DLC.
Following the aftermath of The East Wind, the NGO has been stationed on Altis - the main island in the Mediterranean country of the Republic of Altis and Stratis. MacDade has been sent on an investigation following reports of a civilian being killed by landmines at the long-abandoned mountain village of Oreokastro.
Summary[]
NOTE: Remnants of War takes place during and after the events of The East Wind and at the same time as Apex Protocol.
The war portrayed in "The East Wind" is over, but it left scars which will take years to heal. One town was hit particularly hard.
Following the dissolution of the hardline AAF government led by Colonel Akhanteros, IDAP has returned once more to the island nation in order to provide humanitarian aid to the civilian population affected by the fighting.
As a senior veteran of IDAP's field operations, Nathan MacDade and his assistant are sent to aid in the clean up of UXO and minefields that are still scattered throughout Altis and Stratis. After reports come in of a civilian being found to have been killed by a landmine, one of their destinations include the long-abandoned village of Oreokastro, a former FIA stronghold located in north-western Altis.
Throughout the painstakingly slow demining operation, Nathan MacDade reminisces about his time spent as an aid worker in Oreokastro, and discusses the various incidents and reports that occurred in the lead up to the town's destruction and abandonment in an online interview with Katherine Bishop, a journalist working for AAN World News.
A V-44X Blackfish paradrops much needed supplies into Oreokastro.
| « | Katherine: Tell me more about Staff Sergeant Adams - you met on a previous deployment? Nathan: No, actually, this was after I'd left the military. Previous deployment with IDAP - Takistan. Must've been... God. Fifteen years ago? I think. Feels like another lifetime. Nathan remembers SSG Thomas Adams
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His first recollection dates back more than a year ago, about his time spent working alongside NATO liaison Staff Sergeant Thomas Adams. A week after the failed FIA uprising at Kavala, essential supplies such as water, medicine, rice and grain at the IDAP camp in the centre of the village were running critically low.
With guerilla raids on convoys making ground transportation too dangerous, not to mention controversial in light of the recent uprising, SSG Adams arranged for an airdrop instead. Though it was extremely risky and his team came under attack from bandits, Adams successfully guided the airdrop in safely with none of the supplies being lost.
| « | Y'see... the guerrillas there, they'd found themselves a new leader. Charismatic. Ex-military. For him, this was no 'time to surrender' - far from it. In fact, he used that time to rally his people - encouraged them to resist, build defenses. Nathan comments on Stavrou having sown the seeds of rebellion amongst the citizens of Oreokastro
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Nathan's second recollection also dates back almost a year ago, and this time discusses the story of Alexis Kouris. Disillusioned with the rampant corruption throughout the military, he defected to the FIA after the NATO withdrawal.
An AL-6 Pelican operated by the AAF disperses propaganda leaflets over the village, warning its inhabitants to surrender immediately to government forces.
A new and highly charismatic leader of the FIA rallies the citizens into open rebellion, turning the village into a major FIA stronghold. Months after the village was forcibly taken away from government control, Oreokastro has now become a major symbol of the ongoing insurgency.
With the village representing a significant threat to the stability of his government, Akhanteros orders a full scale attack to retake the village by any means necessary.
Propaganda leaflet dropped by the AAF prior to the siege.
As the AAF prepares to lay siege to the village, Alexis assists in the defence by setting up a roadblock using vehicles requisitioned from the locals, and establishes a minefield at key chokepoints leading into the village.
Despite the odds being against them, the guerillas fare better than expected and half a month later they continue to hold the line against the AAF.
| « | The army's offensive against the town, it seems like - well - a disaster, to be honest. Some even blamed the army command - said they gifted the enemy time to organize. Nathan commenting on the AAF's disastrous attempts at taking Oreokastro
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Meanwhile, Akhanteros was beginning to grow impatient with the AAF's continued defeats. Their repeated failures to seize the village from a small group of guerillas was politically embarrassing, not to mention a drain on its resources. Growing desperate, the AAF eventually resort to drastic measures in order to quell the uprising once and for all.
The CSAT cluster bomb that would forever change Oreokastro.
| « | Katherine: A cluster bomb - that's... rather indiscriminate. Even if it was laser-guided. Nathan: Sure, I mean, with a designator, you just... switch it on, aim it at, well, whatever. The idea is that you remain in place - y'know, keep the laser on-target. But, even if it's done perfectly? Lotta... uncontrolled variables. Nathan recalls the cluster airstrike after finding a disused laser designator in one of the ruined houses
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Nathan's third recollection then goes into detail about a supposed cluster airstrike ordered in by CSAT special forces that not only broke the guerilla's defences, but was also responsible for the razing of the entire town aside from the local church and IDAP camp, leaving it in its present day state.
His fourth recollection goes into the story of a local mechanic called Markos Kouris, the younger brother of Alexis Kouris, who recalls the aftermath of the cluster airstrike that obliterated the village.
The immediate aftermath of the cluster airstrike.
Lawfully protected by his rights as a non-combatant, Markos limped his way unarmed through both the rubble and crossfire in order to get medical aid at the church. But along the way he witnesses many war crimes being committed by both the AAF and the FIA.
The fifth and final recollection details the story of Kostas Dimitriou, an officer assigned under the command of Major Gavras. Taking place at the height of the NATO invasion of Altis, the AAF are being quickly overwhelmed as CSAT withdraw their support for Akhanteros.
Helicopters from the 111th ID control the skies over Oreokastro as Gavras and Dimitriou make their last stand.
Remaining CSAT units begin to either pull out towards the east of the island or surrender peacefully to the invasion force. With NATO closing in, Gavras attempts to buy time for the remainder of the AAF in the south to evacuate by setting up a defensive position at Oreokastro, hoping to draw NATO forces away from Kavala and other AAF-held towns.
The attempt is essentially a suicide mission however, as there is no way for AAF command to reinforce him. Gavras' position is predictably overwhelmed by NATO air power and his extraction helicopter is shot down as well. Out of options and unable to retreat, Gavras decides to make a last stand at the church.
With Dimitriou in tow, they set up mine dispensers to cover their flanks and even manage to successfully hold off a small squad of NATO soldiers and FIA guerillas; including Alexis Kouris, who is killed in the assault on the church. After barely managing to survive the battle, the duo emerge from the rubble and, to both their surprise and luck, AAF command are able to dispatch a helicopter to extract them.
| « | Katherine: Talk to me about the Major. What happened when he returned? Did he survive the war? Nathan: Yeah, he did. He's pretty much the reason NATO's invasion lasted three days instead of one. You heard about the fierce fighting at Kalochori, right? Katherine: Yes, a colleague of mine covered that, actually. Nathan: Well, that was Gavras. He held the line 'til the government capitulated. And now? Actually, he's involved in the peace process. Nathan remarks on Gavras' survival
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It is explained that Gavras survived all the way to the end of the war, and even managed to take charge of the defence at Pyrgos several days later.
Present-day Oreokastro. Nothing remains in the village except for bitter memories and unexploded ordnance.
Towards the end of the cleanup, it is finally revealed that the remains of the civilian that was reported to have been killed at the church is none other than Markos Kouris himself. He was attempting to find out what happened to Alexis, but in a somewhat ironic twist ended up dying at the same location as his brother.
| « | Now, there's just one last question I'd like to ask you. It's subjective, so, take your time. In your opinion, who's most to blame for all the suffering in Oreokastro? NATO? The guerrillas? CSAT? The Altis Armed Forces? Or, I don't know, something else? Katherine asks for Nathan's opinion on who is blame for all the destruction
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Having gathered enough information to write her article, Katherine thanks Nathan and concludes the interview, but not before asking for his opinion on who is to actually blame for the village's destruction:
| « | I mean, I don't think it's quite so 'black and white'. It's more... black and grey. Hell, grey and grey, y'know? No one side can be held accountable for the bloodshed here. No one action got us where we are now. And the folks here in Oreokastro? They're the ones that've suffered. This is the reality. This is war. MacDade's assessment
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Oreokastro's destruction was not the result of a binary conflict between "good" and "evil". It was not the result of any single group or entity's actions, but the culmination of five years worth of intrigue and political manoeuvring that sowed the seeds of its destruction. There were lone individuals on the ground who tried to do the right thing, but were overruled by those in positions of higher authority who took advantage of the village's situation for their own self-interests.
At the end of it all, only the villagers paid the ultimate price.
| « | They had the capacity to make a difference, y'know? The airdrops were helpful, but it was never enough. And, ultimately? Their invasion caused more bloodshed. If they'd just had the guts to stay in the first place? A lotta killing could have been avoided... MacDade's assessment
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Their supposed role of "peacekeepers" had done nothing to halt the bloodshed. They stood back not because they lacked the power or influence to stop the fighting, but simply due to political unwillingness and indifference towards the plight of the villagers. When they did finally act, it was too little, too late, and their destructive, poorly coordinated invasion resulted in even further loss of life.
Oreokastro will forever be a testament to the NATO alliance's incompetence and malicious negligence.
| « | There was a ceasefire in place, albeit a delicate one, y'know? And that cluster strike? It took the whole thing to the brink - and with so little to gain from such a terrifying show of force. The whole thing's felt like a power-play from the get-go. One big pissing contest. It always is... MacDade's assessment
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The post-civil war ceasefire agreement was by no means ideal but in spite of its flaws, it was a functional framework that ensured some semblance of stability on the island nation. CSAT's geopolitical games with its rivals destroyed that framework. They enabled the AAF to carry out atrocities. They were the ones who fanned the flames of rebellion. And ultimately, they were the ones who willingly performed a war crime to further their own ambitions.
Their alliance of "shared opportunities and partnerships" is nothing more than an arrogant mission statement, a mockery of a statement tinted with the blood of innocents.
| « | It's one thing fighting against a resistance - it's another to make the civilian population pay for it. As they clung on to power, they wound up scarring the very country they'd pledged to protect... MacDade's assessment
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Violating one ceasefire agreement after another, the AAF and their unrestrained, heavy-handed methods of dealing with the FIA were simply excuses to collectively punish the weak alongside those who peacefully challenged their authority. They cared little for the lives they took, and in their hasty defence against NATO's invasion, ensured that future generations of Altians will continue to suffer from the effects of landmines and UXO for decades to come.
The AAF was neither an army of the people nor a republic. Oreokastro was just one of the many examples where an army of thugs and bloodthirsty criminals used fear and intimidation to demonstrate their "power".
| « | They chose to dig deep into civilian infrastructure. They hid themselves among the population. These guys didn't give a damn about what it cost. They wanted power, and would do anything to get it... MacDade's assessment
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The guerillas were the ones who deliberately incited an armed rebellion to further their own goals. They claimed to be a "People's Army", yet they exploited the genuine discontent and anger of ordinary Altians to brainwash them into serving as human shields. The FIA supposedly stand upon a moral high ground compared to the government, and yet they resort to the same barbaric methods used by the very oppressors whom they consider illegitimate.
They did not fight for equality or peace, but to gain power at any cost. The price of their ambitions was simply paid by the villagers of Oreokastro.
Having shown him a draft of her final article with MacDade's conclusion added, she bid a farewell to the aid worker. With the last of the UXO and landmines at Oreokastro now finally removed, Nathan and his team packed up their gear and prepared to move out to another site to clean.
Timeline[]
Oreokastro Memory (16th May, 2034)
Nathan details his memories at Oreokastro more than a year prior to the events of the The East Wind, when he was first assigned to the village while it was still under government control. NOTE: While chronologically this is the first mission in the timeline for the campaign, it is either the second or third mission gameplay-wise depending on whichever memory that the player accesses first. The Peacekeeper (28th May, 2034)
SSG. Adams directs the paradrop of much needed humanitarian supplies. The Guerrilla (30th September, 2034)
With the AAF's siege imminent, Alexis assists in setting up the defences by creating a roadblock of vehicles that are then set alight. He also sets up 'hybrid' minefields comprised of bounding APERS and heavy AT mines at key chokepoints on roads leading into the village. The Redacted (13th October, 2034)
An alleged CSAT 3-man special forces team is paradropped behind enemy lines near the Oreokastro castle ruins. They clear out the guerrillas one by one and proceed to call in the cluster bomb airstrike that would break the siege, but would also result in the annihilation of the town. The Survivor (13th October, 2034)
Heavily injured and caught up in the crossfire between the remaining FIA guerrilas and AAF assault force in the aftermath of the airstrike, Markos limps his way through the ruins to reach the church where the IDAP camp was relocated in order to get medical assistance. The Major (8th August, 2035)
Gavras and Kostas decide to make their last stand at the church where the IDAP camp used be located several months ago. They set up minefields at three points leading into the churchyard, and manage to fight off overwhelming numbers of NATO soldiers and FIA guerrillas. Alexis Kouris is killed in the fighting. The Brother (15th August, 2035)
Several days after the end of the war, Markos attempts to find out what happened to his brother Alexis by returning to Oreokastro. He enters the church but is inadvertently killed by the same landmines that were placed by Dimitriou. His death is what leads to IDAP returning to the village to investigate the incident. NOTE: This mission is chronologically the last mission in the timeline, but is played first as it is what leads to the events of the mini-campaign. |
Achievements[]
- Remnants of War
- Finish the campaign by locating all leftover UXO pieces and successfully playing through the main memories. It does not matter as to which order you choose to revisit them in.
- Memories of Oreokastro
- You must complete all main memories and also locate all of the mini-memories scattered throughout the campaign's "hub".
- Listen closely for faint echo sounds and parts of the environment which appear to be "shimmering". Once again, order of completion does not matter.
- Humanitarian
- You must choose the "humane" options/routes for all main memories:
- All of the airdropped supply crates must arrive intact in The Peacekeeper. If even one breaks then your progress on this part of the achievement will be rendered null (you can revert to a previous save to redo the sequence, however).
- When constructing the barricade in The Guerrilla, you must commandeer other vehicles in the village that are not used by the IDAP. Using any of the IDAP's vehicles (like the Ambulance) will instantly void your progress.
- Identify both the worker (near the church) and the doctor administering help to his patient in The Redacted. You must wait until the doctor has returned to the IDAP camp before calling in the airstrike or else he will still be killed in the aftermath.
- You must not kill anyone in The Survivor, whether that be FIA guerillas or AAF troopers.
- Do not execute wounded NATO soldiers/FIA guerilla fighters in The Major who get incapacitated by Gavras' mine dispenser fragments (his kills do not affect your progress).
- You must choose the "humane" options/routes for all main memories:
Trivia[]
- Remnants of War is the first ARMA campaign to involve more than four playable characters.
- It is also the first campaign where one playable character is able to canonically kill another one (albeit in separate missions).
- To date, Remnants of War also remains as the sole campaign in the entire series where a REDFOR faction is canonically playable (not including the unofficial, third party-developed Red Hammer campaign for ArmA: Cold War Assault).
- Chronologically, it is the longest campaign to date as it takes place over the span of multiple time periods; beginning more than one year prior to the events of The East Wind, six days after the first mission in the Prologue, and then reverting to the present day while the fourth/fifth missions of Apex Protocol take place.
- Katherine's final draft of the article will be written differently depending on the player's actions throughout each memory and who they choose to have Nathan lay the blame on.
- It is heavily implied in the ending for The Redacted memory that the cluster bomb strike on Oreokastro was not called in by CSAT special forces but by a CTRG team led by Scott Miller instead.
- This is further reinforced by the fact that "NATO mil-spec casings" were reported to have been found by the investigation team. Incidentally, the CTRG members that are briefly visible in the ending cutscene are shown to be wielding the SPAR-16 series of cased 5.56 mm assault rifles.
Gallery[]
See also[]
- Operation Black Gauntlet (previous)
- Beyond Hope (previous)
- Prologue (previous)
- The East Wind (concurrent)
- Stepping Stone (concurrent)
- Steel Pegasus (concurrent)
- Apex Protocol (concurrent)
- Old Man (next)
| Campaigns | |
|---|---|
| Cold War Assault | Resistance (1982) • Cold War Crisis (1985) |
| Armed Assault | Armed Assault (2006) • Rahmadi Conflict (2006) • Royal Flush (2007) |
| ArmA 2 | Harvest Red (2009) [ Eagle Wing ] • Silver Lion (2010-2012) • Operation Arrowhead (2012) • Operation Crimson Lance (2012) • Operation Black Gauntlet (2013) |
| Tactics | Operation Tempest (201X) • Operation No Deal (201X) |
| ArmA 3 | Beyond Hope (2026) • Prologue (2034) • The East Wind (2035) [ Survive, Stepping Stone, Adapt, Win, Steel Pegasus, Altis Requiem ] • Remnants of War (2034/2035) • Apex Protocol (2035) • Old Man (2038) • First Contact (2039) |
| Mobile Ops | Liberator of Lignos (20XX) |
| Entries are listed in canonical order from left-to-right. [Brackets] denote campaigns taking place concurrently within the same time period. Italics denote spin-off or non-canon campaigns. | |