Hammer Plt
Task Force Jackal
Hammer Platoon
Scope
This document introduces the vehicles, tactics and equipment used by Hammer Platoon to support other elements during Task Force Jackal Operations.
Purpose
This document is designed to provide a clear, practical guide to the effective operation of armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) within Arma 3 and TFJ Operations including main battle tanks (MBTs), infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), and armored personnel carriers (APCs). It covers fundamental crew roles, tactical movement, fire procedures, communication, and common combat scenarios.
Organisation
The Platoon is made up of two vehicles at all times, Hammer 1 and Hammer 2 with 1 being the command vehicle. Each vehicle is made up of a Commander, Gunner and Driver. The vehicle selection will be mission dependent and what the Platoon leader chooses.
Introduction
Armored vehicles are one of the most powerful force multipliers on the modern battlefield. In Arma 3, when used correctly, they can dominate terrain, provide decisive firepower, and support infantry operations with speed and survivability. When used carelessly, they are large, loud, and highly vulnerable targets.
Hammer is a supporting arm of the Task Force, tasked with transporting infantry troops to and from objectives, providing fire support, destroying enemy armor and fortifications and working together with other supporting elements of the Milsim to achieve tactical superiority and operational success.
1 - Basic Vehicle Anatomy
• Hull: The main body that houses the engine, fuel, crew, and ammunition. Offers frontal, side, rear protection; hull angling matters.
• Turret: Rotating weapon mount holding the main gun, coax MGs, optics, and sometimes missiles. Turret traverse and depression/elevation rates affect engagement choices.
• Tracks/Wheels: Mobility system. Tracks provide off-road traction; wheels are faster on roads.
• Engine: Determines speed and acceleration. Engine damage can immobilize the vehicle even if the turret still fires.
Main Armament: The primary weapon (tank gun, autocannon). Choose ammo to match the target (AP, HE, HEAT, canister).
• Secondary Armament: Coaxial MGs, roof HMGs, grenade launchers, ATGM pods etc. used for soft targets and self-defense.
• Optics & Sights: Day optics, thermal scopes, laser rangefinder. Limitations/reach of your sights determine engagement ranges.
• Protection Systems: Composite/steel armor, ERA, smoke launchers, active protection (if present in mods). Know what your vehicle has and how it behaves when hit.
• Secondary Armament: Coaxial MGs, roof HMGs, grenade launchers, ATGM pods etc. used for soft targets and self-defense.
• Optics & Sights: Day optics, thermal scopes, laser rangefinder. Limitations/reach of your sights determine engagement ranges.
1.1 Armament Types
AP - Armour Piercing (Designed to penetrate heavy armour)
APFSDS - Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot (Designed to penetrate heavy armour, with improved flight characteristics, basically a better version of AP), also T variant with tracers
HE - High Explosive (Designed to destroy non armoured targets like infantry or non armoured vehicles, has very little armour penetration capabilities)
HET - High Explosive Tracers (Designed to destroy non armoured targets like infantry or non armoured vehicles, has very little armour penetration capabilities, easier to see the rounds, especially at night)
HEAT- High Explosive - Anti Tank (Designed to penetrate heavy armour, slightly worse that AP variant, this round relies on Chemical energy to penetrate the vehicle and is vulnerable to ERA armour, this round is better at disabling lightly armoured vehicles than APFSDS)
AB - Air Burst ( HE rounds designed mainly to counter air targets such as helicopters, these are set to blow up in the air after traveling a certain distance set by the optic’s range)
HEATFS - High Explosive - Anti Tank Fin Stabilized (Designed to penetrate heavy armour, slightly worse that AP variant, this round relies on Chemical energy to penetrate the vehicle, has to be aimed very well to disable specific components and is vulnerable to ERA armour, Fin Stabilization improves accuracy)
HEAT Tandem - High Explosive Anti Tank Tandem (these are 2 HEAT warheads stacked on top of the other, designed to penetrate ERA, as the first warhead will disable the ERA and the second will penetrate the rest of the armour, exclusively found on missle/rocket type ammunition)
HEDP - High Explosive Dual Purpose (Designed to Slightly penetrate armour and then deal heavy damage to targets inside, this can also be used as a normal HE round)
HESH - High explosive Squash head (This round can be used for clearing out infrastructure such as houses, and is also effective against lightly armoured targets)
HEP - High Explosive Plastic (identical to HESH)
1.2 Armour Types
Composite - a series of angled (mainly steel, aluminum, ceramic, quartz, rubber or other materials)plates that have air gaps between the plates, this is the most common heavy armour for NATO tanks
ERA - Explosive Reactive Armour ( plates of hardened steel that sandwich a piece of explosives that detonates when impacted, protecting the vehicle from HEAT rounds, these do not stop APFSDS style rounds, most russian tanks layer ERA on top of Composite armour)
NERA - Non Explosive Reactive Armour ( same thing as composite, these can be hit multiple times, as opposed to ERA which is single use)
Slat - A metal fence with a large air gap between the vehicle and itself (designed to protect against HEAT style threats and get destroyed when hit, used on IFVs for being far lighter than the Composite alternative
1.3 Keybinds
Turn on Radar Ctrl +R (M-SHORAD)
Cycle Main/secondary weaponry 1,2,3
Laser Rangefinder T
Lock On Vehicle T (M-SHORAD)
2 - Vehicles & their respective equipment
This part of the document is made to introduce new members to the different vehicle variants that HMR operates in order based on their usefulness.
2.1 M1296 (Dragoon)
Main Armament: 30mm XM813 Autocannon (APFSDS, HE-T, AB)
Secondary Armament: 7.62mm M240C (M80A1)
Crew Capacity:Driver,Gunner,Commander+8 seats
Additional Notes:Functional Smoke system(2x uses)
2.2 M-Shorad (Shorad)
Main Armament: 30mm XM914 Autocannon (HEDP-T)
Secondary Armament: 2X AGM-114L Hellfire II (Radar guided)
4X FIM-92 Stinger (HEAT)
7.62mm M240C (M80A1)
Crew Capacity:Driver,Gunner,Commander+8 seats
Additional Notes:CTRL+R to turn on vehicle radar
Legend of the Radar Display
2.3 M1126 (Crows)
Main Armament: .50in M2 (Ball)
Secondary Armament: 4X FGM-148 (Guided by reticle)
Additional Notes:Functional Smoke system(2x uses)
2.4 M1128 (MGS)(Metal gear solid)
Main Armament: 105mm M68A2 Cannon (5X APFSDST, 6X HEAT, 5X HEP, 2X Canister)
Secondary Armament: 7.62mm M240
Crew Capacity:Driver,Gunner,Commander
Additional Notes:Canister Shot acts as a shotgun, non functional smoke system
2.5 Vehicle Logistics
When you are out on the field and your ammo or fuel reaches approx 50% of full capacity, you should relay that information to the platoon commander, he will forward it up the chain of command and start the process of delivering more supplies to the AO, as that process is fairly lengthy and dependent on the availability of other sub units that may be busy at the time on other assignments so it is important that you transfer this information long before you are actually in danger of running out of ammo or fuel, eventually a helicopter will bring the resupply to a designated landing zone (LZ) that will be communicated down the chain of command, then either both vehicles or only one at a time and move to the LZ and start rearming.
2.5.1 Vehicle Resupply
In the field, crewmembers can resupply either ammo or fuel to the vehicle.
To resupply the ammo for your vehicle you need an ammo resupply crate, ACE interact on it, go to “Take Ammo”, select your vehicle, and select the ammo you want to resupply, unloading takes 10s, you then ACE interact on your vehicle and select “Rearm”
To resupply fuel for your vehicle you need a fuel drum, ACE interact on it, select “Refuel”, and then select “Take fuel nozzle” and look towards your vehicle, if you are close enough you will get the option to connect it by pressing left click.
When you have multiple people resupplying the same vehicle, everyone who pulls out a resupply for one of the weapons must say what type of ammo they pull out before they begin the action.
3 - General Tactical Doctrines
3.1 Spacing & formation
• Open terrain: 100-300 m between vehicles (reduce density to avoid mass casualties from AT/air strikes).
Close/urban terrain: 30-100 m with dismounts deployed to clear flanks.
Column vs line: Use columns on roads for mobility; switch to line or echelon formations for battle deployment.
• Avoid cresting: Expose minimum silhouette; pop up only to fire and then reposition.
3.2 Bounding overwatch (two-vehicle example)
• Vehicle A (cover): Stops and covers the sector, gunner suppresses observed threats.
• Vehicle B (move): Moves forward to next cover while Vehicle A watches, suppressing OPFOR at the same time
• Switch: Vehicle B stops, covers, Vehicle A moves up. Repeat.
3.3 Urban movement
• Dismount first: Clear buildings, rooftops, alleys.
• Use smoke: Provide obscuration but coordinate to avoid blinding your own optics.
• Rooftop & window threats: Always check vertical angles with dismounts before advancing.
• Corner clearing: Slow, supported moves with vehicles providing overpressure fire if needed.
3.4 Counter-AT & ambush response
• React-on-contact: Return fire to suppress, then immediately displace laterally to break AT aim.
• Smoke & withdraw: Use smoke to cover extraction; pick a short lateral move to disrupt guided missiles.
• Dismount counter-attack: Send infantry to sweep likely AT positions while armor suppresses.
• Kill zone avoidance: Avoid predictable routes and narrow defiles without recon.
4 - Vehicle Communications
Vehicle communications are an essential asset and requirement to a well functioning and effective hammer platoon.
Communications devices required are:
AN/PRC 152 (Team Channel) Channel 20/21
AN/PRC 152 (Hammer Platoon Channel) Channel 19
AN/PRC 117F (Command Net (COY) – Only req for vehicle commander) Channel 02
4.1 Callsigns
Hammer command vic:
WarHorse 6
All other Hammer vehicles are to name WarHorse 6, WarHorse 7… etc.
4.2 Callouts
All vehicle members are required to call out potential threats to the vehicle commander. It is then the vehicle commander's job to then relay this to the relevant channels. The commander acts as the ‘filter’ for all communications to the other hammer vic and, if necessary, to the command net.
All hammer platoon vehicle commander(s) are required to be on Net 02 (command net). Only the platoon leader (or acting platoon leader) is to transpond on the COY net. Unless the platoon lead goes down, then the secondary hammer commander is to take over comms on COY net until the primary commander is back functional.
Handover of this is to happen on platoon net, not on COY net. Simply let the acting platoon lead you are back in action and ready to take over. Then check in again on COY net.
4.2.1 Hostile Callouts
The callout for a hostile vehicle / infantry would be as follows.
“WarHorse 6 this is WarHorse 7, we have eyes on an enemy (Tank/IFV/APC/Infantry) NEE, 700m.”
(unless stated otherwise, assume the distance and direction are based on the vehicle that gives the callout)
With this callout you can be as descriptive as you believe is necessary. If there is a large amount of AT present in the squad of infantry you are calling out, this may be something additional which you want to add to warn your vehicle commander of a threat.
After every engagement, a contact report must be sent to the This contact report will be dealt with by the vehicle commander, before giving out the contact report, you must ask the platoon commander if he is ready to receive it. The contact report will look like the following:
-WarHorse 6 this is Warhorse 7, contact report.
-Warhorse 7 go for contact report.
-Contact report is as follows: engagement with squad of infantry, all infantry neutralized, Warhorse 7 is Green Green (good on health and ammunition).
In the case that you or your vehicle took damage, be sure to note this in the contact report as this may indicate that you are not immediately available, or 100% combat effective, which is an important part for COY and Hammer lead to know.
5 - Conclusion
Armored vehicles are powerful assets that, when used effectively, can decisively influence the outcome of any mission. Mastery of their capabilities, limitations, and tactical employment is essential for maximizing their impact on the battlefield. Remember, success with armored vehicles relies not only on individual skill but also on seamless coordination with infantry, reconnaissance, and support elements. Continuous training, adaptability, and communication are the cornerstones of effective armored warfare in Arma 3. Remember that you are not a one man army or an autobot when operating these armoured vehicles and that the other elements of the unit rely on you as much as you rely on them.
Thank you for reading this manual and I hope it will help you out on the battlefield.