Arma Combat Ops in Arma Reforger: The Ultimate Solo Tactical Experience

Combat Ops in Arma Reforger represents a groundbreaking addition to the Arma series, offering players a deeply immersive and tactically rich single-player and cooperative PvE experience. This article breaks down what Combat Ops is, how to master its mechanics, and why it has become one of the most engaging singleplayer and coop aspects of Arma Reforger.

Fighting in Arma Reforger combat ops is dynamic and intense.

Arma Reforger Combat Ops is essentially the PvE game mode that serves as the spiritual successor to fan-favorite community scenarios like "Overthrow" and "Antistasi." It can be played solo or cooperatively with friends and is set in two primary maps: Arland and Everon. Each has its own narrative backdrop.

In Everon, you play as part of the FIA, a resistance force trying to reclaim the island from Soviet occupiers before the United States intervenes. Arland offers a smaller, more accessible alternative for shorter sessions, and you get to be the Americans. These missions are not static; they evolve based on player actions, AI responses, and real-time strategic decisions.

Upon launching the Combat Ops mode, players start at a “safe house.” This base of operations provides access to a wide range of weapons, gear, and vehicles. It's also where players can first assess their objectives, plan routes, and build a custom loadout. From here, you branch out into a massive, open-world sandbox where every corner of the map may hide enemies, resources, or new strategic opportunities.

One of the defining features of Combat Ops is its mission diversity. Objectives range from gathering and delivering sensitive Intel to capturing and transporting fuel trucks, eliminating high-value targets, or defending strategic locations under siege. These missions are randomized and vary in complexity, ensuring no two playthroughs feel exactly the same. Each objective type tests different aspects of tactical planning—some may require stealth and reconnaissance, while others demand brute-force assault and rapid coordination.

Arma Reforger’s Combat Ops gives you a lot of opportunities to use different weapons and loadouts.

The AI in Arma Reforger’s Combat Ops is notoriously competent. Enemies patrol dynamically, respond to sound, and will flank, suppress, and sometimes even counterattack your positions. That being said the AI isn’t perfect, and could use some more work. Their fire is very inaccurate unless they are extremely close to you. That being said, they do have a wide range of intelligent behaviors that are somewhat impressive, though they are not nearly as dangerous as a human opponent.

To survive and succeed, understanding the map is crucial. Everon is a large, Cold War-era island filled with rural towns, thick forests, mountain paths, and military installations. Players must make strategic use of hideouts (marked by green triangles), weapon caches (orange markers), and exfiltration points. Once a base or location is captured, it becomes available for fast travel and respawn. But beware: the AI can reclaim these areas, rendering them unsafe and revoking access until they are liberated again.

A unique advantage in Arma Reforger Combat Ops lies in the Game Master integration. When hosting a session locally, players can enable Game Master tools, giving them complete control to spawn arsenals, vehicles, enemies, or even change the weather. This hybridization of sandbox tools and structured missions allows for unmatched customization. Want to play as a squad deep behind enemy lines? Want to storm an airfield with helicopters? The tools are at your fingertips.

This mode also encourages logistical planning. Players are given free reign to gear up from faction-specific arsenals—FIA, Soviet, American, or civilian gear is available, offering massive loadout diversity. However, being over-encumbered will slow you down, and death means retrieving your gear manually unless precautions are taken. This makes inventory management and tactical loadouts a vital part of the gameplay loop. Some players opt to leave backup supplies in vehicles or near their spawn tents to stay operational even after setbacks.

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Navigating the terrain is an adventure on its own. Unlike most games that spoon-feed navigation through glowing waypoints, Combat Ops challenges you to understand the lay of the land. Players use realistic land navigation by identifying terrain features, reading roads, and gauging orientation using in-game maps. Movement techniques like crawling through brush or using terrain elevation for overwatch positions are necessary to avoid detection and maintain tactical superiority.

Arma Reforger Combat Ops can be played cooperatively with friends by hosting servers or joining open lobbies. Hosting allows the use of admin tools like setting player limits, enabling crossplay, adding passwords, or even launching modded versions of the mission. Playing in a squad elevates the tactical possibilities—players can divide roles (medic, grenadier, sniper), coordinate flanks, and use voice comms to orchestrate complex assaults. Friendly AI also contributes by providing supporting fire, reviving downed comrades, and defending bases, although their effectiveness is best supplemented by human teammates.

Setting up spawn points is a core part of successful long-term strategy. Players can deploy military tents which function as portable respawn zones. This is critical for deep incursions into enemy territory. Once a tent is deployed, it provides a fallback location should the operation go sideways. This saves time, keeps momentum, and adds another layer of tactical decision-making regarding where and when to establish these forward operating bases.

For players who enjoy modding, Combat Ops is a dream come true. Mods can enhance everything from sound design and UI to adding modern weapons, vehicles, and faction reskins. Want to fight as NATO Special Forces with suppressed rifles? Or recreate historical Cold War conflicts? Mods provide an endless canvas. When combined with the Game Master tools, modded Combat Ops missions become fully customizable war simulations.

There are a lot of enemies to overcome in Arma Reforger combat ops.

Winning in Arma Reforger Combat Ops requires more than brute strength. Flanking maneuvers, managing stamina, supply routes, and exploiting AI vulnerabilities are all part of the meta. For example, using suppressed weapons, moving prone, or attacking at night can give players the upper hand. Supporting AI offensives, setting ambushes, or planting explosive traps for vehicles are all viable approaches depending on the mission parameters.

What makes Combat Ops so special is its depth and replayability. Every time you play, the objectives change, AI behavior shifts, and player decisions rewrite the course of the mission. Unlike linear campaigns, Combat Ops is reactive and adaptive. It forces players to think critically, improvise, and evolve their strategy as the scenario unfolds. Whether you’re a lone wolf operating behind enemy lines or coordinating a full-scale offensive with your squad, the thrill is unmatched.

Arma Reforger’s Combat Ops mode is more than just a side game mode—it is a full-fledged tactical sandbox that delivers the core Arma experience in a flexible, replayable format. With its robust mission design, AI complexity, open-world freedom, and integration of Game Master tools, Combat Ops stands as a pinnacle of what PvE tactical shooters can be. Whether you’re diving into Arland for a short skirmish or launching a full-scale liberation of Everon, Combat Ops is where Arma Reforger truly comes to life. If you haven’t yet explored this mode, you’re missing out on one of the most authentic military simulation experiences in modern gaming.