Artwork by LongLiveQuebec
Welcome to the September News
There is so much going on right now, as we write this, from a hotel room in the USA. Team Savage has been engaged in some super-exciting transatlantic activities with our MACV SOG veteran friends, while other team-mates have been working hard this month to bring you cool gaming events and making new content. Here’s how the month went.
- S.O.G. Prairie Fire v1.2.1 hotfix
On 8th September the 1.2.1 hotfix update was released which fixed a number of small bugs and issues reported by the community after the release of the massive 1.2 Content Update. Thanks to all who submitted tickets, which allowed our team to rapidly investigate and develop these fixes. Thanks also to Bohemia Interactive (especially our hero Dedmen) for essential support with some of the tougher issues.
You can read the full changelog here:
https://forums.bohemia.net/forums/topic/234698-sog-prairie-fire-changelog/?tab=comments#comment-3465825
- Ghostrider Don Haase on the Jocko Podcast
Our favorite Crew Chief who assisted with the development of S.O.G. Prairie Fire participated on the Jocko Podcast last month. A must-listen for those interested in the combat helicopter perspective of MACV-SOG operations in Cambodia. Don and Tilt are good buddies and it surely shows in this heartwarming show.
- Tilt Meyer hosting Team Savage at his home
Savage CEO Rob “Eggbeast” Graham had the chance of a lifetime to visit with SOG legend and Prairie Fire DLC character John “Tilt” Stryker Meyer at his home near Nashville. This was a great chance to discuss plans for future titles in the coming years, beyond Arma 3. We can’t reveal anything about that at this stage, but it was great to deepen the bonds we have with the vets, who really appreciate our take on bringing their wartime experiences to a new audience through gaming.
- Hall of Heroes dedication at 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Kentucky
Team Savage were advised about SOG equipment by The Modern Forces Living History Group during the DLC development. These guys have the best SOG knowledge in the world, and they cemented this reputation assisting the Special Operations Association with their design for a unique MACV SOG display at the 5th Special Forces Group HQ at Fort Campbell.
As part of the display, Team Savage created a 15 minute looping movie telling the story of SOG using DLC game footage, original film and audio footage and some of our veteran interviews. The movie has been uploaded on Don Haase’s YouTube channel, so you can watch it.
The display features Chief SOG John K Singlaub, Ken Bowra’s RT Idaho interpreter Bong, Medal of Honor recipient Bob Howard, and SOG recon legend Eldon Bargewell in a permanent memorial display, which was opened by the current commanding officer of 5th Special Forces Group, Col. Brent Lindeman, with about 100 5th Group members present.
- War Games at the Imperial War Museum, London
The Imperial War Museums 'War Games' exhibition went live this month - if you're in London, be sure you don't miss it - especially as Arma 3 and SOG Prairie Fire are part of the exhibition! Marek Spanel, Ivan Buchta, and Joris-Jan van 't Land all share developer insights in this unique museum experience at the worlds premiere war museum.
https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/war-games
- SOG Prairie Fire further supports Medal of Honor presentation
During our field trip to the USA, we had the chance to meet personally with Colonel Paris Davis, the 83 year old Special Forces veteran who was twice denied the Medal of Honor due to US Army errors. You may recall that Team Savage assisted with the DOD presentation package in recreating scenes from his heroic battle in 1965 where he saved 3 of his wounded men under intense assault from a VC battalion.
We recorded two podcasts with the Colonel, recounting his experiences during his 3 combat tours in Vietnam. These will be out on our Youtube channel soon, raising awareness to support the campaign to award him the Medal of Honor, 57 years after he rightfully earned it.
SOG Prairie Fire gaming events planned
There are quite a few events planned during October:
Friday Night Fight returns to Vietnam this November 18th and 25th with its unique sportscasted large scale 120 Players PvP events. Just as last year, FNF is back at the vietnam war theme.
Planned for the29th of October, this event will combine the Halloween holiday spirit with the Vietnam War. Be ready for a spooky night of fighting in the jungle with more than just NVA/VC.
The MACV-SOG Recon Team (RT), RT Columbia, was deployed behind enemy lines on a routine reconnaissance mission.Their mission was to report any enemy movements in the border close to Camp Striker. Whilst on their patrol the SOG team started to send reports to command that caught the attention of the CIA agent stationed in Camp Striker.
At 23:54, RT Columbia reported the sound of a huge explosion somewhere to their South West. This was first thought to be an airstrike that occurred in the Area, although command was quick to reject the idea as no other SOG Teams were operating in the Area in that moment.
At 00:43, as Columbia kept pushing through the jungle, the team reported the smell of a strange gas which they could not identify. The team started to suspect that the explosion might be connected to such. Few minutes after this report, the CIA agent in Camp Striker called up a CBRN team and told them to prepare.
Both Teams are now getting ready to find out what that explosion was.
Back on October 9th, we challenged lcpl_liru to zeus a large-scale Co-op mission for our devs and our community players. The Battle of Coral-Balmoral, fought by the 1st Australian Task Force and the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam 7th Division and Viet Cong Main Force units, 40 kilometers north-east of Saigon.
Playing as the Australians, Liru simulated the several days the battle was fought, so both day and night fighting occurred as well as tank battles. We hope to bring more historical events like this soon!
- RT Raleigh Campaign Events
Players wishing to learn to play the campaign like MACV SOG, and experience it with like-minded players are welcome to join the RT Raleigh semi-private group in our discord. Devs and hardcore SOG players from our RT Columbia team are strap-hanging and helping them get organised using several dedicated servers provided by our sponsor OpenGroup.
You can sign up for all this action in our discord.
New content on the horizon
We can’t yet say what we have coming in the 1.3 update, but there are quite a few vehicles, weapons and factions we know you wanted. Making this stuff takes time, and we hope you enjoy playing with the new 1.2 content in the meantime!
Veteran Welfare with SOG Colonel Dick Thompson
We are very happy to announce that, due to fundraising activity by you, the SOGPF community, Dick Thompson’s ARSENAL stress resilience service is now available free of charge FOREVER to veterans!!
If you are a veteran please take the survey, which takes about 10 minutes, and you can then recommend its benefits to your friends who might need it more. Vital stuff - please sign up in our discord in the Welfare Channel.
Community mod news
- SOG AI - Solo campaign AI support
Here's a mod for the Single Player community! You can now play the SOGPF campaign with an AI squad that is responsive, immersive, with minimum micro-management.
Please subscribe and upvote on Steam to reward JohnnyBoy for his work.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2812560646
They have introduced their latest terrain - Lowlands remastered - as well as introducing the A-37 Dragonfly and KA-6D tanker to the air fleet, and bringing back the O-2 skymaster.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2554978758
- Vengeance - A Family Saga
Looking for something different to playing an American soldier? How about a local militia, or a Cambodian farmer arming his family? Do you want a mission with a voice acted and cinematic story, just like in the good old days? If so, then "Vengeance - A Family Saga" may be something for you. Feedback is more than welcome on Steam:
Single Player:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2849419674
Multiplayer:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2848893760
Looking to enhance your experience on the beautiful riverways of Vietnam? The River Junks have arrived! These craft were present on the deltas and coasts of Vietnam, used heavily by civilian and VC forces for the movement of goods and people. This first release features the civilian variants. Keep your eyes on the river, VC variants coming soon.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2843194368
The sixth and final mission in the Secret War series is now released. You can find all the missions here:
SW01: Operation Sandbox
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2843733867
SW02: Operation Thunder
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2844476201
SW03: Operation Romeo
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2845020540
SW04: Operation India
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2845021478
SW05: Operation Kilo
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2846434672
SW06: Operation Echo
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2848892354
November, 1969. A 5-man SASR patrol is inserted into the fortified May Tao mountains to gather intel ahead of a full-scale operation by 6RAR/NZ. Put your mastery of jungle warfare to the test.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2856874816
- Death from Jungle campaign
Here’s a very interesting looking campaign released on Steam by Werkzn. Story driven where you play on VC side. Vietnamese characters are voiced in Russian with subtitles, and it works. Voicing in any language makes scenes come alive so much more than just reading sub-titles.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2864828687
- Recondo campaign reworked (ACE, TFAR etc)
With FUBAR's permission, kMan has re-worked his 5-part Recondo campaign. He tried to keep it as original to FUBAR's original campaign and remade the missions using ACE, ACE SOG Compat and CBA. TFAR is recommended. He has also implemented Johnnyboy's Punji Mace Trap script in the campaign so watch out!!
Recondo Intro: "Return from Nha Trang" ACE
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2869367320
Recondo Chapter 1: "Field of Fire" ACE
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2869377424
Recondo Chapter 2: "Red Cross" ACE
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2869394981
Recondo Chapter 3: "Grass Feeder" ACE
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2869400249
Recondo Chapter 4: "Sand Castle" ACE
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2869405358
Featuring 7 custom hand-made factions, and a number of improvements, compatibilities, and features between cDLCs! And a totally normal AK-74N.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2870121348
Closing remarks
Well as we sit here sipping a beer in our US hotel, we can see that the SOG Prairie Fire community is growing stronger every day, with new content pouring out from the community, new content being prepared in secret by Team Savage, and with our impact being felt and gratefully received by our veteran advisers and the members of the Special Operations Association, whose stories we are telling and whose history we preserve together as a unique part of the Arma 3 community.
Let’s raise a beer to the men of SOG and their brave opponents, and the indigenous soldiers who fought alongside SOG. Break Contact! Continue Mission!