Arma III/Unused Vehicles
This is a sub-page of Arma III.
Just to be clear: to be inline with other sources, here "camouflage" refers to different colors and textures, while "variant" refers to different types and configurations. For example, the Ifrit MRAP has two camouflages—Hex and Green Hex—and five variants—unarmed, RCWS HMG machine gun turret, and RCWS GMG grenade launcher turret. References to military camouflage designs themselves such as MTP, Green Digital, and Hex are referred to here as "patterns".
Contents
Land Vehicles
Wheeled
Sand Strider
A Sand camouflage for the AAF's Strider MRAP exists in the game's files but does not appear in regular gameplay. The Sand pattern is associated with NATO, which suggests the Strider was intended to be a NATO vehicle, either in formal service or captured from the AAF and repainted. It was replaced by the Hunter, with the Strider being transferred to the AAF as their MRAP.
The Sand camouflage can be applied with the setObjectTexture scripting command.
Hex Hunter
A Hex camouflage for NATO's Hunter MRAP was prominently displayed in prerelease screenshots in both unarmed and RCWS-equipped variants. The Hex pattern is associated with CSAT, and pre-alpha screenshots show CSAT soldiers driving this vehicle, indicating the Hunter was originally intended as a CSAT vehicle. It was likely cut when the developers decided the Hunter—based on the Oshkosh M-ATV that is in active service with the United States Army and Marine Corps—would not be fitting as a vehicle commonly used by a faction opposing the U.S.. It was replaced in CSAT service by the Ifrit, based on the Russian ZIL Karatel, which is more in-line with the game's lore (Russia regularly sells equipment to CSAT).
The Hex camouflage for the Hunter is no longer in the game, and was likely removed and replaced by the default Sand camouflage.
AMV-7 Marshall Mortar Carrier
A mortar carrier variant of NATO's AMV-7 Marshall infantry fighting vehicle was planned and modeled before being mostly removed. This variant replaced its 40 mm Cannon with a 120 mm Mortar based on the Patria NEMO. It was possibly cut because the inclusion of the M4 Scorcher self-propelled artillery and M5 Sandstorm multiple rocket launcher, both of which are also NATO vehicles and have the same game mechanics as mortars, made a NATO mortar carrier excessive and unnecessary.
Though its model no longer exists, a leftover portrait render, portrait_amw_amos_ca.paa, remains in the game's files.
AMV-7 Medevac
A medical variant of the AMV-7 Marshall was also planned. This variant was unarmed by default, but could optionally be equipped with an RCWS turret, suggesting it was meant for combat zone extraction rather than merely serving as an armored military ambulance.
Like the AMV-7 Marshall Mortar Carrier, this vehicle's model no longer exists, but a leftover portrait render, portrait_amw_medevac_ca.paa, remains in the game's files.
Sand AFV-4 Gorgon
Like the Strider, a Sand camouflage variant of the AAF's AFV-4 Gorgon IFV exists, but does not appear in regular gameplay. It was also possibly intended to be a NATO vehicle in formal or informal service, before being replaced by the AMV-7 Marshall and transferred to the AAF as their IFV.
The Sand camouflage can be applied with the setObjectTexture scripting command.
Zamak LRS
A multiple rocket launcher variant of the AAF's Zamak truck was planned to be added to the game at launch, but was ultimately absent. Though an actual MRL variant of the Zamak was added in the Tanks DLC, that one is called the "Zamak MRL" and is a separate vehicle, and it is unknown if it uses assets that were intended for this.
The text string str_a3_cfgvehicles_i_truck_02_mlrs_f0 refers to this vehicle. Nothing else of the vehicle remains.
Tempest LRS
Like the Zamak, CSAT's Tempest truck was also meant to have a multiple rocket launcher variant at launch, except one was never made, even with the Tanks DLC.
The text string str_a3_cfgvehicles_o_truck_03_mlrs_f0 refers to this vehicle. Nothing else of the vehicle, if it was ever made, remains.
Tracked
Green Digital and Hex IFV-6c Panther and IFV-6a Cheetah
Green Digital and Hex camouflage variants of the IFV-6c Panther armored personnel carrier and IFV-6a Cheetah self-propelled anti-aircraft gun exist in the game's files and can be seen in several pre-alpha screenshots. As Green Digital is associated with the AAF and Hex is associated with CSAT, these were possibly meant as placeholders or even the only APCs and SPAAGs in the game, but the developers ultimately decided each faction should have their own APC, and the IFV-6c Panther was simply reconfigured into NATO's. In the final game, CSAT uses the BTR-K Kamysh, while the AAF uses the FV-720 Mora.
Both camouflages can be applied with the setObjectTexture scripting command. Green Digital is apc_tracked_01_body_indp_co.paa, while Hex is apc_tracked_01_aa_body_opfor_co.paa.
Green Digital and Hex M2A1 Slammer
Like the IFV-6c Panther, NATO's M2A1 Slammer main battle tank also had Green Digital and Hex camouflages, which can be seen in several promotional screenshots. It was likely meant as the tank for all factions in the game before the developers decided to give each faction their own. In the final game, CSAT uses the T-100 Varsuk, while the AAF uses the MBT-52 Kuma.
These camouflages appear to have been removed by the final release.
MBT-52 Kuma SLAT
A variant of the AAF's MBT-52 Kuma MBT equipped with slat armor, a type of armor consisting of bars or grids surrounding the vehicle to protect it from high-explosive anti-tank munitions, was intended to be added to the game at launch. It is unknown why this was cut. Though the Tanks DLC added optional slat armor to all armored vehicles including the MBT-52 Kuma, it does not appear to be the same as this planned variant.
A text string in stringtable.xml, str_a3_cfgvehicles_i_mbt_03_cannon_slat_f0, refers to it.
T-100 Varsuk Railgun
CSAT's T-100 Varsuk MBT originally had a trapezoidal railgun instead of a conventional tank gun. This futuristic weapon was intended to embody CSAT's reliance on technology and science for all purposes including warfare, and had it been added it would have been the first railgun in the Arma series. It was cut after an internal review of each faction's order of battle demanded they use traditional equipment, and the railgun was considered "hard sci fi", i.e. nowhere near "traditional". In the final game, the T-100 Varsuk uses a 125 mm Cannon. A variant of the T-100 Varsuk with a railgun, the T-100X Futura, would finally be added in Update 2.14 for Arma III's tenth anniversary and strongly resembles the railgun-equipped T-100 Varsuk as seen in pre-alpha screenshots, but for all intents and purposes the concept of the railgun being standard was cut.
Two ammunition entries, B_coil_5g_spike and B_coil_20g_spike, appear to have been munitions for the T-100 Varsuk's railgun, but they only exist as text strings in the configuration files.
Aircraft
Rotary-Wings
Armed UH-80 Ghost Hawk
An armed variant of NATO's UH-80 Ghost Hawk utility helicopter was apparently intended to be added to the game, possibly as an equivalent to CSAT's Mi-48 Kajman gunship, featuring stub wings carrying unidentified weaponry. It resembles the real Sikorsky MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator, a gunship variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk upon which the UH-80 Ghost Hawk is based, that is armed with forward-facing miniguns, a 30 mm chaingun, rocket pods, and air-to-ground missiles. Why it was cut is unknown.
heli_transport_01_armed_ca.paa and map_heli_transport_01_armed_ca.paa are icons for this vehicle in menus and on maps, respectively. Nothing else remains of it.
CH-49 Mohawk Luxurious
The AAF's CH-49 Mohawk transport helicopter has an unused "Luxurious" interior model. It consists of, from back to front, a row of three seats facing what appears to be a cabinet and a small desk, a two-person table with a computer, and another row of three seats facing a four-person table with two computers. What this was meant to be used for is unknown, though it was most likely a VIP transport; however, as its filepath, hsim\air_us_h\helicopters_medium\, stems directly from Bohemia's 2011 flight simulator Take On Helicopters—which is where the CH-49 Mohawk's model originates from—this may just be a leftover from that game that the developers forgot to remove while porting the model over.
The "Luxurious" interior's model name is interior_luxurious_f.p3d. It has invalid textures.
M900 Stripped
A variant of the civilian M900 light helicopter that simply removes all optional components such as the doors, rear two seats, holding frame, and skid treads. What it was meant for is unknown, though like the CH-49 Mohawk, it may have simply been a leftover from Take On Helicopters, which is where the M900's model originates from.
M900 Luxe
A variant of the M900 that is basically the same exact thing as the above, but with all of said components installed. Likewise, what it was meant for is unknown, though it may have been a VIP transport similar to the CH-49 Mohawk, or it may have also been a leftover from Take On Helicopters.
Fixed-Wings
F-38/F-35F
The F-35B Lightning II from Arma II appeared in pre-alpha screenshots as the F-38 and alternatively the F-35F. According to Bohemia in a beta OPREP, the F-35 was only added to test the game's fixed-wing flight model and PhysX interactions with aircraft as well as showcase flight in gameplay, and though they did try to find ways to update and remake it to suit the updated setting of Arma III—going as far as to give it a unique two-tone grey paint scheme that wasn't in Arma II—shifting priorities led to them giving up. The later Jets DLC added the F/A-181 Black Wasp II fighter jet, which is loosely inspired by the F-35C, but the F-38/F-35F has never resurfaced.
Nothing remains of this vehicle, and it was very likely completely removed from the game once aircraft testing and promotional image-taking was completed.
