Arma 3 King of the Hill - A Comprehensive Guide

This is a comprehensive guide to Arma 3 King of the Hill by SaMatra.

Koth is continuously being updated so portions of this guide may become outdated, feel free to contribute info to help keep it up to date!

I will be looking to cover every single aspect of the game including weapons, vehicles, outfits, strategies, map locations etc.

If you like what you see please rate the guide and give up a thumbs up.

Intro

This guide aims to cover all aspects of King of the Hill. If you would like anything added, or have content to contribute please contact me.

King of the Hill is a "hold the area" game mode where three teams compete against each other. The team with the most players in the designated area will gain points. If there are equal amounts of allied and enemy team members in the AO, then no points are awarded until someone takes the lead. Once a team has 100 points it is game over.

There are many different cities where this takes place, and both Altis and Tanoa are supported.

Your character levels up as you gain enough XP from performing various acts such as holding the AO or killing enemies. As you level up you unlock better weapons, scopes and clothing choices.

You earn money much like you do XP, this allows you to purchase weapons and vehicles.

You can also find some expanded explanations of the UI, and in game shortcuts for things like earplugs on the Koth Wiki: https://wiki.armakoth.com/gamemode

Locations

Towers indicated can be turned off by server owners so may not be present on all servers.

NOTE: I am still missing some new locations that have been added in recent updates and will add them at some point

Kavala

Agios Dionysios

Chalkeia

Charkia

Pyrgos

Athira

Zaros

Sofia

Neochori

At Spawn

First thing you need to do is set up your view distance settings. You need to do this every time you change a faction or join the game.

Player Menu

Press "~" located next to number 1 on your keyboard.

The game normally saves your progress automatically, but you can click the 'save now' button to force save it.

You will also be able to see your total play time, total money earned and total XP gained.

For a quick summary of badges and how to unlock them, refer to the wiki here[wiki.armakoth.com]

Settings

Go to "settings" and max out all of the view distances which will be set by the server you are playing on. If you do not max them out, you will be at a disadvantage.

I also recommend turning off "environment affects" to remove rabbits, birds and insect sounds from the game. It also boosts your FPS.

Group Management

You may also elect to start a group or join a group via the groups tab. This allows you to easily see members of your group whilst in the game.

Select Your Loadout, Perks & Outfit

Next you need to select your perks from the perks vendor, weapon loadout from the loadout vendor and outfits from the outfit vendor.

For vanilla Koth perk prices and descriptions, refer to the wiki here[wiki.armakoth.com]

Secure Transport to the AO

Now that you are ready, go jump in one of the helicopters that are normally waiting to take you to the AO.

If there are none, you can either wait or purchase a vehicle yourself from the vehicle vendor.

There is also the option of using the spawn vehicle if it is deployed in the AO. You access that from the map object next to where you buy vehicles.

Map

Assuming you get to hitch a ride to the AO, take some time on the journey there to view your map and decide where you want to go, what spots are of strategic significance and where you are most likely to face adversaries from.

Arma 3 Vehicle Basic Principles (needs some more images)

Radar use

Learning how to use the radar is a critical skill. Most advanced vehicles rely heavily on ir in order to be effective. This is especially true for the AA Tanks such as the Tigris and Cheetah, aircraft such as the Wipeout, Neophron or Buzzard, and attack helicopters such as the Blackfoot and Kajman.

Normally the radar differentiates between friends and enemies (green and red) but in King of the Hill the vehicles you use are not bound to factions as they are in the campaign (blufor, opfor and independent). As a result the dots simply mean that something is there.

Another trick is that you can see where your gunner and commander are looking by the slight grey cone within the radar. This can be helpful if they are calling out enemies and you need to quickly locate where they are looking. A good alternative is to use compass bearings or degrees, or directions based on the numbers on a clock (where 12 o'clock is straight ahead and 6 o'clock is right behind you).

Landing (Jets)

You can rearm and repair jets in King of the Hill at any available airfield.

The best way to learn is to practice in the VR simulator or undertake the 'fixed wing' showcase from the Arma 3 singleplayer menu. Buying planes in KotH when you do not know what you are doing is just a waste of money.

See the image for the basic landing principles.

Countermeasures

Countermeasures are used to defeat incoming missiles. The image on the right is mostly referring to aircraft but ground vehicles such as striders, APCs, tanks etc all have a smokescreen as their countermeasures, usually controlled by the commander.

If you use the [CMSR] perk you will automatically release countermeasures when an incoming rocket is detected. You can also manually release them when a rocket is detected or for other purposes such as generating concealment with a smokescreen to revive a downed ally or block a sniper's vision.

Missilles & Rockets

The Titan AT allows you to guide by aiming rather than locking on which is preferential for AT purposes as it does not give an incoming rocket warning. With the release of the Tanks DLC certain launchers now have two types of firing modes (Direct, or Top Down). Other than that refer to the images below for further information.

Cover

Protect your vehicle and its occupants by using cover such as walls, buildings and hills. It helps to protect your wheels and driver where possible.The less exposed you are, the greater your life expectancy.














Peeking Strategy (Since Thermals are Removed)

Since the removal of thermals in vehicles, skilled players tend to use the "peeking method". This involves parking your vehicle behind a hill, getting out and peeking over the top with a laser designator (as it still has thermals available), marking targets such as enemy armour etc. Then returning to the vehicle and cresting over the hill to engage your predetermined targets. This strategy is highly effective because enemy armour will generally be unaware of your presence, so you will be able to get the first few shots in. An effective counter to this strategy is to have solid communication with your team, and keep your own armour crews informed of enemy armour movements.

Roles and Their Strategies Part 1: Ground Crews

Intro

There are various roles that are required in King of the Hill. Whilst you are free to do whatever you want, it is a team based game and if you want to win with a fat end-of-game bonus then you had best work as a team. This means being adaptable to your own team and enemy teams' dynamics.

Snipers

The role of the sniper is to engage targets at extreme ranges of up to 2000m, counter-snipe, and provide intelligence on enemy vehicle and soldier movements.

Generally your will need a ghillie suit and seek to camp a hill, house or landmark with a good view of the towers of the AO and if counter-sniping a good view of the surrounding hillsides. If you have the [DSNR] perk you can use the inbuilt thermals to easily detect and range enemies and provide intel for your team.

When you have your spot, take some time to familiarise yourself with the ranges to the relevant landmarks such as hills, any towers, and landmarks (such as the castle in kavala). This means that if you spot an enemy you can quickly zero your rifle without wasting time pulling out the rangefinders. You can also quickly range targets by pressing "M" to open the map, locating the spot you want the range to, then "Shift" + "Left Click" on it and it will set an in-game marker with range.

For high level players, the level 50 Lynx comes with APDS mags, allowing for significant armour penetration. This allows you to shoot through the walls of towers and hit enemies inside. This is highly effective at suppressing towers. Enemies will occasionally glitch through the walls, or their weapons will stick through the structure, allowing you to know exactly where they are.

Designators

This role involves designating enemies with the [DSNR] perk. This role is only really useful when used in conjunction with a good aircraft pilot or a sniper team.

The strategy involves using your designator by pressing "b" and then left clicking. This makes a red X appear at whatever you are looking at. Designating tanks allows for planes to drop guided bombs on your designated target and will get you kill assist cash and XP.

Designating enemy soldiers/snipers will not get you anything but will allow your own team's snipers to locate and eliminate them easier. Sometimes you will camp with a sniper and provide them with ranges to the targets, allowing for quicker kills and kill assist cash and XP.

This role does not earn a lot of money and is highly specialised. I would not recommend you use it. Rather consider sniping and occasionally using the designator to call out intel for teammates on enemies you cannot kill.

Assault

The assault role is the generic role for people who are going to be in the AO winning points and killing enemies. Whether this involves camping in a tower and winning with sheer numbers, or roaming the streets killing enemies.

Work as a team and communicate in order to be the most effective. Call in for support if there are enemies that you cannot deal with such as armour or snipers. Try to stay alive and avoid dying needlessly.

You will get bonus cash and XP for reviving teammates but you will also get bonus cash and XP for teammates in close proximity getting kills.

When you see a downed player, confirm who/what killed them and at what range. If an enemy was close, ensure that they have moved on or have been killed prior to attempting to revive. If an enemy was far away you should pay attention to their firing line on the victim and ensure you stay out of it or use concealment.

Assess the situation and decide whether or not to deploy smoke. Do not just blindly run out to revive a downed ally, he may be camped by the enemy who killed him. Smoke creates concealment meaning people cannot see you. It also makes a giant smoke cloud which gives away your position (a prime target for rockets and other anti-infantry weapons). You can also use vehicles to create cover between you and the shooter whilst you revive your teammate.

Heavy Support

Heavy support roles are specialists within the AO. They carry either LMGs or RPG launchers and are more capable at destroying enemy vehicles and suppressing enemies with sustained fire or explosives.

Consider camping main roads where enemy vehicles frequently drive through, making use of satchel charges or clean firing lines on the roads.

You may also choose a location with good views of the relevant towers and lay down suppressing fire whilst teammates attempt to storm a tower. Suppressing fire can deafen enemies to footsteps and also cause them to panic and be less effective.

Roles and Their Strategies Part 2: Vehicle Crews

Dedicated Transport

This role involves flying back and forth from spawn to the AO. 1 player is needed for this role.

There are 2 ways of doing this: landings or paradrops. Ground vehilces are not recommended for this role as as it takes significantly longer to get to the AO and leaves you more vulnerable to jets, attack helis, tanks and AT crews.

Landing provides a greater cash reward for the pilot but is the riskiest for the team. The chanches of your landing zone getting camped and entire squad wiped out are increased. Landings should only be performed by skilled pilots and are generally not recommended.



The other option is to paradrop teammates in. This simply requires the pilot to be above 100m and above or near to the AO. Ensure that you keep up to date with the latest intel from your team so you don't drop teammates into a killzone. Flying too high leaves you vulnerable to AA so stay low after leaving spawn. Flying too low leaves you susceptible to gunfire so gain height before the AO.

This role can be rather boring but is vital. The quicker you can get reinforcements to the AO, the more likely it is that your team will gain points and win. Winning results in greater payouts of end-of-game bonuses.

Lastly, speed is a critical factor. Using aircraft such as VTOLs are not recommended for novice pilots as you will take too long to land and take off. Hummingbirds are a solid choice but Tarus are able to withstand 2x AA rockets and are slightly faster with the cost of reduced manoeuvrability. Adapt your helicopter choices based on skill and the dynamic requirements of the particular game.

Combat Aircraft Pilots

The combat pilot's job is to control the airspace and the battlefield.

This is done by working with AA teams to keep enemy aircraft out of the skies. Killing enemy helicopters delays enemy reinforcements reaching the AO. Jets are also extremely capable at taking out enemy tanks. Lastly they can target landmarks such as the towers in the AO from great ranges and speeds.

When your jet is destroyed you will have to wait for a set time before being allowed to purchase another one, they are also expensive. Therefore it is important to ensure you are a capable pilot before attempting to fulfill this role.

You can cycle through available enemy targets by pressing "Tab". Depending on the server settings you may get a lead indicator showing where you need to aim for your bullets to hit the target based on your current height and speed.

Attack Heli Pilots

This role focuses on providing close air support (CAS) in the AO. An auxiliary role is to provide transport to troops where required.

the Blackfoot and Kajman can sit up high and harrass ground vehicles with missiles, and target infantry with the autocannon. These helis are equipped with thermal imaging.

Other helicopters such as the Hellcat armed, Orca armed etc. can be used in a dual-purpose capability as they carry missiles for destroying armour or bombing towers, and enough seats to paratroop teammates into the AO.

Tank Crews

Tank crews will usually position in areas with good line of sight of the AO and surrounds. The primary focus should be on targeting enemy armour and AA tanks.

A 2 man crew will normally suffice consisting of a driver and a gunner. Tanks are equipped with night and thermal vision. You can lock on to targets with "T". Some armour will automatically zero on to locked targets. Tanks are weakest in the rear armour, followed by side armour. When facing enemy armour attempt to position your front armour towards them to increase chances of survivability. Alternatively switch to commander and press "C" to deploy smoke and retreat.

AA Crews (Tank)

AA crews control the airspace by destroying enemy aircraft and harrassing enemy air transport.

A crew of 2 will generally suffice, a driver and a gunner. Usually you will position in a location with a good view of the airspace but being careful not to expose yourself to enemy armour.

It is essential that you use your radar to determine what aircraft are in the airspace. The radar is located at the top-middle of your screen. Aircraft show up as triangles and ground vehilces as squares.

You target aircraft with "T" and fire your missile once the beep is continuous, or if using the guns you will get a lead indicator which shows where you need to aim. You can toggle night vision and thermals with "N". When locked-on zeroing is automatic, but if not locked on you can manually zero the weapon to your desired distance. AA tanks are also highly effective at killing infanty.

AA/AT Crews (Mobile)

Mobile AA & AT crews need to be highly mobile based on enemy air and armour movements.
This means using helicopters or vehicles to provide wide-flanks, hitting armour in the rear and ensuring it has nowhere to escape. The commanders & gunners are also usually focused on the AO, not on their flanks.

For AA support you may position yourself on a hillside near the enemy spawn to engage enemy aircraft that has fled the AO or is returning to base or an airfield to re-arm or repair.

Whatever you use, be it a hummingbird or sports hatchback, you need to use intel to know where to position and get there fast.

Weapons & Attachments

For vanilla Koth weapon and attachment prices refer to the wiki as it is the best source of up-to-date information:

https://wiki.armakoth.com/vanilla/weapons-attachments

Vehicles

For vanilla Koth vehicle prices, refer to the wiki as its the best source of up-to-date information:

https://wiki.armakoth.com/vanilla/vehicles

Note that depending on the server settings, you may find some servers have some vehicles disabled, or their armaments changed.

Profile Badges

Badges are available in game and will show up next to your player name. They are generally obtained through levelling, certain feats such as landing players in the AO, or during certain holiday seasons or events.

The wiki is the most up-to-date source of information (but it only covers a few badges):

https://wiki.armakoth.com/vanilla/badges

Certain servers also have special custom badges.

***If you have special knowledge about badges and want to share, just drop a comment below***

Units

There are various uniforms available and they will have an impact on your gameplay. For example, ghillie suits are only available to people using the MRKS perk and drastically reduce your visibility to enemies. Other uniforms such as "light" will give you speed bonuses.

Uniforms can generally become available in 3 ways:

• Gaining levels
  
• Using certain perks (e.g. MRKS)
  
• Being VIP (donator) on certain servers

For vanilla Koth uniform level unlocks and armour stats, refer to the wiki as its the best source of up-to-date information:

https://wiki.armakoth.com/vanilla/uniforms

Some uniforms will be disabled on some servers.

Perks & Builds

Everyone has their own preferences for builds but it can be tough when you are starting out.

For information on perks, their unlock requirements, costs and what they do, the Koth wiki is the most up-to-date source of information: https://wiki.armakoth.com/vanilla/perks

You can find some basic builds below which I have used over the years. As you gain more experience and in game cash you can experiment further.

Don't be afraid to ask in game for build advice too!

Level 4 -10 Player Assault Build

When you first start off mostly everything is locked until around level 10. Do not buy anything, simply take weapons from dead enemies and try to stay alive in the AO.

The MEDC is probably the best choice early game as you should be rolling with a squad and can quickly heal allies for extra cash and XP.

Level 10+ Player Assault Build

This build is my recommendation for low level players who have yet to unlock some of the better weapons.

The [EXPL] perk grants you a greanade launcher allowing for easy kills for enemies in cover (such as hiding in buildings).

The katiba is a solid choice as it sports a higher calibre than most low level weapons (6.5mm) and allows scopes such as the RCO, ARCO and ERCO for extended ranges. This is the key advantage over the AKM which is 7.62mm but allows no scopes. The higher calibre means easier kills on enemies.

Recommended/popular Assault Builds

MX3GL + ARCO/ERCO/MRCO + [EXPL] + [AMMO] + [SLCR] + Officer Outfit
MX3GL + MAAWS + ARCO/ERCO/MRCO + [EXPL] + [LNCR] + [FTGE] + Officer Outfit
MX3GL + ARCO/ERCO/MRCO + [EXPL] + [AMMO] + [MEDC] + Officer Outfit

AK12 + ARCO/ERCO/MRCO + [AMMO] + [SLCR] + [EXPL] + Specops Outfit
AK12 + ARCO/ERCO/MRCO or AMS + [AMMO] + [SLCR] + [MRKS] + Ghillie Outfit

MK200 + ARCO/ERCO/MRCO + [FTGE] + [SLCR] + [MNGR] + Specops/Officer Outfit

Marksman Build

This is my favourite marksman build. As always, a ghillie for concealment and protection from thermal detection. The MK18 has a smaller calibre than the Cyrus but is significantly more stable.

[AMMO] allows for extra mags and is essential as you burn through them pretty quick as well as the [SLCR] perk is essential for remaining undetected.

The AMS allows for both ranged and close quarters combat.

Sniper Build

This is my recommended sniper build. As always, a ghillie for concealment and protection from thermal detection. The Lynx with APDS mags allows for armour penetration on both light vehicles and towers.

[AMMO] allows for extra mags and is essential as you burn through them pretty quick as well as the [DSNR] perk for easy detection of enemies with the in-built thermals.

The LRPS allows for scoping enemies at extreme ranges of up to about 2.5km.

Changelogs

Changelogs for vanilla Koth can be found on the wiki Here[wiki.armakoth.com]

Credits & Support

Contributors:

Savagerx (Author)
Spzzz - Providing some updated weapons & vehicles prices for v10

Special thanks to:

Bohemia Interactive - Developers of Arma 3
Samatra - Developer of King of the Hill

References

armakoth wiki[wiki.armakoth.com]
Karts DLC Spotrep[dev.arma3.com]
Helicopters DLC Spotrep[dev.arma3.com]
Marksmen DLC Spotrep[dev.arma3.com]
Apex Expansion Spotrep[dev.arma3.com]
Jets DLC Spotrep[dev.arma3.com]
Malden DLC[dev.arma3.com]
Laws of War DLC[dev.arma3.com]
Tanks DLC Spotrep[dev.arma3.com]
Contact DLC[dev.arma3.com]
Art of War DLC[dev.arma3.com]

[Builder]

Worth noting there is less advantage to taking AMMO with MX. Take MGNR instead, and you will get more total bullets (300>270) and they will be 100rnd LMG mags that also take up less inventory mass. However in this case you will need to worry about tracers. This is also an option with AK12 - you will only get three 75 round drum mags instead of ten 30 round mags, but AK12 drum mags do not have tracers to worry about. These both function on the base rifle type - as long as you have MGNR perk any weapon that *can* take a bigger mag will. Either of these rifles set up in this way can handle anything in KOTH other than very long range sniping.

The GL is now separate from EXPL, so if you want a full set of 8 HE you will need to take GREN and EXPL. Or you can get 4 HE with just GREN. (MX gets 50% more, so 12 or 6).

[SavagerX]

Did some major updates to the guide.

Still need to track down some of the info around different koth types available (e.g. RHS, 1942, Vietnam, Vanilla). Also need to add the new towns.

If you notice anything outdated or that should be added let me know. I don't play as much as I used to.

[₳CTЇVΞC々WΛRRЇOR]

@savagerx would be nice

[SavagerX]

@lowlune Warlords is significantly different do KoTH, are you wanting a guide for that in a similar style to this guide?

[₳CTЇVΞC々WΛRRЇOR]

please update, also warlords?

[SavagerX]

I have no plans to update this guide but am happy to work with others to update it if there is enough demand.

There have been huge changes to KoTH and I have not played it for a very long time, so my knowledge is outdated.

[SavagerX]

@DaD #Antim8 I have not looked for quite some time as I have been playing other games instead of Arma 3. Your best bet would be to check the KoTH twitter as they will sometimes link to the files there which contain all the default prices etc. Just remember that it can vary from server to server to some extent.

[✟DaD2403]

Is there are guide or website that compares all weapon stats including the DLC weapons, couldnt find one yet?

[SavagerX]

Not sure Admiral, this guide is pretty outdated by now so they may have changed. Best check their website or the server browser for their current server offerings.

[Plummen]

are the servers still online?