Guide to CMS for Arma 3

[Scalemage0]

DISCLAIMER:

Most of this information is from my own research of CMS and experimenting in the editor/primary server, since there is currently no guide available for CMS. If you believe something to be incorrect, please let me know. This guide is updated to CSE mod version 0.4.1. This is primarily based on the Expert difficulty with advanced functionality enabled. The videos shown are taken from the creators of CMS, and obviously not my own creation.

 

This guide includes:

-How to setup CMS in the editor for your missions.

-How to operate the UI

-Classlist and item descriptions

-Recommended Loadouts

-Flowchart for treating a combat casualty

-General notes/Tips

 

For mission makers: Setting up CMS:

This video briefly explains how to setup CMS:

 

 

Modules:

 

-Main CMS: The main module required for the CMS. Most options are changed here, such as advanced functionality, and the difficulty level.

 

-Revive: Place this module to turn on revive for players or ai and adjust the bleedout timers and hit threshold. This works in a similar way to the revive scripts we use in arma 2.

This video briefly explains the revive system:

 

 

-Set medic class:  Synchronize this to the units you wish to be considered a medic. Medics can see more detailed information, such as specific values for pulse and blood pressure, They can also complete actions such as CPR with a higher chance of success, and fully heal casualties.

 

-Set med facility: Synchronize this to any player, object, or vehicle to have them, and the area around them considered a medical facility, allowing full healing, depending on difficulty.

 

To assign medic without using the module:

_unit setVariable ["cse_medicClass", 1, true];

 

To assign medical facility without the module:

_vehicle setVariable ["cse_medical_facility", true, true];

 

*Important*

Please state exactly what variation of CMS you are using, as treatments vary depending on what is set. For example:

 

Mission uses CMS medical

Revive: Yes

Advanced functionality: YES

Full heal: Medical facility and no bleeding. (Note, the module setting for full heal availability is currently broken, so it defaults to medical facility with no bleeding, to heal anywhere set player units as medics and medical facilities, as described above.

 

Operating the UI:

 

 

Use the combined interaction key (default Left windows), or the medical key (must be set via CSE settings) to access the medical system.

 

 

1. Triage card: This lists what the casualty has been given, e.g tourniquet, bandage, morphine.

 

2. Examine patient: This allows you to monitor Pulse, Blood pressure and responsiveness. A non medic is given info in general terms whereas a medic is given more specific info.

 

3. Bandage/Fractures: Here you can apply various bandages, dressings, and tourniquets.

 

4. Medication: Here you can administer medication such as Morphine, Epinephrine, and Atropine.

 

5. Airway management: Here you can use tubes to assist in breathing.

 

6. Advanced treatment: Here you can use blood/saline/plasma. You can also perform CPR and use Aid kits for full healing.

 

7. Drag/Carry: Here you can drag and carry a casualty. This is also where you can load a casualty into a vehicle.

 

8. Toggle: Here you can toggle between your own medical card, and nearby players.

 

9. Triage status: Click here for a selection of triage states.

 

10. Status: Here you can see general injuries for the casualty, eg. in pain. Also injuries for specific body parts by clicking on the appropriate body part.

 

Vehicle usage;

You can now treat casualties whilst in vehicles. To do this use your combined interaction key near/in the vehicle to access vehicle interaction, from there you can see a list of occupants, and their condition as listed on their triage card. Simply click on their name, and then Medical menu.

To Load Casualties into vehicles, access their medical card, and select load in vehicle, under the section Drag/Carry

 

 

Classlist and item descriptions:

 

Item: Bandage (Basic)

Classname: cse_bandage_basic

Usage: Use on small/medium wounds.

 

Item: Packing bandage

Classname: cse_packing_bandage

Usage: Use on medium/ large wounds.

 

Item: Tourniquet

Classname: cse_tourniquet

Usage: Use on limbs to quickly halt blood loss.

 

Item: Splint

Classname: cse_splint

Usage: No current use.

 

Item: Morphine

Classname: cse_morphine

Usage: Use to relieve pain, and lower heart rate.

 

Item: Atropine

Classname: cse_atropine

Usage: Greatly lowers heart rate, NBC usage in future.

 

Item: Epinephrine

Classname: cse_epinephrine

Usage: Use to raise heart rate.

 

Item: Plasma IV (1000ml)

Classname: cse_plasma_iv

Usage: Use to counteract blood loss

 

Item: Plasma IV (500ml)

Classname: cse_plasma_iv_500

Usage: Use to counteract blood loss

 

Item: Plasma IV (250ml)

Classname: cse_plasma_iv_250

Usage: Use to counteract blood loss

 

Item: Blood IV (1000ml)

Classname: cse_blood_iv

Usage: Use to counteract blood loss

 

Item: Plasma IV (500ml)

Classname: cse_plasma_iv_500

Usage: Use to counteract blood loss

 

Item: Plasma IV (250ml)

Classname: cse_plasma_iv_250

Usage: Use to counteract blood loss

 

Item: Saline IV (1000ml)

Classname: cse_saline_iv

Usage: Use to counteract blood loss

 

Item: Saline IV (500ml)

Classname: cse_saline_iv_500

Usage: Use to counteract blood loss

 

Item: Saline IV (250ml)

Classname: cse_saline_iv_250

Usage: Use to counteract blood loss

 

Item: Basic field dressing (quikclot)

Classname: cse_quikclot

Usage: Use on small wounds, or to partially seal medium/large wounds.

 

Item: Nasopharyngeal tube

Classname: cse_nasopharyngeal_tube

Usage: Use to open airways (advanced functionality only)

 

Item: Oropharyngeal Tube

Classname: cse_opa

Usage: Use to open airways (advanced functionality only)

 

Item: Bandage (Elastic)

Classname: cse_bandageElastic

Usage: use on small/partial wounds

 

Item: Liquid Skin

Classname: cse_liquidSkin

Usage: No current use

 

Item: Chest Seal

Classname: cse_chestseal

Usage: No current use

 

Item: Personal aid kit

Classname: cse_personal_aid_kit

Usage: Use to fully heal, usage limited depending on settings.

 

Recommended loadout:

From looking at average wounds during a scenario this is my recommendation for both IFAKS and the CLS.

Recommended IFAK loadout:

This will allow the rifleman to stop the bleeding from most injuries, and somewhat reduces the load for the CLS. Based off the US army IFAK and modified for ingame requirements.

2x Packing bandage

2x Bandage (Basic)

2x Bandage (Elastic)

1x Tourniquet

1x Nasopharyngeal Tube

1x Personal Aid Kit

 

(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_bandage_basic", 2];
(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_bandageElastic", 2];
(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_packing_bandage", 2];
(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_tourniquet", 1];

(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_nasopharyngeal_tube", 1];

(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_personal_aid_kit", 1];

 

Recommended CLS loadout:

This loadout should be enough to sustain a platoon for a medium length mission. Larger missions may require multiple medics or dedicated medical facility.

20x Packing Bandage

20x Bandage (Basic)

20x Bandage (Elastic)

20x Morphine auto injector

20x Epinephrine auto injector

5x Tourniquet

5x Nasopharyngeal Tube

5x Personal Aid kit

5x Plasma/Blood/Saline (1000ML)

 

(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_bandage_basic", 20];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_bandageElastic", 20];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_packing_bandage", 20];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_tourniquet", 5];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_blood_iv", 5];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_morphine", 20];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_epinephrine", 20];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_personal_aid_kit", 5];

(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_nasopharyngeal_tube", 5];

 

 

Guide to treating a combat casualty:

 

This chart shows how to deal with a combat casualty, it is mainly directed toward CLS/Medic roles, however most will apply to non medics also.

 

 

Tips/notes:

-To quickly identify if someone is 100% dead, try and access their gear, if you can access it, they are dead.

-Unlike ACE, medics can run out of supplies very quickly, so ration them carefully, and avoid wasting them on the wrong type of wound, or on a casualty who looks like swiss cheese.

-The pain system is much more forgiving in CMS, so focus on bleeding, pulse and BP, before pain. If someone is bugging you for morphine when you are busy, they can wait a few minutes.

-If you can hear your heartbeat, then you have either a high or low heartbeat, use morphine and epi to solve this.

-Remember you can treat people inside vehicles.

-Non medics can do most functions, apart from Full heal.

-With advanced functionality enabled, bandaged wounds can reopen from physical activity, so if you start bleeding for no apparent reason, this is probably why.

-Pay attention to the Triage card, to see what the patient has been given/had done to them.

-Remember to remove Tourniquets after the wounds have been treated, it will give the soldier pain if left on for extended periods of time.

-Currently the usage options for the personal aid kit are bugged. At the moment you can only use the kit when near a medical facility and the bleeding has been stopped. To allow healing everywhere, just set player units as a medical facility as described in setting up CMS.

-The only way to revive somebody is to use a personal aid kit to fully heal them.

-When applying bandages/dressings or tourniquets, ensure you have the correct body part selected to avoid wasting supplies.

 

 

 

Thanks for reading, please leave any comments or suggestions.

 

 

Edited September 8, 2014 by Scalemage0

[Best2nd]

_unit setVariable ["cse_medicClass", 1, true];

To assign medic w/o the module.

 

_vehicle setVariable ["cse_medical_facility", true, true];

To assign medical facility w/o the module.

[Scalemage0]

Thanks best2nd i was looking for that! I saw it on the forums yesterday but couldnt find it.

[L3TUC3]

I don't think the basic revive module is required when you have the advanced medical system enabled.

 

Also addmagazines tends to dump items anywhere it damn well feels like, cluttering up the inventory. Here's what I do:

//stuff the uniform pockets with band-aids

(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_bandage_basic", 5];
(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_bandageElastic", 3];
(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_packing_bandage", 3];
(uniformContainer _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_tourniquet", 1];

//stuff the backpack with medical supplies

(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_bandage_basic", 20];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_bandageElastic", 15];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_packing_bandage", 8];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_tourniquet", 5];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_chestseal", 3];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_saline_iv", 5];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_morphine", 8];
//(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_atropine", 15];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_epinephrine", 8];
//(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_quikclot", 20];
(unitBackpack _unit) addItemCargoGlobal ["cse_personal_aid_kit", 5];

I'm pretty sure this also doesn't make the .rpt complain about lack of space and stuff not being put in the vest or uniform. The only downside is that you can overstuff beyond capacity.

Edited September 7, 2014 by L3TUC3

[Scalemage0]

From the testing I've done the revive module is required regardless of settings. I'm going to add your suggestions to the main post

[Delta38]

Actually, according to Wikipedia: "Injections of atropine are used in the treatment of bradycardia (an extremely low heart rate). Atropine blocks the action of the vagus nerve, a part of the parasympathetic system of the heart whose main action is to decrease heart rate. Therefore, its primary function in this circumstance is to increase the heart rate."

 

I believe it actually works this way in CMS as well, but doesn't raise the heart rate as drastically as epinephrine. Also, I remember reading somewhere that combining morphine with epinephrine is actually dangerous, so you'd want to counteract morphine overdose with atropine instead. From my experience if you see that the patient is in pain (but not in heavy pain), then after applying morphine they will always have lower than normal heart rate and be able to hear that. You can even leave them in pain for an extended period of time and they'll do fine, I haven't tested how long it'd take for something bad to happen with normal and heavy pain. Above applies to the mod and not real life obviously:)

 

Lastly, you may want to add "check you're treating the right body part" to the tips section, it happened to me a few times that I applied bandages to a part of the body that wasn't bleeding at all because I forgot to check.

[Scalemage0]

I've just tested the atropine, and giving myself 1 dosage took me from 80bpm to about 60bpm. So either its broken, or the CMS guys have screwed it up.

[enex]

Or you have to wait a minute for effects to kick in?

[VKing]

I haven't tested it, but according to the notes in the addon, blood and plasma packs spoil after 30 minutes in a player's inventorty and become useless. They apparently keep in a vehicle or box, though.

In other words, the CLS should only carry saline packs. Not even sure what the practical difference is in game between saline and blood/plasma.

[NoobGoneWild]

Can you treat a casualty that's in an ambulance while you are inside the ambulance?

[Best2nd]

Can you treat a casualty that's in an ambulance while you are inside the ambulance?

 

You can treat any casualty in any vehicle.

[n2-]

yeah, picked up this mod long time ago aswell, but i still can't figure out how to use blufor tracker..

[Rye]

I've just tested the atropine, and giving myself 1 dosage took me from 80bpm to about 60bpm. So either its broken, or the CMS guys have screwed it up.

 

Depends on the dosage you take in reality whether it increases or decreases pulse rate. We're still overhauling medications.

 

[Scalemage0]

I meant to ask you rye, are you guys planning on producing a full guide to CMS or not? I understand a lot is changing at the moment, but near the full release, do you intend to make one?

Edited September 12, 2014 by Scalemage0

[Rye]

I meant to ask you rye, are you guys planning on producing a full guide to CMS or not? I understand a lot is changing at the moment, but near the full release, do you intend to make one?

 

Yup we are. Until then Cage is making a few mini-versions that will work for the mean time.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Rye

[Cruiser]

So stupid question, but what does CMS stand for? What be nice to have that explained in the initial post or have the title be without an abreviated term that some of us don't know what is.

[Best2nd]

So stupid question, but what does CMS stand for? What be nice to have that explained in the initial post or have the title be without an abreviated term that some of us don't know what is.

 

Check the title of the video in the first spoiler of the first post.

 

You can also use Google.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Best2nd

[Skyenet]

Check the title of the video in the first spoiler of the first post.

 

You can also use Google.

 

Or he could just ask, and get a reasonable answer: it's Combat Medical System

[Best2nd]

Ok, so now I'm going to cover some things that either aren't covered or are no longer correct/were incorrect.

 

 

Aid Kit usage now functions correctly.

 

Personal Aid Kits don't disappear after using, so carrying more than one and/or crossloading is redundant.

 

CPR is now fixed. You can now actually resuscitate the casualty provided you stem all blood flow and he has enough blood. 

 

Do not use Morphine and Epinephrine if the casualty has no hart rate. Nothing bad will happen except the fact that you are wasting supplies and no, you can not revive someone with it (use CPR).

 

You can cover multiple wounds with a single bandage provided the wounds are on the same limb.

[Kowgan]

That's a great guide.

 

I've also found this guide going over the same system, with some different approaches: http://www.3commandobrigade.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=2672

e.g.: Differently than it's said on the CMS GUI, the bandages work like so:

- 2 Quikclots heal 1 small wound;

- 1 Basic heals a medium wound;

- 1 Packing Bandage heals a large wound;

- Apply elastic after wound is treated to avoid wound reopening.

 

And a few other different things.

 

It's nice to study both guides and find the best out of them. What do you think of it?

Edited November 6, 2014 by Kowgan

[Tdackery]

If they have blood loss, depending on the BP (try to keep it above 90/x aka 90 systolic), use the bags:

Blood

Plasma

Saline

in that order. You generally wouldn't want to give a person 5L of saline in real life, and in game it doesn't do very much in terms of stabilizing fluids. The reason is, a blood infusion will be adding more blood (hence more hemoglobin, ability to carry oxygen to cells) to the vasculature. Plasma has proteins in it, but comes without the hemoglobin found on blood, so it is still better than saline, but not more useful than actual blood. Saline is just an isotonic solution that buffers the fluid levels, without adding proteins or blood cells to the vasculature, so it can help increase the blood pressure (through increased volume), but it also dilutes the blood already in the body. Too much saline can become detrimental.

 

Should come up with a standard for triage status at least for UO, so you can send someone to triage the wounded so the medics know who to attend to first. I can give you a base of what I've been taught for civilian EMS triage:

Black (Deceased, no pulse, breathing, or response)

Red (Immediate, unstable, close to death, will likely die if not treated emergently, apparent life threats)

Yellow (Delayed, stable, suffered wounds that may potentially become life threatening, but are not as of yet)

Green (Low priority, basically walking wounded, if they have the training they could probably fix their own ass)

 

I dunno, the rest looked ok.

Even though morphine to affect the BP and HR is a little weird, but I don't know what they do in the military so whatevs.

 

Does it actually tell you if a person is having difficulty breathing? I haven't seen that yet.

Edited November 7, 2014 by Tdackery

[Best2nd]

Blood

Plasma

Saline

 

You can't carry blood and plasma in the field, they spoil after 30 mikes and can burst on your person.

 

Even though morphine to affect the BP and HR is a little weird, but I don't know what they do in the military so whatevs.

That's not weird.

[Kowgan]

You can't carry blood and plasma in the field, they spoil after 30 mikes and can burst on your person.

 

This. As far as I know, all the three bags act in the same way, simply replacing the lost blood. Maybe one might act faster than the other; I don't know.

 

 

 

If they have blood loss, depending on the BP (try to keep it above 90/x aka 90 systolic), use the bags:

Blood

Plasma

Saline

 

Is that information based on in-game or IRL procedures? See my answer to the quote above.

[Best2nd]

This. As far as I know, all the three bags act in the same way, simply replacing the lost blood. Maybe one might act faster than the other; I don't know.

I'm pretty sure they are the same. I also think that bursting and spoiling isn't implemented yet, but I suggest future-proofing your missions just to be on the safe side.

 

Is that information based on in-game or IRL procedures? See my answer to the quote above.

It might not apply now, but it's good to know when they actually fix them.

[Verox]

Saline is solely for increasing blood pressure to prevent a heart-attack when a patient has lost a LOT of blood. Saline is the only bag you carry in the field and at that only the medic will carry it. Blood and plasma are kept refrigerated at a medical center and are given when the patient arrives there, they are not designed nor suitable to be brought into the field and will spoil after some time (in-game it's 30 minutes.) You can't use saline to keep a patient alive, it's literally just salty water, regardless of the blood pressure if you have lost too much blood then you are dead.

 

 

I've not seen a "difficulty breathing" state yet but in the event it does happen the only solution in-game is to stick a tube down their throat.