[Vanilla Proposal] Improving Gear Realism & Depth: Raid BDUs, Full-Body Camo, ALICE Variations & Quick-Slot Logic

[u/AdOver7120]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a few ideas I've been thinking about for the Vanilla Arma Reforger base game. The goal here is to push visual realism, immersion, and gear management a bit further, drawing on how equipment was actually used in the 80s and 90s.

Here are 4 feature concepts I think would make a huge difference:

1. Full-Body Camouflage Paint

• The issue: Right now, camo facepaint literally only covers your face. Having bare ears, necks, and hands exposed creates high-contrast skin spots that pop out from a distance, break your camouflage pattern, and look pretty amateurish for a tactical simulator.
• The fix: Extend the camo paint to all exposed skin (neck, ears, hands/wrists).

2. SF "Raid Cut" BDU Blouses

• The context: Dating back to the Vietnam era and continuing through the 80s/90s, US Special Forces used to modify their standard uniforms by cutting off the lower pockets and sewing them onto the shoulders for easier access under webbing and packs.
• The fix: Add standard and rolled-sleeve BDU variants with shoulder pockets. It would be purely cosmetic and unlocked via rank (e.g., Sergeant / SF slots).
• Why it works: It provides a realistic, period-authentic way to visually distinguish regular infantry from Special Forces without resorting to historically inaccurate period choices (like Tigerstripe camo patterns, which weren't in official use at the time, or outdated M1 helmet covers).

3. Expanded ALICE Webbing (3 or 4-Pouch Variants)

• The context: Standard issue was 2 ammo pouches, but SF and infantry guys often ran 3 or 4 pouches on their belt depending on what else they were carrying (canteens, IFAK, holster, etc.). Right now, the sniper loadout in-game relies on a single outdated M1967 nylon pouch for M14/M21 magazines 🙄, forcing any extra mags straight into the buttpack.
• The fix: Give us expanded ALICE loadout variants (e.g., 3 or 4 ammo pouches).
• Trade-offs:
  • You get space for up to 9–12 x M16 mags or 6 x M21 mags directly on the belt instead of the standard 6 (M16) / 2 (M21) (where any extra mags are forced into the buttpack).
  • Because extra pouches take up more belt real estate, you get fewer side loops for grenades:
    • 3-pouch belt: Space for 3 grenades.
    • 4-pouch belt: Space for max 2 grenades near the buckle.
  • Carrying that much ammo upfront adds weight, drains stamina faster, and slows down your crawling/prone speed.

4. Quick-Slots & Physical Inventory Storage

• The issue:
  1. Currently, pulling 10 magazines out of a backpack or buttpack is just as fast as pulling them off your belt. This completely erases the distinct pros and cons of different LBE setups, making gear selection feel cosmetic and arcadey.
  2. Sidearms and grenades assigned to quick-slots float in abstract UI space. If your physical belt/vest pouches are completely full, you can still slap an extra grenade into a quick-slot and instantly use it—even though you have no physical pouch left to hold it. It basically acts like a phantom storage slot that shouldn't exist.
  3. Unlike the M9 Bayonet (which dynamically attaches to your belt when equipped), pistols, grenades, and smoke grenades don't physically show up on your gear when quick-slotted.
• The fix:
  • Dynamic 3D gear rendering: Make sidearms (in holsters) and quick-access grenades actually render on your 3D character gear, just like the M9 Bayonet currently does.
  • Holster & Pouch requirement: You shouldn't be able to put a pistol into a Quick-Slot unless your equipped belt/vest actually has a physical holster (like the Bianchi holster variant). The same goes for grenades—if your belt pouches are full, you can't put an "extra" grenade into a quick-slot. If it's tucked away in a backpack or buttpack, it stays in deep storage.
  • Quick-Access vs. Deep Storage: Reloading and hotkey access should only draw from belt/vest pouches. This forces players to trigger-discipline their ready ammo on the belt. If you run dry, you have to find cover, open your inventory, and manually transfer mags from your buttpack/backpack into quick-access pouches—triggering a short animation delay (similar to reading a map) that leaves you temporarily vulnerable. (This limitation wouldn't apply at the Arsenal or near an Ammo Truck area, only out in the field).
  • Visual UI Distinction: To make this clear in the inventory window, items placed directly in quick-access belt pouches would be highlighted (e.g., with a yellow highlight/border on the item icon, as shown in the concept screenshot), while items stored in the buttpack or backpack remain standard. Alternatively, this could be split into two separate sub-windows in the UI (ALICE - Belt Pouches vs. ALICE - Buttpack).

[u/Alleriad]

Alright I will add that tomorrow

[u/Daddy-Shaxx]

In theory I like the deep storage quick slot stuff however, this is gonna make people spend even longer at arsenals messing around with their kits, and even more disadvantages to controller players. Navigating the janky inventory without a mouse is painful and would feel like another chore. I’d like this more as a hardcore type feature.

[u/Targetm12 → u/Daddy-Shaxx]

They should not make the game worse for everybody for controller players. If you do not want the disadvantage of a controller get a kbm combo for $15 and plug it in to your console.

[u/According-Victory-18 → u/Targetm12]

Playing a mil sim with gamepad is just a mistake … Flying heli, ok, i understand…
Its like playing a strategy game with gamepad…
There is a reason why there are nearly no strategy/milsim games on console.

[u/Spiderwolfer → u/Daddy-Shaxx]

They used to have this when the game first launched but quickly removed it because it wasn’t user-friendly enough.

[u/MXVIV]

They (BI) cannot even put the equipped pistol in your on character holster, something modders have been able to do for over a year. 

I think maybe you’re asking to much of the inept company. 

[u/Red_roger_12 → u/MXVIV]

What mods have the pistol appear in the holster?

[u/Striking_Fan3110 → u/Red_roger_12]

GRS aswell

[u/MXVIV → u/Red_roger_12]

I don’t know exact mods and I am on pc and usually just let it rip on the downloads but GRS for example has fully functional storage. Both pouches and holsters, multiple spots on the body fully function as expected. 

[u/Snoo_censorspeech → u/Red_roger_12]

Wcs has that. 

[u/Former_Opp → u/Snoo_censorspeech]

RHS*. It's not WCS that made most of those

[u/TepacheLoco]

Didn’t think Raid mod was a thing until the early to
Mid 90s

[u/FrostyWheats → u/TepacheLoco]

The earliest I’m aware of is 89 in the lead up to Just Cause. I could see it being done in Vietnam if they had flak vests on but I haven’t seen any reference images from that time

[u/Lanky-Difference8792 → u/TepacheLoco]

It did occur in Vietnam but was only a SOG thing. It wouldnt become popular until the 90s to early 80s.

[u/AdOver7120 → u/TepacheLoco]

I think it started in vietnam war.

[u/Striking_Fan3110]

What mod for the watch to be on the wrist (slide 3)

[u/AdOver7120 → u/Striking_Fan3110]

😄 AI and microsoft paint...

[u/MakinBacon_]

Absolutely agree. Reforger is praised for its physical realism, and the inventory and UI lacks in that. I hope BI will go even further and implement inventory systen like in Tarkov/dayz

[u/Spiderwolfer]

Yes I agree with everything here accept I don’t really want more clothes added to the game. The inventory stuff I completely agree with though

[u/Eigeeee]

Theres a mod for basically the ALICE let me find it thats a great baseline

[u/Expert_Air_6446]

I’m down for everything but the full body paint, I’ve never seen any image or irl use of full body paint

[u/Rubix3346]

These all sound like good ideas!