Questions we actually get asked

No. Most people who join have never run in a structured unit before. The Combat Infantryman's Course starts at weapon handling and section formations and assumes nothing. What we do need is that you take direction on a radio and turn up when you said you would.

Sixteen or over, without exception. Operations run to 2200 UK time on a Sunday and the voice comms are adult, so we do not make exceptions for younger applicants no matter how good they are.

Arma 3 with the Apex expansion, a working microphone, and the Discord client. The modset is a single Steam Workshop collection you subscribe to once; everything in it is free. You do not need Global Mobilization, Contact or any other paid DLC.

Yes, provided 1900 UK time on a Sunday works for you regularly. That is 2000 in most of western Europe and early afternoon on the east coast of North America. We have members across Europe and a few in North America; what we cannot make work is a timezone where the operation lands at four in the morning.

A member of staff reads every application, normally within a few days. If it looks like a fit you will be invited to a short, informal chat on Discord — not an interrogation, mostly so you can ask us things. You are told either way.

Individually, yes, and we will keep you in the same section where the ORBAT allows. What we will not do is post an intact outside group into the structure as its own unit — everyone goes through the same course and is posted where the brigade needs people.

One operation a week, Sunday 1900 to roughly 2200 UK time. Training nights and the Thursday orders group are optional for most members and mandatory only if you hold an appointment that needs them. That is it — there is no attendance quota beyond turning up often enough to stay useful to your section.

Nothing, if you say so beforehand. Mark yourself as not attending on the event, or submit an LOA if you will be away for a stretch. An LOA record exempts you from attendance statistics for its duration, so a genuine absence never counts against you at promotion time.

Yes. Submit an LOA for anything up to a couple of months, or a discharge request if you want a clean break. Coming back is a reinstatement record against your existing file — you keep your rank, your qualifications and your awards. Nothing is deleted here.

Realistic where realism makes the fight legible, and compressed where it does not. We rehearse section drills, use correct radio procedure and give orders in a recognisable format. We do not do drill practice, saluting outside of operations, or eight-hour patrols to nowhere.

A single Steam Workshop collection covering British kit and vehicles, ACE for medical and interaction, ACRE for radio, and the terrains we run on. Subscribing takes one click; the first download is large, so do it before your first Sunday rather than on the night.

Yes. Arma milsim does not work without it — you need to hear your section commander and they need to hear you. Accents, nerves and a cheap microphone are all fine. Silence is not.

Eventually, and not on your first night. Flying seats in the Joint Aviation Command are limited and are earned through the training pipeline — most aircrew start as a door gunner or in a ground trade and convert once they have shown they will turn up. Say on your application that aviation is what you want and you will be pointed at the pathway.

On time in grade, the courses you have passed, and whether you are already doing the job. Every promotion is a dated record raised by a member of command and visible on your public profile — including the ones that were later voided and why. Nobody is promoted by asking.

They cost an evening. Courses run in-house on training nights — the Combat Infantryman's Course for everyone, then specialist cadres for the gun, signals, medical, mortars, sniping, JTAC and command appointments. Passing one writes a qualification record to your file and puts the badge on your profile.

Campaign service, long service, and specific acts on an operation. They are awarded by command against a written citation, rendered in official precedence order on your profile, and each one links back to the operation it came from. They are not participation trophies and there is no monthly quota.

Your Discord account, an email address, and your service record. Public profiles show rank, unit, billet, qualifications, awards and operations attended — never your email, your Discord ID or anything real-world. The privacy page sets out the full list and how to have it removed.

No, and it is worth being clear about it. 16X is a gaming community for Arma 3. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or recruiting for the British Army, the Ministry of Defence or any part of HM Armed Forces. Regimental names, insignia and traditions are used respectfully for gameplay.