Range Guesstimation
Author: AACO
Landmarks and Map Tools
This is a very simple concept, but when used properly it can be very effective. You simply take an easily identifiable landmark close to your target (cross roads, buildings by themselves, ridge lines, marked churches/utilities) and simply use your map tool to measure the distance. From a static position you can also easily ID/range a series of landmarks in order to bring accurate fire to enemies at any range, as well as use the land marks are reference points to contacts.
Example of pre-identified and ranged marks to help ranging targets.
View of some land marks
Ranged and marked
Super simple setup, pretty quick to do, and will help your team be that much more effective.
Mils Optic System
This system is significantly more complex (read: you'll need to do a bit of math (or use a reference table)). You can learn more about how the system works here, the short and the long of it is this: if you know the (approximate) height of an object and you know the number of mils the object takes up, you can then get the distance between yourself and the object. (Note: this only works with properly setup optics, like our binoculars, and most of the long distance scopes).
The Formula is:
Since the system is a scalar factor the height can be in any units, and it will give you the distance back in that unit (we're going to use meters here). Note: For ArmA's sake, a man is 1.8m, so now we just need their mil height.
Here is the system in action with our binoculars:
100m
500m
700m
1000m
As you can see, the binocular mils system suffers a bit at range due to some lack of zoom/precision, it should allow you to get into the ballpark however.
Since we take long rifles so many, this is how the system works with a LRPS (same concept as the binoculars, much more precise)
500m
700m
1000m
You can see how you can use the LRPS to get much more accurate ranges, mainly with the zoom/mil fidelity.
Now, I know what you're thinking "AACO, that's way too much math for me". There's two solutions for that, one round the numbers to make the math easier, then cheat the estimate against the rounding (you rounded 2.9 mils to 3 mils, so the target is actually farther than the equation would spit out). Or two you can use a table and just look up the estimated mil reading, and get yourself a range. I've done most of our common vics, so you can printout/reference this if you wish (note measurements were made in A3 and do not relate to real life, please do not try to take on the Russians with this info).
Table:
PDF
Spreadsheet
Range By Fire
This one is pretty self explanatory, using spotting rounds (tracers/flares/smoke) you fire and adjust until you're on target, then boom you got the range. Not the most stealthy approach, but very workable and very reliable (until rounds start coming back 
)
Range Finders
Seriously? You'll figure it out....
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