If you've yet to experience the horrors of simulated war, Arma 2 developer Bohemia Interactive is lowering the bar to entry. Today at E3 it announced Arma 2: Free, a free version of the battlefield simulator which doesn't have its every feature but certainly has enough for a jolly good time.

Arma 2: Free gives you Arma 2's full multiplayer side, complete with the mission editor, and dedicated server support. There are, of course, a few drawbacks. Arma 2: Free has lower-quality graphics, as you can judge see in the screenshots, no support for user mods which add new external content, and lacks the regular campaign. However, you'll still get to play user-made single-player content and it is, after all, free.

You might also be pleased to hear that there are no microtransactions propping it up, so you won't find yourself being killed by some pest who can afford a better arsenal than you.

Arma 2: Free will launch for PC some time this month. As well as being a very kind gesture, it'll help build hype for Arma 3, which is due in summer 2012.