Good stuff! Its like an advanced version of ARMA isn't it?
VBS is a training tool which has powerful offline as well as real-time editors. It also has an excellent aar tool. Most people can get a richer gaming experience with ARMA3 + mods like ACE/ACRE.
VBS is also not as graphically pleasing as ARMA3. VBS does have streams and rivers though.
Here’s a list made by ProGamerGov over a year ago showing what is better in VBS3. I cannot confirm if all are correct or if any have been added to ARMA3
1. Walking on moving vehicles like planes and ships.
2. An insane amount of content.
3. More moddable. (Scripting wiki is better)
4. Instead of the Hollywood explosions, VBS has a realistic damage model.
5. Better graphics.
6. Realistic medical system.
7. They redid the fatigue system in VBS3 to be more realistic.
8. Maps are thousands of times larger than Arma.
9. VBS3 has redid the multiplayer menus to be more accessible.
10. It's more optimized by a huge amount.
11. Advanced water simulation: Rivers, lakes, floods, rain, waves and other other stuff.
12. Underground structures.
13. Better than Battlefield 4 structure damage.
14. Simulates all four seasons.
15. Simulates real world weapon systems better.
16. Better thermal view.
17. Better modding tools.
18. Better animations.
19. Better driving physics, better flight physics and better boat physics.
20. Below the water level compartments on moving ships.
21. Higher player count in missions.
22. Higher AI count in missions.
23. Better light simulation.
24. Realistic sandstorm simulation.
25. Dismemberment.
26. You can enable or disable pretty much any part of the simulation.
27. Updates aren't every day but they are significant.
28. Real vehicles and not hybrid/fake ones.
29. More variety as opposed to just shooting people. Like rescue, police, aid, and other stuff.
30. Flight ceiling is realistic.
31. Hundreds of features no other game can compete with.
32. Dedicated dev team that has the quote "nothing is impossible"
33. The AI is better.
34. Multicore support.
35. Underwater is better simulated.
36. Keyhole entry.
37. Better weather effect like snow.
38. Ice can form on rivers, lakes and parts of the ocean.
39. Ray cast wheel simulation.
40. Different ground types like sand, boggy, pavement and other stuff that actually affects movement.
41. 3D editor that can work in real time.
42. After action report.
43. More scripting commands and more access to parts of the simulation with scripting.
44. Rain makes the environment wet. Hydroplaning.
45. Farther render distance.
46. Physx is fully implemented so increased Physx modding abilities.
47. An actual dedicated support team that can help you.
48. Weather affects the environment and vehicles.
49. Show can be hazardous (getting stuck)
50. Vehicles for military construction and combat recovery vehicles. Mine detection vehicles.
51. Better IED simulation.
It does come with all kinds of seperate specialised modules, doesn't it or do you need to buy them seperately?
It is modular. The PE edition is the basic. Some modules are created specifically for certain customers and are not available to anyone else. Other modules are available but can cost many thousands of $
Did you buy it as a civillian or did you obtain a copy via a special route?
They sold it until recently to non-military.
I hope you find this helpful.
Regards