Mark IV

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mace: I have bowed to my critic's wishes <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Not if you're still posting... or breathing.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by aka PanzerLeader: Is it true that an Italian unit advancing in Greece once attempted an assault on a factory, and was made to retreat by workers who possessed only nails, hammers and crowbars?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Oh, I'm sure it is. Did you know turkeys will look straight up in the rain to drink, and drown? I was chased home by a hoop-snake this afternoon. Well, actually it was someone I knew, but they're not the kind to make something up. Quit your day job and make millions with your home computer in a few hours a day!

I knew Perdido would out himself, and sure enough... he thinks tri-tip is edible. Of all the many things to despise in California, this ranks right near the top. Cross-cutting tough, tasteless cuts of beef that might otherwise be useful, at least to a cobbler, and then cooking them beyond the point that even a European would consider food, is a western thing, for the benefit of our puzzled eastern brethren. How I despise it, here, and him. (Typewriter-formatted to accomodate Mace, the Dolt.)

Mace! Dolt! Fix it!

Random thoughts: Zhukhov held the Japanese armor in low regard, but not the Japanese army. Perhaps we should read the whole story of Nomonhan? Japan had butted in to the 20th century as the sole non-white power who played the colonial/military game just like Euro-Americans, and they did it by hammering Russia out of Manchuria and Korea, sinking both their fleets in the process. It was a bloody, violent war, which the Russians lost in every tactical sense. It was also a war in which Japan was frequently commended by the many foreign observers for its chivalry on the battlefield... the hideous atrocities of WWII were a later development of the ideologues who assumed control of Japanese society between the World Wars. Read up before you knee-jerk to this one. At any rate, Russia had some scores to settle and did so in 1939 with deep satisfaction. They were also very glad to sign an armistice with an opponent they knew and respected, to free up the forces for a gathering storm in Europe. Through most of the war they denied permission to the US to use their bases for strikes against Japan (even while the Lend-Lease shipments were flowing in), because they felt one war was sufficient. Rant, the Second: The notion that German tactics failed to adapt is contrary to everything I've read on the subject. Whether every possible adaptation was successfully made is not even worth debating, but the evolution of German tactics throughout the war is (I thought) self-evident. Care to cite some specifics to support this claim?

Originally posted by PawBroon: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>In the Spirit of the now defunct TeutonicLad I should ask the following: How come you little McCarthies wankers could actually believe that your command of english is so beyond comparison to us fellow Europeans that we should be deemed semi or in your good days, para literate?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Main Entry: 1para- Variant(s): or par- Function: prefix Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin, from Greek, from para; akin to Greek pro before -- more at FOR 1 : beside : alongside of : beyond : aside from <parathyroid> <parenteral> 2 a : closely related to <paraldehyde> b : involving substitution at or characterized by two opposite positions in the benzene ring that are separated by two carbon atoms <paradichlorobenzene> 3 a : faulty : abnormal <paresthesia> b : associated in a subsidiary or accessory capacity <paramedical> c : closely resembling : almost <paratyphoid> That's all I meant to say, really. And if Andreas, who does not exist, is ever re-functed, I will look forward to the "Book of Things Pawbroon and Germanboy Forgot". I won't buy it, but I'll look forward to it. If more than 2 people do buy it I'll use the hastily-discarded copies for pellet stops in my living room shooting range. Thus, you will continue to render a public service, in addition to brightening our days here... a para-shoot, if you will.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KRS321: What is everyone Australian here or what?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> No, but guys who "were conscripted from all walks of life, who didnt want to be there, and just wanted to get the job done and go home. And they did it!" would apply equally to the UK and other commonwealth troops. Do you think the Aussies had some purebred warrior class or something? Was the average Brit fighting on the continent because he personally had a bone to pick with the Wehrmacht? Didn't Canadians want to get the job done?

You've got to respect Combat Engineers. While it takes guts to make an icy river crossing under fire, what's it take to stand in it and build a bridge? And how 'bout the guys you never see in CM- signal troops? Stringing commo wire under fire, then running back out into barrages to fix the cut lines, carrying heavy gear and unable to shoot back? Signal is also held to blame by commanders of all ranks for failures of all kinds... communications issues are the first line of defense for any commander whose performance is questioned. Radio made it even worse, since it is an invisible demon with a mind of its own, especially in WWII crystal sets. Nowadays they're missile magnets. But I digress... "best" threads are totally subjective, but that's why it's called a discussion board. It's the nature of the responses that draws the padlock.* There should probably be categories for best trained individuals, best discipline under fire, and best group of soldiers functioning as a unit. It would be hard to beat the Japanese for discipline under fire. Afrika Korps accomplished amazing things as a unit, without troops who were necessarily "special" when they got there. US Airborne showed what training can make of "ordinary" troops, just as the Marines have. Success against odds with citizen soldiers award has to go to Finns. *France and England were minor powers?

Gone all day, so much to catch up on... I remember when I read every frigging (can I say that here?) post on this board. You know what? They sure don't make flame wars like they used to. The damned Peng Thread killed pure, spontaneous flaming for decent folks, is what it did. And the last two pages of one-line sniff-butting did nothing to help. Where is the Seanachai during this critical syllabic shortage? Where is the para-literate Pawbroon, who owes me at least 28 turns? The secret is, that the BBS expects more of us. We are held to a higher standard. Our intellectual discourse, our erudition, our commitment to Total War, are the shining city on the CM hill. We usually deliver. We ask nothing in return, but this meager space, for the breath of heroes, the blood of menschen (don't flatter yourself, you twisted little stooge, it's a collective noun), this loft of Valkyries. Now the testiclettes say that we are ambitious... {nah, strike that through}... Once more, into the preach... {bah, hate Welsh accents}... well, they're just jealous, and haven't a clue about punctuation. They wish they could be like us, but instead, they are giants. Didn't sidestep the issue neatly like chrisl, which is obviously a contraction for "Chris will", which reminds of a Catholic schoolgirl I once knew.... I know, TIME FOR MORE PENG THREAD DEATH SENTENCES (and attendant torments)!: All posters whose names start with "P" (this is a wildcard sort of thing, but if the shoe fits...). Panzer667 or his current zip code, whichever comes first (redundant, name also starts with "P", give him to the women and children as they are the cruellest). Dunsplatter and all of his ilk. Others. TBD. Peng Thread promotions: Hiram, for having the huevos to step up and be slaughtered, despite enlisting the entire BBS in his aid (bet that helped). Gyrene for being a stand-up guy. Hope Berli makes it quick and painless. Peng Thread Contemptorariums: The rest of you lot, especially those who owe me turns, even those I don't want, fergawdsakes let's get these things over with, people.

My office is right off the SE corner of the airport... I might get some good fly-bys from the roof on the Friday before. Need another memory card!

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>hell anyone made more money than we did.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Ever serve with any Brit troops? We were like Fortune 500 CEOs compared to those poor bahstids. Wonder they didn't all defect to the Argies.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Phillies Phan: What is the second verse to the song "Who let the dogs out?"<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> "huh... huh."

Hiram! Stop teasing the grogs and fire up your TCP/IP-o-matic... I'm a-lookin' for ya. It's 3:30 Pacific and let's talk about that draw, ya lamer.

Hiram! Where are you, boy? It's now 3:24 Pacific Time and I'm calling you out. You hear me? I will TCP/IP your phillie butt, you lil' sandbagger. No more draws... your terms... to the death, bud. Bring it on.

Given that it was the best movie about the Russian front to come out in the last few weeks, I say spend the money and see it. Realize that nothing is perfect and enjoy the experience. Ignore the stupid parts and the romanticized story, which allowed many of us to take the GF/SO without repercussion. Later you can post here and trash the whole experience to demonstrate your superiority, and if you're lucky, they'll quit making big-budget war movies altogether. The movie has a nice touch for weapons detail. You will get a sense of the vision and scope of the conflict that you cannot get from a book, and there is nothing wrong with that. I'll go see Pearl Harbor too, and there will be monumentally stupid, boring, contrived, and romanticized parts. And it will be worth every penny.

They never show the 3 hours waiting in the wash rack line after the fun exercises, either. Or mixing exactly the right combination of black paint and gasoline to produce the stain for the plywood map-holders that the Chief of Staff liked so much. Or the effort of spreading sawdust on the floor of the Division Tactical Operations Center because it gave it a more "military" appearance than plain canvas. The static on the plexiglass map covers attracted the sawdust, making the Division Sitrep map illegible, and attracted lice. The sawdust (with lice) was carefully shovelled up and bagged for use at the next location. Or spray painting the underside of the HQ vehicles flat black, dirt, grease, and all, to pass quick inspections. War is hell, but peace was a ............ The term "vet" has two legitimate uses, in different contexts; surviving the military, and surviving combat, are two very different things.

The Lawyer sniveled: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Your unkind and undeserved remarks on a legal forum like this deserve some response. How about I post a new topic on the main forum in your name as follows: "Why are guns that fire bullets automatically called machine guns?"<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> All of my remarks are unkind. If they do not appear to be, read more closely. Hopefully while driving. All of my remarks are, however, deserved. So, are guns which fire bullets automatically, called machine-guns? Or are guns which fire bullets, automatically called machine-guns? Perhaps, upon reflection, you might not wish to call a muzzle-loading pistol a "machine-gun". This could keep the forum busy for days. I recommend you place one of each against each of your temples, with a string around each trigger, fix each of the other ends to a lively, scampering sheep, and invite Mace into the room. He can post the results of your experiment, at least the first part. Mr. Fire, that was just lame. The maggots in the volcano could have been developed, and that was all. "Gut-whimper-fester...", the now-obligatory Hiram reference, all the tired imagery of the tentatively malicious, just falls very flat. I fear you must beat your plowshare into a blunt instrument and thump elsewhere. Seek inspiration from the works of Peng, Meeks, Croda, or some other truly malevolent souls. Dance for me. Edited, because... I care. [ 04-27-2001: Message edited by: Mark IV ]

Nothing but newbie scum, lawyers, and gits here, but following the bouncing padlock brings us here. So be it, then. Croda, your mom says hi.

I think this tag line to the much deserved, though belated, padlock on the War with Australia thread says it all... <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Oh, BTW, Hi Stuka. Deputy Moderator <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Therefore it is a legitimate gag line with BTS sanction. Don't forget it was Steve who started the hamster thing.

Well, Earthstink has managed to get their fiber optics trunk severed, so my ISP was down last night and continues to be. If you sent me a turn I didn't see it yet. You probably died, unless you're Geier, in which case you ought to. I had to play the Pinball game that comes with Windows (I made Ensign, hehe, 5.3 million points... I could make a Hiram joke here, but I'm above that sort of thing). Speaking of severed trunks, Meeks has not sent me a turn in so long that, if he ever does, he will find that both sides belong to NATO and are allies now. Aitken, you have fallen for total maskirovka, and while any pejoratives following or preceeding the word "meeks" are welcome, you'll need to get over it. It's not, after all, the End of the World As We Know It. It is nice to see that Seanachai can still fit more into a parenthetical remark than I cram into a complete user manual for big expensive things. "Cram" provides another nice segue... in this case, to all of my cessy colleagues.

One of my favorite perks, as an elder of the 'pool, is the right to proclaim the dreaded Peng Thread Death Sentence on those we find offensive in unhumorous ways. Oh, the light in the eyes of the squires, as they sharpen rusty things on the sidewalk, anticipating the torments before the bonfire! How the dogs bark, as the hapless captives are led to the pyre! These are happy moments. Today we'll be immolating the megadolt Panzerman, who draws a big P on the front of his pyjammies and uses a bathroom towel for a cape, bouncing from bed to bed making tank noises. And a special treat- a double header!- we'll pick the tasty hypocritical bits from JMGUIRE or whatever his name was, before they're overdone. Hiram, I done told you I was busy then, and you know TCP things don't fit the old schedule too well, with you in the low-budget time zone and all. However, I will see if can give mama-san a billion dollars to go the store this weekend, and maybe we can pull one off. Watch this space. Mr. Fire, there was not the slightest hint of a taunt in that "challenge", and more bodily fluid/matter mots are not gonna do it either. You need to work on technique. Anyway, I still owe Berli a setup. If you could muster some of your namesake like you gotta pair, I might consent to examine your setup. But I doubt it.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stuka: Peng's don't kill people, people kill people.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Nonsense, Peng just killed a bunch of my people. He should be banned. Everyone whose name begins with a "P" should be banned. If we eliminate all the people in California and New York, the census will cost less, be more accurate, and will go much more quickly. While this is not as reasonable as a war with Australia, as discussed in the More Important areas of the BBS, it has merit and will certainly benefit the majority. Though closing the Peng thread would yield the desirable benefit of the perpetrator being killed a lot, I think more of its evil spirits than meeksters has reckoned on would lurk on, and commit random acts of swinish humor to destabilize the BBS. Picture gag bombs going off in the middle of busy muzzle velocity threads, or the hijacking of armor weak point data posts, and you have an ugly little situation. The provisional wing of the Peng Thread is barely controllable now. They are everywhere, they are invisible, and they will never surrender. Containment is the only victory you can hope for. The choice is yours.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Phillies Phan: Follow my logic here with me, Mister Four. If I suck and I had a draw against you, then you must suck too.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Once, we had a minor traffic accident. Now, you've been killed in a major crash. Therefore, I also have been killed in the crash. Yeah, that works, Mr. Cubbie. I know that your self-esteem is in desperate need of having its false premises restored, and I'm going to go along with this. You're a valued member of the pool and I wouldn't want you to do anything rash. Have a special day.

Best hide the cats.

We are quietly pointing out to the Chinese that there is lots of Lebensraum much closer to their waters, populated by a bunch of mateys that don't have nukes, and only have diesel subs. Hi, mom!