KMHPaladin

I believe there is also a website called "Combat Missions" maintained by a member here. This site maintains very detailed look into a few of the CM units, something like 10 or 12 total. I really like it, since I like you have a pretty good idea of tactics and units but couldn't tell you the difference between a JPz IV and a JPz IV Lang . The features each have a number of posts from this board, discussing pros and cons of the vehicles as well as different uses and applications for them. Just do a search for it, I'm sure you'll find it. Good luck, ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Back to Unreal Tournament with you... ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Many submachine guns and other smaller type weapons feature muzzle brakes to combat the outrageous muzzle climb that such small weapons exhibit. The brakes on the Thompson and Mini Uzi submachine guns come to mind as examples that work well. ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

I too am a lurker... no idea how many posts I have. I have lurked on-and-off for a while something like... 10 months, but haven't posted that often because to be perfectly honest, as Monte described, this isn't a wonderfully hospitable locale for newbies. People are too eager to flame, and I don't feel that I'm ingrained enough into the community to come right out and make statements. So... lurkers arise! ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

I too am a lurker... no idea how many posts I have. I have lurked on-and-off for a while something like... 10 months, but haven't posted that often because to be perfectly honest, as Monte described, this isn't a wonderfully hospitable locale for newbies. People are too eager to flame, and I don't feel that I'm ingrained enough into the community to come right out and make statements. So... lurkers arise! ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

I too am a lurker... no idea how many posts I have. I have lurked on-and-off for a while something like... 10 months, but haven't posted that often because to be perfectly honest, as Monte described, this isn't a wonderfully hospitable locale for newbies. People are too eager to flame, and I don't feel that I'm ingrained enough into the community to come right out and make statements. So... lurkers arise! ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Paul, the "FCS" is the Future Combat System, an acronym for the future tank that the Army is researching. I'm not particularly knowledgeable about it, but I'm sure there are plenty of others here who are. Additionally, I understand the desire to purchase something "off-the-shelf" to keep costs down - but what is to keep the government from saying "we have the LAV, which you said was capable before - why do we need to spend money to buy another type of vehicle?" ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

GO EAGLES!!! I sincerely hope that the Giants don't win. One), because they beat the Eagles, and Two) because if they win, all the Giants fans here (I go to RPI in New York) will be going crazy that a NY team won both the World Series and the Super Bowl. Hehehe... ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Do you have some kind of a grudge against the 1-4? Lighten up. In regards to Clancy, what in the hell would you rather he wrote? In case you've forgotten, there aren't any major wars going on right now. That means that he has to create something (that, after all, is what fiction is about) that is feasible. I think that his plots are excellent, realistic in light of modern politics, well written, and for the most part well-researched. I have to agree with you about interim systems, however. I sincerely hope that the FCS or a similar program doesn't end up being scrapped because we are perceived as already having a "capable" weapon (the LAV) that negates the need for more purchases. ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Jason, if you want to leave the Bradley as it is and expect it to operate as a "light tank" it will fail. It was designed as an Armored Personnel Carrier or Scout and with its current armament I do not believe that it could accomplish the same thing that the LAV could. Additionally, a Bradley would be tougher to airlift and would have a bigger logistical "tail." Finally, if you want to upgrade the turret, you're going to be spending just as much R&D money as well as production money, and given our bureaucracy, it will take another 10 years to get it done. To say that the military doesn't know how to use the LAV is also incorrect. How long have the Marines used the LAV? I sincerely hope that interservice rivalry would not get in the way of information-sharing. I'm sorry, but I doubt a mortar with 50% more accuracy could kill a tank with even a small degree of regularity. ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

In regards to the 105mm gun... something in the back of my mind is telling me that firing "sabot" rounds through a rifled barrel is very detrimental to the tube. I have very few books with me at school, so I can't follow this up - anyone have any clarification? I apologize if this is silly, but like I said something is nagging in the back of my mind. In regards to the 1-4 Cav, my recollection is that Tom Clancy highlights this unit in his latest book. While I realize that a novel is not a reference source, I sincerely doubt that an author with the research knowledge that Clancy has would highlight a "problematic" unit as some have described it. If H.R. McMaster is in charge, I would be shocked if that was the case. To reply to Jason Cawley, If you want to save money, how is purchasing two vehicles ("used the Bradley and modified it as needed, and the M8 or something like it for the gun system") superior to one (LAV)? A viable solution might lie in modifying the Bradley chassis with an entirely new turret (I don't have enough knowledge to state whether that is true), but to think that the Bradley could operate as a light tank is wrong. I agree that I would rather see a "light tank" like the M8 as opposed to a "heavy armored car" like the LAV, but then again I don't do Army Procurement. ------------------ KMHPaladin Harkik@rpi.edu "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma [This message has been edited by KMHPaladin (edited 01-27-2001).]

I disagree. This comes from an 18-year-old who is in college and has never served in the US military. However, I have had a lifelong interest in military history and I believe that qualifies me to relate some sort of opinion. First, I will not lie - I would feel sorry to see the Abrams go. As an enthusiast of military technology as well, there is nothing "cooler" than a big tank. However, these "big tanks" have a waning usefulness to a modern army. As I say this, I want to make clear that I'm not arguing in support of the LAV. Personally the M8 AGS seems like a better decision - a "light tank" instead of a "heavy armored car." However, I believe that the concept of a lighter and more mobile armed forces is the inexorable direction in which the future is taking us. With a global economy and the resulting possibility for problems nearly anywhere, we can no longer be happy to cache our heavy armor in West Germany and wait. Our "prepackaged" ships are an excellent concept and could provide a force to prevent problems in the Middle East, but they can't be everywhere. To be clear, I don't think that all of a sudden we're going to be fighting only guerrilla wars. The proliferation of Russian hardware and that same global economy make this highly unlikely. However, I believe that in the future we will be facing "low-intensity" conflicts that will require lighter and more mobile vehicles that don't have a logistics train that is even more difficult to transport than the vehicle itself. That said, I don't think that M1A2s should be removed - far from it. However, to continue to solely buy massive Main Battle Tanks is a misuse of funds and ignores the apparent path of future warfare. ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma [This message has been edited by KMHPaladin (edited 01-26-2001).]

GrogFrog - you said that many engine-room crews were forced to wear OBAs because of a lack of radiation shielding. I'm no expert on radiation, but would that really help? Yes, it might prevent inhalation of radioactive particles that might wreak havoc in the lungs, but that's nothing compared to the damage that would be caused by the gamma rays hitting the sailors. What was the line from The Hunt for Red October - "Simply ventilating won't help; we've got to get the men off!" Sounds about right to me... Like I said, I'm no physicist, but I don't think breathing bottled air would really do a darned thing for those sailors. Input is welcome... Fionn, I would lighten up a bit. If he had said "lighting a candle in the Kursk" it might be in bad taste, but you can see that he meant it as an honorable gesture. I salute those sailors and wish any survivors all the luck they might need. ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Heinz - 1.) Absolutely 2.) Because it provides a fascinating look into tactical thought, and gives you an idea as to what tactics people are using 3.) Fionn's "Sunken Lane" AAR - it's incredible from not just a tactical standpoint but also a writing view. If I might offer you some advice, I would suggest that you put more writing into your AARs. I think that your layout is good, and I like your liberal use of screenshots (helps with visualization) but I find that I can't really "immerse" myself into your AARs. Perhaps adding more commentary would be good, at least IMHO. Good luck, ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

I disagree with a lot of governmental regulation. I feel that there is a place for government intervention, but computer games aren't it. Furthermore, how can you say that computer games should be restricted while violent movies are given a "rating" and released regardless? I would have no problem if games like "Quake 3" were given an "R" rating and sales restricted to those over 17, but I would have a problem if the government said that games were too violent and restricted them while leaving violent media like movies alone.... but that's just my two cents. ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Dave - that's hilarious, my girlfriend lives in Cinnaminson! I come from Haddonfield, about 15 minutes away. It's a small world, after all... ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Ben Hur - I too am from Southern Jersey, right across the Delaware from Philadelphia. I'm very near Cherry Hill - how about you? Hello also to von Brizee and Elvis... Actually I'm in Philadelphia right now, I work at the Naval Business Center as a summer job ... ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

European Air War, MiG Alley... ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Doug, I think he's kidding ... ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

LOL... good point Andreas . ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Fionn - a nightly AAR would be wonderful, but the problem would be that you couldn't really say "I'm moving my units with the intention of..." unless you and Chris agreed not to look at each other's posts. Of course, if you guys could work around that, it'd be great. Have a good one folks, ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Actually... getting CM to run on a laptop isn't inconceivable. The chief problem is, as Schrullenhaft said, the lack of 3D capability. Unfortunately, your machine seems to lack the general processing power needed to run the game. I would highly recommend using "End It All," an application that will close down all unnecessary background programs. That will free up quite a bit of memory. If you're in the market for a new laptop, however, the picture is much rosier. Many new laptops are shipping with a graphics card produced by ATi called the Rage Mobility Pro. Almost every computer that has a DVD drive will feature this chipset (check out the spec sheets at Dell, Gateway, IBM, etc - look at bottom). While it won't offer the performance of a GeForce card, it will offer more than sufficient performance for gaming (see the links below for a review.) Most companies ship with either a 4MB or 8MB version, but I've seen IBM A20-model machines that feature a 16MB version. That will, however, cost you - I have ordered an A20p and it is currently not scheduled to be in-stock until the 1st of September, and it costs just over $4000. However, that is just about top-of-the-line (PIII750,192MB,20Gig,6xDVD,16MB VRAM, 15") so you would probably be able to get something at a more reasonable cost if you're willing to sacrifice performance. I have heard from a friend who talked to Dell and has fooled around inside his Inspiron 7500 that the graphics card can indeed be pulled out and apparently is upgradeable to a 16MB version (if not now then at a later date in the near future). Therefore, I wouldn't buy a Thinkpad solely because of the doubled Video memory. What type of laptop to buy is a whole other story... The bottom line is that CM and other hardware-intensive games can be run on a laptop, but you need to have a decent laptop. Unfortunately, even if your computer was a desktop with a decent graphics card it wouldn't have stellar performance. BTW, BTS addresses the cursor issue in one of the readme's - you're probably using a custom cursor, which they say causes such a problem. Go back to the defaults and you should be okay. Whew! I empathize with you, I am attending a college (Rensselaer Polytechnic) next year that requires laptops and I was very worried that I would have to leave all of my games behind. After some very frenzied research, I realized that was not the case . However, unless you have a newer laptop you probably won't get much more performance out of your current machine. If you want a quick-fix, try upgrading memory, that might help a little. Keep in mind that you can't upgrade your video card, they're soldered onto the motherboard. Hope this helps, good luck! If you have any questions, email me (address below) and I'll see if I can help out. Review of ATi Rage Mobility - http://www.3dhardware.net/reviews/rage_mobility_128/ ATi's website - machines that ship with Rage Mobility - http://www.ati.com/na/pages/onboard/onboard.html ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

My understanding (I don't have the full game yet) is that BTS modeled the eagerness of US infantry to identify every German tank they sighted as a Tiger. Makes for interesting play, I'm guessing... ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma

Any chance of the summaries for 2-5 being posted sometime soon? This looks to be an interesting battle forming up, but it's only got 1 turn! Can't wait... *** Updated *** Upon closer examination, turns 2-5 are posted - just rather quickly . Okay... well hopefully 5-10 will be posted soon! Good luck Fionn, ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma [This message has been edited by KMHPaladin (edited 07-21-2000).]

Kingfish - I'll look around for John's writing. Randl - do you have any sort of link to that article? For the life of me, I can't find it... Fionn - I absolutely enjoy them. As Scorpion says, they're suspenseful but also very informative and useful. I also prefer them over the first-person approach that some people take; I prefer your approach. I would love to see you put out a weekly AAR, or even more frequently if you could manage it . ------------------ KMHPaladin KHarkins@voicenet.com "We have the enemy surrounded. We are dug in and have overwhelming numbers. But enemy airpower is mauling us badly. We will have to withdraw." -- Japanese infantry commander, SITREP, Burma [This message has been edited by KMHPaladin (edited 07-21-2000).]