Mike Robel

You can load the Team Trackless scenario, and using Change units and equipment Blue, change the LAV-25s to the Strykers. THen create your own scnearios using the altered files. Note that they will all end in .tac The Team Trackless was a master scenario the Major made for me that I used to create the other scenarios for my work with Team Trackless.

After a strike, pilots radio the supporting FAC and/or Army headquarters with their observations. This normally includes an estimate of what they did to the target, but also can include information about the surrounding units/terraine/situation.

Actually, letting an enemy unit go by you in the hopes of a rear shot is a valid tactic. One I planned on, in fact.

If you want real time, you can always play BCT.

The 1-4 CAV Squadron S-3 in his BFV was in between A and B Troops (the ground troops in the squadron). 3 T-72s came down the seam. John took out 2 with TOWS and then the third with a 25mm Burst on the side above the road wheels. Got the Bronze Star for Valor (we thought it was a Silver Star shot, but couldn't convince the CG.) Oh well.

You can of course use the tools in the simulation to change weapons and equipment to change existing solitare scenarios to anything you wish to add. To do so, go to OPTIONS|Change Units & Weapons Blue (or Red/other color), and change the pieces of equipment you desire. I have done this many time to change a scenario using one type of equipment (such as the M1) to the IAV/Stryker to play against the AI. You can also change the AI's units in the same way, so as to change T-80's/BMP-2 to T-55/BTR-60 if you wish to model a less capable OPFOR. I have not had any problem doing this, however, adding additional units to the AI side can have an unanticipated effect on play. Hope this helps.

Mark, Will Do, though it is a long way from Florida to Austrailia. Jeff, it was always exciting. We used to swim them all the time across part of a resivour at FT Riley, KS. Much maintenance, "pre-swimming", checking the seals etc. Milford Lake was DEEP. Never sank one though. Did have some fall off bridges and run off bridges that were no longer there, ending with injuries and some deaths in other units, but not, thankfully, mine. Mike

Yep, Us armor guys have it hard. I was never comfortable swimming the M113. There are better things to do with life. Kind regards

Mark, As a Tank Company Commander, even though I had a gunner, driver, and loader, it was me from the turret. As I said, sometimes I would get a sergeant loader and he'd help me out. And my M113 commander came out of my hide (a scout from another track). Mike

As an armored cavalry platoon leader (platoon had 3 M113, 2 M901, 4 M60A1, and 1 M106) I never rode in the commanders hatch of my M113. Rather, I stood in the cargo hatch with my map paying attention to where I was and where my platoon was. I told my vehicle commander where I wanted to go in general, and he took care of getting me there. As a tank platoon leader and a tank company commander, I of course couldn't operate that way, so I had to pay attention to commanding the company, navigation, target acquisition, and a host of other things. Occasionally, I would take a sergeat as a loader and his job was to navigate the tank, much as the vehicle commander did for me in an M113.

Rich, I do believe you are confusing Urgent Fury (grenada) with the British Operation in the Falklands. In the falklands, the Navy did carry the army to the battle, but what kicked the Agentinians off the island was the Royal Army and Royal Marines. Grenada was an Army, Navy, Marine, and Air Force fight, and not particularly well handled. No M113s to my knowledge, although the Marines landed their AAVP7s and M60A1 MBT. In Panama we did use M113 and M551. Mike

Of course, this reviewer would say something like, "In one of the true success stories of the wargaming genre, MAJ Holdridge continues to raise the bar of perfection that larger, better supported, with huge development and advertising budgets can only wish they could do. The TACOPS is better than ever, while allowing the role player to build on his knowledge and application, rather than mastering yet another new interface, replete withe useless eye-candy."

Well, I am not going to give away all my secrets, but ALWAYS blind the enemy. Kill his reconaissance. A good commander will reconstitute his recon units and send them in next. KILL THEM TOO. If he does it again, why then KILL THE NEW ONES. When the Advance Guard Company comes through, kill it. NEVER let the recon through. For one thing, you don't know what they have seen, particularly in a two sided game. Letting them through is about the same as committing suicide. So far as decieving the enemy about where I am coming, well, you haven't paid for those cards. Suffice it to say, showing someone a unit, then taking it back like a feather dancer can be effective. But there are many other ways of decieving the enemy with timing, direction, types of units, minefield locations, dummy markers (when a game supports such a construct to mimic the tactical level decoys that are available.) as well as verbal "abuse" of a player. However, I firmly believe the key is to "Find the Bastard, then pile on." as we used to say in the 11th Cav. And when one is being piled on, the important thing is not to lose your cool. Surprise is an event that occurs in the mind of the commander. Happy Hunting... Kind Regards Mike Robel

Here is a good article to read for TTPs. Closing with the Enemy: Company Team Manuever. To access the article, go to http://call.army.mil/products/spc_sdy/hickey/preface.htm. Type in "Hickey" and the article will appear. Pretty long, but good reading. Mike Robel [ 11-27-2001: Message edited by: Mike Robel ]</p>

Thanks Qassis. Say hi to him for me. I worked for Logicon then and now work for them in Orlando on WARSIM.

Hi, I used to run the sim center at Fort Polk (across from Range Control). Is Ken Still there? Mike Robel

The American Way of War (if you can find it.) America's First Battles. West Point Atlas of American Wars Encylopedia of War (Dupuy)

You sure like to stir things up. To me, the minimum acceptable caliber to play with is .50 caliber. My prefered weapon is the 120mm FSAPDS-T round, follwed my 120mm HEAT-MP. In the 105mm days, I liked beehive. My PSG told me about the time in Viet Nam, he asked his platoon leader to dush off his tanks, which was being swarmed with VC using those little squirt guns, with beehive and the problem went away.

I feel obligated to point out that the good Major is an OCS grad, so he does bring an enlisted viewpoint. Of course, I forgot to disclose that I am an ROTC graduate.

I have found that an officer from each source of commissioning brings a vital skill set to the table. A ROTC officer has a little more of the real world about him. He has probably dealt with drug addicts, punkers, preps, intellectuals, average guys, hari krishna, and a host of other types. His ability to get along with these is important in an LT. As is his/her supply of idealism. A service acadamy officer has less of the real world about him, coming from a much more structured envirnoment. His actual knowledge of how to run his platoon is not much better than an ROTC officers. However, his PME to date is a little better, so he is able to provide a unique viewpoint to the group. THe OCS officer brings the story of life in the ranks to the unit. However, he is sometimes prejudiced in his world view and sometimes "errs" as to what is important. An easy example of this is "take care of the troops" versus "accomplish the mission." THe OCS officer _may_ orient on take care of troops to the expense of mission. (I know, taking care of the troops may also help accomplish the mission.) I never had an officer who was a direct commision - most of them being warrent officers, but I am sure that they too would bring a unique perspective to life at the company level. As a Company Commander, I liked to have a platoon leader from each source of commission. It provided three unique viewpoints that they could talk things over with, instruct each other as to technique, and provide me a freshness as a company commander that I may have overlooked. After two years as a platoon leader, source of commisison does not matter, and they all are pretty much equal, except for the guy who everyone can tell is going to be a general from the day he gets commissioned. Having said that, the only officer I ever had to relieve was an OCS graduate, who never quite got over being enlisted and was never entirely sure as to why he went to ROTC after getting out of the Army. At least part of the fault for that relief was mine, part the platoon sergeants, and mostly his. I think going to a single source of commission would subtract a lot of background from the officer corps.

Don't give yourself credit for the win if you suffer more than 15 - 20 per cent casualties!

Me too. I decided I like Capt Kirks style better, when confronted with Hostiles: Capt Kirk: Open Fire Capt Picard: Senior Officers to the Ready Room Capt Sisko: Hmm, I don't know what he does. Capt Janeway: Get out of my way or I'll open fire. Actually, I kind of like Janeway.

Modern KE rounds would rather penetrate then bounce. The actual penetrator, which is acuatlly sorta blunt shaped, has a bearing on the front of it and a "wobble cap" on the front of that. The sharp nose of the round is actually a wind screen. When the round hits the target, the wobble cap is deflected up which deflects the penetrator down. While a bounce or a miss is still possible, this scheme is designed to lesson the chance of such an action.

What the major said, plus: In the real world, yes. The Avenger is HMMWV with two four round stinger pods and a .50 caliber machine gun mounted. The LAV-AD is a standard LAV with two four round stinger pods in addition to its 25mm. the Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicle (BSFV) is a bit of a red herring. It is a standard Bradley carrying a Stinger Gunner. He must dismount to fire, although it is possible to have it fire from the cargo hatch (not something I would want to try.) the Bradley Linebacker is a bradely with a single four round stinger pod mounted in place of the TOW launcher. All three of these are represented in TACOPS.

There are the two organizational guides and the operational level of war. Nothing else seems to be available.