womble

As someone with a cancer diagnosis, it's fairly clear that's not as true nowadays as it was when it killed my mother... Some cancers, or late diagnosis have very poor prognosis. Pancreatic's one of those. But as a general statement, it's no longer true.

Nature solves high winds problems for small flying things by having the small flying things stay out of the air. For the most part. Seen plenty of crow-sized critters barely keeping it together and going downwind but not so many getting where they most want to go against the wind.

Oh yeah. Meant to mention that concept too. Might need to be rocket-launched, just so the G-forces the delicate 'tronics and optics would have to survive could be minimised/economised on. I know we've got artillery shells with clever microcircuitry and precise optical sensors for guidance already, but maybe a cheaper round for scattering eyeballs over the landscape would be a better choice.

Winds are only (that much of) a problem for flying drones. Your ISR bubble next-up will have crawler/creeper/walker/runner/roller scout drones as well, because of that. They'll be small, and infiltrate ahead of time at night, radio-silent. They'll creep under bushes and climb up trees under autonomous guidance (to maintain opsec), then come awake as needed to be the eyes of the force they're scouting for. There'll be active ones nearer the fighting forces, too. Obviously, a ground drone doesn't get the great view that a flying one does, so you'll need more of 'em. But most FOs have been footsloggers (or at best passengers in a ground vehicle), historically, so you're just not getting the additional improvement of being airborne. Cyberpunk RPG players have probably already developed SOPs the military could use as a starting point.

Also, it's been noted before that the Ukrainians have had most of a decade to cycle their military service personnel through "hot" or, at least, "hot adjacent" zones, which would make for a bunch of 20-30 (ish) year olds who'd already "seen the elephant" before March '22. I don't know whether reservists were treated the same way at all through this time, to keep their knowledge fresh, but even if all they did was their 6 weekends and a fortnight a year out in the field, plus more frequent "barracks" work, the very palpable existence of the Russian threat and rumbling active conflict will no doubt have concentrated their minds and efforts admirably during those training times.

It doesn't reassure me much, since when Russia says it's not going to do something (invade Ukraine, bombard a grain port, interdict a humanitarian convoy, target hospitals), they usually go right ahead and do that thing, in the same way that they accuse everyone else of the war crimes they commit, of being criminal gangsters in charge of a country, of being supremacist autocratic bigots, or pretty much any of the unwholesome things Russia does and is. Russia lies. How much for those MREs?

Which is a pretty good indicator that the Kremlin isn't interested in the more fiery radioactive death variations on MAD, either.

Kinda like the "shot spotter" systems used in some US (maybe wider, but I don't think there are many places rich enough with enough gunfire events per annum to justify the investment) municipalities.

Given that background, why would any expat Russian-roots now-Israeli have any sympathy whatsoever for the "Nazis that never went in front of the Nuremburg panels"? Rose-tinted nostalgia goggles? Even when those very same continuation Fascists are doing Genocide right in front of them?

For me, Russia crossed that line with its Polonium and its Novichok and its systematic destruction of Grozny. So, a while ago. I'm not sure its Syrian activities count as "terrorism" because they're "in support of the recognised authority". Unfortunately, doesn't that declaration have to go through the UNSC? Or can it just be done unilaterally and individually by Governments. Though, apparently, getting Russia off the UNSC (and replacing them with another of the USSR's successor states, say, y'know, Ukraine) is an administrative matter, and not subject to veto...

Regarding bridge damage and repair: wasn't it the Kremlin (or maybe Crimea Central) who set a deadline for repair of the Kerch bridge for July next year? Given that's the Russians setting a deadline, does it seem likely it'll be done sooner?

And Zelensky has to play himself: an actor acting as themselves as an actor who acted the part of a president and then became one and really acted the part*... * To avoid confusion, I'm using the expression "to act the part" in the sense of "stepping up and doing the job well", not in any sense implying that Zelensky is some sort of "face" for shadowy parties using him as some sort of puppet.

It is presumed that "eventually", BFC will work their way back along the timeline of WW2 and apply their current engine (whatever version that is by then) to the earlier time periods. This is a multi-decadal project, though, since the LoD of the titles is significantly increased from CMx1, so the "bracket" of what any given title can support is narrower. It has been asserted that there will "never" be a single CMx2 title that could cover the '41 to Bagration period; if it ever gets done in CMx2, it will likely be at least 2 games, probably more (with expansion packs etc for each). One could hope for a different architecture in CMx3 that might allow a different (broader, faster) flow of development effort... That might be a more realistic hope than ever seeing such products in CMx2.

I think if Putin were actually frothing insane, he'd have been deposed by now. He's effectively a crime lord, and loyalty to him, personally, isn't going to drive enough (there's probably a couple of Luca Brasi-types who think they owe him everything) people to follow him and remain loyal to the extent that a Hitleresque cult-of-personality/ideology does. Putin's supporters, even the ideologues are realistic/pragmatic, no-nonsense types (they must be, given their origins), and they won't stand for such histrionics. No, he's still got most of his marbles in the tin, and is playing competing power blocs off against each other in order to retain his seat at the head of that lonnnnnng table.

Sounds like it's a display/UI data issue, and the XO who is present in the team just isn't displayed as such til his boss gets it in the neck. I'm pretty sure this won't happen with all, or even many HQ teams.

A "Convoy" command has been requested since Day 1 of CMx2, if not before. Apparently, it's too tricky even for Charles to code to work reliably. They've tried, and got versions that left as many people unhappy that it was there as it appeased those who had cried out for it from the peanut gallery for years. If you have the time, try closely watching what happens when you give that column "waypoints down the road"; it should offer some insight into the factors that an automatic "Convoy" command has to deal with.

Aye, and big trains of oil tanks don't go very fast even when they're at full throttle.

You "should" be able to tow a 57mm. I'm rusty, but I think if you give the ATG element orders to board a vehicle, and the vehicle is capable of towing the gun, they'll hook it up and board, ready to drive off. I think a jeep should be able to tow a 57mm/6lber, too, but I don't think I ever have, so maybe the game reckons the gun's too big... A truck or halfie certainly should be able to tow it.

On top of this, you have to maintain the skills of the people operating the production line. That is a non-trivial ask. You can't keep a full crew for a "wartime production" line sitting there getting thumb-RSI when you only need a couple a year. And getting folk who've never built a thing before up to speed on a modern production line can also be problematic. We started producing an upgrade to one of our old models at the start of August, and the line still isn't above 2/3 velocity. Every day seems to upchuck a new problem. CESAR is significantly more complicated than what I help build. It's one reasons countries like to have a thriving arms export business. With the whole world to sell to, they can keep their tank-founders and helmet-dishers gainfully employed and in practice for when the balloon goes up and your own army needs to expand/replace significant losses quickly.

Is US equipment properly, thoroughly metricised yet? I know the military switched to metres years ago for range and movement measurement. Do they weigh things in kilo yet, and will metric spanners and wrenches fit all the bolts and nuts in all the gear a heavy brigade will need? I work in a plant (in the UK, but it's a US parent, and we make for worldwide markets) assembling building and construction machinery, and our assembly optechs seem to use a bewildering mix of Imperial and metric tools.

Anyone know what the Rules of War say about handing off your immense POW problem to friendly, uninvolved neighbours/allies? Could the USA say to UKR "We'll handle those POWs," fly them to the States and intern them til hostilities cease? Saves shipping anything prefabbed very far from its desert holding compounds...

That kinda looks like they're learning something from the Ukrainians (TD and popular logistical support helped no end in the initial stages of the war, in miring the RU advances). As ever, though, they've learned the wrong thing from a good lesson.

Does that HQ unit include an individual designated as any other kind of commander less than the original CO? An XO or suchlike? What formation is the HQ from, and what level (Plt? Coy? Support echelon or "line"?)

True, but arty spotters and their perches largely aren't about spotting individuals, and are more about getting a LoS to somewhere that has been identified as a "Good Target". So that's probably the litmus test: "Can I see people on that area (from my deep-in-concealment location)? No, so they probably can't see me."

I've no background in that field, but I'd say just from physical principles, that you may well. My layman's deductions might bring in "pressurised pipe" that would look blown from inside even if started from the outside, maybe? Wonder if we have any pro's who could offer any potential actual expertise.