sburke

Yeah I read that one, good book all around and would make for a really interesting CMSF 2 campaign.

To be somewhat fair to Obama, from a US strategic perspective, the main concern is China. China has the financial resources, a strategic imperative that is pushing it into conflict with most of it's neighbors that from a geo political perspective has much more importance to the US. Let's face it. Despite Putin's chest pounding and statements of being an awesome military power, in the end he is much more akin to Taqiq Aziz. Lots of bluster, lots of BS, but in the end Russia is heading towards third rate power status simply because despite the bluster, it just doesn't have the resources to be in the first rate power game. The MOD can make all their claims it wants about it's new uber tank, a new cosmodrome, a resurgent Navy, air force and strategic nuclear force, but as the bottom falls out financially the house of cards is gonna collapse. Can you imagine Germany trying to do and say all that. We'd all chuckle and move onto another thread (with maybe a twinge of nervousness if it included all the other nonsense Russia is doing with hyper nationalism, suppression of a free press, targeting of "undesirable social elements etc) about the penetration characteristics of weapon x versus modular buildings for the simple reason everyone knows it is beyond their reach. How we can even remotely entertain that somehow Russia should be taken seriously with similar financial resources, but a far more corrupt regime is just silly. As to Syria, there is no appetite in the US for another mideast intervention. Obama is constrained by the fiasco of Bush foreign policy that got us suckered into the longest war in US history. That he is still struggling to deal with this mess isn't really that surprising. That he isn't doing a good job of dealing with it , well that he owns, but the foreign policy shift required to effectively deal with the mid east has eluded the US for a century (assuming it is even possible). Time is on the West and Ukraine's side. We have the resources to respond to any level threat if needed and Russia's ability to sustain this conflict is not limitless. Yes it sucks that in the meantime Ukraine suffers at the depredations of a despotic, corrupt neighbor. Eventually though it will end, Ukraine will have control of their future and Russia will have to face the consequences internally of their shortsighted view. And then they will come crying to the west for resources to shore up their crumbling economy and odds are we will probably get involved to simply try to avoid the humanitarian/environmental crisis that will unfold - repeat of the 1990s. Except odds are by then China will be owning a significant portion of Siberia. So back to the OP - According to Poroschenko, the Ukr is mopping up after repelling the separatist offensive (even the OSCE agrees it was a separatist offensive.) Meanhwile this is the DPR statement The Donetsk rebel leader spoke of huge losses in the Ukrainian army. Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of the self-styled "Donetsk People's Republic", said the Maryinka fighting had left about 400 Ukrainian troops dead and up to 1,000 wounded. "This was a counter-attack. If we had attacked, we would have captured Maryinka," he said on Friday. Quoted by Russia's RIA Novosti news agency, he said 15 rebel fighters had been killed and 30 wounded. I'd like to place my vote that Zakharchenko be awarded the first of the new annual Tariq Aziz awards for amazing public statements. edit- My apologies to Tariq- that would be the Muhhammad Saeed All Sahhaf award.

In a statement Tariq was heard to say, "I'm not quite dead yet, I feel happy, i ......"

The point of all this is when you ratchet up tensions and then engage in aggressive behavior human potential for error kicks in and really bad s**t happens. KAL flight 007 Iranian air flight 655 MH 17 All these were avoidable but the parties involved allowed their aggressiveness to overcome common sense in the heat of the moment. The result is a lot of dead civilians who should all now be very much alive. This is the game that Russia is playing around with and when eventually someone pays the price of this stupidity we can all look at it afterwards and say how stupidly senseless it was. Better to just stop it now so no innocent civilians have to pay the price.

Man that is a tough one, on a scale of 1 - 10 with a die roll modifier of I suck... hmmm.. The version I played I'd say maybe a 7... considering school of hard knocks was maybe a 9-10. Basically if I think after the first play through, I can probably win it on my second try, it can't be above an 8. The hardest thing for me on an initial play through is I usually don't manage the clock well. I just hate risking my guys trying to rush stuff, then I end up having to risk my guys cause I am running out of time.

One thing that CMBS will burn you on is the concept of hiding. I don't know if this is the case, but that unit could very well have been spotted by a UAV and targeted. Safety is a very elusive concept in CMBS. and yeah this map/scenario rocks. Good choice.

Well Bil definitely has a track record, but unbeatable? No and this map looks like it is going to end up a short range slugfest. I'd hesitate to make any predictions at this point other than this is going to be/is fun to watch. More beer please, yes a pitcher, thank you.

Now we are just dancing around the issue. The article was specifically cited to prove the US flies without transponders in response to multiple points about aggressive irresponsible behavior by the Russian military. The article in fact does not state that, it siimply says the MOD says that and it provides a counterpoint from an impartial body refuting that at least in part. So now who is misreading or misdirecting the conversation?

Or perhaps you should read it again, flightradar24.com is not the US govt. it is a public website that you can access if you so choose. They claimed it was on and cited the transponder. If you are going to jump into this defending the MOD as a reliable source of info, it might help to read who is contradicting them. The site is actually a Swedish origin company. The article in being strictly objective is saying they can't verify 100% that it was on at the time. Good for them, it shows some objectivity. The MOD however has a proven track record of lying, your choice if you choose to accord them any level of validity. Maybe you can ask if those paras who got "lost" in Ukraine had their transponders on.

Not to be a jerk or anything, but if that info is so critical as to be a deal breaker for you, this is likely not the game for you anyway. I would hope to be wrong about that, but it takes some willingness on your part to immerse yourself in the game and not get wrapped up in gaming it if you understand my meaning. Kind of more toward what Ian was saying more eloquently. Part of the nature of CMx2 is that the info you are looking for is only generally useful anyway. The modeling of the game is such that you can make some assumptions about likelihood of success in any given situation however the variables involved are such that you can't really rely on that info. After that it becomes more an issue about tactically moving to increase your chances of hitting your enemy in a vulnerable location hopefully before they can react.

You seem to have conveniently disregarded the inconsistencies the article you yourself cited regarding the statements by Russian MOD. Read it again and tell me you think that the statements by the MOD are reliable. In the bottom section is also a note showing the exchange from the tracking website with RT news Twitter feed, the source showing the US aircraft had it's transponder on. Do you think we just ignore when you post articles and assume we just won't figure out you can't back your own statements. Kind of embarrassing. @RT_com The US aircraft had transponder ON. Transponder code: AE01D5 Registration: 64-14849 Callsign: TELEX97

In Bloomberg article today they confirmed couple items OSCE is largely backing Kiev statements based on a couple items 1 OSCE documenting that it seems mostly outgoing artillery from Donetsk 2 rapid buildup of Russian forces opposite border crossings to triple their previous force size within the past two weeks 3 appearance of Russian forces in marked uniforms noted reflecting a seeming lack of concern by Russia that it's forces were recognizable. this is again rooted by OSCE http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-06-04/ukraine-s-war-is-back?cmpid=yhoo

I usually find out that enemy unit x can penetrate my tank about the time it blows up. Totally accurate confirmation.

yeah that is it, read the reviews here. I think you'll get a much better sense. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2611026/?ref_=fn_al_tt_5 Most do say the last 15-20 minutes it gets pretty good. I just couldn't make it that far.

I'll get you workin on this yet sonny. All I did was delete all the url encapsulating shtuff - that is a technical term.

So what is your excuse, you a masochist?

It's okay, we will get by. Had to toss this in considering this is the 50 year anniversary and the supposed last shows... including some scheduled here at the new 49ers stadium.

He's a deserter, shoot him.

To get back to the OP's question, things do appear to be seeing some escalation. There are counterclaims from both sides, but the OSCE report for Monday says that of the 109 "explosions" they counted Monday, the vast majority were outgoing, in other words the OSCE is confirming what Kiev is saying in terms of some type of heavy probe or attack by Russian backed forces near Donetsk. The peace talks are also apparently going poorly.

Maybe not, but none of the songs you are posting are from the 80s. Are you an anti 80-ist??!

I should have read the reviews first. I was thinking, huh, sounds like it might be interesting. Wrong, oh man was I so wrong. I wanted to shoot the fricken journalist 20 minutes in. Us forces go into combat, all the guy talks about is the danger his son (another journalist) is in and how glad he is to have him back, then cut to him getting interviewed by another journalist so we can learn about the award he and his son got...wtf? Wasn't this supposed to be about the soldiers? Troops should have left this guy alone in a Taliban compound and see what he writes then. Does it show I am a bit peeved by the darn thing? I actually shut it off and put it back in the Netflix envelope, I couldn't watch anymore.

For the record, I hate patchouli oil.

unfortunately I was paying attention. I sadly know better and should have avoided this thread... sigh I will eventually learn... I hope.

Love this shot, nice eye Bil