Raptor341

I feel the frustration expressed today. When you look back the opportunities through mid-2022 until now it is pretty easy to get upset at the seeming lack of urgency to outright defeat the russian invasion on the battlefield, likely out of an overabundance of caution. This being said, here we are, and it could have gone so much worse. The only thing that matters is what we do next.

"Combat Mission Blitzkrieg 1939-1940" for roadmap 2024. I can dream, right?

Always wanted *CM Desert Storm* or Battlepack DLC that includes it. Looking forward to trying it out!

Are the other variants still being worked on (CMRT, LRDG)? Just found this, looks very interesting

That pretty well sums it up @Beleg85, time to re-focus on Ukraine’s current nazi (aka Z-Russian) problem.

Well, this is rapidly becoming much more complicated than I anticipated on Sunday when I first read about it. Also, I have to admit, that unsettling feeling when both Steve and The Capt both acknowledge the complexity and historical context of the situation and then proceed to argue that holding the view that this isn’t a big deal politically is, in fact, a big deal politically makes me question my own shoot from the hip response to said issue. An interesting discussion regardless.

Very informative posts from @Haiduk and @Beleg85 regarding the 14th SS Division (UKR). As soon as a I read the headline in the CBC yesterday I knew nothing useful was going to come of this drama. Should he have been given a standing ovation in Parliament, no, but as a country we have already been over this regarding the legal status of former members of the unit (provided there was no evidence of war crimes against civilians). History is complicated, I don’t need to tell that to anyone in this forum. Does his affiliation with the SS mean that as a Canadian I would have fought him during the war? Yes. Do I blame them to trying to fight against the USSR for the possibility of an eventual independent Ukraine? No. After the war, do I regret the Canadian government giving former members a place here? No. As @Beleg85 pointed out the devil is in the details. So find them out and be clear about it. Presuming he is innocent, then we should all just move on from this, lesson learned. I get a little upset about a lack of historical context from wider society at times, but as pointed out, a lot of us are learning more about the complex history of CEE since this war started. At least whoever wrote the CBC news article tried to give it some context, it could have been worse. Edit: Steve also adds extra context to the various reasons why people (non-German) may have voluntarily joined the SS, or later found themselves in it.

Helped track that ship last year, makes me happy to see it hopefully out of service.

- In response to the current back and forth on the forum here - With regards to certain enemy capabilities which we spend oh so much time discussing, I do not worry about it, though I respect it. It can be managed. Personally, I (and many of my colleagues) are readier than ever to finally get into the fight and help win this. Everyday I wake up waiting for them to do something stupid and finally give NATO a clear, unambiguous, reason to intervene directly in this war. That’s the solider in me - - it hard to see all of our (combined) power not being used when everyday Ukrainians have to bear the burden alone (at least physically). That doesn’t sit right with me, never did. All of this to say I get it, it’s hard to watch this from the sidelines, whatever the reasons for that up to now. Still I read, learn about, and appreciate the challenges of leading the combined West through this crisis, with all of the diverse perspectives that it comes with. I trust the Alliance, and I trust the Ukrainian General Staff. I have my own opinions on what I would risk, which is more than current, but that isn't up to me. In the end, we are all on the same side here, let’s remember how important that is, even when it gets testy.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/ukraine_-_russia_conflict_war_2022/ukrainian_army_mounting_1953_soviet_naval_2m-3_turret_on_flat-bed_kamaz_trucks.amp.html?fbclid=IwAR0GOi69Csf7MhkmnBopjEL7CVA_0b0Iue5luWtzTZp-_XxxGD6HrdFZgIk_aem_AZxl570X9EiO_Z096KBS3fOIKSo81EMuQgc6Gjg6S7rPQA4nwL19Hwalv0l6_MMzQAY One more for Battlefront to model.

100% Defeat, Discredit, Disarm

This is a strong point for me personally - the collective West let the opportunity go in Syria and now everyone continues to pay for it. Leadership isn’t easy, and often I think these kind of things require action because someone else who you like even less (Russia) might take action in your absence. By giving up the initiative to act Russia gained control of much of the theatre. Perhaps it would have been a case of damned if you do, damned if you don’t, but if you don’t take action and then the problem lands on your doorstep (Europe) you are affected regardless. The thought of what would have happened if the West didn’t act in 2022 is almost certainly a darker future that I really don’t even want to contemplate, yet must to help understand why acting is important in the first place.

Out of likes - - Keep em flying!

“You don’t got to be Stonewall Jackson to know you don’t want to fight in a basement”

I may be able to help you here, send me a PM.