Ultradave
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Posts posted by Ultradave
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On 5/9/2024 at 4:18 PM, Sequoia said:
I can verify when I arrived on post in West Germany in late 1977 the 2nd Arm Cav regiment was still operating Sheridans. The were replaced late 1978 iirc by M-60s.
Â
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P.S. Mike do you mean the WWII Chaffee?
And in the 82d we held on to them even longer. Jeeps and helicopters were used for recon (my service predates HMMVs), and M551s though were more thought of as "tank" support. Â In spite of them being armored recon vehicles, in the 82d there was a tank company. Â We'd have to wait a few days or more for some actual tanks (from some other unit) once we secured an airfield safe enough for C-5s to land.Â
Dave
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Good question. I've never really tested that specifically. It has seemed to me while playing that rounds get adjusted regardless, unless the spotting round falls off the edge of the world. Then bad things tend to happen (like you hear the FFE but never see it).
In real life, you would estimate from the plume (say it fell behind some woods or a hill). That might not be as accurate as actually seeing exactly where the round impacted, but since initial adjustments are usually on the order of L/R 200 or even 400, and add/drop 200 or even 400, it will be close enough that the next round should be in the ballpark and readily observable. But that's real life
  Adjusting fire is bracketing the target, so it's almost never an exact adjustment.Â
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It's something that's in the request queue for future changes. No idea what might happen with that in the long run. It would be nice, up to a point. More detail would be great, but striking a balance between that and not turning it into an artillery simulation training tool. Being an artillery veteran I wouldn't mind that, but I don't think it's everyone's cup of tea. Perhaps a preference toggle from a simplified artillery interface (what we've got now), to something more detailed, would be the answer.Â
Even back in the early 80s we had simulators where we could practice calls for fire and the FDC could practice data calculations in an environment that was sort of similar to one of those indoor golf ranges. We used it a lot. Other than not being out in the rain, the result was pretty realistic, with the advantage too that we could practice in the Fulda Gap while sitting in a room in North Carolina. Good training where live ammo was always at a premium, at least in the amounts that we would LIKE to use given free reign.Â
Dave
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46 minutes ago, Vacillator said:
Dave I just noticed this. Were you using that against me recently
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No, I didn't. I used to use it in battles vs AI, but got away from it, because it takes away from the look of the battlefield. Makes it look too much like game board. So I haven't used it in.... gee, quite a while. I was just mentioning it existed and didn't see it in the all in one packs.
Dave -
20 hours ago, billbindc said:
The was a moment there in 2022 when the possibility came closer than usual but I'd argue still not very close. This is much less significant.
Russia using the provision of depleted uranium ammunition as a reason for their tactical nuclear weapons drills in response is quite the stretch, eh?Â
Dave
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22 hours ago, AdamPraha said:
Hello Dave.
And thx for your info...
5 good men can't log me in. I guess I can't get in. I used to have some registration but have lost it now I am unable to register. It's a bit too complicated.
But I'll try the others.Â
I'm only looking for complete packages anyway. Â
Can't help you there. I know if you don't log into the forums for a while your registration lapses and you have to re-register. No problem re-registering with the same email address though.
Flagging @Bootie because he can get you sorted.
But as Tim @Vacillator said, 37mm has all in one links. Install the whole batch, and then experiment. If you don't like something, remove it. Just a note, sometimes the all in one is not the way to go for a plug and play set, because some things might create graphics weirdness with your own particular setup. You'll have to experiment figuring out what the offending mod is by moving things in and out, which can be time-consuming.  And the end result is the same as if you grabbed certain things from the mod warehouse. You'll have a Z folder with a bunch of folders in it of different mods. 37mm's all in one packs are great, but what he's done is collate various mods that can be found into one download. Once installed it's no different than if you installed them separately.Â
Remember that one person's mod may or may not be to your liking compared to stock. Personally, I think Aris's vehicles (of any kind), the explosion, flames, and tracer mods add a lot without going into a lot of terrain mods. For RT, the gridded terrain is nice, because it's not always obvious in the flat expanses of Russia where the folds in the ground are. I'm pretty sure that is NOT in 37mm's all in one.Â
Another point is that the terrain in particular in FB is a step up from say, BN, being a much newer title. To me it looks pretty great as it comes "out of the box"
Dave
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Yup. The answer remains the same no matter which title.Â
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Two places to check.Â
1. The maps and mods section of the forum under FB
2. The Few Good Men website mods section.
The answer will stay the same for every CM title you buy.Â
Dave
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3 hours ago, The_Capt said:
You tell yourselves this…try going to a soccer game.  Hell get on a train before a soccer game.  Understatement is not how I would describe the experience.
Also, get on a train AFTER a football match (riding north home from Manchester one night - ugh!). Personally I'm more of a rugby fan. When those guys fall down and roll around on the pitch you'd better get the medicos out there right away. Those guys don't come out of a game unless someone (or three) drag them out, or they are unconscious (which happens too).
Dave
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3 hours ago, The_Capt said:
It is worse than this re: Trump in White House. If Trump somehow takes the presidency (from a prison cell...seriously best sitcom ever) he can also order all US military support to pull back. This will include operational and strategic C4ISR. This would have a potentially drastic effect on the battlefield as Russia would be on an equal or better C4ISR footing than Ukraine. At that point the entire framework of this war shifts away from precision and back to mass. More simply put, tanks may start to work again.
This makes the next moves for Ukraine very high stakes. Go on defence and make the surge in support try to outlast Russian reserves. Or bulk up and roll the dice one more time on an operational offensive. If the offensive succeeds it may create enough momentum that even Trump could not stand in the way. If it fails, further US Ukrainian support could very well be doomed even if Biden retains the White House.
So, definitely, this war needs an offset strategy. And to my eyes that is the EU and NATO.
Worse than that, he could also immediately withdraw from NATO. Based on past statements, I think he'd have to be convinced to remain in NATO. I'm not sure who would be trying to do the convincing though.Â
Dave
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15 hours ago, Battlefront.com said:
Sadly, the caveat "for now" has to be kept in mind.
OK, so aid will start flowing to Ukraine on Wednesday of this week. I've seen some reporting out there claiming the stuff won't get into Ukraine's hands for weeks or months. Poppycock
There have been a couple of articles in reputable publications lately stating that the DoD has been staging equipment in anticipation of a yes vote, so that delivery can be started immediately. I guess that's one result of the delay in approval. The DoD had a couple or three months to get organized so they are ready to go.Â
Dave
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6 hours ago, dan/california said:
Â
It isn't getting enough press that Ukraine simply can't make a deal with Russia, because Russia simply doesn't keep its word.
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This is so true. Russia was one of the guarantors of Ukraine's sovereignty. Look how well that held up.Â
I don't get why people keep saying that Ukraine should just negotiate/make a deal with Russia. Any deal made will only last as long as Putin wants it to last.
Dave
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5 hours ago, Battlefront.com said:
This OpEd is behind a paywall, but I think you can guess that it sums up the feelings of many here very well:
Â
The article continues on with quotes from others and factual accounting of what's been going on while Johnson dithered.
Personally, I believe Johnson should get credit for finally doing the right thing. He didn't have to or he could have waited even longer to do it. Dems should reward him by voting down the resolution to have him removed.
There is some indication that Johnson had to learn the hard way that there's a difference between heckling the person in charge and being the person in charge. He simply wasn't prepared for that transition and it took him months to get his bearings. If he was a stronger man with a better mindset going into the job I'm sure things would have been much better. But he wasn't and so it is what it is.
If Johnson can work towards undoing the damage he and his former MAGA associates (there's never friendship in radical movements) have brought about, then I think the country is better off with him than any of the alternatives until after the elections. Perhaps even better than Jeffries, simply because if he is in then 100% of the GOP will work lockstep to oppose EVERYTHING.
Steve
If I did this right, I gifted the article and it gave me a gift link (I think), for those who want to read it. If it doesn't work for you PM me and I'll try to get it right.
Dave
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3 minutes ago, NamEndedAllen said:
Thanks for the background. So, does this add another war crime to the Russian list? Or are the reports insufficient for further legal investigation?
I guess it would if there's good evidence for it (sorry I'm not up to date on the reports, which is why I said 'if').Â
Dave
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1 hour ago, Vet 0369 said:
s using a crowd control irritant banned by something?
Yes. It is. Interestingly though, not necessarily for crowd control by law enforcement. In war, yes, it's banned.
Yeah, the training was fun.
 Stay in the shed to prove your mask works, and then take off your mask to show what happens without the mask (I guess to prove that the mask really works and it wasn't just a harmless steam sauna). Got the message for sure.
Dave
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13 minutes ago, Ultradave said:
2) Because the small minority of 2-10 Russian propaganda mouthpieces in the House say they will throw him out if he does,
Incidentally, this is not just my opinion I'm blurting out. REPUBLICAN lawmakers have stated this about their own colleagues.
(It is also my opinion as well)Â
Dave
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1 minute ago, Haiduk said:
In Ukraine (and former USSR) by some unknown reason under "Congress" traditiaonally meaning House of Representatives )
Ah, that DOES make it confusing!
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1 hour ago, Haiduk said:
Mixed feelings. Congress version is stronger than Senate one (ATACAMS + Russian actives). But... How much thousands lives have gone, what economical damage was done, how much our lands were occupied until both political forces have been conducting own dirty pre-election games during these five-six months. All this could have been avoided if Senate agreed to continue lend-lease law.Â
There is broad support in both the Senate and the House for the aid. The Senate passed it ages ago. The party that controls the house (small h) of Congress has the ability to determine what will or won't be voted on, regardless of (as you can see) how popular it is and how easily it will pass. So the House Speaker decided he wouldn't bring it for a vote? Why? 1) Because Trump told him not to, and 2) Because the small minority of 2-10 Russian propaganda mouthpieces in the House say they will throw him out if he does, and 3) A large number of Republican House members demand US border control legislation along with it (ignoring the fact they ALSO refused to vote on a Senate passed bill, which was negotiated by both parties - why? because it would make Biden look good - really, that's the reason). He (Speaker Johnson) just now summoned up the guts to go ahead and do it. We'll see if he still has a job Monday.
There is a way to get a vote done by going around the Speaker. It takes a petition of the majority of House members. Republicans wouldn't go that far even though many want it. They are afraid of Trump/MAGA. Democrats are the minority, so they can't do it without help from Republicans, who won't.Â
Also, I know it's confusing. Congress is made of two houses, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. It's confusing for those outside the US because we commonly refer to "The House" being the House of Representatives, while both are "houses" (small h) of Congress. They each have their own rules of conducting business, which they themselves make up (and can change or waive). I'm not sure I made that any clearer, but there it is. Don't worry. It's all confusing to many Americans as well. The rules for advancing a bill are complicated and arcane, with many opportunities for it to be derailed along the way.
Dave -
6 hours ago, Bulletpoint said:
I think what's happening here is that these shells are so old and rusty that the normal protective cap that is usually screwed off before screwing in the fuze is so rusty that it cannot be unscrewed, but it can be bashed in by a hammer. Then after fishing out the fragments, they try to attach the fuzes, but he complains that the fuze won't go all the way in.
Possibly because he bashed the threads into mush? Just a thoughtÂ
They do seem to be trying to fuze rounds but it obviously is not going well, to say the least.Â
The one with the view down inside appears to be empty, completely empty. You should just see an open area just big enough for the base of the fuze. Looks like you can see all the way to the base. That one will only hurt if it actually hits you, like a 1700s cannonball.
That guy in the cartoon is at least trying to not destroy everything. See how the screwdriver is at the side - trying to get it to turn, not smash everything.Â
[edit] Looking at the cartoon again, he's doing it wrong. The screwdriver should be on the other side. "Righty tighty, lefty loosey"
Dave
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2 hours ago, Eddy said:
Quick question on the US political process. Does the vote today mean that the Discharge Bill is no longer relevant? Or is that still hanging around in the background and can be triggered if the Aid bill doesn't pass?Â
Good question. I *believe* it's still in place, but does not yet have the required signatures to move forward. It requires a majority of the House, (218). But it is still open to be signed by others.Â
The better news is that it sounds now quite likely the aid bill(s) will pass - (s) because it's convoluted. The bills were split to be voted separately, and then will be recombined so that they match the Senate bill already passed - or close to it so the Senate can quickly vote on the House version.
Complicated, arcane rules.
Dave -
48 minutes ago, photon said:
Another question I don't know the answer to. The consensus of the Thread so far has been that a NATO imposed no-fly-zone poses unacceptable escalatory risks (because it would involve NATO assets shooting down Russian planes). Does that escalatory logic hold now that essentially all (all?) of the Russian incursions into Ukranian airspace are unamanned? Is there strategic room for a more nuanced ruleset - something like, "We, NATO, will shoot down all unmanned aerial objects that are within 10km of a large conurbation or civilian infrastructure target west of the Dniper?
My thinking is that your scenario would require at least some NATO troops and equipment on the ground in Ukraine, and therefore a pretty big escalatory risk. Whether that risk is really large is in the eye of the beholder, and Russia could make quite a propaganda blitz out of NATO soldiers in Ukraine.
Dave
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7 minutes ago, sburke said:
She blamed Jewish Space lasers for CA fires. She hasn't gotten crazier, she is just returning to her normal level of crazy.
She made some comment about previously supporting space lasers for Israel's defense. Not sure what that's in reference to, but I think it was not the same as the CA fires lasers. But hey, who knows what she's talking about? I'm sure she doesn't even know, really.
The fear I have is that now that Speaker Johnson has divided up the aid and humanitarian packages to be voted on separately, he'll get the aid for Israel done, and then after that passes renege on even voting for the Ukraine aid and possibly the humanitarian aid for Gaza in order to save his job, regardless of what he says he plans to do.Â
I read a suggestion this morning that other (saner, more responsible) Republicans should play Rep. Greene's game. "Hold a vote on Ukraine aid, which WILL pass with wide support, or else we'll fill a motion to vacate the Speaker." At least then the aid would pass, and it's because the majority demanded action, not a cabal of 2-8 (depending on day of the week) dictating to 435 Representatives their own personal agenda for the whole country.Â
Dave
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3 hours ago, Beleg85 said:
Sweet bloody Jesus if true (if not, it's good at least to laugh through tears). But seriously, perhaps this aid will indeed come soon, crazies in US politics are getting even more crazy lately. Maybe it's good sign, you know- like fever or diarrhea under certain conditions?
It's unfortunately true. Not that these and the others she introduced will go anywhere, but she DID introduce them and proudly lists them on her X feed. Â Others introduced diverted 100% of aid for 2 bills each to Lahaina, Oahu, and East Palestine, Ohio.Â
Dave
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On 3/17/2024 at 2:27 PM, AdamPraha said:
Hi
A.)They'are out of my position up for 2 hours and nothing's happening. Should the game end with me winning?
I was supposed to get 105 heavy artillery support. I didn't see anywhere within 2 hours those guns?
So, where they are ?
Â
B.)Phone operators don't even have them? (105mm) Or do I have to find a supreme commander and he's the only one who can call them?
Â
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I'm not sure I understand your question? A) Are you saying you've played 2 hours and nothing has happened? The scenario is 2 hours long total, and I'm pretty sure there are AI plans for both sides.. There is a 105 battery at the start along with a bunch of on map mortars, and you get more in 40 minutes, plus a 155 (which is actually medium artillery, and 105 is light artillery but that's just words. All artillery is good). For the ones currently available I was able to select any of them with a HQ unit.
B ) Same comment. Selecting a Tiger tank, for example, no fire support available. Select a HQ and I can call from a number of mortars and a 105 battery.
[edit] There are AI plans for both sides. I went back and checked the play testing notes, because I only played this one from the Soviet side.
Dave
US Recon Vehicles of the 1979 Cold War Period
in Combat Mission Cold War
Posted
If a future expansion has the 82 Abn Division, then it should. We had lots of them during the period covered by CW, and we airdropped them.
Someone once told us you couldn't get them stuck. We proved them wrong. Everyone loves a challenge, eh?
Dave