Mechasaurian

I was sceptical when I went to bed last night. Prigozhin's bragging about 25k soldiers seemed like blowing hot air. Sure, people were talking about a convoy, but visual evidence of this convoy was nonexistent.
And then I woke up to news about Wagner having taken control of all of Rostov, and preparing for a thunder run on Moscow with tanks, artillery, SAM launchers, and all kinds of heavy equipment which the loyalist security forces reportedly does not have. And yes, actual video evidence of clashes between Wagner and loyalist forces.
Welcome to Tom Clancy's 21st century.

This and an AI plan will get you most of the way there. 
H

This really is a “you guys” thing, so I am going to leave out any and all personal opinions one way or the other.  However what I do not get is that the US government is one of the most transparent governments in history.  
So if I am sitting on my back porch and someone in my sphere says “the government is spending all that money on Ukrainians and screwing Ohio-ians, damn [insert political party of your choice]”.  It literally takes an internet connection and about 10 mins to unpack this thing to a level that at least lays out some actual facts:
https://www.policymattersohio.org/research-policy/quality-ohio/revenue-budget/budget-policy/review-of-ohios-2022-23-budget
https://www.lsc.ohio.gov/assets/organizations/legislative-service-commission/files/historical-revenues-and-expenditures-table-1-grf-lpef-and-lgf-revenue-history.pdf
https://www.lsc.ohio.gov/publications/historical-revenues-and-expenditures
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/federal-aid-by-state
So the punchline is that the US federal government spent about $40B on Ohio alone in 22-23 (12B in grants which are code for “we never except to see them back”) and Ohio is in the top ten states to receive federal funding annually.
Yes, it looks like FEMA is being particularly dense and bureaucratic - and they likely need some executive nudging, however, we are talking about apples and unicorns here in both scale and funding streams.
And finally, there is a lot of some pretty convincing arguments flying around that said dangerous cargo was supposed to be off that train but…politics: https://apnews.com/article/wv-state-wire-north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-2e91c7211b4947de8837ebeda53080b9mp-us-news-ap-top-news-transportation-1936e77a11924c909880f1ef014c7ca7
So what?  Well could the federal government be doing more cut through the red tape and support East Palestine Ohio - looks like it could.
Is the US government blowing all it money on Ukraine and therefore cannot support Ohio-eons?  No, that does not track.
Do US rail safety regulations look like they need a revisit - yes, probably a good idea.
Is there a direct link between East Palestine Ohio and US support to Ukraine - no.  In fact trying to find and indirect link is pretty hard.  The US federal budget was roughly $6.27T in 2022.  The $50B in aid to Ukraine comes to about .8% of that.
So for perspective if an average family income in the US is about 71k per year: https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2022/demo/p60-276.html
So in parallel terms this would be the same as that family spending about $560 dollars, or about $46 per month.
And last point, one of those corrupt former Soviet republics is Russia, a P5 UNSC member and nuclear power, and is directly threatening US global interest and influence, on a great power scale - you wanna stay on top?  You have to fight for it.

 
 

Hello everybody, I present you with my first try at a competent AI plan, and I think it turned out okay. To summarize the mission is about a Russian Mechanized Assault on a Ukrainian Held village, with an American QRF on the way to help. Should be very high intensity, hope it proves challenging. Please share any feedback you may have, enjoy. Link below
https://www.mediafire.com/file/4vh9re53m9z4dio/CMBS_Rainy_day_in_Bastogne.btt/file

Of course, I'm just a small fry in this part of the internet.
Feel free to do whatever you'd like with the scenario, at this point I've moved on entirely and I don't see myself spending the time to revisit it.
If you would like I've sort of completed another, larger version of that concept. I'm not sure how it will play out just yet but I think both sides will be struggling.
The only rule is not to cross the river with tanks until the bridge is fully built. I WILL be adding a briefing to this one with more of an explanation of how things work. I might add more stuff to it too, not sure yet. Feel free to preview or try it out if you want something more PBEM friendly and less of an experiment. It's a Ukrainian pincer attack on a town while the Russians rush to reinforce it by laying a bridge. Gamey concept but makes for an interesting twist:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vpin2s49dcadxyp/Rumpenheim Rumpus Bridgelaying.btt?dl=0

No briefing yet (I will add one eventually when I officially release it) for the Rumpus scenario but yes it is for CMBS 👍
Sure but I admit that scenario kind of sucks. I was just excited to push out my work in a somewhat practical setting.
These are also viewable in the editor, under the units -> reinforcements section
Blufor:
@5 minutes
1x Dismounted Company (-), Weapons Platoon (-), Javelin Team
2x Recon Squads + HQ + BTR-70, BRDM-1
1x AT-4C
1x Recoilless Rifle
1x AGL Team + BTR-70
1x HQ team, forward observer, 1x 120mm mortar battery (6x guns)
1x 155mm M777 off-map artillery platoon (3x guns)
3x batteries of BM-21 grad (Misnamed BM-13, used 100mm rapira in place, 18x guns)
2x batteries of 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika (12x guns)
Redfor
@5 minutes
1x Motor Rifle platoon, 1x T-72
2x 152mm 2S19M2 Mtsa platoons (6x guns)
2x Mi-24PN Hind
@ 10 minutes
1x Motor Rifle platoon, 1x T-72
@ 15 minutes
1x Motor Rifle platoon, 1x T-72
@ 20 minutes
1st Artillery Battalion Commander + Headquarters Platoon, 1st Battery staff
@ 30 minutes
1st Artillery Battalion Support platoon
Motor Rifle Battalion Medical platoon
@ 40 minutes
Motor Rifle Battalion Recon platoon, Engineer platoon

I will echo others in wanting a reiteration of this explanation. No one else in the CM-focused circles I hang out in seems to have any bloody clue why a replay feature would not be "commercially viable," not even the ones who hang around in the forums a *lot.*
There is, in fact, reason to believe that a replay feature would be a massive shot in the arm for the CM community. It would definitely reduce the work on content creators like Usually Hapless and Grey Fox. Heck, I might even consider some CM videos if I had one big replay file/vid I could use instead of loading dozens of PBEM files and sitting through the loading screen each time.
I mean...what could the explation possibly be? The replay function plainly exists, it works, and commercial customers want it. So...???????????????????????

I will echo others in wanting a reiteration of this explanation. No one else in the CM-focused circles I hang out in seems to have any bloody clue why a replay feature would not be "commercially viable," not even the ones who hang around in the forums a *lot.*
There is, in fact, reason to believe that a replay feature would be a massive shot in the arm for the CM community. It would definitely reduce the work on content creators like Usually Hapless and Grey Fox. Heck, I might even consider some CM videos if I had one big replay file/vid I could use instead of loading dozens of PBEM files and sitting through the loading screen each time.
I mean...what could the explation possibly be? The replay function plainly exists, it works, and commercial customers want it. So...???????????????????????

I will echo others in wanting a reiteration of this explanation. No one else in the CM-focused circles I hang out in seems to have any bloody clue why a replay feature would not be "commercially viable," not even the ones who hang around in the forums a *lot.*
There is, in fact, reason to believe that a replay feature would be a massive shot in the arm for the CM community. It would definitely reduce the work on content creators like Usually Hapless and Grey Fox. Heck, I might even consider some CM videos if I had one big replay file/vid I could use instead of loading dozens of PBEM files and sitting through the loading screen each time.
I mean...what could the explation possibly be? The replay function plainly exists, it works, and commercial customers want it. So...???????????????????????

Steve, no one wants yet more Americans.
Steve, everyone agrees that Poland would be a fricking awesome addition to CM: BS, and would make perfect sense within the setting.
Steve, I want my eclectic Polish Armed Forces with their mix of Western, Soviet, and domestically produced gear. T-72s, PP-91s, and Leopard 2s all.
Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve. plz

It's probably a reskin of an abrams.
 

Steve, no one wants yet more Americans.
Steve, everyone agrees that Poland would be a fricking awesome addition to CM: BS, and would make perfect sense within the setting.
Steve, I want my eclectic Polish Armed Forces with their mix of Western, Soviet, and domestically produced gear. T-72s, PP-91s, and Leopard 2s all.
Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve. plz

Dobrze zrobiony!
If it's complete hope you post it to CMMODS/FGM.

Polish mod made by me is ready... with BMP1, Leopard, Wolverine...
https://imgur.com/gallery/A76pKMF

I Totally Agree 100%, release the Polish Armed Forces. I believe the Poles know that they are next on Putin's hit list along with the Baltic Countries. 

Steve, no one wants yet more Americans.
Steve, everyone agrees that Poland would be a fricking awesome addition to CM: BS, and would make perfect sense within the setting.
Steve, I want my eclectic Polish Armed Forces with their mix of Western, Soviet, and domestically produced gear. T-72s, PP-91s, and Leopard 2s all.
Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve. plz

Steve, no one wants yet more Americans.
Steve, everyone agrees that Poland would be a fricking awesome addition to CM: BS, and would make perfect sense within the setting.
Steve, I want my eclectic Polish Armed Forces with their mix of Western, Soviet, and domestically produced gear. T-72s, PP-91s, and Leopard 2s all.
Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve. plz

Steve, no one wants yet more Americans.
Steve, everyone agrees that Poland would be a fricking awesome addition to CM: BS, and would make perfect sense within the setting.
Steve, I want my eclectic Polish Armed Forces with their mix of Western, Soviet, and domestically produced gear. T-72s, PP-91s, and Leopard 2s all.
Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve. plz

Steve, no one wants yet more Americans.
Steve, everyone agrees that Poland would be a fricking awesome addition to CM: BS, and would make perfect sense within the setting.
Steve, I want my eclectic Polish Armed Forces with their mix of Western, Soviet, and domestically produced gear. T-72s, PP-91s, and Leopard 2s all.
Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve. plz

Steve, no one wants yet more Americans.
Steve, everyone agrees that Poland would be a fricking awesome addition to CM: BS, and would make perfect sense within the setting.
Steve, I want my eclectic Polish Armed Forces with their mix of Western, Soviet, and domestically produced gear. T-72s, PP-91s, and Leopard 2s all.
Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve. plz

Steve, no one wants yet more Americans.
Steve, everyone agrees that Poland would be a fricking awesome addition to CM: BS, and would make perfect sense within the setting.
Steve, I want my eclectic Polish Armed Forces with their mix of Western, Soviet, and domestically produced gear. T-72s, PP-91s, and Leopard 2s all.
Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve. plz

Steve, no one wants yet more Americans.
Steve, everyone agrees that Poland would be a fricking awesome addition to CM: BS, and would make perfect sense within the setting.
Steve, I want my eclectic Polish Armed Forces with their mix of Western, Soviet, and domestically produced gear. T-72s, PP-91s, and Leopard 2s all.
Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve. plz

I'm very happy to hear about more content for Black Sea! It's the scenario that interests me the most.
At the same time, I do wonder how exactly they are going to do the new content. Particularly the Ukrainians. The fictional scenario of Black Sea has gone from a speculative near-future to alt-history, since IRL was knocked wildly off course by the events of 2014 and the "frozen conflict" since then.
I'd really really like to see an IRL TO&E for the Ukrainian forces that reflects the changes to the command structure and so on as a result of their attempts to adapt. This stuff fascinates me. I know that the Black Sea Ukrainian war isn't the same as the IRL Ukrainian conflict, but I think this can be fudged since Black Sea takes place in 2017.
I'd also like to see unconventional forces for Russia. Various "uncon" forces - proxies, mercenaries, and so on - have been essential to Russian operations since 2010 or so.
 
Very much agreed on fixing Red C2. The Syrian army has it hard enough without being forced to communicate with shouting and rude gestures as if it's the 1800s.
 
Definitely happy to hear Engine 5 will be a free update! I really hope it's not just limited to performance improvements, though. CM Pro has so many cool features - especially the full replay feature (with assorted things like ammunition expenditure) that deserve to make it into the commercial product. Replay will make it so much easier to create CM content.