Training Tool

[19K30]

I've been waiting for years for a modern CM game. With the present state of international affairs being centered on the Middle East and the US already rattling its sabers at Syria, the CM team picked a truly representative Theater of Operations. Being an Operation Iraqi Freedom vet, I am truly looking forward to seeing how the game shapes up. If it lives up to the CM team's expectations as well as my personal expectations, I can see it being used as a hands-on training tool for soldiers and junior leaders.

Modern Combat today in Iraq (and,yes, even during the open combat phase)in the MOUT setting is very similiar to MOUT operations in WWII if not more difficult due to the more conscious effort to avoid civilian casualties. I believe even the most ardent WWII buff will enjoy the setting and appreciate the evolution of modern combat tactics, techniques, and procedures from those of WWII.

As a M1 Tank Commander, who has also been trained as an Infantry Squad Leader, and whose platoon was designated as the Motorized Infantry Platoon on M1114 Up-Armored Hummvees, I hope that Hummvees are represented in armored, add-on armor, and unarmored variants. And the next is wishful thinking as I am sure it is beyond the scope of the game, but current and near future pratice of the US army is to send Tank Companies and Artillery Batteries into combat/peacekeeping operations as Motorized Infantry Companies and Platoons. Would like to see that reflected in the game as a TOE option as well as Infantry and Armor Task Force TOEs and the Near Future Light and Heavy Brigade Combat Teams. But like I said that was wishful thinking so please don't start blasting me

Overall, Kudos to the CM team for bringing CM into the modern world and reflecting a truly near future premise. Looking forward to seeing the "GONE GOLD" thread. HOOAH!

[Dillweed]

Welcome, always good to see a vet. You are at least one of the first (if not the very first) from OIF. I think we will see humvees (check out the TOE for the styker company) but only for the CO and 1SG. Of course most guys will be in the Styker. Perhaps you can be a valuable contributer to the threads where people claim the M1 is some kind of invincible superweapon. We do have another M1 commander on the board (or so his handle claims) not sure if he's a combat vet or not.

[ng cavscout]

CMBO/CMBB/CMAK are all useful tactics trainers as well for limited application. Some things never change.

[gunnergoz]

NG Cavscout. I think you have that quote wrong. Don't you mean "We Americans bark at bare libertarians of the world?"

(OK I couldn't resist...)

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by 19K30:

Modern Combat today ... in the MOUT setting is very similiar to MOUT operations in WWII

I believe even the most ardent WWII buff will enjoy the setting and appreciate the evolution of modern combat tactics, techniques, and procedures from those of WWII.

So which is it? *sniff sniff*

[J Ruddy]

Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

*sniff sniff*

Sorry, I couldn't hold it in any longer....

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by J Ruddy:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

*sniff sniff*

Sorry, I couldn't hold it in any longer.... </font>

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by 19K30:

And the next is wishful thinking as I am sure it is beyond the scope of the game, but current and near future pratice of the US army is to send Tank Companies and Artillery Batteries into combat/peacekeeping operations as Motorized Infantry Companies and Platoons.

Why would anybody do this for any other reason than they have a shortage of trained infantry units? The Canadians have done this on occasion - the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery going to Op SNOWGOOSE on Cyprus for example. At best, it means you are either short of infantry, or else short of employment for your gunners.

At worst, you find a deployment that your men are temperamentally unsuited for; it was suggested that was the case when sending the Canadian Airborne Regiment to Somalia, though I'm not sure I agree with that assessment.

Are there any real advantages in training, say, for employing your armor or artillery outside their normal duties?

[rai kitsune]

here here good to see more fans of the idea. i've had enough of this naysaying!

[Battlefront.com]

Thanks The value of CM games, be they the old ones or the one we're working on now, have obvious training applications. We know that CMx1 was used, unoffically, by many in the militaries of the world. We've certainly received quite a bit of back channel communications with militaries trying to get their various decision makers to see the value too. But we found that WWII was a hard sell to those folks. "But it doesn't have the x and z units, so how can it be applicable to training?" seemed to be the most common end of talks. Imagination sometimes is in short supply

Steve

[KiloIndiaAlpha]

Originally posted by Battlefront.com:

Thanks The value of CM games, be they the old ones or the one we're working on now, have obvious training applications. We know that CMx1 was used, unoffically, by many in the militaries of the world. We've certainly received quite a bit of back channel communications with militaries trying to get their various decision makers to see the value too. But we found that WWII was a hard sell to those folks. "But it doesn't have the x and z units, so how can it be applicable to training?" seemed to be the most common end of talks. Imagination sometimes is in short supply

Steve

With some of the senior military imagination certainly is lacking. In the late 90's I was involved in combined and joint computer assisted exercises with UK and US military. These were 3 and 4* exercises simulating massive deployments.

Thousands of people and $millions of hardware. A (UK) brigadier of paras said '...bahh You don't need all these computers, I could run this exercise from the back of a land rover'. Yeh - right.