Why Strykers?

[Dillweed]

Don't think this has been asked, if I'm wrong someone please fill me in.

Steve, why do a game based around reltivly new fairly unproven weapons system? As opposed to say something more traditional like a Bradley/Abrams combo. I was explaining the game to a friend (a mild fan of CMBO), and this was the question he asked. I didn't have a good response.

[M1A1TC]

Maybe its because Strykers are a rapid deployable force, unlike the later

[hellfish]

Maybe unproven systems are more interesting?

[Guest Mike]

Maybe they expect the Stryker to be the vehicle of choice in rapid deployment forces by 2007?

[M1A1TC]

It already is(Its not really a choice,its the only one avaiable)

I was a tanker in rapid deployment unit (3rd ID) for 2 years, and our "boots-on-ground" time was 72 hours(with-out the tanks) With Strykers units can deploy with the vehicles

[juan_gigante]

They will be, but your basic unit as US will be the Stryker company.

As an aside - why isn't the Stryker named after a general of the past? This is the first major combat vehicle I can think of off the top of my head to break with a tradition that I thought was kind of cool.

[akd]

Originally posted by juan_gigante:

They will be, but your basic unit as US will be the Stryker company.

As an aside - why isn't the Stryker named after a general of the past? This is the first major combat vehicle I can think of off the top of my head to break with a tradition that I thought was kind of cool.

Probably a nod to the reality that we don't really have a "general's Army" anymore.

[Battlefront.com]

Probably a nod to the reality that we don't really have a "general's Army" anymore.

Yeah, but we still have an army of Generals

The simple answer to the question is "because it is interesting". When we made the decision to center on Stryker it was in no games and had yet to see combat. We figured it would be very intellectually challenging to try and simulate a fairly knowable force in a situation where it was unknown how it would perform. Although Stryker Brigades have been in combat for 2 years now, they still haven't been used in a large scale "conventional" war. As part of that is how they best interact with "legacy" systems, such as the Bradley and Abrams.

Steve

[MikeyD]

I can well imagine if BFC had announced "CM:Shock Force, Abrams and Badleys invade Syria" they would've got the immmediate response "Why those old Cold War weapons systems? Where's my Stryker Brigade!" Damned if they do. Damned if they don't.

But inclusion of Bradley and Abrams in the game implies we'll still be able to construct Stryker-free scenarios. I rather expect to see more than a couple "Fulda Gap" style full-up tanks battles with the U.S. defending, though they'd be somewhat inappropriate for this theater.

[Herr Oberst]

Originally posted by juan_gigante:

They will be, but your basic unit as US will be the Stryker company.

As an aside - why isn't the Stryker named after a general of the past? This is the first major combat vehicle I can think of off the top of my head to break with a tradition that I thought was kind of cool.

I can see it now... the Schwarzkopf.. or the "Schwarz" for short...

Luke, the GI: "OMFG, 1st platoon is taking heavy fire, what should we do?"

mysterious voice: use the Schwarz Luke..."

(nod to Mel Brooks)

[juan_gigante]

Would he say "Oh my f*cking god" or "oh em ef gee"? I'm just kind of wondering about your example here.

[Dillweed]

Prolly the first, unless the kids are swearing in a different way now.

[SgtMuhammed]

The Stryker isn't a tank. Tanks are named for generals, APC's usually aren't named, just a number. Bradley got a name because it has a main gun and is a fighting vehicle not just an infantry taxi.

[Hagleboz]

Plus there is the fact that a Stryker brigade is not as overwhelmingly dominant as a force composed of Abrams/Bradleys. Seems like that would be more interesting and challenging game wise, while still giving the player the ability to use armored vehicles. Also the fact that there are so many variations of the Stryker that players can experiment with in different types of scenarios both offensive and defensively. I think it sounds really interesting and the decision to use Strykers seems sound to me.