General Discussion Thread

Long and short stories from the 1984 movie
Eaglenine2
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Eaglenine2 »

How did the 9th Motorized concept worked?
Bernard Woolley
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Bernard Woolley »

In the conditions the division found itself, badly.
“Frankly, I had enjoyed the war… and why do people want peace if the war is so much fun?” - Lieutenant General Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart
Matt Wiser
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Matt Wiser »

Badly, to say the least. They got mauled. After that, they were pulled off the line to be rebuilt as a Mech Infantry Division.

Seems ol' Chebrikov had drawn up a list of possible successors as he got spooked by that assassination attempt in 1988. A document has recently surfaced where he states who he wanted the Central Committee and the Politburo to consider as his successor-he wasn't going to pick who he wanted as he did not have Stalin's power. Three names stand out: Boris Pugo, the Interior Minister and not only a hardliner, but also having his own private army in the form of the Internal Troops of the MVD. Then there's Viktor Grishin: First Secretary of the Moscow City Committee and very well connected. Yigor LIgachev, a Politburo member (but not on the Defense Council) was also on the list: also a hardliner and opponent of meaningful domestic reforms prewar. KGB Chairman Kosov was NOT on the list, it should be noted.
The difference between diplomacy and war is this: Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to hell so elegantly that they pack for the trip.
War is bringing hell down on that someone.
Poohbah
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Poohbah »

Matt Wiser wrote: Sun Jun 22, 2025 4:16 am Badly, to say the least. They got mauled. After that, they were pulled off the line to be rebuilt as a Mech Infantry Division.

Seems ol' Chebrikov had drawn up a list of possible successors as he got spooked by that assassination attempt in 1988. A document has recently surfaced where he states who he wanted the Central Committee and the Politburo to consider as his successor-he wasn't going to pick who he wanted as he did not have Stalin's power. Three names stand out: Boris Pugo, the Interior Minister and not only a hardliner, but also having his own private army in the form of the Internal Troops of the MVD. Then there's Viktor Grishin: First Secretary of the Moscow City Committee and very well connected. Yigor LIgachev, a Politburo member (but not on the Defense Council) was also on the list: also a hardliner and opponent of meaningful domestic reforms prewar. KGB Chairman Kosov was NOT on the list, it should be noted.
I could see General Lodge dropping hints to all 3 that one of the other 2 is spying for the Americans...
Wolfman
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Wolfman »

How’s everyone’s 4th of July going?
“For a brick, he flew pretty good!” Sgt. Major A.J. Johnson, Halo 2

To err is human; to forgive is not SAC policy.

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jemhouston
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by jemhouston »

Hamburger for lunch, hot dog and apple pie for dinner.
Poohbah
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Poohbah »

Picnic dinner with the senior group from our church (when we got here, we were still officially young adults), at the lake shore park, followed by a concert and fireworks.

We are at peace, and we are free. That is a miracle, and miracles are the way things ought to be. CAN YOU DIG IT?
Poohbah
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Poohbah »

Although I add for the record that Wichita is hosting the most postwar American event I can possibly think of . . .

A Monster LAV competition.

Take a surplus LAV-25, strip the armor, screw with the engine and the transmission to have insane power and gear ratios, make a colorful shell . . . and drive it on a dirt course in a stadium or arena. Do tricks and flips. The fans consume beer, buy merch, and have a blast.

I have yet to take my bride so such a fine cultural event. (She is dubious of the cultural significance.)
clancyphile
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by clancyphile »

Poohbah wrote: Sat Jul 05, 2025 2:27 am Although I add for the record that Wichita is hosting the most postwar American event I can possibly think of . . .

A Monster LAV competition.

Take a surplus LAV-25, strip the armor, screw with the engine and the transmission to have insane power and gear ratios, make a colorful shell . . . and drive it on a dirt course in a stadium or arena. Do tricks and flips. The fans consume beer, buy merch, and have a blast.

I have yet to take my bride so such a fine cultural event. (She is dubious of the cultural significance.)
Does the Bushmaster still work?
Poohbah
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Poohbah »

clancyphile wrote: Sat Jul 05, 2025 3:14 am
Poohbah wrote: Sat Jul 05, 2025 2:27 am Although I add for the record that Wichita is hosting the most postwar American event I can possibly think of . . .

A Monster LAV competition.

Take a surplus LAV-25, strip the armor, screw with the engine and the transmission to have insane power and gear ratios, make a colorful shell . . . and drive it on a dirt course in a stadium or arena. Do tricks and flips. The fans consume beer, buy merch, and have a blast.

I have yet to take my bride so such a fine cultural event. (She is dubious of the cultural significance.)
Does the Bushmaster still work?
Nope. Don't want to accidentally light up the stadium.
Matt Wiser
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Matt Wiser »

4th went very well: BBQ with burgers, corn on the cob, fireworks show, and, oh, some knotheads off in the distance with some "Happy Fire."
The difference between diplomacy and war is this: Diplomacy is the art of telling someone to go to hell so elegantly that they pack for the trip.
War is bringing hell down on that someone.
Poohbah
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Re: General Discussion Thread

Post by Poohbah »

Well, my lovely and gracious bride and I last night watched the new Roland Emmerich film, 49 Easting.

They did Hollywood it up a bit, but they did preserve the fact that there was, in fact, a battle at Valles Caldera, along phase line 49 Easting, in 1986.

(All right, they Hollywooded it up a LOT.)

The actor they got to play someone who's roughly me, except they made him into the platoon leader instead of the platoon sergeant (who was a she), and he doesn't get medevaced. Apparently, someone told them a 21-year-old Gunnery Sergeant wasn't plausible. It wasn't in 1985, but it was almost routine in 1986 (after Gray ordered mass sackings of staff NCOs who should've been canned long before the war started--when an ALMAR begins with MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN, you know it's going to be either epic, a s*** show, or an epic s*** show).

And Roland Emmerich loves himself some patriotic imagery. The climactic fight, when the guy who sorta is(n't) me, orders a platoon rush, drags the company along with him, then the battalion, and finally the entire 26th Marines, while the 28th Marines are doing a no-f***ing kidding bayonet charge? No, we did not have anyone carrying the regimental and national colors, this wasn't the Civil War. We did platoon and company bounds, just like the book says. Not this mass zerg rush stuff.

Might as well have added some bald eagles soaring overhead shouting,

'MURICA!

In Dolby Surround Sound . . .

But they did get the impact right. The Soviet 13th Army went into Valles Caldera fully expecting to win. They staggered back to Santa Fe, and everyone knew exactly who'd won and who'd lost. The rot took a year to set in, but one year later, when we started PRAIRIE FIRE, 13th Army just collapsed at contact.

It's a good movie if you don't know a damn thing about the battle. And it has its moments. (The cheerfully crazy Irish illegal alien who showed up at 2/26 as an Army designated marksman because his orders got jacked up and asked, "So, if I go with you lot, will I get to kill lots of Communists?" Yeah, he was real, and if anything they toned him down.)
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