Quote:
Originally Posted by sammy1339
- The most egregious was that the M202 66 mm flame rocket was available starting in 1967. While this did make the game vastly easier for me, I looked it up and found that this weapon was not introduced until 1978! Flamethrowers also disappear at the same time, which is incorrect. Marine units with the M202 in the 1960's include 379, 382, and 418. I didn't check the USA file.
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I'll deal with these one at a time for the sake of simplicity.
"The M202 series of launchers was developed in the late 1960s as a replacement for the individual portable flamethrower in the US Army. The weapon was designed to provide the infantryman with a better means of neutralizing or destroying enemy gun emplacements and fortified positions. Initially, the complete system consisting of the XM202 launcher and a clip of 4 XM74 rockets, plus other associated equipment and additional ammunition, was designated as the XM191 Multi-Shot Portable Flame Weapon (MPFW). The US Army and the US Marine Corps both evaluated the XM191 system, including field testing in Southeast Asia by the USMC between July and October 1969. The decision to develop additional types of rockets, including the M96 rocket, led to the dropping of the complete system designation XM191 and the usage of the launcher designation and specific rocket designations separately."
I can tell you with 100% certainty the M202 was not introduced in the USMC as late as 1978 because I was in the USMC in 1974 and we had them. Now it's possible (and probable) the US Army didn't get them till 1978.
While July 1969 (see above) is NOT 1967 in many cases weapon introduction dates in WInSPMBT are "tweaked" a bit to coincide with changes to unit "standard" OOB and/or weapons and more importantly picklist "start"/"end" dates.
The older "flame thrower" was removed for the same reason any weapon is, simplicity and overall unit count. While the game can support multiple weapons that perform the same function it's FAR simpler and easier to phase one out when another phases in. Look at tank upgrades. In most cases one day
BAM all tanks in an OOB suddenly upgrade to a new model.