What are your favorite units in the game?

Mustang · #1 March 23rd, 2006, 04:35 PM

Where did you hear the thing about third world countries mounting Grads on boats? If you just noticed it in the game, it's probably just there to represent naval missiles because the game dosen't have any code to really represent naval SSMs.

Pepper · #2 March 23rd, 2006, 10:57 PM

I have a strange and inexplicable affinity for the LAV III (in particular the 25mm variety).

Not sure why. They can't carry a full riflesquad. They can't kill a tank. And they're way too expensive to use as first-line recon.

Yet I keep buying them ... go figure.

Mustang · #3 March 24th, 2006, 11:02 AM

I like certain units also, but I don't buy them all the time. For some reason I like the Russian Chiormy Oriol (found under Export Tanks in the Russian armor purchase screen) a lot. It's actually a pretty good tank, vision 40 and two ARENA shots, but the T-90M has the same capability and is slightly cheaper.

For some reason I also think that the light chaingun APCs like the LAV, Lynx, Valuk, etc. are sexy. It dosen't make sense, but I think they're cool to have.

PlasmaKrab · #4 March 27th, 2006, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Mustang said:
Where did you hear the thing about third world countries mounting Grads on boats? If you just noticed it in the game, it's probably just there to represent naval missiles because the game dosen't have any code to really represent naval SSMs.

No, I didn't get that from the game; from various US publications, it appears that some potential opponent countries (at least North Korea and Iran) have tried to replace the outdated and unserviceable missile launchers on some of their patrol crafts or larger ships with 122mm rocket racks salvaged from truckborne launchers. That would f.e. replace (C)SS-N-1/SS-N-2-type missile tubes or Western equipments for which no spare parts were available.

It would sound logical that other countries with more Soviet oldies than spare parts and a minimal technical basis would attempt that kind of DIY retrofit.
As a side note, the PLAN seems to be experimenting about a cruder, similar technique.

For more reference see the "North Korea Country Handbook" from the USMCIA, or f.e. I got this article from the CSIS on Iranian forces.

I'll post about further sources whenever I find some, if that's of any interest to anyone here!

Mustang · #5 March 27th, 2006, 02:31 PM

Wow, an armed cargo ship. It's really a very simple idea that noone's tried before. I'm going to make a China-invades-the-world campaign later on, and I might use one.

PlasmaKrab · #6 March 28th, 2006, 03:15 AM

And how do you simulate tanks and howitzers tied on the deck?

The question remains: are they really up to using that kind of thing in real combat conditions, are they experimenting for further dedicated shipborne systems (e.g. using the landlubbers' stabilization technology), or is that just a propaganda quirk to frighten the hell out of the Taiwanese?

Or as far as the game is concerned, just take any old LC unit and stuff it full with any old vehicle-based weapons if you like!
I tend to do the same with infantry weapons in some landing scenarios, to account for crewmen, grunts, MPs or just anyone giving some support (rifles, MGs, grenades, mines, rarely LAWs and MANPADS) during the beaching.

Mustang · #7 March 28th, 2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

PlasmaKrab said:

The question remains: are they really up to using that kind of thing in real combat conditions, are they experimenting for further dedicated shipborne systems (e.g. using the landlubbers' stabilization technology), or is that just a propaganda quirk to frighten the hell out of the Taiwanese?

It looks to me like just another prototype. It'd be terribly unsurvivable in combat (no anti-missile defenses, and when anything substantial hits this big floating target all of the howitzers and the ship sink). But I'm going to include it anyway just because it's cool.

Quote:

Or as far as the game is concerned, just take any old LC unit and stuff it full with any old vehicle-based weapons if you like!

They have plently of generic "ship" icons in the game. Have you ever looked at a Support Ship or Ammo Ship? I'll take one of those, load all the weapons mounts with BM-21s, and put it offshore somewhere as an auxiliary unit for the campaign. The Ammo Ship class might be a good idea to pick, as something carrying that many rockets is bound to be very volatile and ready to explode.

PlasmaKrab · #8 March 29th, 2006, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Mustang said:
The Ammo Ship class might be a good idea to pick, as something carrying that many rockets is bound to be very volatile and ready to explode.

Look at the NVA "Support ship" f.e., it uses the ammo ship icon in the LCG class, and I think that's the best to use. Ammo carrier class would give it an unrealistic ability to resupply other units, and you have other ways of making it unsurviveable.

Mustang · #9 March 29th, 2006, 04:54 PM

No, I just like the explosion it makes. And it would likely be carrying lots of small arms reserves anyway, as the crew would be firing howitzers, machine guns, and other army ammunition.

thatguy96 · #10 March 28th, 2006, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Mustang said:
Wow, an armed cargo ship. It's really a very simple idea that noone's tried before. I'm going to make a China-invades-the-world campaign later on, and I might use one.

If you're talking historically then you're wrong. You might want to google Q-Ships, a prime example of this. Also, the development of practical VTOL aircraft led to the proposals in the 1980s that perhaps container ships could be configured quickly and effectively as low cost aircraft carriers serving helicopters and Harriers.