Some gear missing - add these Marine-specific stuff

[Helmut_AUT 0]

1) Predator AT Missile: More interesting and newer than the AT4, would require some BIS work for the guidance system. Only in use with the USMC, so would be definitly nice to see it in game.

2) LAV-Variants: TOW and Mortar. Standard LAV Platoon on a MEU used to be 4x 25mm, 2x AT for a recon platoon.

Mortar carriers the 81mm with a large hatch to fire from inside, and the ability to dismount it. In terms of gameplay, much better matched in range and firepowerk than the Army MLRS, and it would be a true Marines way for mechanized artillery - not the "borrowing of MLRS from the army" thing. Besides, MLRS in game is handicapped anyway since the engine can't do the massive fire rate from multiple rockets which is in fact the reason why rocket arty was developed.

3) CH-53E really should be there. I don't think even the Osprey can carry that much load, especially not externally.

4) Raven UAV instead of the much oversized, and Air Force owned Predator.

These equipment changes would make the game "purer" in it's force structure, add some marine-specific toys, and I'd really like to see BIS do it since mods are always a source of confusion.

[Binkowski 26]

I'd post this in the Addon Suggestion thread. I'm sure somebody will make at least one of these when the tools are released. Just be patient.

[11aTony 0]

Yeah and isnt someone already on ch53? Im not sure.

[frederf 0]

The V-22 Osprey is an official transport for the Javelin Platoon teams who roll in G-Wagons as well as air lift for the attached MEU artillery battery (105mm I think). It's a somewhat capable CH-53 alternative being between the 46 and 53 in terms of external lift capability. However I would like to see CH-46s and CH-53s to make a proper Aviation Combat Element consist for the MEU.

[CplBlakeman 10]

Once the CH-53K is the new variant in the USMC and will have even more lift capacity, so it would be neat to see it in game with the new huey and new cobra. As much as I think the Osprey is neat, it is a little out of place in this AO as far as rough LZ landings.

[near_blind_sniper 10]

I was rather curious why we have the M270 MLRS as opposed to say the HIMARS system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIMARS

which is actually in use by the Marines. The M270 MLRS is army specific.

[frederf 0]

I don't think the 27th MEU would have an MLRS or a HIMARS. It seems odd to introduce since the 105mm is usually sufficient for any artillery request, doesn't overpower the target, and is actually what an MEU would have (8 guns I think, not sure 105mm or 155m). Maybe it was just a proof of concept for a mobile ARTY capable unit.

[Helmut_AUT 0]

Interesting, didn't know the USMC had their own rocket arty. Binkowski, as I said I'd want these items as official included stuff, mods and addons ultimately make it very hard to distribute missions or keep an MP server on the same level.

[0313Gunner 10]

2) LAV-Variants: TOW and Mortar. Standard LAV Platoon on a MEU used to be 4x 25mm, 2x AT for a recon platoon.

This isn't exactly right from what I remember (I was a gunner on an LAV-25 for 4.5 years for the USMC) but it would be nice to see the LAV-AT in the game. We rarely worked with the AT's during combat operations but we did have the 81's with us a lot. That was 5 years ago however.

(Hoping that this isn't considered a flame but here's a side note. LAV-25 are used for recon of the USMC. AT's are simply not as versatile as a LAV-25 because of their weapons platform. The one thing that AT's are good at however is when they can get in a vehicle down position, they can pop their turret over the hill to see and be completely protected from direct fire. If that is what you mean by a recon platoon, then a I completely agree.)

To add to the LAV changes however, there are only a couple things that bug me. The tracers on the main gun should be every round, hence HEI-T (High Explosive Incendiary TRACER) and APDS-T (Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot TRACER) Having a tracer every round makes it much easier to adjust your rounds when you can follow the bullet to impact.

Secondly, the ballistics for the AP round is wrong. The AP round has a much flatter trajectory than the HE rounds. If you noticed on the gun sight, the inner "tornado" (what we used to call it) would be for ranging targets for the AP rounds and the outer "tornado" was for ranging HE rounds. The bottom of the AP "Tornado" would be a range of 2900 meters where as that same level of elevation would be only 1400 meters for HE. As you can see, there is quite a difference.

Lastly, the commander of the vehicle has a M240G machine gun mounted on the top of the vehicle. I think it is funny that they modeled the mount, but then do not have anything on it.

I know these are minimal things, but it would make that vehicle that much more accurate.

[frederf 0]

Interesting, didn't know the USMC had their own rocket arty. Binkowski, as I said I'd want these items as official included stuff, mods and addons ultimately make it very hard to distribute missions or keep an MP server on the same level.

The MEU's infantry component is a reinforced rifle Battalion known as the Battalion Landing Team. Part of its reinforcement is a battery of six 155mm howitzers (M777s if they're using the newest, shiniest equipment). The Weapons Company will also have their 8 81mm mortars. The Weapons Platoons of each of the three Rifle Companies will have 3 60mm mortars each.

I believe that the LAV-25 complement in a BLT is due to their attached armored reconnaissance company. I don't know how many ATGM or mortar variants such a company would have. Looking it up now.

Let's see the LAV-25 Recon company in the MUE has approx 13 LAVs but a T/O company has 25 or so:

HQ Section

(1) LAV-C2 (Command and Control)

(2) LAV-25

Logistics Section

(3) LAV-L (Logistics)

(1) LAV-R (Recovery)

Anti-Tank Section

(4) LAV-AT (Anti Tank)

Mortar Section

(2) LAV-M (Mortar)

Armored Platoons

(12) LAV-25

This are clearly more LAV vehicles in a T/O Light Armored Reconnaissance Company (If I'm reading the T/O right) than is attached to a MEU in practice so who knows which vehicles are actually present during MEU landing operations. Since there should be plenty of indirect fire assets available to the BLT commander (CAS, 155mm, 81mm) they might leave the mortar LAVs at home. I'm sure they'd at least bring a team of the LAV-AT (2 vehicles).

Edited July 6, 2009 by Frederf

[Helmut_AUT 0]

Gunner, always glad to read from people with first hand experience. I would have thought the ATs come along mandatory to offer some kind of long-range Anti Armor defense in case the recon run into something larger.

OTOH I heard the Hammerhead mount isn't very usable on a moving vehicle, so if it's more a "static defense" item then it might not be that desperately needed in game.

Frederf, good point, but given that a MEU loadout can be pretty customized... Ultimately I'd want them to have some mobile artillery that is NOT an Army MLRS system. HIMARS would also fill that role, doesn't have to be a mortar LAV.

Anyone wants an AAAV? Still in testing I suppose, but really nice piece of kit. Good match for the BMP-3 and it's fearsome weapons loadout.

[frederf 0]

I take issue with HIMARS being considered an equivalent replacement for LAV-Ms with 81mm mortars in the back. Goliath and David are not interchangeable. The LAV-M would be a lesser indirect fire support unit compared to the 155mm battery typically deployed with an MEU while HIMARS makes the 155mm look like a pop gun.

While MEUs are configurable, such a geographically small and low-intensity conflict such as the Chernarussian affair would suggest lightening the MEU (it's already down from 5 ships to 1... the LSD, LPD, couple of missile cruisers, and submarine are absent), not strapping an unprecedented ICBM-style weapon to it. The Civil Affairs officer would have kittens! The MLRS never shows up in the campaign and can be safely ignored when concocting a real scenario. The M198/M777 155mm should honestly be sufficient to hit anywhere within the MEU's AO. Mobility isn't really a necessary or realistic capability.

The AAV suffers from thin skin, non-stabilized turret, and a weak punch. I find it hard to believe that the (A)AAV is a real match for the BMP3 though. 30mm and stabilized is nice but the ATGM lack has got to be missed.

Edited July 6, 2009 by Frederf

[Helmut_AUT 0]

So they dropped the ATGM ideas? I thought it was supposed to get something. Speed seems to be a lot better however, that and 30mm is still a nice punch against enemy APCs.

Would be nice if the M198 howitzers had more of their real world range in game, right now the arty module restricts to only a few kilometers.

[FINALCUT 10]

id also like to see the up armored version of the hummers.

[near_blind_sniper 10]

I never said the HIMARS and LAV are interchangeable: Personally, i would rather see the LAV-M and for that matter the rest of it's variants over a HIMARS. My point is that it is odd to have an M270 in the game... The marines don't own any of those.

If anything I'd like to see the HIMARS replace the 270.

an EFV would be nice as well.