AussieYank

Though you would have to factor in the fact that the Autoloader on the T-72 is unreliable, slower than what a trained loader can do, and is dangerous to the gunner. As per the TUSK, its still being issued out to tank crews. Its critical, since it corrects most of the weak points of the Abrams in combat.

Why does it have to be that complicated? I'm a realism fan so doing it properly appeals to me but for the sake of a more realistic aspect (e.g. Surrendering) I'd be willing to accept a much simplified semi-realistic approach to handling prisoners. As I've stated the idea twice and it seems to go over peoples heads here is the idea in sentences of no more than three words. Enemy Surrenders. => Approach Enemy. => Open Menu. => Select "Secure Prisoner". => Animation. => POW tied up* => Leave 'secured' POW That is all that is needed! You could have 'secured' POWs follow you via another menu option so those wishing a more realistic approach could actually deal with them. Having a second team to take them away etc Those who aren't interested in such things can just leave them on the battlefied. * Plastic ties before anyone asks Because, even IF they're tied up, you don't want a whole bunch of enemies to your rear. Sure, they're tied up, but they can still get their restraints off or crawl/walk away. I mean, wouldn't you? If they're following you, thats the LAST thing you need. You're trying to move tactically with EPWs trailing you like an elephant trampling through the woods. Beleive me, I've seen other people leaving EPWs behind to be "collected later," even when I was moving like 100m away. It never ends well. If you're not going to TREAT them like EPWs, then whats the point of having them exactly? Might as well just focus on combat.

Well I mean one of the most common syles of engagement for a mission in a real medium-intensity conflict is a Movement to Contact. Basically, you move in platoons and up, so you have one squad followed behind by another squad followed by another squad, then a gap and the next platoons squads start following. The best way of securing an EPW is just telling one of your squad leaders to stay behind with his squad or leave a fire-team to keep an eye on them as the other platoons either take up defensive positions around the objective or the whole big show keeps moving. Your joes wait behind for the MPs to show up so the EPWs can be bagged and tagged.

Again, we come to the question of fun verses realism. While throwing in EPWs would be pretty realistic, dealing with them is slightly less fun. Once you've got them, you've got to detail at least 2 people from your squad to secure, search, and silence them, as well as safeguard them. You've then got to get on the radio back to your platoon/company/batallion HQ, arrange for pickup at the EPW collection point (typically in your assembly area, though you can arrange to have it on or just off the objective if you need to). You've got to then drag these guys back to that area, wait for friendly units (either another squad in the rear or a detatchment of MPs) to come by, round them up, take down the information they need. Tactically, its a realistic hurdle. Von Clausewitz used to call stuff like this friction, the unexpected stuff that slows individual actors on the battlefield from accomplishing their part of the plan in the timeline you planned for. For instance, if your platoon was moving as a larger part of a Company-level attack on an enemy position, and you ran into a group of surrendering EPWs, thats going to slow your movements down, since you've got to run through all the 5 S's with them (SEARCH, SILENCE, SEGREGATE (officers from enlisted), SAFEGUARD, and SPEED (to the rear)). You would probably just pass them off to one of the trail platoons and have a detatchment from them move them back down the company trail of movement, or maybe leave a fire-team to keep an eye on them until the last trail unit picks them up, something like that. Again, realistic, but fun for somebody that wants to just pick up a game and wants to go shoot something? Not so much. I mean, thats why I'm always an advocate for a .mil nerd mode, and a mainstream-fun mode in these games.

If we're going to go along with this line of thinking, how about then giving the Abrams the option of installing a TUSK . Not to mention bird-cages for the Strykers.

Besides, BRM (Basic Rifle Marksmanship) is all dependent on the situation. If you're laying down a base-of-fire for an assault, you're not going to really try to shoot off the wings of a fly. You want your shots to be accurate, but you're not really going for the JFK shot. If you see a target pop-up, you want to make a semi-accurate shot at him, but you're primary goal is to put rounds onto known and suspected enemy locations and fighting positions in order for him to be forced to make a values judgement call if he wants to pop up and lay-down fire. Now, if you've in watch-and-shoot mode, waiting for the order to lay down a base-of-fire and have eyes-on, or are in overwatch, THATS when you start trying to get that accurate shot.

Playing as an infantry-guy with full battle-rattle (Kevlar, weapon, ammo, grenades, IBA w/SAPI plates) not to mention the other crap he's probably go on him, I would be afraid to go near the water. I mean hell, I've done CWST enough. You're in tennis shoes for that, and even then its a bitch to swim. Then again, I'm probably the worst swimmer in my unit.

As per helicopters, editing effects wouldn't work too well since the danger zone on helicotpers tend to vary. For instance, the UH-1 and the UH-60 both have different areas that are dangerous for rotor blade strikes. Typically before you perform any training on a UH-60 you have to sit through the same boring lecture from the crew chief (static load training) where they go over how you put your seatbelt on, what to do in case of emergency, and most importantly which way to dismount. I was out at Fort Lewis in July, and the Army had just had another accident down at one of the bases in Alabama. UH-60 caught on fire, the crew and passangers had to make an emergency dismount, and the pilot ran forward, towards the aircrafts 12 O'Clock. Poor guy got decapitated. Turns out that in a panic people tend to run in the same direction their feet land, and in his haste to get clear of the Blackhawk he forgot about the blades. Now, as I've often said, it would be neat if these games had an "uber-advanced mode" where us .mil dorks could have our fun, but it stands to reason your average joe six-pack is going to hate that, and for good reason. As for back-blast, I think thats more than reasonable to have in the game. Learning how to fire the AT4 its constantly emphised that you should check your backblast. The gout of flame is one thing, but you've also got to factor in the crap it picks up and throws, like the seal-housing from the back of the launcher, dirt, rocks, sticks, all that debris. There's a great video I've got on my USB drive somewhere of Iranian infantry during the Iran/Iraq War. RPG gunner didn't look behind him, and one of his squad-mates pops up behind him to lay down more fire at the last second. Launcher fires, huge puff of smoke and flame, and the guy disappears from frame. I'm pretty sure its on military.com somewhere.

Personally, I would like to see a 5 Paragraph Operation Order when I get the mission. Lets say you're a Squad Leader for 1st Squad, 1st Platoon, Alpha Company. I would like to see it so when you open the map screen you see in your notebook the five-paragraph OPORDER you got from the platoon leader at the breifing. So its a platoon attack on a hill, you see what you're squad is doing and what the neighboring squads are also doing, so when you plan your mission out you know what your job and you're limits are. But then, with every feature I think the "fun" feature shouldn't be overlooked. You'll NEVER capture what really being in the field with living, breathing soldiers is like, so you've gotta factor in a playability element to it as well.