Col. Faulkner

I don't really know enough about modding to be able to contribute very much. Will the proceedings of these meetings be written down and posted anywhere? Is it possible to just listen in?

Too heavy, really, but a beauty to shoot! Even guys who couldn't hit the side of a house (from the inside   ) with the rifle were often good shots with the Bren (firing repetition off the bipod).

@ Pathy & MehMan Well if you really want to give me your Sten models it'd be very welcome. Thanks. They might well inspire me to "up my game" a bit too. Â Â I'll PM you. The "Plumber's abortion" was rarely used by commandos at any time and certainly not in the early war period that the first phase of this project deals with (not to say it never happened but I've certainly never seen them in any early war photos). However, one thing I do want to add to this first phase is a couple of early-war British Paras kitted out as they were for the Bruneval raid. Then (depending on the availability of a suitable addon troop carrier aeroplane) players could set up airborne as well as seaborne raids (ie. lob in, give Jerry a kicking, then exfil by sea). The Sten Mk II was issued in large numbers to 2 PARA for the Bruneval operation so it's authentic and will be necessary for me to add it to the weapon set. I could also use it as a basis for the Sten MK I and a Mk IIS (that'll be necessary for a later commando project I have in mind). On another note,<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v692/whisky01/cdowpns2.jpg" target="_blank"> here's the rifle and De Lisle</a> coloured in. The woodwork on both still has some blemishes but they're almost there.

Why not just use AK47s then? Surely that'd be even quicker than redesigning a new rifle. Anyway, whatever; criticising the rifle design is largely irrelevant since it's just a fantasy story.

See if I can post the right link this time... WIP of WW2 British infantry (Commando) weapons:

Bit of a serious bummer, though, if you want to try modding a Lattey or a German Zf41 Â And if you need to "get ... real close to the eyepiece" then your hold and posture are wrong Â

Apparently this is not possible in ArmA.

So it'll come out at the end of what?

Not trying to be a mod but...If you're trying to show off new sniper models and such, shouldn't this be in "Addons and mods: Discussion"?

Note: "Commando" (big C) means the unit (eg. C Troop, No. 4 Commando) "commando" (small c) means a soldier serving in a Commando. Here are some pics of the SPECIAL SERVICE Bren guns all coloured in  These, of course, aren't proper textures yet; just basic colours quickly applied in "Anim8or". I stumbled on this capability serendipitously.  I hope that the models will drastically improve as the proper texturing and stuff happens. Bren aficionados may notice that this gun model has (most of) a Mk 3 body group instead of a Mk 1 one (because it started out as my SPEARHEAD L4A4 and I ain't got around to rebuilding that bit yet) and many other parts also still need refinement. As a conceit it is shown here standing on its bipod canted to the right (if canted to the left with a full magazine fitted a real Bren gun can tip over). The Bren is very easy and comfortable to shoot(at different times I have trained on and fired both the .303 - several marks - and the 7.62mm versions). Its weight (23lbs loaded) supported on the bipod together with the way it fires from an open bolt, all combine to greatly reduce recoil (the Bren in fact has a tendency to steadily pull itself forward away from the firer and vibrates more than it kicks). For a weapon of its class the Bren is also very accurate. Some even said that it was too accurate for a "machine gun". The British WW2 L.M.G. operator's manuals say that "The accuracy of the gun permits of only a small margin of error in aiming, range estimation or allowance for the effect of atmospheric conditions"(only the first of which, of course, has any relevance to the gun as represented in ArmA). Commando weapon training included practice in firing the Bren effectively from the hip. This was not otherwise (officially) practiced in the British Army at that time. Another drawback regarding the Bren as a light machine gun was its small magazine capacity (maximum of 30 rounds, although in fact often only 28 were loaded). There also existed a special clockwork drum magazine of 97 rounds which was intended for anti aircraft (AA) use. In the AA role the gun was supposed to be mounted on a tall tripod but commandos are known to have also used it off the bipod with the AA drum fitted, as depicted by this model. The model so far is missing the special adapter support device which was mounted on the Bren for use with the AA drum. The barrel carrying handle is shown (corectly) folded outwards. This was to avoid the drum magazine blocking the travel of the handle during barrel changing. Now a nice picture of one of the Thompson models coloured in. I'm not claiming that this color scheme is authentic and the rendering has gone a bit shit in places, but it at least augurs well for a nice model once completed. The Tommy gun is almost signature equipment for commandos so it really has to be done decently. Finally here is a fun picture of some of the headgear that will eventually be included in the first couple of phases of the project. Headdress (clicky) 1. & 1a. The "Cap, Comforter" was a tube of knitted khaki woollen cloth sewn shut at both ends. It could be worn as a short scarf or turned and folded inside itself to make a simple cap. The description "Comforter" indicates its intended use as a cap to be worn under the steel helmet - especially in cold conditions (the steel helmets quickly drew heat away from the head in cold weather). Steel helmets were not usually worn during night operations, since they were heavy and awkward and could be noisy. For Commando raids the "Cap, Comforter" or a woollen balaclava helmet were usually worn instead. The model heads here indicate how the caps would be worn (with faces blackened with burnt cork) for a typical night Commando raid. Wartime photos show commandos wearing their "Cap, Comforter" in a wide variety of styles. 2. and 3. show the headdress that was worn by commandos before the issue of the green beret in 1943. At least one figure so dressed will be included in phase 1 of SPECIAL SERVICE. Some Commandos wore the Scottish "Tam O' Shanter" bonnet (even though they were not Scottish units) with either unit badges or the capbadges of the individual commandos' parent units (ie. the unit that the man had served in before volunteering, and passing selection, for service in a Commando. Army commandos were all trained soldiers even before undergoing specialist commando training). The model bonnet shown here has a khaki patch on the left side but no badge (yet). Other Commandos wore the Field Service side-cap, again with either unit badges or the soldier's own capbadge. The capbadge shown here on the F.S. cap (and beret) is that of the Grenadier Guards. Wartime photos show some soldiers wearing their F.S. caps cocked at what look like gravity-defying angles. 4. The green beret was first issued in mid-1943 and quickly became a symbol of both the Army and Royal Marine Commandos (the modern Royal Marine Commandos still wear it). The Commando beret was proudly worn on every opportunity. One commando Colonel while reprimanding his men for taking risks during heavy fighting in Normandy, said "Wearing a green beret does not make you bullet-proof!". Berets worn by British troops in WW2 were larger and baggier than those worn in more recent times. Since phase 1 of the SPECIAL SERVICE project deals with the Commandos' "raiding" period (ie. up to mid 1943), the green beret will not be included in phase 1. 5. The craft that delivered commando raiders onto enemy-held shorelines were operated and piloted by men of the Royal Navy. Commando operations depended to a great extent on good co-operation with the Royal Navy (and Royal Air Force). At action stations, the sailors wore their normal "working dress" (the Navy did not wear "battle dress") including steel helmets painted dark grey (the colour in this picture is too blue). The Mk I* helmet was composed of a WW1-era Mk I steel shell with an upgraded liner and chinstrap.

That's right. I think most Esperantists (including me) would be horrified.

It's also a point which GIJOE should have got by now since the same advice has already been offered several times. GIJOE, are you going to give it a go? Beach obstacles (eg. Â hedgehogs, log ramps, Belgian gates ) and pillbox-style fortifications would be simple (but useful) projects to start with for your 1943 project

As I wrote in the original post: "In the real world, the next two weapons and their ammunition were approved for service in the early 1950s after extensive trials but were never issued and eventually cancelled for political reasons. SPEARHEAD will offer the chance to use these excellent weapons in "combat" with British infantrymen in Armed Assault." It passed its acceptance tests and was approved (and given an official designation - No.9 Mk 1) but was never issued. At that time 7.62x51mm was the NATO standard - hence the forced adoption of the SLR.

Just in case anyone actually reads this: Well, I've reconsidered this over the past few days and the project is back on. The desire to see 60s 70s and 80s British squaddies running around is still there and is too great to abandon. It'll also serve as an outlet for all the arcane uniform trivia from those eras that I've accumulated over the years. It'll probably just take a bit longer than originally anticipated as all the stuff I've done to date will need an overhaul. I'm also now leaning towards doing Royal Marines and Paras only. It will continue the Commando motif of my other project and, because ArmA battles are all small scale affairs set on islands, marines make a bit more logical sense. Paratroopers are interesting because of uniform and kit variations and because they'll continue the motif of the early WW2 paratroopers I'm now also doing for the "Special Service" project. And even if SP ArmA stays disappointing I might try MP Â

...or sound moderated?

They are in mufti - what does it matter if they are SAS or SBS!? Â ArmA Chairborne leads the way! Hooah..urgh! Â I think the '58 pattern in British service is now consigned to history although it is still being churned out by the ton in Chinese sweat-shops for the "leisure market" (it's 90% guaranteed that any '58 webbing you buy on t'internet today is made in the Far East). In the 60s, 70s and 80s SAS-style belt kits were apparently made up by the individual out of various '58 patt, '44 patt, US M67, US ALICE and W.German bits (and some custom made items). That was in the days before private purchase kit was widely available. I'd suppose that the practise of making up sets of kit to personal preference persists - but with a much wider choice of bits available nowadays. There was actually more than one '58 pattern set in butyl nylon. The nylon '58 set had the same components as webbing '58 but in butyl-covered webbing (the same material as the issue GS bergen and the later '58 patt NBC satchels). Really the nylon was thought to be better in wet conditions more than any supposed convenience for personal NBC decontamination. This set was not widely used and when it was it was mostly by bootnecks. The '72 set proper was "inspired" by the American ALICE sets and included a "butt-pack" instead of the kidney pouches. It was also made of nylon covered webbing but was not widely used by anyone. I don't think it even got much past trials stage although SAS (reg or TA) may well have tried it out (dunno). Most of it eventually found its way onto the "surplus" market in about the mid 1980s. There was also a '58 set that was made in sand coloured webbing, but again was rarely issued. Various armies in the middle east (incl. Iraqi) ended up with lots of it. I used the '58 set too a lot and I'd not exactly call it "utter crap". It was as good as anything else going in its day, and with a few "modifications" (eg. dumping the incredible shrinking '58 waterbottle carrier and getting a '44 patt waterbottle and carrier, getting some gucci "SAS" mag pouches, chopping off the spade carrier, getting an additional bumroll and some bungees...etc etc) and creative application of black tape it did the job OK. Think yourselves lucky, when I were a little lad in the cadets we still used the old '37 sets (which we had to "blanco" with bootpolish and polish the brasses with "Brasso") Â Ten minutes after it was on the belt was usually up around your armpits and whenever you ran the small pack whacked your helmet (Mk. III & IV WW2 issue as well) over your eyes. Â How the heck our grandpas helped beat Hitler's bully- boys wearing that awful contraption I'll never know. Â

And they don't annoy the neighbours so much

Never mind fires, I'd like to turn a high-pressure hose onto some of those manky-looking Sahrani civilians - they look like they could do with a good wash! Â

Smiley, where the heck are you getting this tosh from? Are you sure you even posted this in the right thread? I haven't seen any instances where GIJOE has been "very blunt and ... offensive in how [he talks] to members on the forums"! On the contrary, he's been admirably restrained in the face of some of the banal and petty criticism he's been getting, and grateful for advice on other occasions. Your accusation is unjust and unworthy!

You'll need to explain more clearly what you want to do. Do you want to try reskinning models, or have you downloaded an addon that didn't come with installation instructions?

"Ammu-Nation" is opening a branch on Sahrani ?

I'd agree that there is a whole list of things that they should worry about first. The game still falls far short of a valid representation of a battlefield - and it isn't because of the physics. Many tabletop wargames rules still capture this much better than ArmA does.

Oh? I always thought they spoke Ugarit and wrote in Sumerian cuneiform. You can make them speak anything at all you like! The signs on the island are in something that looks like Spanish (it is absolutely not Esperanto, btw).

Oh, sorry, we thought your problem was that you wanted to place a hangar, not to write scripts. We were probably misled by these words; "My main problem is that I want to add a hanger where there is no pre-existing hanger" Â And it's "hangar" , not "hanger" Â

The animation and "weapon handling" (for want of a better term) are different which gives ArmA quite a different "feel" from OFP.