TheMarshal=TOB=

It's not tarawa class...it's the USS Tarawa and it is used for CH-46, UH-1N, AH-1w and CH53E's for MEU's. I have been on the USS Tarawa and USS Guam. both good ships.

Well I can say that it flies great. NZXShadows has done an outstanding job on this thing.

The AH-1Z is the replacement for the AH-1W Super Cobra. It is an ugly helicopter but it is a very mean one too. Very fast and can turn on a dime. The rotor head is bearing less...sort of...it replaces the common metal bearings with elstomeric bearings for longevity of aircraft parts and less maintanence. The UH-1Y (Bell 412) is the replacemenet for the UH-1N. All UH is, is for the US Military to give classifications for it's helicopters. The US Military loves making things different from everything else. UH = Utility Helicopter CH = Cargo Helicopter AH = Attack Helicopter MH = Not sure, anyone know?

Hey NZX Got any new picks to add here for the public to check out and drool over?

You pretty much hit it right in the money sack there Dinger. What it realy boils down to is the US Government goes for the LOWEST bidder...yes there were other systems that got chopped...and they were lightyears ahead of VBS...I'm talking VR goggles, gloves, body suites...the whole nine yards, but VBS was picked due to is versatility, price, and the ability to jump in and play without extensive training on the game itself. Within 10 minutes a Marine can be told how the basics of VBS works and get into training at a basic level. The USMC wasn't looking for BAS or DKM caliber graphics and effects either, but looked for what would work to get their mission completed for our training...but VBS fell just a tad short...hense the use of OFP in some VBS stations instead of VBS. Â Well This is the main reason why some VBS stations use OFP instead, because of the addons. The more realistic it looks and feels the more the Marines get into the training.

All of the effects are the same as OFP...as far as the configs, they are the same as well except they are designed for VBS and are encrypted. We play a variaty of missions...a lot of attack and defend and search and destroy, since these are major roles of Marines Ground Troops. We also do air insertions and stealth recon missions as well. As far as I know the VBS station on my base is one of the only ones that gets this indepth with our mission planning though...it's probibly because I we have more of a mission designing knowledge then the rest of the VBS staff around the Marine Corps. Most stations stick to the original missions that the VBS came with.

Ok I wasn't going to make this a pissing contest, but when I am briefed, alone with 100 other Marines during a 2003 Weapons and Tactics Instruction (WTI Yuma AZ) By the Bell corporate members for this aircraft I'd think I'd have the right information. Your military may call it the Griffen, but the 412 was designed and built as a part of the Huey family of helicopters. So don't sit here and act like I'm some dumb 16 year old kid trying to get a rise out of you. I was just trying to give a little information to the community. I never said the addon wasn't Top quality and I live in Hawaii Stationed at K-Bay. I work on helicopters for the Marine Corps. I've worked on the CH-53E, MH-53E, CH53D, UH-1N, and the MV-22 I think I have more experience about helicopters then most everyone in this conversation. I am one of the most highly qualified Mechanics on my base, So I think I know what I'm talking about. Now I'm done...and sorry for trying to help.

Not trying .... just proving a point. I know my helicopters and I don't like to see bad info get put out, this is how bad Addons are made, from poor information.

Gee Gazoo I didn't know I was confused with all that military terminology. I thought it was from all of the briefings and military training I get from the marine Corps on Military aircraft upgrade programs and Aricraft Sustainment. Now I was sure that my briefing on aircraft to come within the next 2 to 3 years were the Bell 412, also called the UH-1M Huey. This was in our official brief. There may be many differences between the UH-1N and the 412, but there are many differences between the CH-53D and the CH-53E, including, but not limited to the total airframe change and the addition of a main rotor blade and another engine. Just because there are structural changes doesn't make the name different to the MILITARY who will be employing it. To be more specific The 412 has the same engine config as the UH-1N and the same basic cockpit arangment, due to it being the test bed for the 412. If I remember correctly the UH-1N is called the Iroquois by the company who built it, but you will never hear any Marine call it that, even know we know it's the original name. Who makes the Iroquois? Oh yeah BELL does...wow how wierd is that. Lets look at the two pictures of this aircraft together... UH-1N Iroquois: Primary Function: Utility and transport helicopter Contractor: Bell Helicopter Company Power Plant: Two Pratt and Whitney T400-CP-400 turboshaft engines; 1,250 hp (932 kw) Maximum Takeoff Weight: 10,500 pounds (4,762.7 kg) Range: 286 miles (460 km) Maximum Cruise Speed: 110 kts (203.7 km/hr) Ceiling: 17,300 feet (5,273 meters) Crew: Pilot, copilot, crew chief, gunner, plus 6 to 8 combat-equipped troops Armament: 2.75-inch rocket pods, GAU-16 .50 cal. machine gun, GAU-17 7.62mm minigun or M240 7.62mm lightweight machine gun Bell 412: Characteristics Weight: 11,900 lbs (Max Gross), 7400 lbs (Dry) Power: Pratt and Whitney engine 1,800 shaft horse power Speed: 140 knots (260 km/h) Range: 354 NM (656 km) Ceiling: 10,000 ft without oxygen Crew: 2 pilots, 1 flight engineer Passenger Capacity: 13 Â The Engines ARE the same Pratt & Whitney Engines. The 412 airframe is bigger for more passenger room and the extra Main Rotor blades give it it's extra speed and Manueverability(spelling?). I've been working on military helicopters since Feb. of 1998 I think I know what I'm talking about. I've know about this helicopter along with the AH-1Z for the past 5 years. The 412 is given it's own class due to the dramatic changes to it's construction frame, but don't let that fool you, it IS the new versio of the huey that the USMC will be using within the next few years. We are currently testing them in Yuma AZ, Edwards AFB, and Quanico VA.

The Griffon is not a Huey. I don't know where you get your information but you should research this further. The main body is "somewhat" similar, other then that it has nothing to do with a Huey. And no, there will be no grey version, I apologize. Once again if anyone wants to take it and retex it go ahead, just change the cpp so it doesn't conflict. The Griffen IS the next in line to take the place of the USMC UH-1N and will be given the UH-1 status once put into the Marine Corps Fleet along with the name..."Huey" ...so yes the Griffen is a Huey...the newest model on the market. The Griffen was designed directly off the UH-1N to upgrade it's speed and lift capabilities. This is why the added better rotor head and use of four main rotor blades instead of two. This aircraft is nothing more then an upgraded version of the UH-1N and was developed specificly for that purpose. It will be deployed for use the same time the AH-1Z Super Cobra is released to the USMC Fleet. Which has had similar improvments and mods done to it, but it still makes it a super cobraÂ

Yes and no...it's the same as OFP...CQB is all on the players, so if the teams work well with each other then yes it is a great CQB session, but if they do not use team work and just try to play it like a first person shooter then no it isn't better. I've seen sessions where it looks like a well oiled machine and not one person is killed on the allied team, but I've also seen sessions where the Marines are not taking the training seriously and myself (Yes sometimes I play opposission for the VBS station on my free time) and the other opposision players mop the floor with the allied team. TEAMWORK is what OFP & VBS1 were built for...if a team doesn't utilize teamwork they will lose. Think back to the MP games you play and why you won. 9 times out of 10 it's because the team you were on worked very well together, dispite their skill level. You can have even teams with one team that has highly skilled players and one team with moderatly skilled members. If the team with highly skilled players doesn't work together and communicate then they will lose, if the other team is utilizing teamwork and communication.

It's for use when ever there is time....mostly grunts use it. There is no set usage for it.

The only way to use VBS is with a USB Key that the CD came with. It won't work with Burned copies either (I tried already ) . Each computer that has the game on it must have that key in a USB port. Without it the game will not work.

From what I hear they aren't doing to well...lol go figure. There are some pilots here on base testing them and they hate them. Not to practical...all the pilots and aircrew like the OD ones as well...I know that it will be a cold day in hell before I turn my flight suite in for one of those pieces of shit MARPAT ones...LOL Hell I still like the Woodland Cammies myself...the new MARPAT ones just aren't as sharp as the old Woodland ones starched and pressed.

Let me clear a few things up...things I've said before but I guess no one read it. First off I do have access to VBS here on my base and I have used it on many of occassions. I am going to put an end to some rumors and speculations here for you all. 1) VBS is not classified nor does it need a secret clearance to play it. I have brought civilians in there with no problems what so ever. 2) Graphics and game play are no better then the original OFP game, not Resistance. There are rumors that VBS has such better graphics and game play, they are all wrong. In fact OFP, with it's outstanding community of addon makers, has a much better span of variaty and versatility than VBS. OFP has unlimited resources do to addon makers. 3) Islands. They are the same quality as the first islands that came with OFP. The only difference is they are of USMC military bases. (this is the only part of the game that could be considered Classified, but since their research was done on these bases five years before this game was released it makes it useless for any tactical value for our enemies or terrorist's) 4) The only purpose of that VBS fills is to give some sort of small unit leadership skill training and review. This helps NCO's and Junior Commissioned Officers with the consept of leading a small squad of Marines into a combat situation. 5) There is no Addon/Mission making section of the Marine Corps that builds missions or addons for VBS. As a matter of fact I get asked to help make missions for VBS training because I am pretty decent at making missions for OFP and it's the same thing as building a simple OFP mission. The mission editor is almost a carbon copy of OFP's 6) Yes the Marine Corps is using OFP in some of it's VBS Stations, here at my base is one of them and one area on the main land USA. Is it illegal for them to do this? No. There is nothing in the contrat stateing that the USMC cannot use alternate venues to train our Marines. We will use what ever we think is best to train our Marines. BIS and Coalescencehave no control over that, they are not the ones who have to deal with a Marines family if they are killed from faulty training methods. If you guys have any real questions about VBS just ask...I'll tell ya anything you know. Hell I'm going there this week to take some screenshots of it for some reference material for some addon makers so I'll post them here too  And before I get slammed by over reactive Moderators...I can legally do that.

Sorry bro but your friend was bullshittin you man...there is no security clearance needed to enter the VBS station or to use it. It's just like using the ISMIT system...any Marine who walks in there can use it.

You know the funny thing about desert flight suites is they work great alone, but the marine corps always makes the pilots and aircrew wear the olive drab flight gear with it...kinda defeats the purpose of low profile in the desert...LOL Thank you for the kind words Sgt. Drake Savage. NZXShadows and WaffenDennis have been really working hard on the addons for this mod team.

Would never happen...it's a violation of the contract..no altering the game what so ever. I do know one thing...the Marine Corps is so fed up with VBS that they are using OFP instead, but due to contracts they have to keep buying the damn thing. VBS is so limited in what it can do and what can be added. You can't just take OFP addons and throw them in there, because the config and coding is slightly different. Thats why they started using OFP instead. An almost unlimited addon base, more realistic graphics, loads of tutorials on how to create realistic missions, Â ect. I think VBS has met it's match with OFP. The child has surpassed the parent. It's like having a video game but the game company won't tell you how to mod it so you can add more stuff to it...it eventually fades out and dies...take the Online game WWII. It was the same thing as OFP, release two years earlier, but you had to pay to play and you couldn't add mods or newer vehicles...the game just faded away.

You're partially right. Marine pilots and aircrew do wear the olive drab flight suites, but they not supposed to wear camo covered helmets, it has absolutly nothing to do with identifying them as grunts, becuase they're not grunts. Some pilots and aircrew do use camo covering, but it's considered a safety hazard when they do. Their helmets are supposed to be covered in white reflective tape so it is easier to see them at night while on the flight line. I know this because I work around them all day long   Just a little FYI: The Marine Corp IS testing a MARPAT Flight suite and if they pass, expect to see them within the next few years.

I think he should at least mention Microsoft in the readme... This is what I call stealing. Its not that I like microsoft, but I think its a bit unfair.... Well, at least we should be able to use MSFS 2004 repaints, it wouldnt require very much editing. Here's an idea: just shut up! People just like yourself make Martin want to stop making addons. All you have done in this thread is whine about FS2004, and listen: <span style='font-size:17pt;line-height:100%'>NO ONE CARES</span> 'Nuff said. You beat me to it black dog...lol I was going to say the same thing.

You also have to remember that those two helicopters are high end helicopters. Nogova is a small country and would probably be suite better with hueys and older model Cobras or maybe Hinds.

The travel pretty far sometimes bro. They choose not to travel more then a few miles though...to save on damaging the skirt. They mostly just hit the beach and unload their cargo and head back out to the ship they launched from.

You can use it for anti-armour as it can hold large amounts of bombs and Mavericks/SLAMs/Harpoons. Well we can't let that sub go untouched can we? Â I do have a correction for you on this bro...They can hold bombs, but large amounts? No they can not hold large amounts of bombs...it is outfitted to carry enough ordinance to protect itself and MAYBE drop a torpedo on an enemy sub if need be. Th P-3 is primarily a sub finder and in some modified versions Air intel. I work around P-3's alot and converse with the Mechs on a frequent basis due to our hangers being next to each other here on base.

We haven't given up on him. Myself and WaffenDennis have been sticking with him. Also we are now being sponsered by the ICM (Intel Combat Marines) OFP Clan. I am a member of this great clan and they have offered their assistance with our Mod. The USMC website will move to their webserver so we have a place to post other then the main forums. A big thanks goes out to the ICM from the USMC Mod team for keeping us above water. http://www.ofp-icm.com

I knew you were joking avon