Olefin, please don't consider the bit above a criticism, I have many issues with canon, especially in the UK but as I stated I'm trying to stick to canon (and will always note where I don't and why).
I've made a few comments to explain my rationales below.
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Originally Posted by Olefin
I dont agree with the idea of combat losses of tanks from July 2000 to the 2001 Howling Wildnerness and have stated that before - they were going up against marauders armed almost exclusively with a collection of small arms, both military and civilian - not against tanks. A Stingray may not be what I would chose to take on a T-72 with but against a guy with a SAW or an M-16 its not even close.
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Agreed but guerrillas or marauders don't need to take them on. It's a big area and smart ones will just be elsewhere.
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Originally Posted by Olefin
As for the tanks breaking down thats a possiblity - but if so a unit like the 49th would have M88's to be able to retrieve those tanks. Tanks are precious units that MilGov would do anything to conserve and retrieve especially after the US already abandoned so many tanks in Europe. And its not like they would be running out of fuel and having to be abandoned - they are basically right next to one of the last major fuel sources in the US. So even if they werent running for some reason they would make great pillboxes - just like they were at Krakow. And then when and if you get spare parts you can put them back into operation.
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fuel is ok but parts will be a problem, even if they are produced you have to get them there. Pillboxes are great if you have to hold a position but there are few strategic points to hold, they could be bypassed. Once the retreat starts, getting to the vehicles is a difficulty in itself (an M88 crew with a couple of HMMWVs and a truck might make a great campaign group trying to retrieve precious vehicles).
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Originally Posted by Olefin
Unit desertion - I dont see Texas National Guard personnel deserting instead of staying with the only unit that has a chance to take back large areas of Texas - especially with the Mexican Army fragmenting and Soviet Division Cuba (as per Red Star, Lone Star) either falling apart or heading out of the state any way they can.
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Once you start withdrawing that falls apart, by 2000 loyalty to a nation is probably fading fast, families are now the big thing. I do plan to expand on my thoughts here in later drafts as this is a contentious point.
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Originally Posted by Olefin
So instead of staying together they go home as individuals and thus basically hand over Texas to the marauders, Mexicans and Soviets and instead of rescuing their families and their state from the occupation they get to consign them for good to it? Sorry but I know guys from the 49th - there are two chances of that happening - slim and none.
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We have the benefit of hindsight as to what will happen. We also need to consider the effect of the war on people, by the timeframe here, many of the 49th will be draftees or middle aged reservists with families.
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Originally Posted by Olefin
The 49th falling apart as it did is one of several reasons that Howling Wildnerness makes no sense. Especially considering that without them there goes the Oklahoma oil wells and any chance ever of retaking Texas.
And they bring home 43,000 men and no one in MilGov sends any reinforcements at all to defend oil wells and refineries which are described as vital to MilGov's power? So they evacuate multiple armored divisions with men who are experts at maintaining tanks, fighting tanks, commanding tanks and know exactly how to fight a Soviet armored division - and none of them ever get sent to the one remaining armored division in the US?
Again its why I ignore Howling Wildnerness as making no sense at all unless MilGov is somehow supposed to be a total collection of ignoramuses who somehow just throw away that collection of experienced men and allow most of their remaining military power to just waste away.
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See previous post.
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Originally Posted by Olefin
I love what you did James and its a very good read but unfortunately when you get into Howling Wildnerness timeframes it just falls apart just like the division supposedly did.
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Thanks, I appreciate that, hopefully even if you don't use this other articles I do will be useful for you.
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Originally Posted by Olefin
Its not specifically what you posted, its that you followed a canon that frankly I and several others feel was screwed up by what some of the authors of GDW did to take a timeline and a game and ruin it by doing everything they could do to destroy the US and turn their back on their earlier works and in the process really make the US military leadership look pretty foolish. (letting 43000 trained men go to waste in a world where such men are literally priceless is pretty much the height of stupidity after all)
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A quick random thought here, how many could we remove with a disease outbreak on their return?