Armageddon???? - Part Eighty One Up

Starglider · Post by **Starglider** » 2008-05-28 02:56pm

Excellent stuff. The author clearly enjoys writing the battles.

It should be an interesting contrast between the B-52 bombing and the wyvern bombing.

The Vortex Empire · Post by **The Vortex Empire** » 2008-05-28 03:08pm

As usual, I almost feel sorry for the Baldricks. They haven't even reached the lines of mines and razor wire yet, and already they're taking massive casualties.

[R_H] · Post by **[R_H]** » 2008-05-28 03:13pm

The Vortex Empire wrote:As usual, I almost feel sorry for the Baldricks. They haven't even reached the lines of mines and razor wire yet, and already they're taking massive casualties.

Their northern flank hasn't even fully entered the main zone of resistance yet, and their southern flank is moving slower...and they've already sustained 10% casualties.

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2008-05-28 03:20pm

At what ranges it actually occurs? If the Russian divisions have the Nona in any considerable numbers, the "wall of fire" could be maintained by firing mines up to as close as 400 meters away from the actual Russian positions, reaping a "second harvest" of dead demons right there.

Sidewinder · Post by **Sidewinder** » 2008-05-28 03:33pm

JN1 wrote:It seems that some of the RAF Tornados lost in '91 during airfield attacks were due to USAF PIs marking the bomblet damage as 'strafing' and tasking a re-attack.

What's a PI? (I'm assuming you're not referring to private investigators.) And how did they contribute to the Tornados' losses? By mistakingly thinking the targeted airfields weren't damaged to the point they couldn't be used, and ordering the RAF pilots to launch another attack on them? By not coordinating USAF attacks with the RAF, leading to midair collisions and/or friendly fire incidents?

Post by **NecronLord** » 2008-05-28 03:37pm

Read this with 'The Russian Artillerist's March' playing. Very appropriate.

Stuart Mackey · Post by **Stuart Mackey** » 2008-05-28 03:38pm

Stuart wrote: Cheered at the thought, she folded her wings, expelled gas, and dropped like a stone on the defense position beneath.

.”

How unlady like.
Still, now we know what being under harpy attack sounds like..Stuka's wailed on the way down.

Wyrm · Post by **Wyrm** » 2008-05-28 03:41pm

Lady Gray? Can I expect carpet bombing?

Post by **Surlethe** » 2008-05-28 04:19pm

Wyrm wrote:Lady Gray? Can I expect carpet bombing?

Almost certainly. I believe it's already been hinted at in the story.

JN1 · Post by **JN1** » 2008-05-28 05:11pm

Sidewinder wrote:
JN1 wrote:It seems that some of the RAF Tornados lost in '91 during airfield attacks were due to USAF PIs marking the bomblet damage as 'strafing' and tasking a re-attack.
What's a PI? (I'm assuming you're not referring to private investigators.) And how did they contribute to the Tornados' losses? By mistakingly thinking the targeted airfields weren't damaged to the point they couldn't be used, and ordering the RAF pilots to launch another attack on them? By not coordinating USAF attacks with the RAF, leading to midair collisions and/or friendly fire incidents?

A PI is an RAF term for a Photographic Interpreter - the guys who work out what the pics show. Not sure what the USAF calls them.
Basically yes, they did not believe the airfields had been put out of action. I came across this bit of info in a book called 'Cold War, Hot Wings - Memoirs of a Cold War Fighter Pilot 1962-1994', by Squadron Leader Chris J. Bain (retired).
During Desert Storm the author was attached to the DIA at Bolling AFB. He claims to have encountered a great deal of ignorance about non-US capabilities, such as what the JP233 could do, for example mistaking the holes dug by the bomblets for strafing damage ('bloody big gun then', as he remarked to the PI responsible).
The Iraqi airfield in question was Shaibah, which if memory serves is now ironically the location of a large British Army base, which was tasked for a return visit. I would need to check as to whether any Tornados were lost on repeat attacks to be 100% sure, but it does seem as if they were put in unnecessary danger.

Bain's book is a good read, though he's a bit opinionated at times for my taste, and I'm not sure I agree with his belief that Augusto Pinochet was a benevolent dictator.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2008-05-28 05:47pm

Do Russian soldiers still call each-other Tovarisch? I thought that went out with the iron curtain.

Eulogy · Post by **Eulogy** » 2008-05-28 06:58pm

If radar screws up harpies like that, imagine what it's already doing to the naga. Looks like Detroit won't be taking much damage if the naga are that bothered by radar; it might even buy enough time for McElroy and friends to kill the naga while they are still assembled.

Starglider · Post by **Starglider** » 2008-05-28 07:06pm

Eulogy wrote:If radar screws up harpies like that, imagine what it's already doing to the naga.

Radar at that intensity would screw up humans, probably worse than the demons; microwaves at high enough intensity will simply cook you.

Looks like Detroit won't be taking much damage if the naga are that bothered by radar;

Detroit does not have 2000 narrow-scan radars focused on it, and even if it did, they couldn't affect demons back in hell unless a portal is already open.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2008-05-28 07:31pm

I must say, I'm kinda starting to hope that Hell has some tricks left in the bag, otherwise its going to be a rather boring and one-sided war. Unless, of course, the Baldricks go guerilla.

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2008-05-28 07:52pm

The other side is watching, remember? Heavens forces are getting a nice little lesson.

fusion · Post by **fusion** » 2008-05-28 08:22pm

Who or what are the BUFFS? I have no idea...

Anyways very very very good and tasty.

JointStrikeFighter · Post by **JointStrikeFighter** » 2008-05-28 08:26pm

Big Ugly Fat Fellows;

B-52's

Agent Fisher · Post by **Agent Fisher** » 2008-05-28 08:45pm

BUFF really stands for Big Ugly Fat Fucker

Scottish Ninja · Post by **Scottish Ninja** » 2008-05-28 09:49pm

Agent Fisher wrote:BUFF really stands for Big Ugly Fat Fucker

What I was about to say; "Fellow" is a euphemism I saw first in a children's book on airplanes ostensibly wishing to avoid inflicting such a horror on a child's fragile mind, or more likely the backlash from that child's parents after they find out where their kid picked up such language.

It's silly, though; if they didn't want us to see that, they might as well have just left it out rather that lie.

Ritterin Sophia · Post by **Ritterin Sophia** » 2008-05-28 09:51pm

fusion wrote:Who or what are the BUFFS?

Saint Curtis is displeased with you.

The Big Ugly Fat Fucker.
The Gray Lady.
The B-52 Stratofortress.
All are one.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2008-05-28 10:03pm

fusion · Post by **fusion** » 2008-05-28 11:00pm

General Schatten wrote:
fusion wrote:Who or what are the BUFFS?
Saint Curtis is displeased with you.

The Big Ugly Fat Fucker.
The Gray Lady.
The B-52 Stratofortress.
All are one.

Who is Saint Curtis?

Anyways, 1.5 million is still a lot to kill...

Things can still go bad such as the first rows of tanks being destroyed.

R011 · Post by **R011** » 2008-05-28 11:39pm

fusion wrote: Who is Saint Curtis?

Why, it's General Curtis Emerson LeMay, first commander of the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command.

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

Hawkwings · Post by **Hawkwings** » 2008-05-28 11:40pm

Saint Curtis LeMay, of course! Head of SAC, "Peace is Our Profession"

Post by **Vympel** » 2008-05-29 12:24am

This particular battalion had guns that were an odd hybrid, old D-21 122mm

D-21 122mm? AFAIK, no such thing. Do you mean the classic/ superb D-30?