There is no specific hull design new or recent that I used as a template for this vessel. Instead, I used Springsharp to design an armed merchant vessel. When I read your posts about various vessels with lots of autocannons and HMGs, I modified the design by trading most of the cargo capacity for increased armament and a different hullform.
I will reduce the armor as you suggest. I will reduce the main belt to 2" and the upper belt to 1.5"; this will represent thickened hull plating. I'll keep the main deck at 1" and the conning tower at 2" (the CT plating will represent armor on and around the CIC) for splinter protection and also reduce the armor on the three main turrets.
As for the other types of guns you mention, what is the caliber of the 127-mm OtoMelara weapon? The 40-mm guns on the sides of the vessel were surplus Bofors; I will change the 40-mm caliber to L70 and reduce the main guns to single mounts. Unfortunately, Springsharp doesn't allow for the specification of gatling-type weaponry.
I will also experiment with mounting depth charge racks on the stern; how many racks & DC's do you recommend I add?
Mike Garrity
I recommended nothing about armour, because no armour would be fitted--you have to stop thinking like this is 1940, it's not. Also, for mobilization you go with the hulls you already have. Where the fuck are we going to manufacture armour plate for ships, exactly? That's ridiculous. We're going to build the easiest hulls we already have, the hulls for the ships most recently in production, Perry's, Burkes, LCS types, limited mods to the Cyclones, the USCG Legend class, because they're here, they're simple, we still have the plans for them, we know what the hell we're dealing with. Why are you trying to go through the complex process of designing an entirely new ship when mass production demands we use what we've got on the shelf and shoehorn it to the best of our ability to fit hte situation, accepting less efficiency in design and capability so we can start churning out dozens--last week.
The threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is verifiability, not truth. -- Wikipedia's No Original Research policy page.
JBG wrote:
Why is Ceasar the "legitimate" ruler of free hell?
Jonathan
Because the US and UK governments have just given him de facto recognition as the local indigenous political leader. Now, higher authorities from those governments can withdraw that recognition, but by the time they do, Caesar's claim will be solidified enough that it will be much more trouble than its worth. Not to mention that the US probably doesn't much want to deploy a brigade to Free Hell in order to take control from the British
JBG wrote:
As for Ceasar taking control, Brovane is right. He may keep his networks but when the US and the Russians et al decide that he is in the way, he is outa there. 2 million armed with sticks and rocks do not compete with those who have trashed Satan's palace etc etc ... You get my drift.
Caesar is the 'legitimate' ruler of 2 million people in hell, civilian or otherwise, and given that the defeat of hellish forces is more or less forgone, its now a political issue not a military one. Caesar has established legitimacy as a ruler, the US et al are going to have to deal with that, if for no other reason that people in hell, including the native Orc, will inevitably question the right of earth to rule in hell if for no other reason that its not their 'country'.
Why is Ceasar the "legitimate" ruler of free hell?
I did not say he was.
Up to now he has been the co-ordinator etc of forces in hell that have achieved diddly-squat for millenia. Is it because historically he is a nuanced and charismatic leader?
No, its because he is responsible for over 2 million people.
That goes just so far as he himself has had no solution to demon dominance. Imagine what his people would say given the chance of hitting back at the demons with modern technology or going back to hiding in caves and swamps awaiting the "day".
Jonathan
That does not follow, indeed its irrelevant. GJC commands/coordinates over two million persons, that is legitimacy by virtue of millennia of incumbency. But more to the point who the fuck gave the US or any other sonofabitch the right to run hell over the wishes of the people who live there and cannot leave?
Via money Europe could become political in five years" "... the current communities should be completed by a Finance Common Market which would lead us to European economic unity. Only then would ... the mutual commitments make it fairly easy to produce the political union which is the goal"
I am going on what you have posted. If you don't mean "X" you shouldn't state "X". I quoted your statement that he was the "legitimate" ruler. Look at your own post before you criticise others or try to recreate history.
You further have yet to explain how he is responsible. What does "responsible" in your universe entail?? You keep on coming out with these bland statements yet when challenged you accept no ownership - see "legitimate" above.
Its a case of "sorry squire, I have scratched the record".
And no offence intended, as my Kiwi mate would put it.
I am going on what you have posted. If you don't mean "X" you shouldn't state "X". I quoted your statement that he was the "legitimate" ruler. Look at your own post before you criticise others or try to recreate history.
Show me where I said GJC was running the patch of dirt known as "Free Hell" or admit you just lied . Cause I just looked back and I said no such thing.
You further have yet to explain how he is responsible. What does "responsible" in your universe entail?? You keep on coming out with these bland statements yet when challenged you accept no ownership - see "legitimate" above.
Oh, I am sorry, you must have missed the chapter where he told Kim that he commanded over two million people.
Its a case of "sorry squire, I have scratched the record".
And no offence intended, as my Kiwi mate would put it.
Jonathan
Fuck off, wanker.
Via money Europe could become political in five years" "... the current communities should be completed by a Finance Common Market which would lead us to European economic unity. Only then would ... the mutual commitments make it fairly easy to produce the political union which is the goal"
Stuart Mackey wrote:Caesar is the 'legitimate' ruler of 2 million people in hell ...
Why is Ceasar the "legitimate" ruler of free hell?
Methinks someone has a reading comprehension problem. The statement and your response to it did not match.
In any case, this is a COALITION, and this Colonel undoubtedly realizes that in the absence of instructions to the contrary, human factions are all assumed to be on the same side. Caesar is the leader of a large human faction. Ergo, he should be considered part of the human coalition. Ergo, other coalition members are expected to work with him.
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
I recommended nothing about armour, because no armour would be fitted-
He did say that the belt armour, at any rate, was to simulate strengthened hull plating rather than armour per se.
you have to stop thinking like this is 1940, it's not.
Actually, so far as the program he using is concerned, it's 1950. If you know of a program that simulates modern ships, please let us know.
Also, for mobilization you go with the hulls you already have.
It took this as illustrative rather than definitive. No doubt if SpringSharp had an option to take a Meko or Stanflex and add stuff, he'd have done it. Incidentally, that modifying current production ships would be easier than starting from scratch is an assumption on our part that may not be entirely warranted. It seems right, but I don't think anyone here does this for a living and designing a new hull around the systems we want might be trivial so long as we aren't pushing the envelope.
Why are you trying to go through the complex process of designing an entirely new ship
Because it's fun? It's no more unrealistic or invalid than taking existing ships and sticking on WWII guns as if it were just a plastic model kit. In real life (do recall that this is just a story), such mods would take real naval architects working with real ships a lot more work.
Last edited by R011 on 2008-06-25 03:12pm, edited 1 time in total.
Chiknathragothem’s Command Post, Southern Front, Phlegethon River
The harpy landed, its wings shaking with exhaustion. “Sire, I bring much terrible news.”
“Speak.” Chiknathragothem didn’t have time to worry about the usual genuflections.
“My Lord, the humans have unleashed magery of unimaginable power. Beelzebub’s Army is stalled, its casualties are beyond counting. He has forced a crossing of the Phlegethon but is unable to make headway into the human defenses. The human mages breathed death over his forces, their spells robbing his harpies of the breath from their bodies, of the very air from their lungs. His harpies died as one, nothing like it has every been seen before.”
“That could well describe our whole war with these humans.” Chiknathragothem was impatient, he had better things to do than listen to a litany of disaster, even if opportunities lay in them. “Tell me something I have not heard before.”
The harpy gulped but he had been tasked to deliver a message and deliver it he would. “The humans also delivered a huge number of mage-bolts, so many that they blended together into one huge cloud of death that drank Beelzebub’s army. Together, barely one demon in four survives of his force. He has abandoned his attack and is pulling back in defense to block the road to Dis. He charges you with penetrating the human defenses and crushing them against that defense.”
“Is that all.” Chiknathragothem’s voice clearly indicated that he was contemplating a quick meal.
“No Sire, the worst is still to come. The humans hit the city of Dis itself. They have destroyed His Infernal Majesty’s palace, crumbled in and the rock it stood on so that only a pile of sand and ruins remains.”
“His Majesty…” Chiknathragothem had gone gray with shock. “Did he survive?”
“Nobody knows Sire. If he was in his palace then he did not. More than forty Grand Dukes and Dukes are known to be dead, and the palace staff are all gone. The dead number in their thousands. And, My Lord Beelzebub says, if Yahweh gets to hear of this catastrophe, and he will, then there will be nothing to keep him out of Hell itself.”
Shocked to his core, Chiknathragothem stared into the distance, trying to imagine the full consequences of what had just happened. If Satan was dead, then the great bulwark against Yahweh absorbing Hell into his own domain had gone. There was more to it than that, the human life-energy that all demons gathered and paid as tribute to Satan was suddenly without purpose. Satan had used it to boost his faithful servants over the barrier that existed between this level and the next. That was, after all, what the great pit of Hell was all about. The demons served Satan and in exchange he used the life-energy he had gathered to save them for eternity in the next dimension. All of this would be lost if Yahweh was allowed to make his way in and seize Hell for his own. The celestial abode that had been split apart so many, many millennia ago, would be reunited once more.
Unless, Chiknathragothem suddenly realized, another took over the role of leader, seized power and used the system Satan had devised to guarantee his own survival. In a flash of inspiration, he suddenly realized why Beelzebub was abandoning this fight, he wasn’t blocking the humans from Dis, he was advancing along that road himself, to seize power and take Satan’s throne. He, Chiknathragothem, was being left as the rear-guard to distract the humans from pursuing Beelzebub. He was a sacrifice to Beelzebub’s ambition.
For a wild moment, Chiknathragothem thought of pulling back himself, of setting out for Dis in an attempt to beat Beelzebub to the punch. Reality quickly intruded itself and squashed that idea. Beelzebub’s Army blocked the direct road and was much closer to Dis than Chiknathragothem’s. Beelzebub had the direct route, Chiknathragothem would have to go around him. There was no way, no way at all, that Beelzebub could be beaten to Dis. Then, another thought entered Chiknathragothem’s mind. He had battered his way through most of the human defenses, the end of the great zone of little fortresses that could do so much damage was in sight. One more push, one more effort and he would be through. Then, the human army would collapse. Beelzebub might enter Dis first, but it would be at the head of a defeated army, a thin shadow of the great force that he had once commanded. On the other hand, once this battle was one, he, Chiknathragothem, could also enter Dis but at the head of a victorious army, one that had defeated the humans who had destroyed Abigor and so badly crippled Beelzebub. The inhabitants of Hell were practical, they would back a winner over a loser any time.
So, he had to win and had to win fast. That made his decision obvious. He would have to group his remaining forces here, at the point where victory was on the point of being won. The remaining naga, the remnants of Belial’s wyverns, all in a concentrated blow. Overhead, Chiknathragothem heard the wailing sound of the human sky-chariots as they tore into his dwindling flock of harpies. His army was mauled, badly mauled, but nothing like the scale of destruction that had been visited on Beelzebub. The white mage-fire had been a shock, more for the horror of its effects than its real damage, but that was all. And there were fewer sky-chariots than there had been. His advancing foot-soldiers had found the wreckage of two, brought down by the wyverns with their great spiked tails, but it seemed as if the humans were running out of them. Everything suggested that this battle was at the point of balance. His one more push would win it, and with it a far greater prize than was being contested here on the plains of the Phlegethon.
Command Cave, Free Hell, Banks of the Styx, Fifth Circle of Hell
“Estimated force of 35,000 baldricks, at least 30,000 foot, the rest harpies. They’re the dangerous ones, not much firepower but they can get at us and our ability to bring them down in droves is limited.” Colonel Jackson looked around at his companions. He’d had an embarrassing discussion over the radio with his commander when he’d had to admit that he’d been outmaneuvered, politically speaking of course. In retrospect, he couldn’t honestly critique his decisions. He’d had a very questionable maneuver to pull off, one that depended on a junior officer’s instinctive deference to an officer of much higher rank. He’d gone in hard, trying to bulldoze her out of the way and accept his command before she had time to think the situation through. It had worked too, only how could he have known he would run into Gaius Julius Caesar. Some historians had questioned Caesar’s skill as a politician, well, he had been on the receiving end of that expertise and could now testify that the reality of the man lived up to his reputation.
The infuriating thing was that he, Jackson, had been right and what he was seeing proved it. The young American Lieutenant had done well, that was certain enough, but she’d done it through luck, guts, the inability of the baldricks to accept that humans could fight and, most of all, her serene ignorance of the fact that what she was attempting was impossible. Her whole operation was running on borrowed time, if this crisis hadn’t arrived, something else would have done. Time to rub that in a little.
“So, how many troops do you have Lieutenant?”
“Armed with our weapons? Around thirty. Split equally between the two flanks. About sixty more with captured baldrick equipment, some reinforcing the positions on either flank, the rest string out along the river.” Jackson and Caesar exchanged glances, the Lieutenant was a pilot, not a ground-pounder and her dispositions had made that fact clear. They were an invitation to disaster. “I know, I know, but we’ve got some things running for us. The whole area on these flanks is a maze of minefields and demolition charges. Ever since we blew up Asmodeus, we’ve got the baldricks too scared to put their feet on the ground. Just often enough, when one of them does so, it kills them. The river is wide open, I know it, but we can’t be strong everywhere. He who tries to defend everything….”
“Defends nothing. Quite right Jade.” Caesar looked at the map, probably the first accurate one that had ever been drawn in Hell. “Colonel, you’re the expert, I’m just the representative of the free human population down here, what do you recommend?”
Jackson caught the fleeting smirk on Kim’s face and guessed that Caesar had been given a quick introductory lesson on the concept of civilian control of the military. And was now using it to his advantage. Oh, it was to his own advantage, Jackson knew that, Gaius Julius Caesar was up to something. That insight came from the simple appreciation that Gaius Julius Caesar was always up to something, the only real question was, what? Jackson was highly doubtful that the man’s ambitions were restricted to a few square kilometers of mud on the banks of the Styx. Still, that matter could wait until later. As could the command issues that this whole little skirmish had highlighted. He had no doubt they were being discussed at a much higher level than his.
“We must assume the force moving along the river is our first priority. I’ll string my battalion out along that front, its thin coverage but with down here with modern weapons, we can hold much longer fronts than in normal wars. I’ll have to depend on your people to hold our flanks Kim. But frankly, if the baldricks hit us with a coordinated attack, both flanks and the river, we’re gone. There is no possibility of us stopping an attack like that.”
Caesar got up and stared across at the great cloud of dust that hung over the site of Satan’s palace. “Well, we’ll have to make sure that doesn’t happen, won’t we?”
Palace of Deumos, City of Dis, Hell
Deumos stood on her balcony, looking at the same great cloud of dust. For weeks she had been struggling with the problem of what to do and where to cast her allegiance. At first, she had been swayed by her vassal Lugasharmanaska’s opinion that humans could not lose. She had seen them invade Hell, seen their columns first make the Martial Plain of Dysprosium untenable to the demons and then bring it under their sway. Then they had started to build up their defense along the Phlegethon and Deumos had been on the verge of casting her lot irrevocably in with them. Then, had come news of Belial’s success at Sheffield and she had hastily reconsidered, to make a firm decision might yet be premature. Dee-Troyt had confirmed that, or so she had thought.
Now the humans had struck at the very heart of Hell, they had utterly destroyed Satan’s palace. And, presumably, Satan himself. That meant the great ruling force that dominated Hell had gone. As soon as Yahweh found out about that, he would be on the move, trying to reclaim the lands that had been torn from him at the end of the Great Celestial War. Deumos didn’t have to have explained to her what that would mean for her and her kind. Succubi were despised in Hell but reviled in heaven. Yahweh’s return meant death for her and her vassals. Hell had to have a new leader, and quickly.
That led to the obvious question, who. Like any baldrick, Deumos had a simple answer to that, her. The question was, how. Once again, the simple fact that Succubi were despised in Hell stood in her way. To make her own power hold, she had to have powerful allies. Which Grand Duke would be willing to ally with her. Despised or not, her Succubi were powerful allies who could offer much intelligence and influence to the right duke. But who? Deumos realized she didn’t even know which Dukes were still alive.
Then, that thought made her kick herself. She had missed the obvious. The Dukes were not the most powerful forces in hell any more. Humans were. The destruction of Satan’s palace proved that. She went to the couch in the corner of her room and sat down, her mind already roving across the gray expanse that marked some sort of dimension she could not describe or explain. There were bright lights in that expanse, the minds of her Succubi. Without being able to explain why, she knew which light belonged to who. She was looking for one light in particular, one that would be far removed from the rest.
Luga, child are you there? Deumos’s mind had the sickly-sweet sound of an adult cooing to a child
Yes, my liege. How may I serve you.
Deumos was momentarily irritated, she expected a lot more groveling than that. Obviously too long an association with humans was having a bad effect on her. Still, punishing her for that could wait. Child, what is the situation on Earth? Are the humans in despair at the loss of their cities?
No, my Liege. Not in despair. Furiously angry would be the best description. There have been riots in the streets here, people demanding that the destruction of Sheffield and Detroit be avenged by the ‘nuking’ of all hell. I do not understand what they meant by nuking but it does not sound friendly. You must have seen the action the humans have taken in response.
There were riots caused by our action? The humans massacred their own then.
No, my liege. The police and Volunteers restored order and they arrested those who caused acts of violence but the rest were allowed to demonstrate. It is their way. It was helped by the news that the volcano over Sheffield has finally stopped and the Detroit attack is slackening quickly. Otherwise, the demands for a nuking might not have been so easy to ignore.
Luga, child, this war must end before even more die. I would wish to speak with the leaders of the humans. Perhaps together we can find a solution to this horror.”
Lugasharmanaska’s mind-voice betrayed her suspicion. Another thing for which Deumos decided that she would have to pay later. My Liege, I can arrange such a meeting but I must counsel caution. The humans are in an uncompromising mood and will not listen to much in the way of appeasement. The leaders here speak of unconditional surrender when they think of the future of Hell. They will not settle for less than that. If you wish to have influence with them, then you must offer them a way to achieve that.
The impertinence of the comment ground further at Deumos’s nerves. How dare this minor vassal give her such advice? She would, Deumos decided, spend many, many years screaming in agony for such impudence. If she liked humans so much, perhaps tossing her into a boiling lava pit with them might be suitable. Your wise advice comforts me child. I will think on this. But arrange for me to meet the leaders with whom you deal and I will see what agreements we can make.
Deumos closed the contact and relaxed. Now, how could she bring enough Dukes into her orbit to make her an ally the humans would value?
Conference Room, White House Washington DC.
“Mister President, the supplemental funding is through. I just hope we can survive the peace when the war ends.”
“That may be a long time. What’s the progress in production.”
“It’s picking up, but we’re still expending munitions a lot faster than we can make them. We’re running low, the projections are that we’ll bottom out before we are completely expended but it’s going to be close. It’s lucky the Russians are carrying the load in the latest battle and that they can use a lot of Chinese stuff. Otherwise we would be really hurting right now.
“Army’s doing OK, we’ve recommissioned most of the Abrams and Bradleys we had in storage and we’re working on the M113s right now. Light note Sir, we had some idiot called Sparks turning up and demanding we name the M113 the Gavin and build our forces around them. Anyway, we drafted him and sent him to Alaska. Apparently there’s a shortage of latrines up there and he’d digging the new ones. Anyway, as fast as we get the vehicles, we’re building up new units around them. The veterans from the battles against Abigor are worth their weight in gold as cadre for the new divisions.
“Air Force, well, we’re desperately short of heavy bombers and it’ll be months before we get more. Northrop are working on a simplified B-2, they’re stripping out all the stealth stuff and that cuts cost and production time drastically. Boeing are doing the same with the B-1, they’re using the B-1A as a base, not the dash 1B. Northrop say they’ll have a prototype B-2B up by the end of the year, Boeing a B-1C at the same time.
“F-22 and F-15E production is ramping up fast, F-16 more slowly. F-18s are doing pretty well and the first A-45s are coming off the lines. They’ll be going to the Navy for the carriers. The navy’s rebuilding some of its discarded ships, mostly Spru-Cans and Fig-sevens. Gas turbine ships we can bring back, the steam turbine ones are gone. It’ll be years before the Navy gets a lot of new construction though, we just don’t have the shipbuilding base we used to.”
“Any other problems we have to deal with John?”
“One big one Sir. Command. We’ve done pretty well so far but the command of the forces deployed is a mess. It’s just been thrown together as the forces arrived and the situation had been moving faster than we can get things tidied up. We’ve only got away with it this long because the guys at the top back there are professionals and are making it work. But, we had a minor fracas with the British yesterday.”
“Not another friendly fire incident?”
“No, although we’ve had all too many of those. Our lodgment in Hell is about to come under attack and the British sent reinforcements. Their commander wanted operational control, which was quite reasonable of course, but there were some disagreements on that and a local deceased human took over. One Gaius Julius Caesar.”
“I’ve heard of him.” Bush’s voice was reflective.
I should hope so thought Secretary Warner. “Anyway, its all sorted out and it never really amounted to much but it’s a warning. We’ve got to get a permanent, proper, flexible and fast-reacting command structure sorted out. Otherwise, one day we’re going to have a real problem that’ll get people killed. A lot of them.
“Two final things. One is that the kiddies on Kos are claiming you and Halliburton conspired to get this war started so you could make money on the share prices.”
“Good idea, I wish we’d thought of it.”
“Quite Sir. The other is our contact with the Succubi in Hell has said that Deumos, the Succubi Leader has asked for a meeting, she wants to come over to our side.”
“Aren’t we grooming Abigor as our ruler down there?”
“We are Sir, but the faster we can bring about the collapse of hell the better. We’ve still got Heaven to deal with, they’re quiet at the moment but how long they’ll stay that way is another matter. If this Deumos creature comes over to us, it might split hell up and bring them down. That’s why we whacked Satan after all.”
“Any word on that?”
“No, Mister President. Pictures show the whole palace and its foundation rock are gone, blasted to dust. But we still have no confirmation that he was in there. Abigor says he spends nearly all his time in that Palace so its pretty good odds we got him.”
“Hope so. Anyway, thank you John. Condi, do you have any thoughts on this command issue?”
Nations do not survive by setting examples for others
Nations survive by making examples of others
Deumos seems to be having a bit of trouble wrapping her mind around how fundamental the changes in hell are. Can't say I blame her, however. The politics are shaping up to be very interesting down there, almost as good as the battles.
I think the forum inside jokes might be a bit too obscure for readers, if you decide to publish it.
And as for Chiknathragothem... Having nobles conspiring against eachother works when a strong ruler is in place, but with the power vacuum they have now, the Baldricks will probably be unable to present a united front, just when they need it most.
Setzer wrote:
And as for Chiknathragothem... Having nobles conspiring against eachother works when a strong ruler is in place, but with the power vacuum they have now, the Baldricks will probably be unable to present a united front, just when they need it most.
A lack of demon unity will help and hurt us, it could turn into a very serious pain for human forces. If no demon leader clearly comes out on top then the demons simply cannot surrender. That means we could be stuck needing to defend against continued Bladricks attacks, which force our forces to disperse, just as an invasion from heaven requires us to concentrate for another big battle. A similar situation afflicted the US in Vietnam, we had to fight VC insurgents and VC main force and NVA conventional units at the same time and it just didn’t work. If Satan is still alive, then hell certainly wont surrender, but at least we wont have to face a two front war just yet when our weapons stockpiles are running out.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
Pretty good (I like the scenes where the demonic nobles are conspiring to take over Hell) but who or what is the "Kos" that Secretary Warner was referring to? And what stupidity did "Sparks" commit to inspire such hatred (besides the proposal for a submarine aircraft carrier)?
Those gun nuts do not understand the meaning of "overkill," and will simply use weapon after weapon of mass destruction (WMD) until the monster is dead, or until they run out of weapons.
They have more WMD than there are monsters for us to fight. (More insanity here.)
DarthShady wrote:Cant we just kill all of the Demon Lords and have Abigor take control?
If all the dukes were taken out, you have to ask yourself this: how will the emperor maintain control without the bureaucracy? Instead of needing the loyalty of 9 (arbitrary number) dukes, he now needs to get the loyalty of 81 counts, all of whom probably want to become the new duke for their area, just like all the dukes are now plotting to fight for the emperor spot.
Sidewinder wrote: who or what is the "Kos" that Secretary Warner was referring to?
DailyKos is a political blog favouring the left-wing of the Democratic Party. Many of the commenters and diarists are somewhat uninhibited in their criticisms of their political opponents.
And what stupidity did "Sparks" commit to inspire such hatred
Gratuitous Sparky bashing is always welcome - and fun!
DarthShady wrote:Cant we just kill all of the Demon Lords and have Abigor take control?
We'd prefer to have the surviving Demon lords swear fealty to Abigor, as their principalities already have power structures in place to maintain control. Otherwise, we'll be stuck mediating an infernal civil war (expending our stocks of munitions and equipment in the process,) and then Yahweh will thunder in and roll everybody up.
"... Northrop are working on a simplified B-2, they’re stripping out all the stealth stuff and that cuts cost and production time drastically. Boeing are doing the same with the B-1, they’re using the B-1A as a base, not the dash 1B. Northrop say they’ll have a prototype B-2B up by the end of the year, Boeing a B-1C at the same time."
In American vernacular, companies are singular nouns, not plural. So it should be, "Northrop is working ...", etc.
A Government founded upon justice, and recognizing the equal rights of all men; claiming higher authority for existence, or sanction for its laws, that nature, reason, and the regularly ascertained will of the people; steadily refusing to put its sword and purse in the service of any religious creed or family is a standing offense to most of the Governments of the world, and to some narrow and bigoted people among ourselves.
Sidewinder wrote: And what stupidity did "Sparks" commit to inspire such hatred (besides the proposal for a submarine aircraft carrier)?
Take a look at his (horribly organized and formatted) "Combat Reform" webpages. They can be summarised as "blah blah M-113 is the Gavin" "blah blah M-113 can be modified to be used an amphibious assault vehicle" "blah blah the Stryker is a wheeled death trap" etc.
Last edited by [R_H] on 2008-06-25 04:17pm, edited 1 time in total.
I wonder what the Chinese and Indians are doing? Even their thirdline units with T-54 variants should give the demons all sorts of hell.
I'd personally prefer Abigor over Deumos. Abigor is simply more beholden to us humans, while Deumos still possesses her own power base more or less intact.
Turns out that a five way cross over between It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the Ali G Show, Fargo, Idiocracy and Veep is a lot less funny when you're actually living in it.
Abigor is a far more sympathetic character, too. Also, minor gripe: is it really necessary to say "GAIUS JULIUS CEASER" every time someone refers to him? Is he really so important that one must always use all three names?
Pelranius wrote:I'd personally prefer Abigor over Deumos. Abigor is simply more beholden to us humans, while Deumos still possesses her own power base more or less intact.
Even if Deumos were more compliant and less beholden to us, she just doesn't get "it" like Abigor does.
"Yee's proposal is exactly the sort of thing I would expect some Washington legal eagle to do. In fact, it could even be argued it would be unrealistic to not have a scene in the next book of, say, a Congressman Yee submit the Yee Act for consideration. " - bcoogler on this
"My crystal ball is filled with smoke, and my hovercraft is full of eels." - Bayonet
Stark: "You can't even GET to heaven. You don't even know where it is, or even if it still exists." SirNitram: "So storm Hell." - From the legendary thread
I am glad to see the Brits thinking out what to do about Ceaser. They got more than they bargained for when they made the move to take over Free Hell. Now the UK gets to be the pointman on dealing with Ceaser's ambitions, which can not be a fun experience!
