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#1
Music, TV, Movies / Re: RIP -- James Earl Jones
Last post by Sir Slash - Today at 10:12:03 PMDamn, didn't know that. Thanks Tank. 
#2
Current Events / Re: South China Sea Heats Up
Last post by Sir Slash - Today at 10:10:33 PMThat is why the winning strategy is to give Taiwan whatever they need to ensure the Chinese cannot succeed in an invasion. If the Chi Comms know they can't win, then they won't try and there'll be no need for all that loss of life. As long as Taiwan exists as a free nation able to defend herself, and the other nations around her stand with her in opposition to China's aggression, then they can never succeed in expanding militarily very far into the Pacific. The U.S. should be the glue that holds that alliance together.
#3
Current Events / Re: South China Sea Heats Up
Last post by Con - Today at 04:02:15 PMQuote from: Tripoli on Today at 03:33:46 PMMacro wise since China is so dependent on inflow of raw materials a war will go badly for them in the long runQuote from: JudgeDredd on Today at 02:57:50 PMQuote from: Skoop on Today at 01:13:24 PMWe've been silently preparing for china, marines launching tomahawk batteries from atolls and navy hornets launching sm2 missile from the air. If china wants to awake our sleeping giant, bring it.They should probably look at history and see that Japan woke that giant...that didn't go well for them.
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but a US-China war would likely not be as easy as the war with Japan. In WWII, Japan and Germany combined had an economy of only $607 billon in 1990 USD. Japan's share of this was only $147 billion. The US had an economy worth $943 billion, or +6 times the size of Japan's. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334676/wwii-annual-war-gdp-largest-economies/ In contrast, by some estimates, the PRC's economy is slightly larger than the US. (https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/12/the-world-s-top-economy-the-us-vs-china-in-five-charts/) In any case, the two economies are near peer in many measures. Even if you discount much of the information that is reported about the PRC's economy (IMHO, it is wise to be skeptical of many of the economic statistics coming out of China), the fact is that we are not 6 times their size.
More concerning is the fact that China has been laying the groundwork for a conflict for decades. In the event of a war, the US will be attacked in a myriad of ways. Not all of these will be kinetic, but they will all extract a toll. And it goes withoug saying that the American people are not nearly as unified as we were in the 1940's. This is not to say the PRC would win. They have some very significant challenges. But I'm not confident of a victory, much less the almost inevitable victory the US had over Japan in WWII.
Micro wise most simulations of a war involving an invasion of Taiwan that have been modeled by RAND and other think tanks have China beating the US more time than not and massive infrastructure and military deaths on both sides
Typically we lose Guam and most of Japan airbases to a massive missile bombardment and likely to loose at least 1 carrier in order to completely defeat and sink the majority of the Chinese navy and air force.
50K US casualties in 1 week of fighting with more than 10K dead are the numbers I see.
#4
Current Events / Re: South China Sea Heats Up
Last post by Tripoli - Today at 03:33:46 PMQuote from: JudgeDredd on Today at 02:57:50 PMQuote from: Skoop on Today at 01:13:24 PMWe've been silently preparing for china, marines launching tomahawk batteries from atolls and navy hornets launching sm2 missile from the air. If china wants to awake our sleeping giant, bring it.They should probably look at history and see that Japan woke that giant...that didn't go well for them.
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but a US-China war would likely not be as easy as the war with Japan. In WWII, Japan and Germany combined had an economy of only $607 billon in 1990 USD. Japan's share of this was only $147 billion. The US had an economy worth $943 billion, or +6 times the size of Japan's. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1334676/wwii-annual-war-gdp-largest-economies/ In contrast, by some estimates, the PRC's economy is slightly larger than the US. (https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/12/the-world-s-top-economy-the-us-vs-china-in-five-charts/) In any case, the two economies are near peer in many measures. Even if you discount much of the information that is reported about the PRC's economy (IMHO, it is wise to be skeptical of many of the economic statistics coming out of China), the fact is that we are not 6 times their size.
More concerning is the fact that China has been laying the groundwork for a conflict for decades. In the event of a war, the US will be attacked in a myriad of ways. Not all of these will be kinetic, but they will all extract a toll. And it goes withoug saying that the American people are not nearly as unified as we were in the 1940's. This is not to say the PRC would win. They have some very significant challenges. But I'm not confident of a victory, much less the almost inevitable victory the US had over Japan in WWII.
#5
Current Events / Re: South China Sea Heats Up
Last post by JudgeDredd - Today at 02:57:50 PMQuote from: Skoop on Today at 01:13:24 PMWe've been silently preparing for china, marines launching tomahawk batteries from atolls and navy hornets launching sm2 missile from the air. If china wants to awake our sleeping giant, bring it.They should probably look at history and see that Japan woke that giant...that didn't go well for them.
#6
Music, TV, Movies / Re: RIP -- James Earl Jones
Last post by ArizonaTank - Today at 01:59:45 PMNot many may know that he also served as a US Army officer from '53 - '55, getting to the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
According to an article, he went to Ranger School. His final posting was to Camp Hale, Leadville, Colorado (10th Mountain Division). He said:
"Our regiment was established as a training unit, to train in the bitter cold weather and the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains. I took to the physical challenge, so much so that I wanted to stay there, testing myself in that awesome environment, and mastering the skills of survival. I loved the austere beauty of the mountains and the exhilaration of the weather and the altitude. I didn't mind the rigors of the work or the pioneer-like existence. I thought it was a good life," Jones told the Army in an interview.
He was also a member of the "Pershing Rifles," my old military fraternity (presumably while he was in college).
https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/was-james-earl-jones-in-the-army-military-service-career-explored-as-the-iconic-actor-dies-aged-93/ar-AA1qiEdP
According to an article, he went to Ranger School. His final posting was to Camp Hale, Leadville, Colorado (10th Mountain Division). He said:
"Our regiment was established as a training unit, to train in the bitter cold weather and the rugged terrain of the Rocky Mountains. I took to the physical challenge, so much so that I wanted to stay there, testing myself in that awesome environment, and mastering the skills of survival. I loved the austere beauty of the mountains and the exhilaration of the weather and the altitude. I didn't mind the rigors of the work or the pioneer-like existence. I thought it was a good life," Jones told the Army in an interview.
He was also a member of the "Pershing Rifles," my old military fraternity (presumably while he was in college).
https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/was-james-earl-jones-in-the-army-military-service-career-explored-as-the-iconic-actor-dies-aged-93/ar-AA1qiEdP
#7
Current Events / Re: South China Sea Heats Up
Last post by ArizonaTank - Today at 01:49:36 PMQuote from: Skoop on Today at 01:13:24 PMWe've been silently preparing for china, marines launching tomahawk batteries from atolls and navy hornets launching sm2 missile from the air. If china wants to awake our sleeping giant, bring it.
And sometimes not so silently...;)
#8
Current Events / Re: South China Sea Heats Up
Last post by Skoop - Today at 01:13:24 PMWe've been silently preparing for china, marines launching tomahawk batteries from atolls and navy hornets launching sm2 missile from the air. If china wants to awake our sleeping giant, bring it.
#9
Computer Gaming / Re: Space Marine 2
Last post by Jarhead0331 - Today at 12:47:58 PMAs far as single player campaign content goes, its good...but not exceptional. I think it is also like any other popular IP brand, if you're into 40K, it gets bumped up in score by one or two points. So, if I'm judging it as a hack 'n slash action game, at best it gets a 7. However, as a loyal follower of the Imperial Cult and wannabe Space Marine, it gets an 8...maybe 8.5.
I just wish they did more with the down time between missions by letting the player do more aboard the Battle Barge and have a little more choice in planning for operations and deployment of assets. Some strategic layer would be absolutely awesome!
I just wish they did more with the down time between missions by letting the player do more aboard the Battle Barge and have a little more choice in planning for operations and deployment of assets. Some strategic layer would be absolutely awesome!
#10
Computer Gaming / Re: Space Marine 2
Last post by Pete Dero - Today at 12:04:22 PMhttps://www.vg247.com/warhammer-40000-space-marine-2-steam-concurrent-record-broken-official-launch
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is one of the biggest games of the year after it breaks its own Steam concurrent record.
Space Marine 2 has achieved a new peak concurrent on Steam, at 225,690 players. Considering the positive word of mouth, great critical reception, and general good vibes around the game, it was bound to break its initial Steam record.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is one of the biggest games of the year after it breaks its own Steam concurrent record.
Space Marine 2 has achieved a new peak concurrent on Steam, at 225,690 players. Considering the positive word of mouth, great critical reception, and general good vibes around the game, it was bound to break its initial Steam record.