One thing I would mod . . .

Order of Battle is a series of operational WW2 games starting with the Pacific War and then on to Europe!

Moderators: Order of Battle Moderators, The Artistocrats

Mascarenhas
Sergeant First Class - Elite Panzer IIIL
Sergeant First Class - Elite Panzer IIIL
Posts: 434
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 11:45 am
Location: Brazil

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by Mascarenhas »

To be precise, and seconding Conboy, the suggested unit could be either the Stinson L-5 "Sentinel" or the Piper L-4 Cub, nicknamed "Grasshopper", widely used as tactical recon in many theatres. It would be very useful indeed.
conboy
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Posts: 1159
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by conboy »

From https://armyhistory.org/u-s-and-german- ... omparison/:
America added another element to forward observation: the light airplanes previously referred to by Rommel. Initially the Army Air Corps refused to listen to the to the light plane manufacturers’ pleas to be included in the war effort, so the manufacturers made planes available for free to generals conducting maneuvers. The benefits were so clear that, almost instantly, an irresistible clamor for their purchase arose. The plane most used by U.S. forces was a slightly militarized Piper Cub designated the L-4. The aircraft was painted olive drab, equipped with a radio, and modified with the addition of a window was placed in the top of the fuselage behind the wing. Two planes were issued to each artillery battalion.
Thanks Bru,
I ran across this in my research and forgot about it until Mascarenhas reminded me. It should be in the Recon roster for US factions. I have only issued one spotter plane for the whole division.

Hey, was this the little plane Henry Fonda was in when he found the German tanks massing for assault in "The Battle of the Bulge"?

conboy
bru888
Order of Battle Moderator
Order of Battle Moderator
Posts: 6181
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 5:39 pm
Location: United States

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by bru888 »

I assume you are thanking me for bringing up the topic of spotter planes but FWIW, I certainly agree with you about the Piper Cub!

According to this source, in the Battle of the Bulge movie, "Anachronic [sic] Cessna used in this historical story on WWII. The Bird Dog was launched for USAF in 1951!"

He meant "anachronistic" but I assume he knows what he is talking about the Cessna Bird Dog:

Cessna O-1 Bird Dog.jpg
Cessna O-1 Bird Dog.jpg (34.21 KiB) Viewed 2930 times

This apparent movie set mock-up, going by the wing design and window shapes, looks like it was modeled after the Bird Dog:

BOTB screen image.jpg
BOTB screen image.jpg (55.39 KiB) Viewed 2930 times

But yeah, we want the real thing!

Piper L-4 Cub.jpg
Piper L-4 Cub.jpg (394.73 KiB) Viewed 2930 times
- Bru
conboy
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Posts: 1159
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by conboy »

Bru,

Yes, I was thanking you for seconding my request.

And thanks for the pictures.

I want my Piper L-4! No blue airplanes in the US infantry!

conboy
bebro
Slitherine
Slitherine
Posts: 4339
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:50 pm

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by bebro »

conboy wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:32 pm I request that we include a Piper Cub as a recon plane for US forces. This was common in WWII and we only have Navy Recon planes that look awful when used with Army troops.
From my POV it's no prob, but other things may take priority for a while.
GabeKnight
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Posts: 3700
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:24 pm

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by GabeKnight »

Yeah, come on guys, you know the drill: New units only with new DLCs... :wink:

You'll have to wait until the Allied European campaigns. Don't you remember how long and how much "begging" it took for the Germans to get the "Storch"...? :lol:
bru888
Order of Battle Moderator
Order of Battle Moderator
Posts: 6181
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 5:39 pm
Location: United States

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by bru888 »

bebro, I know it will have to wait for an American-centric DLC, but there is a crying need for U.S. land commanders of high rank, too. (This thread is turning into a catch-all request conduit! :))
- Bru
conboy
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Posts: 1159
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by conboy »

I second bru's commander request!

conboy
Erik2
Order of Battle Moderator
Order of Battle Moderator
Posts: 9478
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:59 pm
Location: Norway

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by Erik2 »

I third the commander request. We really need US, UK etc real-life well-known commanders similar to the Germans and Soviets.
GabeKnight
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Posts: 3700
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:24 pm

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by GabeKnight »

conboy wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:32 pm I request that we include a Piper Cub as a recon plane for US forces.
Request accepted by the "Gabe-Mod"... :D
I'll try to find one.
GabeKnight
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Posts: 3700
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:24 pm

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by GabeKnight »

conboy wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 1:49 am I want my Piper L-4! No blue airplanes in the US infantry!

conboy
Conboy, thanks for the good idea! :D

I think I'll modify the skin to look like in Bruce's (bottom) pic, but otherwise it's working alright and will be added to my mod.
The "see-through" cockpit between the wings looks a bit weird, but obviously it was added to the military version of the J-3 Cub.

And the propellor animation is still not working with new units, nothing I can do about it.

After reading a story (don't know if it's true or not) about the crew of a Piper L-4 shooting down a German "Storch" using their service pistols, I've decided to give the model a weapon point and animation, together with the usual "1" small air attack... :lol:

Free model by Pedro Caparros, courtesy of https://sharecg.com
Free model by Pedro Caparros, courtesy of https://sharecg.com
Screenshot 197.jpg (311.11 KiB) Viewed 2802 times
Mascarenhas
Sergeant First Class - Elite Panzer IIIL
Sergeant First Class - Elite Panzer IIIL
Posts: 434
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 11:45 am
Location: Brazil

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by Mascarenhas »

Nice! I hope devs may incorporate this asap.
bru888
Order of Battle Moderator
Order of Battle Moderator
Posts: 6181
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 5:39 pm
Location: United States

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by bru888 »

Same here. One quibble: In combat theaters, would they have the white stripes which would make the plane stand out to sky predators?

Uh . . .

Good grief, is there ANYTHING in the history of the universe that is not documented in Wikipedia? :roll:

"Invasion stripes were alternating black and white bands painted on the fuselages and wings of Allied aircraft during World War II to reduce the chance that they would be attacked by friendly forces during and after the Normandy Landings. Three white and two black bands were wrapped around the rear of a fuselage just in front of the empennage (tail) and from front to back around the upper and lower wing surfaces."

However,

"One month after D-Day, the stripes were ordered removed from planes' upper surfaces to make them more difficult to spot on the ground at forward bases in France. They were completely removed by the end of 1944 after achieving total air supremacy over France."

If I were designing this plane, I would not have the stripes. My supposition that they are a manifestation of air superiority works against what was said above. They had the stripes on planes while air supremacy was still "up in the air" (heh, I tickle myself) but removed them when the issue was settled? Counter-intuitive to me, although they had their reasons, of course.

Still, I would go without the stripes because, in many of our scenarios, the issue is indeed still "up in the air."

Image0317.jpg
Image0317.jpg (49.8 KiB) Viewed 2757 times
- Bru
conboy
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Posts: 1159
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by conboy »

Gabe,
I think I'll modify the skin to look like in Bruce's (bottom) pic, but otherwise it's working alright and will be added to my mod.
Man, those look NICE!

hope the devs pounce right on this!

conboy
conboy
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Posts: 1159
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by conboy »

For US Senior Commanders, I want this guy, Lucian K Truscott
Commanding Officer of 3d Infantry Division, then U.S. VI Corps, and finally the U.S. Fifth Army
conboy
Attachments
truscott 1.png
truscott 1.png (835.23 KiB) Viewed 2738 times
truscott2.png
truscott2.png (110.67 KiB) Viewed 2738 times
Last edited by conboy on Sat Jul 25, 2020 4:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
GabeKnight
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Posts: 3700
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:24 pm

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by GabeKnight »

conboy wrote: Sat Jul 25, 2020 3:27 pm hope the devs pounce right on this!
I'm sure there'll be a much nicer "offical" version included in the game once the devs tackle the European theater with the Allies. Mine's just an interim solution for the time being.
bru888 wrote: Sat Jul 25, 2020 3:12 pm Still, I would go without the stripes because, in many of our scenarios, the issue is indeed still "up in the air."
Yeah, as said, agree. And it'll better "fit" in the overall style of the game. Less is more... :wink:

A bit off-topic, but I've always wondered how Zebras can survive with colours and stripes like that. Until I saw footage of how that camouflage really works... nature's impressive... 8)
bebro
Slitherine
Slitherine
Posts: 4339
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:50 pm

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by bebro »

bru888 wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 2:34 pm bebro, I know it will have to wait for an American-centric DLC, but there is a crying need for U.S. land commanders of high rank, too. (This thread is turning into a catch-all request conduit! :))
Personally I have Patton on the radar for a while...but when we talk Allies, there's quite a bit to cover before Torch, so....;)
GabeKnight
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Lieutenant-General - Karl-Gerat 040
Posts: 3700
Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:24 pm

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by GabeKnight »

I'd like to suggest a beef up of the existing late-war fortifications like foxholes and bunkers. Either upgrades or completely new ones.

For now, they're no match for '44/'45 infantry or mechanised units. Usually one loses about 1HP attacking them and even less being attacked by them.
conboy
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Posts: 1159
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by conboy »

Gabe said:
beef up of the existing late-war fortifications like foxholes and bunkers
GabeKnight is right -- that's what started the whole thread about enhancements we'd like to see. The experienced US troops went through the fortifications like they weren't even there. One of the reviewers of my Siegfried Line scenario asked, was it supposed to be that easy?

So, I requested adding tank traps and the like to make it more difficult.

This is a long, round-about way of me saying I second Gabe's suggestion!

conboy
conboy
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Lieutenant Colonel - Fw 190A
Posts: 1159
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2017 4:18 pm
Location: Lower Alabama

Re: One thing I would mod . . .

Post by conboy »

I don't know if anybody else mentioned this, but we need to add US Col William O. Darby to the US commanders list because he was such a dominant force in US Rangers and special operations.

In the picture, I guess he had to borrow a helmet because it needs the colonel bird on the front. Nevertheless, it's a good picture for a model.

conboy
darby.jpg
darby.jpg (26.52 KiB) Viewed 2098 times
Post Reply

Return to “Order of Battle Series”