KG Erwin -> Overlord... (5/1/2003 5:19:14 AM)
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......all this stuff is indeed from the Gordon Rottmann book I referred to earlier. It was a very worthwhile addition to my library, and corrects errors that were found in the USMC Official Histories. Now, this being a first edition, it's not completely typo-free, but I recommend picking it up. The Military Book Club edition was $74.48, that's including shipping & handling. The sections on Marine Aviation Units may be of interest to other guys, but this is at present THE definitive reference. The 595 close-packed pages carry an amazing amount of info. Wanna know about the Marine War Dog Platoons? It's covered in this volume. For scenario and campaign designers, it's an invaluable source. I regret that I wasn't involved in the OOB update team, but I trust Bryan's team have done their homework and the late additions I've suggested, if they are acted upon, won't upset the final release timetable. For older scenarios, all this updated info may result in some major rewrites, which has always been a headache in OOB revisions. It's not my intention to be a pedant--I just want to "get it right", and give players the option to choose historical formations, as far as possible. In constructing USMC Battalion Landing Teams for a given period of the war, tremendous flexiblity was allowed. Depending on the mission, the BLT was constructed as a combined-arms force similar to the US Army Task Force or the German Kampfgruppe. This concept has been carried forward to the present day. As a general commentary, the Marines' accomplishments in WWII were that much more admirable in that they had to rely on the US Army's procurement branch to get up-to-date weapons, and were always second-choice in getting them issued. This is why Sherman tanks were not available till the Saipan invasion, and even then there were still M3 Stuarts in the landing forces. It's obvious that the European Theater ,and the US Army, had first dibs on all the new stuff, so the Marines had to make do with what they were given. ( Of course, it's also obvious that the USMC of WWII is my favorite fighting force of that era. I was never a Marine, but I have friends that were or presently are.) For those who are tired of my endless commentary, buy Rottmann's book, and draw your own conclusions. I just want to help, and make SPWaW be the best it can be. Glenn. :)
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