"The 11th Arctic Airborne- Gemini" Topic

Well, apparently I spend a lot of time talking to Gemini these days since I'm semi-retired. The whole Greenland/GIUK Gap thing got me talking to the AI about forces in the Arctic, and it told me some fascinating things about the new 11th Arctic Airborne Division. I also asked it to stat out the unit for wargaming using Fist Full of TOWs/Fist Full of T34s. I put all of this on my blog for you to check out and chat about. I'm thinking about running some games set in the far north using Micro Armour.

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Do note that it still suggests using the M10 Booker which was recently canceled. Maybe use the M3 Bradley in its place? Any suggestions?

Great stuff, Tgunner, thanks for all the work and insight. Almost an other worldly environment in this setting, but lots of variety in troops and equipment.

Yes just heard that. The 11th ABN Div(-) is one our best trained units in Cold Weather warfare. Being stationed in Alaska.

IIRC, the Booker was cancelled but a number of them were completed. Heard they may be going/have gone to some Armored Cav or Striker unit(s). Also, IIRC the unit that was in Alaska the 6th Div.(-) had Strykers at one time. Maybe those may be more appropriate than M2s/M3s …

80 M10s completed – disposition TBA … link

But again, there were a number of M10s completed, so those would work too IMO …

Pretty good article there. Good intel …

FWIW The 11th ABN served in the PTO in WWII. Elements of the 11th made 2or 3 Combat Jumps. It was demobilized after the war. However, one Rgt, the 187, was formed into a Abn Reg'l Combat Tm[ARCT] and stationed in Japan. Was deployed during the Korean War, '50-'53. Landed with USMC at Inchon and made at least 2 Combat Jumps there.

The unit I was assigned to when I was with the 101, '80-'83. Was the 187. It became part of the 101 during Vietnam. All of the units of 101's 3d Bde were made up of elements that were not with the Div during WWII. 3rd Bde was 1st & 2d Bns of the 503rd and 3d Bn 187 …

Back to reality … hopefully the 11th won't have to be deployed to MN, etc. But as the article mentioned, the CinC can deploy regular active-duty forces in the case of an insurrection. The Gov. mobilizing the NG could be considered an act of insurrection. Pitting State assets vs. Fed. assets.

Again hopefully this won't happen. However, the MN Gov, a Mayor, etc. may be charged with inciting an insurrection. And should be charged, go to Fed court and if found guilty sent to prison.

Federal laws always override State and local laws. It is in the Constitution.

Some believe and I tend to agree, this Gov etc. are trying cover up the massive fraud, etc. that went on for a very long time. Which funds well basically embezzled somewhere in the billions of $USD That is illegal. And I hope all involved at all levels spent a lot of time behind bars. And it appears this has been going on in other US states. Again $ was stolen in the many of billions.

Legion 4 +1

The Artic is the next scene of conflict with all its consequences… but in the future, it will be Antarctica.

Armand

I had to look up the Beowulf CATV and my first reaction upon seeing it was "it's an updated, tracked Gama Goat!" I found the info provided by the AI to be fascinating.

I understand the 11th have been put on standby for deployment to Minnesota. I just hope this is not a cover for an invasion of Greenland.

The 11th ABN has a BCT (Bde CBT TM) of 1500 paratroops. On alert status. The unit is stationed in Alaska. … Why would the US send troops from Alaska, to Greenland ? Look at a map.

The 11th is much closer to MN.

The 10TH MTN is in NY. Near the Canadian Border. And they are trained for Winter Ops. And closer to Greenland than the 11th.

Alaska is on the West Coast, and the 10th is in NY. Close to the East Coast.

That would be a Hell of an unnecessary deception plan… Not like WWII, e.g. landing at Normandy instead of the closer route across the English Channel. Landing at Port de Calais …

If I had to make a bet. There will be no invasion of Greenland.

However, the 11th may go to MN. But it is a very low probability …

The heavier 1st Brigade is the over snow unit anyway. It has the equipment that will allow it to operate in Greenland. The 2nd has troops who are trained to operate there, but not to the scale that 1st Brigade is. And honestly, if you're kicking in the door to Greenland you're not really going to use conventional paratroopers anyway. I'd imagine it would be the 75th Rangers with maybe some D-boys handy. And lets be real here- you won't need a lot of troops for this operation. Just a few platoons would be enough to take the air bases to set-up an airhead. Then fly in the heavier forces like the 1st Brigade to occupy the place.

So I say no, this isn't some silly ruse. The 2nd is light, very mobile, and fully infantry. That's what you need to support Federal Agents in a city.

Yes, I agree … Those comments are very valid and I'd say accurate. And that would be the way it would be done.

Looks like Greenland is off the menu.

I fact it never was on the menu … But when making a deal … by saying nothing is off the table. It is part of "diplomacy"/Realpolitik, etc. Seems some will never understand how some "bargain". There generally is always offer vs counteroffer, etc. … repeat …

It comes down to compromise. By who and how much is always in play. Until "the Fat Lady sings"…

Looks like Iceland is on the menu.

Are Iceland & Greenland two different countries then?

Legion not worth the waste to explain. Just the rantings of liberals whose choices went down in flames, or sufferers of "Trump Envy".

Trump Envy: "When you have no, or really, really small politicians, who don't measure up to a politician who is larger than life". 😏

Sigmund Freud

As I have said before:

"Never bring facts to a feelings fight"

Liberal an insult? 🤔

No, an insult might be if I said one was a:flaming liberal commie/socialist, elitist sniffer of one's own farts, DEI espousing, propagator of racial and gender division mythologies and debunked environmental hysteria.

That would be an insult I guess, if it was not one's beliefs.

Oh and both Jefferson and Madison were slave owners. If one were a liberal, one would have issues with that. Obviously not one for either of them, or at least not enough to throw their money investments away.

My view: it was a different time, but alas, I am NOT a liberal. I today, might think both would be substituting illegals here and Chinese slave labor overseas, to achieve the same thing as their slaves in the old South, while hiding behind "rights for the non-documented".

OVI +1

Yes, not worth my time … or your time …

FWIW … it seems some prefer to just make comments intended to start an argument. More divisive, derisive, taunting, mocking, etc. Not really furthering the conservation, but short circuiting, jamming, it etc. Not any real productive intelligent, useful comments …

Demonstrating disdain, their "intellectual superiority", "enlightenment" a wide grasp of "the facts, and universal truths" …

I give this "Show" 👎👎 … Will go straight to video, not the big screen. 🎥🎬

Just say'n …

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were liberals by every metric.

No -- they are what's termed "Classical Liberal" and believed in limited Constitutional government, individual liberties and the Bill of Rights, and the Free Market and Private Property ownership.

The current use of the phrase "Liberal" means "Leftist" and is completely anathema to Classical Liberal.

The history of the abuse of the term is as follows:

1. Socialists saw that the term "Socialist" began to carry a negative connotation, so the re-branded themselvs as "Progressive"

2. Socialists saw that the term "Progressive" began to carry a negative connotation, so the re-branded themselvws as "Liberal"

3. This branding between "Liberal" and "Progressive" bounced back and forth until they both carried a negative connotation

4. Now Leftists feel emboldened enough to begin calling themselves Socialists again, though the terms Liberal and Progressive are still interchangeably used

News Flash !!! Right now, the riots in MN are completely out of control. The local leaders are not doing anything about it. They appear to support these crimes. The rioters, they have ceased to be peaceful protesters a long time ago. And seem to be organized, supported, etc. by some wealthy, etc. group(s).

The protesters are face to face with ICE and a small number of local LEOs. The 11th ABN Div's 2d BCT has been alert for some time now. They may be going thru deployment procedures. As I had done a few times with the 101, '80-'83.

This is as close to ACW 2.0 as I have ever hoped to see. This could be bad … very bad. It could easily get out of control and get deadly. The local LEOs have declared this as an illegal assembly and disperse. The mayor is saying ICE has already shot 6 protestors(? …) He seems to be doing more than trying stop this madness. Along with their Governor. But they seem to inciting this violence …

This is madness … The POTUS may have to take extreme measures. This could be considered an insurrection, by some definitions. The local leadership is not taking positive steps to get their constituents to stand down. They continue to fuel the fires of dissent. This could go very wrong.

Local leadership, laws, etc. are outweighed by Federal. It is in the Constitution. Personally, I blame the local leadership for this volatile situation. The media, some members of Congress, outside negative influences, and others. Are responsible …

The local leadership stated their NG are on standby …

Again, this could go badly very quickly…

The local leaders could be arrested for inciting an insurrection. E.g. Ft. Sumpter ?

I hope the UN is not called in ! 😎🤩

Turn on the news … this is real history happening before our eyes …

Anyway, slight aside: he's apologised for talking rubbish about NATO support in Afghanistan. Maybe his press secretary should do that as well 🤔

YouTube link

Madeye was wrong. there's four unforgiveable curses.

"Yet, by most definitions, the U.S. is technically a partially socialist state already."

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Veterans for instance, receive all sorts of benefits, don't they? NB I am personally supportive of this, even though it is that there evil Socialism.

I believe the current regime in Washington is rolling Veterans benefits back though:
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If there are any American veterans on this thread, can I ask if you're happy to lose benefits in order not to be better off with "utopian garbage Socialism"? I think it unfair but I guess if you're willing to have a worse life to prove a point?

"I'm a republican, just not your sort of republican. What other kinds do you think there are?"

Obviously not one in the States. 😏

An "Irish" Republican?

"An Irish republican in Ireland is a person who believes in a united, independent Irish Republic, free from British rule. This political ideology, which dates back centuries, aims to end the partition of the island, separating them from unionists who want to remain in the UK. "

Now if that is the case, you should be up in Londonderry getting the Brits out. Reuniting the sacred sod. Not obsessing on the "evil one" in the states and his policies. But then he does live free in all your heads. 😉

Of course that is if one is "really" Irish and not just hiding in perceived anonymity. 🤔

And yet here you are…etc.

Yeah … I have to at least counter your inaccurate, biased, divisive, inane, often uninformed, etc. posts … And yes I'll come here as much as I please. As long as there are some here that troll the comments of Americans …

A shooting war in your own backyard might be good for ye. Give you a taste of how others feel.

E.g. You and all your wisdom, forgot about all the US dead in the War of 1812, ACW, the Indian Wars, some other riots where LEOs and/or NG/Fed troops had to be involved, 9/11, etc. Here in the USA … Americans dead.

I know you may find that pleasing. "So a pock upon your house!" Based on your predilections to attack on some Americans here that disagree with your narrow POV. It is repugnant, low, weak, etc. …

If there are any American veterans on this thread, can I ask if you're happy to lose benefits in order not to be better off with "utopian garbage Socialism"? I think it unfair but I guess if you're willing to have a worse life to prove a point?

Again, another uninformed outside conflating, spinning, etc. reality. This is not a socialist country. And never will be. There may be some forms of entitlements that could be considered by some as "true socialism". Unfair you say … what would you know of what is really happening here ? I'm pretty very, very, little. From thousands of miles way …

When you look at the big picture it is not. And in the case of Vets, none of us joined the military just to get certain privileges earned and bestowed on Vets. At the time at 18-19 years old that never even crossed our young minds. Things like the GI Bill is to not only as a requiting enticement. But further allowing some who have served their nation to further their education. And again, being a useful member of society. After already serving their nation in many cases doing difficult, argues, jobs. Many only few would do. From the population at large. Active Duty, Reserves, NG, Vets make up only a very small part of the total US population. And more are lost every day.

And in reality, many Vets have no need for those privileges. But it is available to Vets if needed to assist them. After being of service to the nation.

Once again another outsider who really does not know the reality of life, the culture, etc. in the USA …

Many of these anti-US, etc. posters only are seeing thru a biased straw. Thinks look so very different at ground zero than from a far …

Besides what do any of those who don't live in the USA really care about what goes on here? E.g. Both nations you hail from have little to nothing to do with the US.

So no US veterans to comment on my post above?

I am genuinely interested in hearing how you deal with the government-provided pensions or in-kind transfers (such as healthcare or education) -if it conflicts with your values & how you are addressing the regime's cut-backs in this area.

As I wrote, I think you deserve them.

Maybe you missed it …

I posted above:

When you look at the big picture it is not. And in the case of Vets, none of us joined the military just to get certain privileges earned and bestowed on Vets. At the time at 18-19 years old that never even crossed our young minds. Things like the GI Bill is to not only as a recruiting enticement. But further allowing some who have served their nation to further their education. And again, being a useful member of society. After already serving their nation in many cases doing difficult, argues, jobs. Many only few would do. From the population at large. Active Duty, Reserves, NG, Vets make up only a very small part of the total US population. And more are lost every day.

And in reality, many Vets have no need for those privileges. But it is available to Vets if needed to assist them. After being of service to the nation.

Maybe the other Vets here have wisely chose to not reply. 4 years in ROTC, 10+ years on active duty as Infantry Officer + 2 years in USAR … So yeah you could count me as a Vet … 🤨

I believe the current regime in Washington is rolling Veterans benefits back though:
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That is not true … based on my frequent trips to the VA. As in my old age I need a little more direct support maintenance … Some parts are meeting their expiration dates. But others seem to be FMC even at my age …

Seeing there's no responses (& I do know veterans can be reticent), I thought I'd link what benefits they get in other countries:
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link

On paper they seem reasonable but there are, so I'm told, cracks people fall through.

I hope any cuts to the American system are rolled back when the regime changes.

NB I just noticed Ralph was dawghoused over comments made in this thread.

Apart from the fact I don't read them (grey box and all), I would not be offended by them & did not complain & would be fine if he was released.

I'm sure he means well.