Modern US OOB

[Hellfish6]

I've updated the modern US Army OOB, and fixed some things in the USMC OOB. The Strykers, especially, got a good going-over, and for the Marines I updated a lot of the aircraft to reflect modern usage (CH-53s were unavailable, for example, and V-22s were kind of odd as well). I'd like to share these OOBs, and maybe offer them up for the next SPMBT patch. Is there any interest?

[Gooseman2448]

I would like to see your changes. I have worked on the US OOB for past versions. I a currently working on a version 4 MOD. I have new vehicle icons, new units and many new formations.

I would like to work on USMC but, every time I get my US OOB done a new version comes out and I have to start over.

That is good and bad. I like updating them but, these guys keep improving and adding things so it cuts back on my additions.

post it and i'll take a look.

[Hellfish6]

OK. Here are the US Army/USMC oobs.

Off the top of my head, here are the changes:

1. Adjusted Stryker MGS ammo loadouts to better reflect modern doctrine. CS variants have 12 HE, 3 Sabot, 3 HEAT. Default is 6 HE, 3 Sabot, 9 HEAT.

2. Added M1130 Stryker command vehicle.

3. Added M1134 Stryker Fire Support Vehicle.

4. Added M1127 Stryker recon vehicle (MG and GL variants)

5. Gave M1134 and M1127s GSR capability to simulate their being equipped with the LRAS3 long range scout surveillance system. It's a pretty nifty system, and simple thermal sights don't do it justice.

6. Added/renamed some of the humvees, and gave most of the TOW carriers M240s or M249s, as most humvees mount one of these two weapons when they also mount the TOW system. I may have uparmored a couple versions too.

7. Added some modern USAF aircraft with GBU-39 SDB loadouts. The SDBs are the big new thing - basically guided 250lb bombs specifically designed to kill little targets like tanks and bunkers. Most aircraft can carry many of them, but I think the most I made available was 6 on an F-15E and A-10C. I didn't include B-1Bs, B-52s or B-2s with SDBs, even though those aircraft carry them all operationally.

8. Renamed all relevant "Lt Mech" units to "Stryker" since they're called Stryker units.

9. Stryker engineer platoon now has M1132 ESVs instead of infantry carriers.

10. Stryker infantry companies reorganized with two M1130 CVs, a sniper team, and a fire support element with an M1134 and a forward observer.

11. Fixed M1129 Stryker Mortar Carrier's graphic. It was originally a turreted 120mm graphic, should just be an open mortar hatch.

12. Adjusted other strike element loadouts to reflect more realistic modern payloads. In most cases I either added extra weapons or swapped "dumb" bombs for guided bombs, as per current operations. Aircraft rarely go to war with unguided weapons anymore - even in Iraq JDAMs, SDBs and whatnot are the norm.

13. Swapped M8/OICW for M4A1 Sopmod, M249 Para and M320 grenade launchers. Just cosmetic, didn't change any weapon data (I don't think).

As for the USMC...

1. Renamed/adjusted the humvee patrol units to be elements of a MEU's combined anti-armor team (CAAT).

2. Added/renamed some of the humvees, and gave most of the TOW carriers M240s or M249s, as most humvees mount one of these two weapons when they also mount the TOW system. I may have uparmored a couple versions too.

3. Reclassified the V-22 as a "medium" helicopter, putting it on par with the UH-1N/Y and CH-46, where it should be.

4. Fixed the CH-53D/E. For some reason they weren't even showing up in any of my pick lists and weren't classified as heavy helicopters, whereas the MH-53s (USAF rescue helicopters and/or Navy minesweepers) were.

5. Limited OH-58s to the '82-89 time period, when occasionally Army helicopters flew off of Navy ships during the Iran-Iraq War. The USMC never flew the Kiowa.

6. Adjusted some of the Cobra helicopters - one of the variants only had a 20mm cannon for armament, which I didn't understand, and I also made an effort to distinguish the variants (AH-1T/W/Z/etc)

7. Swapped M8/OICW small arms with M16A4s... just cosmetic changes.

I'd like to make some more adjustments in the future, especially to the Marines. The M1A1 FEP Abrams should be in there, and some more tweaking here and there. There are helicopters that have thermal imaging for no particularly good reason, as far as I can tell (CH-46Es don't have FLIR AFAIK).

A warning - I didn't adjust any point values for anything.

[Hellfish6]

Oh, I also added an M240 AA mount to the M1131 Stryker ATGM variant.

[Gooseman2448]

Sounds great,

I have done many of the same improvements.

I have had to cut back on my unit additions. The good thing is these guys have added some of them. I do more with the infanrty squads though. I reorganize them so their weapons are more in line with their avalible years. I added light infantry squads (to give me something for 10th Mountain w/ increased experience and moral. I made 6 man sapper(engineering) squads to fit in the BEV and newer units (like Couger and HMMWV trucks). I will give you one mod tip when dealing with formations ... NEVER change a current formation... MAKE A NEW ONE. There are enough formation slots that you could make new ones all day. I don't care if all you do is change 1 unit (a squad or vehicle) or rename it. If you modify a platoon or section you will need to make a new company. Rename that one if you want. You will know the difference when you pick it. I reorganized almost all modern (1970's and on). Some to represent available units for that time period. I tried to match time periods for m-16, M-16A1, M-16A2, M-16A4, M-4A1, etc.. Some I customized the way I wanted them. I did some for '91 to '93 to signify the experience gained during the First Gulf War and the same with OIF. I just renamed them (ex:INF CO 91(V) for veteran). I customized some to make a team (TANK HVY TM 06: 2 Tank platoons and 1 infantry platoon w/ an M7 BFIST and 2 Abrams for CO and XO). You can do almost anything. I did a mixed team with M1A1 TUSK platoons and sapper platoons -- urban nightmare!!! If you want to be able to play it and it have the proper organization (picking it and deleting two platoons in painful way) do it I have tried getting slat armor on each stryker version. I think my version 4 will lack SCV. I added M1128 MGS for all the right classes (cav tank, inf tank and airborne tank) slat and no slat. Now there seems to be an updated version coming in the future, the LAV-H wilt upgraded armor, engines and turret with a Protector Weapon station mounting a heavy machine gun and a Javelin missile launcher. (http://www.defense-update.com/newsca...05_stryker.htm)

I am currently finding the time to work on version 4.0. That would put me at about the next update . maybe first of month.

Here is my 3.5 USA OOB if you want some ideas. It will not work in the game. Many of the Icons are customized (coming with my new update).

[Hellfish6]

Thanks for the input. I probably should have just made new formations, but at the time I designed these for myself for my own campaign. It didn't occur to me to ever share them, but I use these as a custom oob, not replacing the default.

I'll probably take a look at yours and modify my own heavy forces - and take a closer look at light forces - as well. A mech/armor company team would be useful to have, especially with relevant attachments (FIST-V, etc), and I've got the new HBCT cav troop organization somewhere around here too.

[Hellfish6]

I'm curious to know if anyone has any idea how to model the new NETFIRES (NLOS-LS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Lin..._Launch_System) system. As artillery? It seems to act more like an ATGM or air launched PGM than it does as an artillery system.

[Koh]

I'd say just like the other artillery precision rounds are modelled. As artillery cluster munitions.

- Koh