The EU thread

[Grey Fox]

They look so cold. 

[Razgovory]

Okay, so let's not do any more parades.

[Duque de Bragança]

It is kind of weird to hear those songs played in the 21st century like that.

I have to say, I know it is freaking February in the Baltic, but I didn't see a ton of esprit de corps franc there 

Fixed!

Corps franc = Freikorps   

[Tonitrus]

Maybe I've been jaded by my years in service, but I thought they looked normal/fine (for having to do a march in the cold/with battle rattle). 

[HVC]

Wow. They look pretty pathetic. Good. 

See, thats why europe will never have a unified front

[mongers]

Maybe I've been jaded by my years in service, but I thought they looked normal/fine (for having to do a march in the cold/with battle rattle). 

Yeah, I'm not sold on the whole idea of armies that march smartly are also ace on the battlefield; example no.1 - the Russian army.

[Tonitrus]

And our marches in Trump's military parade...we sucked. 

[Legbiter]

It is kind of weird to hear those songs played in the 21st century like that.

I have to say, I know it is freaking February in the Baltic, but I didn't see a ton of esprit de corps there  :lol

Standing still in -12 for a couple of hours in full gear probably does that to you. 

[Duque de Bragança]

German-led NATO contingent marching through Kaunas in a show of strength. Probably have to go back to 1941 to hear German troops marching under the Königgrätzer Marsch there.   

https://x.com/yarotrof/status/2019354668951122238

Bad example, the EU 27 military review on the Champs-Élysées in July 14th 2007 (tempus fugit!) under Sarko was a much better sight. 

[The Minsky Moment]

The Russian army marches great.  But they still get killed 2:1 by Ukraine.  Maybe the ability to look cool while moving in a march tempo isn't so important for 21st century combat effectiveness?

[Zoupa]

The Russian army marches great.  But they still get killed 2:1 by Ukraine.  Maybe the ability to look cool while moving in a march tempo isn't so important for 21st century combat effectiveness?

What's cool with the 2026 German army is they combine crappy displays like this with terrible manpower and close to zero capabilities.

[mongers]

The Russian army marches great.  But they still get killed 2:1 by Ukraine.  Maybe the ability to look cool while moving in a march tempo isn't so important for 21st century combat effectiveness?

What's cool with the 2026 German army is they combine crappy displays like this with terrible manpower and close to zero capabilities.

Careful what you wish for. 

[Sheilbh]

The Russian army marches great.  But they still get killed 2:1 by Ukraine.  Maybe the ability to look cool while moving in a march tempo isn't so important for 21st century combat effectiveness?

What's cool with the 2026 German army is they combine crappy displays like this with terrible manpower and close to zero capabilities.

"The food is terrible, and such small portions!"

[Legbiter]

What's cool with the 2026 German army is they combine crappy displays like this with terrible manpower and close to zero capabilities.

Yeah in the event of a russian incursion into Lithuania I think the Germans would chicken out. Both the political leadership in Berlin and the soldiers stationed in Lihuania.

NATO troops in the Baltics should come from Sweden, Finland, Poland, Romania, Czechia, etc.

This scenario was war gamed recently with the russians succeeding in splintering NATO despite deploying only 15.000 troops. 

https://x.com/boris_beissner/status/2019459863084954057

The German brigade already stationed in Lithuania did not intervene, partly because Russia used drones to lay mines on the roads leading away from its base.

[Tonitrus]

That reads more like a lack of faith by the designer/writer of the wargame scenario, or a simple canned pretext to make sure to rule out the Germans a factor in how it would play out.