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#1
Off the Record / Re: Iran War?
Last post by Zoupa - Today at 03:33:19 AMQuote from: Jacob on March 23, 2026, 11:06:04 PMOnce the 11th and 31st MEU arrive in theatre, what sort of forces does the US have for a boots on the ground scenario? My preliminary search indicates it's about 50 000 troops, but I'm unclear on what kind of roles they're suited for and what kind of hardware they have.
I'm no expert, but that number seems insufficient for anything other than planting your boots firmly in the quagmire. IIRC Gulf War I saw about 500 000 American troops deployed at first.
Which leads me to my second question - how long would it take for the US to marshal that sort of forces? And what sort of signs should we look for that would indicate that the US is committing to an actual invasion? I'd expect we'd see stop-loss orders being issued, but anything else? I'd imagine we'd see significant force repositioning, for example? Though I'd expect they'd have to be marshaled outside the GCC bases as those are withing range of Iranian attacks.
(as an aside, I was just once more reminded how asinine AI is. I was googling the MEU a few times, and got "they're expected to arrive in late May" as well as "they'll arrive within the week")
You'd be looking at 8 months to a year to move enough forces to the area. I'm not sure how you would even get them in country. It would have to be the biggest amphibious operation since D-Day.
I don't think it's a real possibility. The costs would be astronomical.
#2
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by The Brain - Today at 02:02:24 AMThe ambassador is the message. For Sweden:
QuoteAmbassador Toretti is the former Chairman and CEO of S.W. Jack Drilling Company, then the largest land-based natural gas drilling company in the United States. She also served as the Chairman of S&T Bank, a publicly traded community bank based in Pennsylvania.
#3
Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic
Last post by Syt - Today at 02:00:33 AMThe facade of the building opposite our office is undergoing renovations after a part of the stucco fell off and onto the sidewalk last year. There's been the occasional bits of noise, but nothing too onerous.
But today a worker chiseling off small patches of the facade with electric machinery. And it's a maddening noise.
But today a worker chiseling off small patches of the facade with electric machinery. And it's a maddening noise.
#4
Off the Record / Re: Iran War?
Last post by Syt - Today at 01:57:04 AMIt really feels like the meme.
1. Bomb Iran.
2. ???
3. Profit!
1. Bomb Iran.
2. ???
3. Profit!
#5
Gaming HQ / Re: Europa Universalis V confi...
Last post by Syt - Today at 01:56:10 AMDid I mention that my ruler got a buff to prestige/military stats from joining the Hungarian king's chivalric order, though? 
I find the art style takes some getting used to. I don't think Paradox uses AI art (they generally have pretty good art teams), but some of the illustrations have that golden-brown piss sheen that you see with a lot of AI slop, and I find it quite a turn off by now.
I find the art style takes some getting used to. I don't think Paradox uses AI art (they generally have pretty good art teams), but some of the illustrations have that golden-brown piss sheen that you see with a lot of AI slop, and I find it quite a turn off by now.
#6
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by Syt - Today at 01:53:14 AMI was looking up something on the French Embassy's website (they had their flag decorations out last week) and looked at the French ambassador's CV on the website.
I then looked up the ambassadors for Germany, UK, Russia, Italy, Spain ... all pretty similar. Career diplomats, over 2 or 3 decades of experience.
And then the American one.
https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-7-wildest-european-ambassador-picks/
I'm aware that the US ambassadorships are often rewards for political friends, but with the State Department heavily gutted thanks to DOGE & Co this seems even worse than usual.
QuotePROFESSIONAL CAREER
2020 - 2024: Director of Cultural, Educational, University and Scientific Diplomacy, Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
2018 – 2020: Secretary General of the General Inspectorate of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
2017: Deputy Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of State, Ministry of Ecological Transition and Solidarity
2015 - 2017: Deputy Director for the Americas and the Caribbean, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development
2012 - 2014: Adviser to the Diplomatic Cell, Presidency of the French Republic
2009 - 2012: Chargé de mission to the Director-General for Globalis ation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2005 – 2009: First Secretary in Madrid, French Embassy in Spain
2002 – 2005: Deputy Consul in Chicago, French Embassy in the United States
1999 – 2002: Desk officer in the Sub-Directorate for Central Europe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
EDUCATION
2014 - 2015: Institute for Advanced Studies in National Defence (IHEDN)
1996 - 1997: Exchange student at the Vienna Business University (WU)
1994 - 1997: Graduate School of Business (HEC)
DÉCORATIONS
Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Mérite
Chevalier de l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques
Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres
Médaille de la Défense nationale
I then looked up the ambassadors for Germany, UK, Russia, Italy, Spain ... all pretty similar. Career diplomats, over 2 or 3 decades of experience.
And then the American one.
https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-7-wildest-european-ambassador-picks/
Quote[...]
Austria: The knight
Art Fisher, a real estate agent from North Carolina, is Trump's choice to be Austria's next U.S. ambassador.
Fisher runs his family's real estate business in the western, largely rural part of the state. He is listed as a member of the Trumpettes, a group dedicated to electing Trump, and reportedly donated thousands to down ballot Republican candidates.
"He has been consistently ranked as a top broker in the area, and the State of North Carolina, representing many of the most astute clients in America," Trump wrote, adding Fisher "will make us proud in Austria!"
According to his website, Fisher "was recently Knighted and has become a member of the Dynastic Order of the Royal House of Bourbon, an Order whose membership includes United States Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa."
[...]
I'm aware that the US ambassadorships are often rewards for political friends, but with the State Department heavily gutted thanks to DOGE & Co this seems even worse than usual.
#7
Off the Record / Re: Iran War?
Last post by The Brain - Today at 01:52:11 AMPlanning isn't a thing in the US, so who the fuck knows?
#8
Gaming HQ / Re: Europa Universalis V confi...
Last post by Sophie Scholl - Today at 01:49:37 AMHmm... sounds a little better, but still not something I'd want to dive into. EUIV it remains for now! 
#9
Gaming HQ / Re: Europa Universalis V confi...
Last post by Syt - Today at 01:44:21 AMGave it a go as Kyiv. I took Chernihiv from Chernihiv when they tried to rebel against their overlords Bryansk and I got to intervene. Tried again when a neighbor rose against the Golden Horde ... but I messed up and ended up on the side of Golden Horde and got NOTHING.
Tried to build my economy (yay amber!) and keep my estates happy and balanced (I'm bad at this ). I created an independence CB against the Golden Horde and managed to get a decent amount of support to get the troop ratio into the positive. I declared war with bad timing. Bulgaria (a key ally) was slightly distracted by tryin to take bits of the Byzantine Empire, and it was five minutes to Plague.
In the course of the fighting, my entire army was eventually wiped out (the GH had 1500 or so professional troops that regularly wiped the floor with them, but the swarm of little armies that kept taking their land kept them busy. Still, I ended up losing my entire army AND manpower in the fight, and could only watch as the timer (720 days of GH not enforcing their wargoals) started ticking. At the height of the plague time ran out - I was free, Golden Horde exploded, and I was left with 0 levies and, thanks to plague, a mostly broken economy.
It's now 1353 and my troops slowly start ticking up again and I try to create a small hegemony in the debris of the GH, but without troops it'll take a while. I also need to weaken the nobility who sit at 45% power vs my measly 20% (and that's after enacting a law that strengthened the crown power). Obviously it didn't help that I married a commoner (I tried to find a royal marriage but kept coming up empty, and in my late 20s I got antsy). But at least my designated heir is ... slow.
All this didn't help with legitimacy or stability, but I managed to avert a coup disaster.
It's janky, but I was reasonably enjoying myself. Maybe because I don't grasp the systems fully and don't notice the bigger fails. Still, only progressing 16 or so years in 3 or 4 hours ... yikes. Victoria has the great advantage of being able to finish a game in a weeked or less.
Tried to build my economy (yay amber!) and keep my estates happy and balanced (I'm bad at this
). I created an independence CB against the Golden Horde and managed to get a decent amount of support to get the troop ratio into the positive. I declared war with bad timing. Bulgaria (a key ally) was slightly distracted by tryin to take bits of the Byzantine Empire, and it was five minutes to Plague.In the course of the fighting, my entire army was eventually wiped out (the GH had 1500 or so professional troops that regularly wiped the floor with them, but the swarm of little armies that kept taking their land kept them busy. Still, I ended up losing my entire army AND manpower in the fight, and could only watch as the timer (720 days of GH not enforcing their wargoals) started ticking. At the height of the plague time ran out - I was free, Golden Horde exploded, and I was left with 0 levies and, thanks to plague, a mostly broken economy.
It's now 1353 and my troops slowly start ticking up again and I try to create a small hegemony in the debris of the GH, but without troops it'll take a while. I also need to weaken the nobility who sit at 45% power vs my measly 20% (and that's after enacting a law that strengthened the crown power). Obviously it didn't help that I married a commoner (I tried to find a royal marriage but kept coming up empty, and in my late 20s I got antsy). But at least my designated heir is ... slow.
All this didn't help with legitimacy or stability, but I managed to avert a coup disaster. It's janky, but I was reasonably enjoying myself. Maybe because I don't grasp the systems fully and don't notice the bigger fails. Still, only progressing 16 or so years in 3 or 4 hours ... yikes.
Victoria has the great advantage of being able to finish a game in a weeked or less. #10
Gaming HQ / Re: Crusader Kings III
Last post by Syt - Today at 01:31:57 AMI started a game as a ronin adventurer in Japan in 1066. Started building a little army while taking on contracts. Went on a treasure hunt for an old lady which would have taken us to (modern day) Mongolia, but she died of typhus along the way. At least I got to visit a lot of sites in China on my way back. Did a bunch of escort missions ... for some reason a lot of women were traveling to the northernmost tip of Honshu to visit the tribal chief. 
I died 15 years into the game when bandits blocked my way, and despite having an 80+% chance to win I was killed trying to fight them. (I did NOT want to keep playing as my 4 year old son )
Did a bunch of escort missions ... for some reason a lot of women were traveling to the northernmost tip of Honshu to visit the tribal chief. I died 15 years into the game when bandits blocked my way, and despite having an 80+% chance to win I was killed trying to fight them. (I did NOT want to keep playing as my 4 year old son
)