tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7116709723757797084.post5263807708737393058..comments2024-02-20T00:17:14.232-08:00Comments on Cold War Hot Hot Hot: Book Reviews: Choose Your Own Adventure in Modern CombatRichardChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09715518001361703533noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7116709723757797084.post-28883362432186532592012-11-23T11:42:18.245-08:002012-11-23T11:42:18.245-08:00John Antal retired about 8-10 years ago as a Colon...John Antal retired about 8-10 years ago as a Colonel, culminating as the G3 of III Corps at Fort Hood, TX. He currently works as editor of ARMCHAIR GENERAL. <br /><br />His 1999 novel of a near-future war in Korea, PROUD LEGIONS, is a nice compliment to his interactive series you reviewed. Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12375091638322866286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7116709723757797084.post-84301000068702652282012-11-14T18:51:03.089-08:002012-11-14T18:51:03.089-08:00Thanks for the detailed comment. Your input/insig...Thanks for the detailed comment. Your input/insight is much appreciated.<br /><br />RichardRichardChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09715518001361703533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7116709723757797084.post-75731527551969860682012-11-14T09:06:51.158-08:002012-11-14T09:06:51.158-08:00Well Antal was an armor officer! I was in the US ...Well Antal was an armor officer! I was in the US Army at the time that these books came out and I only got the armor book because it was professional reading for me. He's spot on most of the time. I don't think he spent a whole lot of time on the inter-personal stuff that really happens in the field. Contrary to public perception soldier aren't unthinking automatons. They are people with all the same quirks, oddities, tempers, and skills as anybody else. The only difference is profession and that is the profession of going into some foreign place and meeting their foes on a battlefield! Leadership is as much organizing these oddballs into a coherent unit as it is tactics and logistics. That's the one place where I think Antal is a bit light on. And a tank platoon is even more so than say an infantry platoon. A tank platoon has only 16 guys in it and they are broken down into sub-units of 4 (tank = squad) and 8 (section, which is two squads in US service). Everyone really knows everyone else very well in a tank platoon and having even two sergeants who can't stand each other can really have an adverse affect on the platoon's cohesion and morale. And losing a crew can be shattering to morale too! That's all because a tank platoon is such a small unit. I think that was an important element that Antal glosses over. Not every platoon is perfect with all the sergeants being "Johnny on the spot" and all the crews being profession and on top of things. That's the platoon leader's and sergeant's fight and I've seen it from time to time. <br /><br />But still, great book!Randall Casehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15503744399853478981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7116709723757797084.post-88890844474662821252012-11-12T18:22:27.408-08:002012-11-12T18:22:27.408-08:00Ran across your blog during my recent cold war web...Ran across your blog during my recent cold war web trolling, lots of useful stuff to look through! Excellent book review, I'll have to track them down for a lookise ....<br /><br />BrentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7116709723757797084.post-84642626225232225532012-11-07T12:21:42.157-08:002012-11-07T12:21:42.157-08:00I own all of these books. Combat Team was, by far...I own all of these books. Combat Team was, by far, the hardest in my opinion! Excellent series. Disgruntled Fusilierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10995610821904415726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7116709723757797084.post-25562466077686295602012-11-05T18:11:00.150-08:002012-11-05T18:11:00.150-08:00Totally agree! The infantry book is much worse in...Totally agree! The infantry book is much worse in that regard - but the rest of it is great.<br /><br />RichardRichardChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09715518001361703533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7116709723757797084.post-28498974358201036182012-11-05T15:17:03.439-08:002012-11-05T15:17:03.439-08:00I have the armour one and found the bit with the p...I have the armour one and found the bit with the platoon sergeant rather irritating, Antal certainly isn't a stylist, but he knows his onions on the tactics. Conrad Kinchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15683395740934527502noreply@blogger.com