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    These forums date back to the game's origins as the Crysis mod Traction Wars. Over the years the game and internet habits have evolved and discord.gg/vanguardww2 is now the principle home of the community.

    The team continue to read and reply to posts here, but we can be contacted more quickly on Discord.

Ask the Dragon

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Platybelodon {TP}

Member
I'm interested in the technology one doesn't see, or never hears about as a civvy. They're not shown in the films and rarely in the books. As an example, I read recently an account of Overlord written by a staff veteran partly as fiction and partly as an attempt to show the organisation necessary for the undertaking. One of the pieces he mentioned specifically was the use of radiophones to target mortar strikes - a line of microphones connected to earphones and a triangulator computer. When a shot is fired, the volume and direction means that the difference in signal strength can be used to calculate where the mortar is, apparently with such effectiveness that the German mortars were nearly silenced as they had to fire, pack up the mortar and run for cover as the spot would get plastered within minutes.

What, in the Dragon's opinion, was the effect of such 'unsung' bits of kit? We often hear only about 'gun x being more powerful than gun y', or Enigma, when in reality technology like the magnetophone wire recorder enabled much 'behind the scenes' - in that case such that the Allies thought the taped broadcasts had to be live from the length of time they went on. So, as a corollary to the first question, what in the Dragon's opinion was the piece of back-room technology that was vital in the War but is most under-appreciated today?
 
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VonMudra

VonMudra

Well-known member
Just as an update, I have indeed gotten work done on this, and the first installment will be coming soon! :) Thank you all for the series of awesome questions, and I hope this can help spread the word about Traction Wars and our commitment to historical excellence!
 
VonMudra

VonMudra

Well-known member
Good things come to those who wait. Also been having some real life issues (Aunt with leukemia and parents being in a car crash kinda takes up a good chunk of my time now). It's coming and will hopefully be more regular after the first one. Should be up shortly though, as the writing itself as finished now for the first update. Probably only going to be hitting two questions at a time due to space concerns, but expect them to be more regular now that I have a good idea of how to structure them to be informative and enjoyable, without being long winded.
 
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Pjosip

Pjosip

Member
Vanguard Backer
Very important question, how will you celebrate today's birthday :)
Happy birthday mudra!
 
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Agunter999

Member
Ha this makes me want to join you guys desperately but the only thing I can do is low poly modeling and I am not great :p I'd be a bit useless to you. ( you don't need researchers by the looks of it)
 
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Fliper

Member
In ww2 what kind of protective equipment you have as infantry? And how much is effective that equipment is (what can stop) ?
 
Aniallator

Aniallator

Member
Your worshippers have want of a news update... one that sheds light on the German faction. Will this be forthcoming, O Dragon?
 
th_battleaxe

th_battleaxe

Member
Agunter999 said:
... as the Italians were piles of shite
Click to expand...

And yet, tens of thousands of Italians fought their way out of an encirclement on the Eastern Front in the dead of the winter of '42-'43, without supplies, without bullets, without proper winter gear, and with only a bayonet fixed to their frozen rifles.
 
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