Battlefield V-some more historical hogwash...

[43rdRecceReg]

Battlefied V's Norway campaign, set in 1940, opens with British Paratroops jumping into Norway. The Paras, equipped with Sten guns, are sporting American M1 helmets as they descend upon a war-ravaged harbour scene.
What could be wrong with that, then? Well, the Sten gun wasn't in service until 1941; the first British paratroop operation was 'Colossus' in 1941; and the M1 helmet was only designed in Summer 1941- as a replacement for the (British type) M1917- the helmet then in use by some US forces, into 1942.
British Paras used the HSAT helmet ('Helmet Steel Airborne Unit'). I can't think of any occasion when they would have used the M1 helmet.
Okay- yes, it's just a game. The trouble is, I wonder what effect these historical howlers have on kids playing these games. Do they come to accept these campaigns as based on historical fact?
Remember when American hunk, Matthew McConaughey, and his intrepid American S-33 crew, captured the U-571- and with it a priceless example of the naval Enigma Machine? This was, in fact, based on the capture of the U-110, by the British HMS Bulldog (appropriately enough), back in 1941. I suspect that Bulldog's actual commander wasn't as good looking as Matthew, and that's why his heroics, and modelt demeanour, have been overlooked by history, and Hollywood. Be that as it may, It wasn't until 1944 that the US eventually captured a naval Enigma Machine.
Given the poor grasp that kids seem to have of history, these days, I only hope that these fictional revisions don't become 'factual'.
Anyway, I'm still very new new to PS4 and first-person shooters (having been previously immersed in firing real WW2 weapons), but I was drawn to Battlefield V, because it has a story called 'The Last Tiger'. The graphics looked great, and it was also an opportunity to 'command' a Tiger tank. in an urban conflict landscape. But even as a total (oldie) newbie, I've detected a few bugs here and there- aside from the historical inanities.
Then I looked at the tank. The action takes place in Mar 1945; yet this an early Tiger 1, shod with late wheels, Feifel Air cleaners, escape hatch and...well, you get the picture.
Yes, It could have survived earlier campaigns, and had later wheels fitted...
More historic howlers, though. There are plenty of examples within the package, and campaigns, of history being rewritten to meet PC standards (and I don't mean computers ). But, we're here for tank related stuff...mostly.
Some stills of the Last Tiger- a fun game, nonetheless, if only for the exceptional graphics:


and the 1945 issue Feifel air cleaners :

Do check it out on Youtube, if you haven't already.

[Kaczor]

BFV is dead after EA finishes updating it. Wasted potential because graphics is outstanding and game is very well optimised. It runs great even on my potato PC.

[ronnie42]

Too late Hollywood has provided everyone with the alternative take on history.

[EAO]

43rdRecceReg,

I don't think it matters one whit to most kids now a days. It's all about the lights, the action, sounds, colors, and graphics. I'll admit I'm a stickler when it comes to movies. I usually tick off anyone I'm watching it with by pointing out all the errors. That being said, my Tiger 1 has several glaring historical inaccuracies. I have many nephews and none of them seem to have much imagination, they are bright no doubt though. But none of them like to read, build models, or anything else us "older kids" find so normal. I spent hours as a kid with Matchbox toys or just a good book and couldn't get enough of building kits too.

I avoid video games like the plague. Back in the early nineties when Sega Genesis first came out, I developed an unhealthy habit with it. It seems I have a very addictive personality. The new games are mind blowing with all the technology, but I have enough problems getting things accomplished as it is.

I gave my 13 year old nephew my radio to my Tiger and let him have a go at it. Within five minutes he was done. He said " I guess it's pretty cool, but it's kind of slow". Really? He was back in the house playing video games in a flash. He really flipped out when I told him I put a new board in it to make it run even slower and more realistically! My other nephew who's about the same age, went with his family to Pearl Harbor. When they got back I asked him what he thought about that hallowed ground. He replied " when we beat the Japanese at Pearl Harbor"....whoa little fellow! And your Grandfather fought the German's in Vietnam! Seems his parent's let him drag his Play Station all the way to Hawaii and that's where he spent most of his time...in the hotel room!

I don't know, everything in moderation I guess. But it does make one wonder what's going on in the classrooms. I'd say the family dynamics have changed too. I'm painting with an awful wide brush but it's an interesting point to ponder. You know how that old saying go's "history that's forgotten, is often repeated". God, I think I sound just like my Father did when I was about 13. Maybe we're just getting old?

That's my two cents on your interesting observation,
Eric.

[43rdRecceReg]

Thanks, in turn, for your observations Eric. Much of what you've observed, I've also seen. The global 'dumbing down' continues apace. But, since we live in a 'global marketplace', I guess it suits those purveying goods and services (and politics) not to have a too discerning, demanding, questioning clientele- for their firewater, snake-oil, smoke and mirrors.
This is a generalisation, sure- but I think there's plenty of evidence to support it. It was ever thus, but instead of Pardoners with their 'holy relics', Shaman, and Sin-Eaters selling their services to those, they'd wish to keep benighted, we have: advertising; consumer profiling; alongside the global and social media, now running the Marketplace (aka The World) instead.
The quest for 'Likes',the latest (mostly electronic) material possessions, as well as vanity-based services (lip-fillers, botox, etc..), says a lot about the decline of the individual, and the growth of hooked consumers.
It's often said, though, that truth is stranger than fiction-. So why don't film and game- makers; especially those in the working with World War themes- try to tell it 'like it was'?
Apart from the guiding hand (or whip) of PC culture, I guess it's possible that the game 'researchers' are also fairly clueless about history. It's what sells that counts.
I don't think there's any danger of me becoming addicted to these games, despite the alluring nature of high definition graphics and sound effects. But, I am able to see how some can be drawn into the gaming world- especially with the online battling thrown in- to the detriment of their health, waistlines, and bank balance ( or that of the Bank of Mum and Dad).

My son (he's in his forties) offered me his latest VR castoff, as he has the lastest edn., - an Oculus VR headset. I tried it once, and nearly fell over. Yes, the graphics are truly astounding in a virtual trip around the cosmos, or in flying a low-level French jet fighter down a meandering valley; but- I think I'd rather take the fresh air, and explore the world around us first...so long as there are no Covid-coughers nearby. Every time, in fact. Battlefield is really fake, but fun. yet kids (as well as the aged 'kids') really ought to get out more, and take a good book with them.
Now- where did I leave that joystick? Nah- I mean walking stick.

[General Jumbo01]

Things have come a long way since l was lucky enough to have a PC on my office desk in the late '70s, a MS-DOS prototype that preceded the IBM 5 1/4" floppy pc. It had a 512mb hard disk, one of the first in the UK. I acquired a game called Depthcharge which used the alphabet to provide graphics, green on black. I was suddenly the most popular bloke in the building. You might remember the game, there were only a couple around then and predated all the colour home consuls. The fact that the ship and the submarine were just s short string of characters took nothing away from the fun we had. It was addictive.

It's only nerds like us that panic when there's 12 and not 13 bolt heads holding the mid mounted schrime plate over the snorkel outlet pipe

However, the entire tank forces in the Battle of the Bulge was of US origin and the group of Tigers protecting the gold bullion store in Kelly's Hero's were modified T34s. They had all the right panels, angles and shapes but we're so out of proportion they could never work. Bit like the HL PanTiger effort! As a kid l enjoyed both films. Now??

It never pays to take too much interest in any subject. By the way, that was a trick observation l made above. There were only 9 and they were screw heads.

[43rdRecceReg]

Things have come a long way since l was lucky enough to have a PC on my office desk in the late '70s, a MS-DOS prototype that preceded the IBM 5 1/4" floppy pc. It had a 512mb hard disk, one of the first in the UK. I acquired a game called Depthcharge which used the alphabet to provide graphics, green on black. I was suddenly the most popular bloke in the building. You might remember the game, there were only a couple around then and predated all the colour home consuls. The fact that the ship and the submarine were just s short string of characters took nothing away from the fun we had. It was addictive.

It's only nerds like us that panic when there's 12 and not 13 bolt heads holding the mid mounted schrime plate over the snorkel outlet pipe

However, the entire tank forces in the Battle of the Bulge was of US origin and the group of Tigers protecting the gold bullion store in Kelly's Hero's were modified T34s. They had all the right panels, angles and shapes but we're so out of proportion they could never work. Bit like the HL PanTiger effort! As a kid l enjoyed both films. Now??

It never pays to take too much interest in any subject. By the way, that was a trick observation l made above. There were only 9 and they were screw heads.

One crucial difference these days is CGI. The majority of war genre films made after the war suffered- ironically- from a shortage of available genuine WW2 matériel (Panzers, ME 109s...and so on).
I guess, it had all gone to the scrapper, or the Army surplus stores. Look at the ME 109s used in the 'Battle of Britain'- some were actually ME 108s and others were Spanish built examples, with downside-up exhausts from the Rolls-Royce Merlin pattern, rather than D-Benz). These days, with CGI, we don't need (sometimes laughable) mockups. No, in fact, there's no real excuse for historic howlers in movies these days, nor in games either.
I had a Sinclair ZX Spectrum, and then a BBC computer; but the kids completely monopolised them. The Sinclair needed a cassette player to load the games and, on a bad day (every other day) it would creak and growl and not load them at all- after an eternity of waiting. (Bit like the old nailbiting dial-up broadband tone- and consequent crushed hope). In the end, I never got to sample not-so-super Mario and all the old faves. I'm not sorry, though. Now, I can look at high-quality games without them laughing at my efforts, or demanding I leave their respective betrooms-where, curiously enough (and without my say so) the computers had somehow migrated.
Thus, in time, my kids wore the machines out (and me); grew up, and left.
All the rest is, well..........High Definition

[EAO]

Hello Gents,

I must say that I enjoyed this topic very much. It gave me plenty to ponder on my daily, late afternoon cigar breaks. I hope to have many more of these interesting discussions. It helps take my mind off of the pretty crappy situation most of us find ourselves in now a days. This "new normal" blows!

Best regards,
Eric.

[Kaczor]

If you want more accurate WW2 shooter try Hell Let Loose or Post Scriptum. Both are indie games with great graphics and great community of players.

[43rdRecceReg]

If you want more accurate WW2 shooter try Hell Let Loose or Post Scriptum. Both are indie games with great graphics and great community of players.

I'll certainly check them out. My main computer has been a 27in iMac for the last 7 years. I love it, but one downside is that games- and especially flight sims- I might have been interested in, haven't been ported for the Mac. I gave up on Windows (they were always breaking )... PCs a long time ago; but I did once enjoy IL-2 Sturmovik as a military flight sim with my last PC. I see that it's still going, and the graphics of IL-2 Sturmovik's 'Cliff of Dover' make me wish I could download, and use it- if only for the Spitfires.
Again, it's not ported for Macs, and can't be played on PS4. So, it's tough luck for me. Such is life.
Still, I've many other things I can do during the Covid clampdown. I have the advantage over many folks who've been laid off work by this evil bug, as I'm retired anyway, and thus a professional layabout.
Just wish we had 28 hours in a day... and 110 years in an average lifetime