Michael Blackbourn ꩜
@michaelblackbourn.bsky.social
VFX supervisor, artist, author, ex paratrooper, neo-Luddite
looks amazing . please put on ps5 and take my money.
December 7, 2025 at 7:18 AM
looks amazing . please put on ps5 and take my money.
Ah ok. Ive been out of it long enough now that its all distant past. But if I ever had to apply those skills again they would
come back in a flash. Stuff leaves a lasting impression.
come back in a flash. Stuff leaves a lasting impression.
December 6, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Ah ok. Ive been out of it long enough now that its all distant past. But if I ever had to apply those skills again they would
come back in a flash. Stuff leaves a lasting impression.
come back in a flash. Stuff leaves a lasting impression.
Hey if youre also on the pointy end of the stick whats the current thinking on a 4 man room clear : first man go straight or button hook? That was a point of great debate while I was in.
December 6, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Hey if youre also on the pointy end of the stick whats the current thinking on a 4 man room clear : first man go straight or button hook? That was a point of great debate while I was in.
Fury from the sky.
December 6, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Fury from the sky.
We were a bunch of pretty hard hooligans. Good crew.
December 6, 2025 at 10:10 PM
We were a bunch of pretty hard hooligans. Good crew.
Wikipedia is kinda thin on us.
December 6, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Wikipedia is kinda thin on us.
It was a battalion sized group. And the leadership was all ranger batt previous or sf/delta aspirational so we had a lot of leeway to invent creative solitions.
December 6, 2025 at 10:05 PM
It was a battalion sized group. And the leadership was all ranger batt previous or sf/delta aspirational so we had a lot of leeway to invent creative solitions.
It was renamed a few times. But for
most of my time there it was 1/508th Airborne Battalion Combat Team (ABCT) as part of the Southern European Task Force (SETAF). Stationed in Vicenza, Italy. Its still there but the base has moved and it now has yet another name.
most of my time there it was 1/508th Airborne Battalion Combat Team (ABCT) as part of the Southern European Task Force (SETAF). Stationed in Vicenza, Italy. Its still there but the base has moved and it now has yet another name.
December 6, 2025 at 10:03 PM
It was renamed a few times. But for
most of my time there it was 1/508th Airborne Battalion Combat Team (ABCT) as part of the Southern European Task Force (SETAF). Stationed in Vicenza, Italy. Its still there but the base has moved and it now has yet another name.
most of my time there it was 1/508th Airborne Battalion Combat Team (ABCT) as part of the Southern European Task Force (SETAF). Stationed in Vicenza, Italy. Its still there but the base has moved and it now has yet another name.
the IV bag water impulse charge for bending metal doors out of thier frames was another fun one. Creative stuff.
December 6, 2025 at 10:00 PM
the IV bag water impulse charge for bending metal doors out of thier frames was another fun one. Creative stuff.
Yeah. just give me the iron sights and pay for enough range and live fire excercises to get good at estimating range. hahha buncha babies.
December 6, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Yeah. just give me the iron sights and pay for enough range and live fire excercises to get good at estimating range. hahha buncha babies.
we came up with all kinds of wacky stuff and put it into practice. my unit lived in a grey zone between 'normal' airborne infantry 82nd style and rangers freedom. Stationed in northern italy as a quick reaction force.
December 6, 2025 at 9:53 PM
we came up with all kinds of wacky stuff and put it into practice. my unit lived in a grey zone between 'normal' airborne infantry 82nd style and rangers freedom. Stationed in northern italy as a quick reaction force.
yeah. when you want maximum 'room clear' and youre reasoanbly certain no friendlies are in the bulding in rooms within the arc. this was also geared to potential deployments in bosnia and kosovo. brick and cindeeblock structures that semi contain stuff like that.
December 6, 2025 at 9:51 PM
yeah. when you want maximum 'room clear' and youre reasoanbly certain no friendlies are in the bulding in rooms within the arc. this was also geared to potential deployments in bosnia and kosovo. brick and cindeeblock structures that semi contain stuff like that.
We had the shotguns in 99. they were kinda gimmicky but had good lcf. were never as effective as the claymore on 2x4 room clearing device.
December 6, 2025 at 9:46 PM
We had the shotguns in 99. they were kinda gimmicky but had good lcf. were never as effective as the claymore on 2x4 room clearing device.
can you put a m203 or the underbarrel
shotgun on these things? one would hope so. Of a new fancy version of them...
203. hedp and the flechette rounds were spicy.
shotgun on these things? one would hope so. Of a new fancy version of them...
203. hedp and the flechette rounds were spicy.
December 6, 2025 at 9:41 PM
can you put a m203 or the underbarrel
shotgun on these things? one would hope so. Of a new fancy version of them...
203. hedp and the flechette rounds were spicy.
shotgun on these things? one would hope so. Of a new fancy version of them...
203. hedp and the flechette rounds were spicy.
The round count bugs me more than the glass. Were already putting the glass on everything anyway. Im just old school and never really
liked it. personal opinion.
liked it. personal opinion.
December 6, 2025 at 9:39 PM
The round count bugs me more than the glass. Were already putting the glass on everything anyway. Im just old school and never really
liked it. personal opinion.
liked it. personal opinion.
Coolio. hope thats what everyone gets issued and it doesnt take batteries. :)
December 6, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Coolio. hope thats what everyone gets issued and it doesnt take batteries. :)
Its been a bit since ive been in that world. So im not up on the numbers (even when i was in it things like that dont really
matter, you use what youve been issued, the numbers didnt matter) how heavy is it? doesnt matter have to carry it antway... :)
matter, you use what youve been issued, the numbers didnt matter) how heavy is it? doesnt matter have to carry it antway... :)
December 6, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Its been a bit since ive been in that world. So im not up on the numbers (even when i was in it things like that dont really
matter, you use what youve been issued, the numbers didnt matter) how heavy is it? doesnt matter have to carry it antway... :)
matter, you use what youve been issued, the numbers didnt matter) how heavy is it? doesnt matter have to carry it antway... :)
its the bouncing pissing rain and breathing on it. we were like soaked 24/7 and having drops in your vision and some fogging just always left like tunnel
vision. Cant remember the names but ive used a bunch. none amazing when youre not comfy on the range and you just crawled through a puddle.
vision. Cant remember the names but ive used a bunch. none amazing when youre not comfy on the range and you just crawled through a puddle.
December 6, 2025 at 9:31 PM
its the bouncing pissing rain and breathing on it. we were like soaked 24/7 and having drops in your vision and some fogging just always left like tunnel
vision. Cant remember the names but ive used a bunch. none amazing when youre not comfy on the range and you just crawled through a puddle.
vision. Cant remember the names but ive used a bunch. none amazing when youre not comfy on the range and you just crawled through a puddle.
I have no experience with modern 762 battle rifles. but the limited time i had with c1 left an impression. Big rounds.
December 6, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I have no experience with modern 762 battle rifles. but the limited time i had with c1 left an impression. Big rounds.
249 was good out to 500-600m. The usual was putting 5-7 rounds at a time downrange and it was plenty accurate for that. But you could really.. crank up the energy if you wanted to keep heads down. 4 249 and 2 240 going all at once into targets while the third squad manuvered to flank was normal.
December 6, 2025 at 9:27 PM
249 was good out to 500-600m. The usual was putting 5-7 rounds at a time downrange and it was plenty accurate for that. But you could really.. crank up the energy if you wanted to keep heads down. 4 249 and 2 240 going all at once into targets while the third squad manuvered to flank was normal.
Maybe. Again. im sure this has been thought through.
But there is something to be said for always having your gear work just as well if its starts pissing rain. And it always pisses rain.
If you get used to all the fancy stuff you get crippled when it doesnt work if thats not your usual go to.
But there is something to be said for always having your gear work just as well if its starts pissing rain. And it always pisses rain.
If you get used to all the fancy stuff you get crippled when it doesnt work if thats not your usual go to.
December 6, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Maybe. Again. im sure this has been thought through.
But there is something to be said for always having your gear work just as well if its starts pissing rain. And it always pisses rain.
If you get used to all the fancy stuff you get crippled when it doesnt work if thats not your usual go to.
But there is something to be said for always having your gear work just as well if its starts pissing rain. And it always pisses rain.
If you get used to all the fancy stuff you get crippled when it doesnt work if thats not your usual go to.
i mentioned this in another reply but fogging optics is literally the worst. If youre playing in anything but the desert its a real issue.
December 6, 2025 at 9:21 PM
i mentioned this in another reply but fogging optics is literally the worst. If youre playing in anything but the desert its a real issue.
oddly enough I have time on both the us and canadian versions of all these things.
id almost prefer adding a few c1's (or
modern equivalent the SCAR) to the mix rather than these m7's. the c1 was an incredible beast of a infantry weapon.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L1A1_Se...
id almost prefer adding a few c1's (or
modern equivalent the SCAR) to the mix rather than these m7's. the c1 was an incredible beast of a infantry weapon.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L1A1_Se...
L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
December 6, 2025 at 9:20 PM
oddly enough I have time on both the us and canadian versions of all these things.
id almost prefer adding a few c1's (or
modern equivalent the SCAR) to the mix rather than these m7's. the c1 was an incredible beast of a infantry weapon.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L1A1_Se...
id almost prefer adding a few c1's (or
modern equivalent the SCAR) to the mix rather than these m7's. the c1 was an incredible beast of a infantry weapon.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L1A1_Se...
Yeah. Im sure the procurement people have been convinced. But I always preffered iron sights on the m4 and 249 than when we started putting optics on everything. If youre not in the desert you are always cold, maybe at night , its raining, and youre in the mud. fogging optics is literal hell.
December 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Yeah. Im sure the procurement people have been convinced. But I always preffered iron sights on the m4 and 249 than when we started putting optics on everything. If youre not in the desert you are always cold, maybe at night , its raining, and youre in the mud. fogging optics is literal hell.
Also. the loadouts on the wiki page for the design are nonsense. I jumped into Kosovo with a hell of a lot more than 3 200 boxes for the 249. I think I always had 5. with another two in the ruck.
December 6, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Also. the loadouts on the wiki page for the design are nonsense. I jumped into Kosovo with a hell of a lot more than 3 200 boxes for the 249. I think I always had 5. with another two in the ruck.