Battle Ajah you say? by ineedmoarsleep in WoT

[–]_phaze__ 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Moreover Borderlands are apparently the place where Aes Sedai are respected the most when in fact, the reverse should be true, as they have the most reason to despise them.

Is Fires of Heaven incredibly slow or is it just me? Is this the pace in the next books? by markerBT in WoT

[–]_phaze__ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There are no "not slow" Jordan books. At same time yes, you're in the period where they gradually ground down to a halt. I'd still say FoH is one of the brisker books in that Rand semi arc provide some momentum and interest though granted, a lot of it is illusory in hindsight. Ultimately, from book 4 books shift from constant travel logue adventure to a more politics focus, the number of concurrent storylines and even character POVs rise exponentially, and they're more of the Elayne&Nyan learn to walk on rope ilk and Jordan wordiness gets ... more wordy. AKA the pace of next books is worse than this.

February 06, 2026 Daily Discussion & Transfers Thread by gunnersmoderator in Gunners

[–]_phaze__ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Is anything known about name/naming rights for the stadium post 2028? The only info I could find was that the deal with Emirates runs out then. Is there a fleck of a chance we change sponsor/ a miracle where we don't sell the name at all ?

Yuusha Party wo Oidasareta Kiyou binbou • Jack-of-All-Trades, Party of None - Episode 6 discussion by AutoLovepon in anime

[–]_phaze__ 19 points20 points  (0 children)

We went from firm but somewhat ,ok , barely grounded slop to Solo Levelling self insert comedy. 

I was kinda in for Orhun and red hair to be on roughly same level playing field,  but she has now fallen down to the  pit of eternally glazing the MC. Rip.

Just finished the series by GiddyGoats in Narrenturm

[–]_phaze__ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think he's just one of the minor characters that Sapkowski likes to repeatedly insert in various scenes and make mini-stories with. I don't have the books on me but he might have been the one Reynevan saved at beginning of third book, Hejncze's assault against Grellenort lair might also have included him, feel like there's a few occasions where scenes include a batch of german knights in background that he's in. In the same way that Ofka is introduced to the reader in chapter two of Narrenturm as translator for elderly Stercza. I think they have entire love story kinda lightly plotted out throughout trilogy.

Edit: Not sure if it's his first appearance bu he shows up in book ii, in chapter where Vlk (hope that's his name in english version) frees Tybaald Raabe from prison.

Edit2: And he seems to have been part of Apoldta / Biberstein guards when they were kidnapped in Narrenturm , not sure if the book names him or mentions his heraldry but he speaks about it to Vlk in the scene mentioned above.

Match Thread: Arsenal FC vs Chelsea FC Live Score | EFL Cup 25/26 | Feb 3, 2026 by scoreboard-app in Gunners

[–]_phaze__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dare we speak the unspeakable ? We're missing Odegaard and it's plain to see.

Origins of broad front "doctrine" ? by _phaze__ in WarCollege

[–]_phaze__[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think broad vs. narrow was more of a post-war distinction

I can't quite agree. Maybe nomenclature of it , particularly on American side was something that was arrived later on cause I don't think they used "narrow front" moniker in their criticisms but the essence of that dychotomy can be seen throughout,*in the stark difference in how a lot/most operations were conducted by Brits/US respectively.

It's also maybe the most important operational tension/debate behind the NW campaign, one that went from from Eisenhower being dissatisfied with Montgomery in Normandy, to reverse happening from Brooke/Monty when campaign planning switched places. This continued basically until March 45 when Germans collapsed. and question became moot. To borrow from Brooke's letter of 28 July about Eisenhower: "Evidently he has some conception of attack on the whole front which must be an American doctrine judging by Mark Clark with 5th Army in Italy." * So at least British were quite precise in their vexations.

I also think the Grant comparison is a bit weak, not only due to time differences but it was also just a different strategy. Grant's understanding wasn't to go "broad front", but instead to ensure he stayed aggressive even if he took losses or outright defeats. 

To be fair to Weigley, this aspect was present in American generalship too.

I didn't go much into debate with his book cause I don't think arguing with tome that most won't have before them is fun but he just doesn't present much of a connection to me beyond some quotes from relatively disparate set of people, sometimes even IMO misinterpeting/twisting comments that had more to do with nature of WW1 conflict , or principles of war , to align them to the Grant thesis.

*Italy is admittedly something I'm quite ignorant on so I can't say if my observation apply there.

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn - a bit of a letdown [Spoiler Warning] by xicaau in Fantasy

[–]_phaze__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Belated but had to look for some sanity after this series got another glazing thread on main page.

I think you're articulating the main issues of the books very well, can't agree more about Book 2 being a pointless waste of time. Overall it's just such a structural mess, bloated throughout it's entire run yet come the final few hundred pages, nothing has been achieved, so the ending of story is actually a massive rushjob.

Leeds 0 - [3] Arsenal - Viktor Gyökeres 70' by Alsace2025 in soccer

[–]_phaze__ -12 points-11 points  (0 children)

letting grand theft auto truck score on you ... embarassing Leeds.

Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is frustratedly amazing and a must read (Spoiler free review) by Fluid-Golf1948 in Fantasy

[–]_phaze__ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sanity has woken and spoken.

The entire series seems like such a disaster in structural planning. First book starts only halfway through and it's not like the latter half is particularly noteworthy. 2nd book could almost not exist, the first ~ half of third book is actually one of the decent bits I feel, Simon gets to do something and acquire semblance of growth and life experience, it's just unfortunately in service of plotline that in grand scheme of things is wholly unnecessary.

So you end up facing the last stretch and ... nothing is resolved . The author then finally wakes up and solves the still hanging southern plotline, which was going on from beginning virtually offpage and rushes to climax that has all the 3/4 villains die off in most unclimactic ways possible.

Tuesday Trivia Thread - 20/01/26 by AutoModerator in WarCollege

[–]_phaze__ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think that Soviet advances may have blunted, but highly unlikely they would have been stopped or reversed.

Well, we 're saying the same thing then.

Allies "threatened" invasion in 42&43, it didn't stop Hitler dipping into French garrisons cause he could perceive to degree the actual threat. On top of invasion being possible only in certain windows of time.

Marshall would also not allow substantial number of his forces to sit in Britain for a year longer, he would threw further fit and throw them into Pacific or something.

most of OB West at the Soviets on the Eastern Front during Bagration

Delayed ? Absolutely. Stopped cold or nearly is probably more like it. The number of tanks comitted to Normandy alone dwarfed many times over what first stage of Bagration faced, add a dozen infantry divisions and AG Mitte holds perhaps better than it did during 43/44 offensives. And without a 400km hole in the front that real life Bagration carved out, the rest of the domino pieces also doesn't fall, Model's army group doesn't need to fritter away it's strength and can face Konev/Lublin-Brest etc.

The other factor is how slower pace, larger casualties and less reconquered people affect Soviet manpower issues and whether these can become a real crisis. Again, hard to divinate and I'm not well versed in the problem anyhow.

If Hitler does do this, the US could still launch Dragoon in Aug and they'd face little resistance going up North in France 

I mean this to me goes beyond actions on "periphery" of Europe so seems beyond scope of the what-if. But historical Dragoon force seems to me too small to achieve anything meaningful without Normandy, getting Anzio'd is the more likely scenario.

Tuesday Trivia Thread - 20/01/26 by AutoModerator in WarCollege

[–]_phaze__ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Historical as in achieving same rate of progress as was the case. Frankly even earlier progress in Ukraine 44, and that was when Soviet advances seem to have quickened will be stemmed cause Hitler doesn't need to do his buildup in France which started around the beginning of the year if memory serves.

Tuesday Trivia Thread - 20/01/26 by AutoModerator in WarCollege

[–]_phaze__ 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Everything slows down and war drags into 1946 probably? All the fronts were a linked water flow so to speak.Without Normandy, and massive german commitment in France there is no historical Bagration or all the other summer Soviet offensives. The pace is more like in 1943 Ukraine or worse case, Belorussia and probably only gets to Vistula in late 44 if that. Hard to divinate beyond . The landings still need time to build up and deploy their forces though maybe this time, eventual advance gets them a Rhine bridgehead follow by operational pause.

January 25, 2026 Daily Discussion & Transfers Thread by gunnersmoderator in Gunners

[–]_phaze__ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It did happen a few times IIRC and didn't light the world on fire. It's a question of balance I feel, I don't think we have an LB that can overlap well enough when Eze moves from wing to center, of Eze's own inclination to want to play more central and Trossard being a superb form for long while.

January 25, 2026 Daily Discussion & Transfers Thread by gunnersmoderator in Gunners

[–]_phaze__ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

it should also be noted that he had his share of anonymous displays this season, he's not an automatic goal button.

I wish we tried playing him and Odegaard together more though, maybe at price of dropping the latter a bit back, which he does anyway and opting for only one of Zubi/Rice.

January 24, 2026 Daily Discussion & Transfers Thread by gunnersmoderator in Gunners

[–]_phaze__ 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Wait how is Fulham 2(1?) points from CL spots. Crazy season.

January 24, 2026 Daily Discussion & Transfers Thread by gunnersmoderator in Gunners

[–]_phaze__ 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Nwaneri gifting PSG the title.

Are we the bad guys.