Companion Guide to Hexes and Soldiers Wargame Podcast Episode 38.0

Yet to see Fury?  Whacha waitn for?

Plot:
April, 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) commands a Sherman tank and her five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered and outgunned, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.

Trivia:

Fury marks the first time a genuine Tiger I tank has been used in the production of a WWII film. Fury features "Tiger 131" from the UK's Bovington Tank Museum, the only fully functioning Tiger tank in the world.

Shia LaBeouf reportedly pulled out his own tooth and did not shower during filming.

 

All outfits and weapons in the film were real and acquired from museums around the world.

 

The cast underwent a rigorous month long course of boot camp, in which the final test was manning a real tank during a combat exercise. Despite being considerably older than his cast mates, Brad Pitt made sure that he participated in all of the physical training alongside the other actors.

 

Fury is about the U.S. 2nd Armored division. The 2nd Armored is also known as "Hell on Wheels".

 

Two brands of cigarettes are used in this movie, Lucky Strike and Camel. If someone was required to be seen smoking during a scene, they could either choose a herbal version or a real cigarette with the filter removed. The herbal cigarettes burnt away after approx 1 minute. The cigar being smoked by the Infantry Battalion Doctor during surgery is a genuine Cuban, as were all other cigars.

 

It has been reported that Shia LaBoeuf became a Christian while filming 'Fury'. LaBoeuf's actual words were, "I found God during Fury. I became a Christian man, and not in a f___ing bulls__t way - in a very real way. I could have just said the prayers that were on the page, but [...] it's a full-blown exchange of heart, a surrender of control." He commented that talking with Brad Pitt, who grew up in a conservative Christian home but rejected Christianity, and with David Ayers, the Christian director of 'Fury', helped crystallise his thinking.

  

The Main Shermans used in Fury were : Fury M4A2 76mm HVSS from Bovington Tank Museum, M4A2 75mm VVSS from Tay Restorations, M4A2 76mm HVSS from Jeep Sud Est, M4A4 75MM VVSS from Adrian Barrell, M4A1 76mm VVSS. 

 

Brad Pitt's and Jon Berthal's haircuts in the film weren't formal haircuts for soldiers in the World War II-era. But, tampered looks like theirs were popular among soldiers with a lot of combat experience, who most likely did it themselves. 

 

The Assault Rifle carried by Brad Pitt is a German made Sturmgewehr 44 also known as a StG 44.

 

At age 50, Brad Pitt is much older than the average noncommissioned officer in WWII, who would likely be in his early to mid 20s. Considering his age, choice of sidearm, and long service record mentioned in the film, it's entirely possible that his character is also a WWI veteran.

 

Writer and director David Ayer had the actors fight each other on set before shooting scenes to tighten their bond. 

 

The musical piece played by Norman on the piano and sung by Emma is called,"Virgin Slumber Song."

 

Actually, the term "86" to denote something broken goes back way before WW2 with a number of possible sources, including US Navy designation codes and electrical-circuit coding from a locked-out (that is inoperable) circuit, said to be "86".

 

In one scene you can clearly see Shia LaBeouf smoking an American Spirit cigarette due to its distinct logo printed on the paper.

 

This is not the first time Jon Bernthal has played a character in a WWII setting. He portrayed Marine Sergeant Manny Rodriguez in the award-winning HBO miniseries "The Pacific".

 

This is the second WWII movie Brad Pitt has been in. The other is Inglorious Basterds

 

Wardaddy's pistol is a Smith & Wesson M1917, issued primarily in WWI to supplement the standard issue Colt M1911, which was in short supply. They were also issued on a limited basis to second-line and non-deployed troops during WWII. 

 

Despite this film being about Nazi oppression, the producers used security men with Rottweiler dogs to intimidate members of the public into not taking photographs of filming from perfectly legal public footpaths.

 

In a opening scene, a superior says he thought he'd never see Wardaddy alive again. He responds "The devil watches over his own" perhaps a reference to one of Pitt's past movies "The devil's own"

 

The cut Bible has on his face is real. Shia Labeouf self inflicted it each time it was necessary to add another layer of realism to his performance.

 

When asking Norman where he is from on his acquaintance with the Fury crew, Norman attempts to say Pittsburgh, but is stopped short by Travis. Logan Lerman was previously in "Perks of Being a Wallflower," filmed in Pittsburgh. 

 

Spoilers 

The trivia item below may give away important plot points.

Despite the dramatic ending, in recognition of armored servicemen it should be mentioned that the ordnance battalion attached to the 2nd armored division would have had "fury" cleaned, painted inside, patched, repaired, and reissued in about 48 hours. 

 

ASL for Sophomores

What you need:



 

What you want:

 

 

 

 What you should consider:

 

 

Note: no maps are included with Best of Friends 

 

 

3rd Party Candy:

 

 

Finally, if you still haven't taken a gander at Platoon leader or Cold Combat! the first expansion pack for Platoon Leader, feel free to do so and let me know what you think...