Case Zulu!!!

alphapatch wrote:Case Zulu, or Zulu is often used(real world) to mean this is really scary sh** incoming. Another used this way is Omega. Zulu was used by the marines to indicate the worst situation they had planned for and they still underestimated the determination, or stupidity, of their opponents.
The RMN uses Case Zulu to indicate the worst situation for them, an imminent invasion of sovereign territory.

May it be related to british zulu wars and disaster they faced here ?

captainofthelist wrote:
It's a good thing HH's Grayson armsman don't use the RMN's "Vampire" call(AOV) when there's an attempt on their Steadholder's life. The'd never be able to read Bram Stoker or watch the "Underworld" or "Blade" holodramas without being horribly confused.

Well, onlest case of using "vampire" as callsigh was to descibe attack of aniship missiles when betty was on visit on grayson.
They are same "vampires" which use today usn to descibe any anti-ship missile.

looktowindward wrote:

dscott8 wrote:It reminds me of my own Army com training, where they told us to use "say again" instead of "repeat", because the latter could be misheard as "retreat" and screw up a perfectly good strategy. The RMN appears to use "repeat" and "Say again" interchangably, but maybe their com quality is a lot clearer.

Actually, you were misinformed. The reason why we don't use "repeat" in that manner is that repeat is an artillery proword - it means repeat the last indirect fire order. If you used "repeat" instead of "say again", someone would shoot something at someone - not the intent.

Evidently, the RMN has another way of telling people to repeat the last call for fire.

well, they allways can say fire again .

SWM wrote:And I'll note that this thread is two years old. Some of the people who started it haven't been seen in quite a while.

I am the "people who started it". Due to personal & family issues, I haven't had as much time online recently, but I'm back for an occasional update and I enjoy reading the new comments.

dscott8 wrote:

SWM wrote:And I'll note that this thread is two years old. Some of the people who started it haven't been seen in quite a while.

I am the "people who started it". Due to personal & family issues, I haven't had as much time online recently, but I'm back for an occasional update and I enjoy reading the new comments.

And a timely resurrection it is ! Here is what you can read in A Call to Arms (eARC) :

SPOILER---SPOILER---SPOILER--- (figurative yellow tape for crime scenes)

What is this Case Zulu thing, anyway? I assume it’s not actually a Manticoran car model.”

“Hardly,” Marcello said grimly. “After Secour, First Lord of the Admiralty Cazenestro decided our personnel needed more hands-on combat training. Originally, the final stage in that training was called ‘Zulu Omega: a full-bore combat scenario, some of it live-ammo, as intense and realistic as we could make it without actually killing anyone.”

“Some recruits have nightmares for weeks afterward,” Shiflett agreed.

“Yes, they do,” Marcello said. “Believe me, it leaves an impression. But after a while, our people started calling that stage just ‘Zulu’ or ‘Case Zulu.’ It’s turned into a sort of short hand for ‘everything’s going straight to hell and we’re all going to die.’ Like I said, it’s not something an experienced noncom like Townsend would use to his department head on a whim.”

SPOILER---SPOILER---SPOILER---

Excellent answers everyone. Spoken English is so non precise. It slops over every where it seems. In the American Fire Service years and years ago, (like 1972) we used either what was called and described as a "ten code" or a "fifteen code" vocal radio talk.

The problem was a "10-8" for us was a different meaning "10-8" for another agency. When on joint fire operations it became impossible to understand what each of us was saying. Then national standards came down from up high and we all got together. Kinda.

But then the problem was now instead of using "ten codes" we used plain English. Well, that does not work either. What we really need is a concrete set in stone rules of plain words that mean what they say. Not "received", "repeat", "say again", "your breaking up" etc.

Some US military uses specific spoken commands and replys. "Helmsman, maintain present course." Then the guy steering the ship answers, "maintain present course aye aye sir." Then the officers says "very well" Lengthy but accurate mostly.

As kids we had the usual tin cans and kite string. We could stretch it tight over quite a distance. Fun. Our vocal code words changed upon our wims and time. But we usually knew what we were saying to each other. Not possible with strangers.

niethil wrote:
SPOILER---SPOILER---SPOILER--- (figurative yellow tape for crime scenes)

What is this Case Zulu thing, anyway? I assume it’s not actually a Manticoran car model.”

“Hardly,” Marcello said grimly. “After Secour, First Lord of the Admiralty Cazenestro decided our personnel needed more hands-on combat training. Originally, the final stage in that training was called ‘Zulu Omega: a full-bore combat scenario, some of it live-ammo, as intense and realistic as we could make it without actually killing anyone.”

“Some recruits have nightmares for weeks afterward,” Shiflett agreed.

“Yes, they do,” Marcello said. “Believe me, it leaves an impression. But after a while, our people started calling that stage just ‘Zulu’ or ‘Case Zulu.’ It’s turned into a sort of short hand for ‘everything’s going straight to hell and we’re all going to die.’ Like I said, it’s not something an experienced noncom like Townsend would use to his department head on a whim.”

SPOILER---SPOILER---SPOILER---

Interesting. I'm guessing the live fire exercises were against target drones or some kind of drone ships?

Roguevictory wrote:

niethil wrote:
<No need to repost spoilers, right ?>

Interesting. I'm guessing the live fire exercises were against target drones or some kind of drone ships?

Judging from the context, "hands-on combat training" here means something more ... personal than drone ships. Without giving out the entire plot of A Call To Duty, the "Secour Incident" mentioned in the excerpt involves more on-board fighting than ship-to-ship combat.

HB of CJ wrote:But then the problem was now instead of using "ten codes" we used plain English. Well, that does not work either. What we really need is a concrete set in stone rules of plain words that mean what they say. Not "received", "repeat", "say again", "your breaking up" etc.

There is an operational system that does precisely this. The colloquial name is Seaspeak, and it's designed for ship-to-ship communications. Every word/phrase is strictly defined, and only defined words can be used.

wyrm wrote:

HB of CJ wrote:But then the problem was now instead of using "ten codes" we used plain English. Well, that does not work either. What we really need is a concrete set in stone rules of plain words that mean what they say. Not "received", "repeat", "say again", "your breaking up" etc.

There is an operational system that does precisely this. The colloquial name is Seaspeak, and it's designed for ship-to-ship communications. Every word/phrase is strictly defined, and only defined words can be used.

If I remember correctly, air traffic control does something similar.