2025
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Explosive selection boxes
Some Christmas trivia << Three locks for the price of one New Year’s Resolutions >> Nollaig Shona and Merry Christmas wherever you are reading this. I’m taking a break for the next two weeks to spend time relaxing with family… Continue reading
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Three locks for the price of one
Explaining Ireland’s “triple lock” on defence << Stand still so I can shoot you Explosive selection boxes >> Hi there. I hope you’re all gearing up for the Christmas/Holidays and taking some well-earned time off with loved ones. If you’re… Continue reading
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Stand still so I can shoot you
Why it’s hard to destroy airborne drones << But WHY did you do it? Three locks for the price of one >> Hi there. This week I’m talking about a topic which has been trending in Ireland over the past… Continue reading
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But WHY did you do it?
World-building for creators Part 2: Behaviour << Hitting a bullet with a bullet Stand still so I can shoot you >> Hi there. I’m continuing my series on military world building which I started a few weeks ago. Today I’d… Continue reading
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Hitting a bullet with a bullet
How missile defence shields work (or don’t). << Review: House of Nitroglycerine TBC >> Hello again. I really had intended to move on from my A House of Dynamite obsession this week (honestly!), but I kept coming back to one… Continue reading
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Review: House of Nitroglycerine
Part 2: Realism is suspended for semi-legitimate dramatic effect. << Review: A House of Dynamite But WHY did you do it? >> Hello again. This is Part 2 of my review of Netflix’s A House of Dynamite (HoD) which I… Continue reading
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Review: A House of Dynamite
Part 1: Kathryn Bigelow’s latest film promises fission but ends with a fizzle. << Double nuclear trouble Review: House of Nitroglycerine >> Hi there. This week, as a natural follow-on to last week’s discussion on nuclear-powered cruise missiles, I want… Continue reading
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Double nuclear trouble
The threat posed by nuclear-powered nuclear-armed missiles << Setting the scene Review: A House of Dynamite>> Hi there. I’m interrupting normal service (we were talking about military world-building, and will get back to it) to report on the latest developments… Continue reading
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Setting the scene
Military world-building for creators. Part 1: C4 << Holy Grail or Poisoned Chalice? Double nuclear trouble >> That’s not how the army WORKS… —Me, all the time, to the TV, to the eternal annoyance of my wife Hello and Happy… Continue reading
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Holy Grail or Poisoned Chalice?
AI and content creation << Silicon psychopaths Setting the scene >> Hello again. As promised last week, this week I’m going to focus on the impact of generative AI in “content creation.” This loose definition will allow me to talk… Continue reading
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Silicon psychopaths
AI and the military << Don’t eat the grenade Holy Grail or Poisoned Chalice? >> Hi there. This week I want to talk about the war elephant in the room: artificial intelligence. I’ve been reading, using, and thinking about AI… Continue reading
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Don’t eat the grenade
How hand-thrown fragmentation weapons work (or don’t) << Explosive porcupines Silicon psychopaths>> Hello again folks. This week I’m going to talk about hand grenades. I was prompted by watching the movie Sinners, which (although excellent) features one instance of the… Continue reading
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Explosive porcupines: Why strapping explosives to tanks makes them safer
Tanks, Explosive Reactive Armour and Defensive Aid Suites << The end of the line Don’t eat the grenade >> Update: If you’re new here, you might also be interested in learning how vehicle armour works (terminal ballistics) or busting the… Continue reading
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The end of the line
The science of terminal ballistics << Ireland and the Defence Industrial Complex Explosive porcupines >> Today is the last instalment in my periodic series on ballistics. We’ve ran out of road on this story, and reached our terminus: terminal ballistics,… Continue reading
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Ireland and the Defence Industrial Complex
Can Ireland participate in defence tech and innovation while “staying neutral”? 🎧 Audio narration available for subscribers. Sign up below to access. << Nuclear War: A[n Alarmist] Scenario The end of the line >> Hi there. This week I’m writing… Continue reading
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Nuclear War: A[n Alarmist] Scenario
A review of Annie Jacobsen’s terrifying book about nuclear war << Fashion victims Ireland and the Defence Industrial Complex >> Hi there. This week I’m reviewing Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen. Written in 2024, this title does exactly… Continue reading
![Nuclear War: A[n Alarmist] Scenario](https://militaryrealism.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mushroom_cloud001.webp)
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Fashion victims
How military dog tags became a style accessory. << You spin me right round baby… Nuclear War: A[n Alarmist] Scenario >> Hi there. This week I’m taking / giving you a break from the ballistics series. As a reminder, so… Continue reading
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You spin me right round baby…
The science of external ballistics. << Barrel envy Fashion victims >> Hello again. Continuing the ballistics trend, this week I’m talking about external ballistics. So far, we’ve covered wound ballistics, intermediate ballistics (with a deep dive on silencers), and internal… Continue reading
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Barrel envy
Gun design principles and internal ballistics. << The underwater nuclear family You spin me right round baby… >> Hi there and Happy Thursday. This week I’m picking up the ballistics thread again. We covered wound ballistics and intermediate ballistics a… Continue reading
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The underwater nuclear family
What, exactly, is a “nuclear” submarine? << Bouncing blades Barrel envy >> Hello all. I was working on an article all about internal ballistics this week, but got sidetracked by President Trump’s recent announcement about positioning “Nuclear Submarines” in the… Continue reading
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Unreal Tournament’s Ripper and its improbably bouncing blades
Video game weapon critique #2124 << Neutrality and Ireland (Part 2) The underwater nuclear family >> Hello again. I recently watched the Unreal Tournament: Xan episode of Secret Level. If you’ve taken note of my obsession with the video game,… Continue reading
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Neutrality and Ireland (Part 2)
The case against Irish military non-alignment. << Neutrality and Ireland (Part 1) Bouncing blades >> Welcome back. Last week we looked at the case in favour of Irish military non-alignment, or “neutrality,” in the common tongue. We used the Second… Continue reading
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Neutrality and Ireland (Part 1)
The case in favour of Irish non-alignment. << Splash damage in video games Neutrality and Ireland (Part 2) >> Hello again everyone. As I mentioned last week, I’m away on holidays right now. I’m away from my laptop and driving… Continue reading
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Splash damage in video games
Why D&D is more realistic than Call of Duty. << Woke warriors: Sustainability and the military Ireland and Neutrality (Part 1) >> Today I’m going to talk about splash damage in video games. If you enjoyed my article on hitscan… Continue reading
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Woke warriors: Sustainability and the military
Can military operations be sustainable? Should they be? << Send in the troops (Part 2) Splash damage in video games >> Today I want to look at sustainability in the military context. I’m talking about “sustainability” in its everyday meaning… Continue reading
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Send in the troops (Part 2)
How effective are military forces in tackling civil unrest? << Knock knock: Freedom delivery Woke warriors: Sustainability and the military >> Hello again. This week I’m jumping back a fortnight to go a little deeper on our discussion about using… Continue reading
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The science behind the Massive Ordnance Penetrator
A quick guide to bunker-busting bombs. << Send in the troops (Part 1) Send in the troops (Part 2) >> Hello again. This week I rejigged my editorial calendar a bit in order to write about the “bunker busting” bombs… Continue reading
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Send in the troops (Part 1)
Soldiers as law enforcement, disaster relief, and other miscellaneous tasks. << Silencers: not very silent The science behind the Massive Ordnance Penetrator >> Hello again folks. This week I’ve decided to give you all take a break from my ballistics series… Continue reading
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Silencers: not very silent
The reality of firearm suppressors. 🎧 Audio narration available for subscribers. Sign up below to access. << Bullets flying backwards Send in the troops (Part 1) >> Update: Wow, this article has really blown up. If you’re new here, you… Continue reading
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Bullets flying backwards
The strange world of intermediate ballistics. << Jelly vs. lead Silencers: not very silent >> How time has flown. I started Military Realism a year ago this week with an article marking the 80th anniversary of Operation Overlord (a.k.a. “D-Day.”). I… Continue reading
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Jelly vs. lead
The myths and realities of wound ballistics. << The importance of being alive Bullets flying backwards >> Hello again to all my new and regular readers. Last week’s post was called “The importance of being alive,” but the original working… Continue reading
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The importance of being alive
Security as military principle << Film review: Warfare Jelly vs. lead>> Hello again. I hope the weather’s been as nice for you as it has been for me; the only downside being the reduced desire to sit in front of… Continue reading
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Film review: Warfare
Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland bring urban warfare to a cinema near you << Indiscriminate killers? The importance of being alive >> This week I’m reviewing Warfare, the new film from Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland. I was excited to… Continue reading
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Indiscriminate killers?
The reality of cluster munitions << My culture is not your fitness regime Film review: Warfare >> Hello again to all my new and regular readers alike. Cluster munitions have been in the news recently, primarily because of the Russo-Ukrainian War.… Continue reading
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My culture is not your fitness regime
Deconstructing the idea of the “boot camp” << Easter greetings and a bit about me Indiscriminate killers? >> This week I’d like to talk about boot camps. You’re probably aware of boot camps as a foundational part of military life,… Continue reading
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Easter greetings and a bit about me
<< Reacher’s last chance (Part 2) My culture is not your fitness regime >> Hello again and Happy Thursday everyone. I don’t have any fresh content for you this week, I’m sorry to say, but I have a good excuse: I… Continue reading
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Reacher’s last chance (Part 2)
Season 3: Pedantic points and cargo cult screenwriting << Reacher’s last chance (Part 1) Easter greetings and a bit about me >> Hello again and welcome back. I hope you enjoyed last week’s analysis of the absolutely ridiculous fight scene between… Continue reading
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Reacher’s last chance (Part 1)
My review of Season Three << What do you do in the army? Reacher’s last chance (Part 2) >> Hello again and happy Thursday all. This week (and next, TBC) I’m reviewing Season Three of Reacher, Amazon Prime’s adaptation of… Continue reading
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What do you do in the army?
How a peacetime army spends its time 🎧 Available in audio << Custard bombs Reacher’s last chance (Part 1) >> Hello again. This week I’ve decided to tackle one of those questions I spent my fifteen years of service trying… Continue reading
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Custard bombs
Dust as an explosive hazard << Magical instant bullets What do you do in the army? >> Hello again to all. This week I was inspired to write about dust explosions after one of you shared a BBC article with… Continue reading
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Magical instant bullets
Unreal Tournament weapons: Part 3 🎧 Audio narration available for subscribers. Sign up below to access. << Flak Cannons and shotguns Custard bombs >> Update: If you want to see more Unreal Tournament articles, check out my pieces on laser… Continue reading
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The Flak Cannon makes no sense, but I love it regardless
Unreal Tournament weapons: Part 2 🎧 Available in audio << Dr. Strangelove and Mutually Assured Destruction Magical instant bullets >> Hello again. This week I’m bringing another instalment in our Unreal Tournament weapon critiques. I’ll turn my beady eyes on… Continue reading
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Dr. Strangelove and Mutually Assured Destruction
A very MAD sort of logic << Military administration Flak Cannons and shotguns >> Hello again. I recently had the pleasure of seeing Steve Coogan in the stage version of Stanley Kubrick’s legendary Dr. Strangelove. Coogan plays the same characters… Continue reading
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Military administration
Napoleon’s first department. << Attention and the military Dr. Strangelove and Mutually Assured Destruction >> Hello again. Last week I mentioned that a military staff headquarters has distinct staff officer “cells” dedicated to different functions such as operations, logistics, signals, etc.… Continue reading
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Attention and the military
The myths and realities of military multitasking. << The military lone wolf in Hollywood storytelling Military administration >> In the last few weeks I’ve gone on a slightly coincidental binge of books and articles about productivity, focus, and deep work.… Continue reading
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The military lone wolf in Hollywood storytelling
And why this person is an (oxy)moron. << TNT vs. dynamite Attention and the military >> Hello again. This week I’m going to go on a bit of a rant about “lone wolf” operators in movies and TV (as well… Continue reading
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TNT vs. dynamite
Two very different (but oft-confused) explosives. << Film review: Civil War The military lone wolf in Hollywood storytelling >> This week I’d like to spend a bit of time talking about two interesting explosives1 which people often think of as… Continue reading
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Film review: Civil War
A very violent road trip. << Weapon critiques: Rocket fails TNT vs. dynamite >> This week I want to review Civil War, Alex Garland’s 2024 film which I only got around to watching a few weeks ago. I held off… Continue reading
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Weapon critiques: Rocket fails
Badly-behaving rockets in film, TV, and video games << Weapon critiques: HEAT doesn’t melt Film Review: Civil War >> Hello again. This week’s post is a bit of a hybrid. I’m picking up a thread I pulled last week when… Continue reading
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Weapon critiques: HEAT doesn’t melt
What Hollywood and the media gets wrong about anti-tank weapons. << EOD Critiques: Don’t cut the red wire! Weapon critiques: Rocket fails>> This week I want to talk about anti-tank ammunition, specifically, what we in the business call “HEAT”, or… Continue reading
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EOD Critiques: Don’t cut the red wire!
Manual neutralisation techniques in Hollywood vs. reality. << Memoirs of a CBRN crusader Weapon critiques: HEAT doesn’t melt >> Hello again, and welcome to another instalment of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) critiques, this time looking at “manual neutralisation” techniques (MNT),… Continue reading
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Memoirs of a CBRN crusader
A review of “Chemical Warrior: Syria, Salisbury and Saving Lives at War”, by Hamish de Bretton-Gordon. << Christmas greetings EOD Critiques: Don’t cut the red wire! >> Happy New Year readers! Whether you’re new to the blog or a returning… Continue reading
