With the release of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on the horizon, an army of gamers are desperate to know what they can expect from the next instalment of one of the most successful franchises of all time. The new action-thriller from the award-winning creators of the Call of Duty series will arm gamers with the most advanced and powerful arsenal of modern day firepower to fight a fictional war in the world’s most treacherous hotspots. If you are one of these loyal recruits then you’ll be pleased to know we’ve got ex-US army Hank Keirsey checking in at 12:00 hours to talk about how his experience in the field sculpted the cinematic realism of the game.

The game itself promises to deliver the most realistic warfare simulation in gaming history whilst acknowledging and honouring those who serve and have fallen in reality. You will experience the intensity of the battlefield, engage with a range of characters and find out what people really go through under such conditions, especially with special edition on Xbox 360 which includes a documentary about SAS missions throughout history.

Have you ever wondered what kind of soldier you would make? Or whether or not you could command an army to victory? If so join us with your boots blacked and your medals gleaming for your preliminary briefing on the 31st of October.

Hank Keirsey joins us live online on Wednesday 31st October at 12:00 to discuss the launch of Call of Duty 4

H: Host, Gordon Cherrington

HK: Hank Keirsey

H: Hello and welcome to the Entertainment Show, I'm Gordon Cherrington. One of the most successful game franchises of all time is about to release the next instalment with Call Duty 4, Modern Warfare and we are very, very lucky today to have in the studio with us ex-US Army Lieutenant Colonel Hank Keirsey, whose been a military advisor for the whole franchise. Hank, thank you very much for joining us today, you've just flown in from the States yesterday was it?

HK: Yes I did. Actually Monday

H: But you're looking fresh which is good

HK: Aye, aye, it's this good English air

H: English air, you should get some Scottish air, believe me. Now remember this is a live show, so please do send in your questions for Hank, we will try and get through as many as we can throughout the show. Hank, talk us through the game – how realistic is it

HK: Gordon this is, you know the franchise has been trademark – its trademark has been authenticity and accuracy, and you saw the World War 2 genre which – and definitely if you've played it, or anyone that's played it knows that they went to great lengths to replicate the weapons, replicate the ballistic effects and all that. They've taken that now, went to the moderner, and they've gotten so close to being a real and – a weak gamer's going to soil himself when he plays this game

H: Now you were, you were a military historian at Westpoint, and obviously you've spoken about Call Duty 2, the previous games and the franchises, second world war very realistic, your experience of modern warfare I believe you were Gulf world war, so has that been brought into Call Duty 4?

HK: Absolutely, they brought me in to the earlier Call of Duties because I have the military background and I have the history background of World War 2, and so as you looked, the gamers would have it 97% right and there's a passionate crew that's trying to get this right, but you come and look and see, you know the men will not say ‘oh my gosh, oh my God' – that tone of voice is not used when you're clearing a room, and I helped put tones of voices to help with dialogue like with tactics, and when they shifted to modern day, I'm actually more current on that so it just fit right in. And their questions were you know hey we had a great game, we've been doing World War 2, how do we get to, how do we modify it for, you know, modern day – what's different? And you know I said well there's lot more to see than there is different, the weapons change a little bit, weapons aren't necessarily better, they're just designed for a different way, more volume of fire versus accuracy, you can't get a more accurate weapon than a, you know Mauser K98 that's been properly tuned and tripped you know

H: I don't know but I'll take your word for it because you're the expert!

HK: Ok well yesterday when I was talking to somebody they had a blank stare when I talked about weapons. I can't believe you don't know about weapons!

H: I know weapons, just not the K98

HK: Ok, alright

H: The AK47 of course is one of mine

HK: The AK47

H: Personal favourites -

HK: Everybody you know wants to be able to use that because you know, you'll find it in many countries

H: It is used the world over isn't it?

HK: It is – probably the most popular gun. This guy Kolishnikov – it's a gun you can throw down in the mud, you can pick it back up, you can dust it off, and – I'll tell you all the ones that I shoot the AK47 - God bless them were shooting inaccurately because they were shooting at me, and thank God their marksmanship was kind of poor so – and when I've tried to shoot the weapon a lot of them have been picked up from you know, rather rugged servicemen from other forces, it is, its accuracy is questionable. Ranges beyond 200 yards

H: And so in the game, I mean are we seeing things like AK47s in the hands of the enemy, and what sort of weapons have the forces that you can play in the game, what have they got with them?

HK: Everything is, the current kit of the army, US Marines, your SAS is replicated in this coming game with ruthless detail, and I actually wanted, there's an almost crazy man on the development team that loves weapons as much as you know anybody does, and he has built this virtual room you walk into where he's designed every one of these guns and it'll walk you down this banquet table of – and the banquet table stretches for 200 yards, every weapon in there, so you've got the AKs, you've got the MP5s, you've got everything you see in the field is in this game now. Now most of these weapons are in the multi player set,

H: Yes

HK: You're given a specific set of weapons that would likely to be carried by SAS, likely be carried by Force 3 marines, and they are drawn and to incredible detail. If a young troop coming back from service now picks up this game and looks at it and goes that's exactly the way my M16 looked, that's the site I used, that's the way the site used to look when I used to put it , you know, on target. So it has been done with the classic and traditional authenticity these developers have always used

H: And my choice of gun, I'm a big James Bond fan, I don't suppose there's a Walter PPK in there at all – they're probably not going to be used by the SAS I'd imagine?

HK: No they have that – I'm almost certain that that is in the – the multiplayer

H: Outstanding

HK: If you can find that. Just because of you I'm sure

H: Just because of me? You've thrown that in? You're a top guy. Listen, speaking of the game I think we can have a look at it just now, we'll see just how realistic it is and see some of those weapons, so let's take a look –

Video footage '50,000 people used to live here. Now it's a ghost town.' ‘You're so-called leaders burst to the test – destroyed our culture, our economies, our honour' ‘US Marines stationed on high alert were given the order to invade the small – ‘ ‘Just as they waste our country, we shall waste theirs' ‘They think this will stop –‘ ‘We got a man down' ‘We need to take him alive'

H: Well I mean that is, it's pretty realistic. It's like watching a film, you know what I mean. It's kind of the advancement of games development now, that is genuinely like watching a Hollywood blockbuster. That detail that's in there, I know you were talking about your input into the game with weapons and tactics – are you giving advice on the detail of the scenario as well as a whole?

HK: We do talk about the scenario but most of that was developed by guys that you know came up with screenwriting scripts and how that worked

H: The guys in the basements

HK: Guys in the basement, but one thing that has impressed me is the artists passion to draw everything just right. I sat there with the artist one day and they talked about the grass blowing in the game, and they showed it to me with great excitement, how the wind rustles across this grass, and they watched a guy step, and they said ‘see how his footprint stays in the grass for real'

H: Yes

HK: And they spend hours and hours doing this, countless hours not because it's going to make – that's what I asked, I said why do you guys care about this? This is art, this is what we do and so – watch this, and they pull the sun up and they say as you're fighting this battle the sun will move in the sky and notice the shadows of the trees. So that's the level of detail that's coming up in this game. The movement of the soldiers used to be kind of jerky and tomatom like now it's done with what they call a sausage suit

H: A sausage suit?

HK: That's what they call it

H: Right

HK: I'm sure that refers to anything that we need to talk about now but the – it's a motion capture suit that these guys where, and they get in the studio and now they take that, goes in the computer and they animate the characters where they like they're actually moving, you know? They look like folks would truly move around – because one of the hallmark features of the Call of Duty's been that they're not individually on the battlefield, you've got mates to your right and mates to your left. New York official intelligence drives these guys to do things, you know, so they get to be a code for what they're doing around you and what they're saying and how they're moving, and they've got their kind of program figure out what you're going to do and how would your mates respond to that, would they move with you, would they stand around and look at you in complete shock like you idiot, why aren't you here turning the room with us, so all that's got to go into -

H: One of the things I was going to say about the – because there's a multiplayer function in the game, there's also the beta as well, so you can link up with people around the world, I mean you're a man with great military expertise, how would you feel about, you know, little Tommy in his basement in Devon whose just, you know shooting at you and probably beating you, let's face it, I imagine his fingers are a little bit nimbler than yours?

HK: Yes. Tommy I'll tell you now in Devon, I hate you. I'm going to hunt you down and kill you. How's that? I can't do it in the game because you're too damn good, but I know where you live and I know you're in the basement man eating some kind of chips, you know the little nimble figures, you never come outside, the light hasn't touched you in years man, but I know where you are. But yes that is very frustrating. Now I'm not a gamer

H: No?

HK: But I do play Call of Duty because I'm a franchise guy and when you get into it you're actually intoxicated by the play, and then you get in multiplayer and you've got Tommy up there, bouncing around like a hopping bunny and being very quick, pulling his weapon up and zapping you, and you're like ‘I've got to destroy him somehow' so you stay at it and stay at it and try to get old Tommy. And it's one hellacious game. This particular one they've designed with all kinds of perks and other things I don't understand, but as you move through you advance at different levels and get advantages that makes it very exciting to gamers, but what I'll say is every time I see it I say don't make people hop around, I've never seen anybody hop in combat, never when I've been facing enemy in combat, pointing the weapon does he start hopping up in the air shooting – knock off the hopping Tommy and I think they've actually penalised guys in this particular multiplayer

H: For hopping?

HK: Hopping

H: Skipping allowed or -

HK: I think bunny hop

H: Bunny hop

HK: A little skip, depending on your persuasion ok?

H: Alright, cool

HK: Nothing wrong with that

H: I mean the bunny hop is it – it sounds hot, let's face it, but I wouldn't take a soldier hopping seriously

HK: It's the bunny thing, bunny mission, it's – yes, it becomes like oh, Playboy bunnies. Your mind, your mind goes so quickly doesn't it? Stay with us Tommy, we're talking to you buddy

H: Now Tommy if you're watching this remember it is a live show so please send your questions in, we've actually had one in from Ryan – Hank, he would like to know ‘do bullets go through walls in real life as they do in the game?'

HK: What they've done – whose that, Ryan?

H: That was Ryan

HK: What they've done in this game is they've taken great pains in this particular game to match the ballistics of the bullet to the material it's going to, so there's a physical code somewhere in there done with magic, I don't understand it, where you've got a piece of wood there and a 50 calibre machine gun is – you're hunkered down behind that piece of wood, the little fence, you know, afraid because you don't want to come out, and somebody's got a 50 calibre on the other side, that 50 cal is going to smoke through the wood, bust it up a little bit, splinter and then blow your head off, so that's the way it's designed

H: Nice

HK: Now if you're behind a centre block building and somebody's shooting a 9mm pistol at you, you're going to be ok Tommy. You can hang out there

H: That's good advice. Block buildings, that's where to stand apparently

HK: Yes

H: Another question in from David, I think David's potentially been watching Apocalypse Now a little bit too much, he wants to know ‘how has war changed since the days of the jungle in ‘Nam?'

HK: Excellent, well I just missed that one, was it David?

H: You're a young man Hank, I didn't think -

HK: I missed it by a hair, my brother was there

H: Right

HK: Alright? But interestingly enough David, we've got the same basic weapon, that we carried in ‘Nam, and that was transferred from the M14 rifle, 762 Nato standard, and decided we'd go with a lighter calibre cartridge, carried a lot more rounds, the M16 was introduced in Vietnam with some problems. It's the same weapon we're carrying today, it's called the M4, it's a little shorter

H: Yes

HK: So you know tactics change based on terrain, turf, situation and enemy, a lot more – in ‘Nam was versus what goes on today, ‘Nam was a lot more patrol and jungle and outlaying – what you find now is people are holding up in urban areas

H: What's changed, isn't – I mean urban warfare is where it's at now, and that's something that's in the game as well, the game play. Just another question in from Steve, I don't know if you're going to know this but ‘have you got any cheats for us for the game?'

HK: Steve, never cheat man. Cheaters never prosper. Get out there and play fair.

H: That is true

HK: I'm not much of a gamer Steve, I'm sorry about that, I don't know anything about cheats. But I'd say just be as good as you can Steve, give it a rest. You don't want to be a cheater. Move out and draw fire Steve. Alright

H: You may not be a gamer but you've given him some moral advice as well which I think is more valuable than any cheats. Now Steve just learn how to play

HK: Integrity Steve

H: What about tactical though?

HK: Another thing I've got for you Steve is get out there and do some push-ups man, you're worried about cheats? Work on your upper body

H: We were going to go work out earlier on weren't we -

HK: We were indeed. You probably noticed the massive size of this man

H: I've been building my guns

HK: Ignore the water stain on his left side

H: Thanks for highlighting that

HK: It's water I'd like to announce at this time

H: That was nice. It's nothing else, it's too early for a drink

HK: Alright

H: Antony in London ‘how do you manage to deal with the heat out there in the desert with all that kit?' Very good question, I know you've just come back from Iraq haven't you?

HK: Unbelievable. That thing will throw you out like you're in an oven, it's unbelievable. You do accolades a little bit and now they've got on the armoured hum v's you see – who is this again?

H: This is Antony in London

HK: Antony

H: Yes, Antony like Cleopatra and Antony

HK: Excellent, good name. That'll get you some chicks Antony. No it's brutal, the armoured Hum V's that are fully enclosed are like – you can imagine how they are there, but they put air conditioning systems on the armoured hum v's and most of the other armoured vehicles are trying to find a way to put air conditioning, because the inside – if it's 130° outside, it's about 150° in any kind of vehicle, if you don't have any kind of air circulation and air conditioning. But what you've got to take into account for is the hydration factor, amount of kit they're wearing, put them in the shade so when a commander does an estimate of hey I've got to go into this village and do this kind of thing, he now goes into an estimate about how am I going to keep my troops hydrated, how am I going to keep them cool enough, how am I going to keep them alive. And it's a vital part of your battle planning. Now fortunately in particular environments now it's getting quite cool, it's very pleasant in – we're supposed to avoid talking about current locations but one of the current locations, two of the current locations we're currently allied together us and the Brits are the greatest allies, it is very cool now, it's very refreshing

H: Napoleon said now we march on our stomach, and I guess now we can say and now he marches on bottles of water, maybe, I don't know. That's probably not going to go down in history as a great quote, but we'll put it out there, see what happens

HK: On the back of a t-shirt maybe?

H: Thank you. Let's do it

HK: Especially since you've thrown it on yourself

H: Another question from Kevin -

HK: He stays cool

H:' What's the most accurate Gulf War film out there at the moment?'

HK: Interesting. Most accurate Gulf War film? I don't think there is one – I'm thinking but I'm sorry I can't think – the Three Kings was an amusing movie

H: Three Kings had quite a moral message in there didn't it, it was about -

HK: Yes actually when I saw the Hum V's and the vehicles in that movie it gave me – it reminded me of the setting and the terrain, and though it was kind of a farcical scenario, it actually gave me a memory of the first Gulf war

H: Right

HK: I'm trying to think of the other movies, but I haven't been impressed with any one of them. I'd say go for yourself

H: Why not. Go and make your own one I guess

HK: Absolutely

H: It's a question from Gordon, it's a strong, great name – Gordon would like to know is the game educational? Can you learn about – obviously with the Call Duty previously, Second World War you're learning about the Second World War, but about modern warfare?

HK: Gordon, the – that was not the intent of the developers, to make an educational game, but I tell you what they did, by having a passion for authenticity, they did make – the weapons are exactly accurate, the ballistic effects are exactly accurate, so when you get done mastering Call of Duty 4 you will know more about the weapons and the equipment available to US and British forces than anybody in the neighbourhood. You will be the dominant lifeforce pretty much! So, yes. And in school when asked you know, what about MP5, he'll rattle off all the characteristics of the MP5, next thing you know you've got 3 or 4 girls hanging off you. It's unbelievable!

H: I mean, with advice like that, there's a lot of people out there who are going to be happy campers, let's face it

HK: Yes I believe so

H: And just one final question in from Darren, he says ‘the game looks incredible', I've got to agree with that, it really does, ‘when's it out and which consoles is it available on?

HK: Excellent, excellent question, what's his name?

H: It's Darren

HK: Darren – game's out, it'll be on out on 9 November in England, little bit earlier than that in US, I don't know what the release, I don't know why they prejudice you people, we're bonded brothers

H: Neither do I, I'm going to write a letter to -

HK: It makes me a little bit sick.

H: Well I agree

HK: It'll be on Playstation 3, X Box, 360, PC and that other device, the dual screen, DS, so lots of platforms at the same time

H: Great, Hank it has been an absolute joy speaking to you today and you'll be glad to know that I'd go to war with you, so happy days, I've got your back. Thanks for watching, join us next time on the Entertainment Show, take care

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