Re: An idea for spotters for snipers

Glover, Owen wrote:

>
>
> OK, I'm trying to give the observations on Sniper teams relevance to
> Stargrunt. As I mentioned before, the No2 Sniper may today carry an
M203
> or some such to provide a little heavier firepower for teh team. In
2180
> the average assault rifle often has a GL attached. I'm suggesting that
> therefore the No2 will need something a little 'oompier'. Regarding
the
> bulk of a radio; well 'everyone' has a tac/sat linked radio.
>

Well on the 203 front, if I was developing the universe (God do you hear
me
here?) I would design a standard assault rifle with an over under
caseless
round and then a 30mm grenade, somewhat like the M40 pulse rifle. I
mean..why not?

> are supposed to be equipped with? (The poor old ESU don't seem to have
> much going for them as is.) This seems to be not unlike the Cameleon
> Fatigues that the Confed Marines in STARFIST novels might wear?

I liked that book! Here's how I would kit the guys out. First thing our
young GI or Tommy puts on when he goes to the field is his undersuit.
This
is a ultralightweight supra polypro envirosuit with thin capilary tubing
and
a small circulator. Keeps you cool in hot climes and warm in chilly
ones.
The suit covers his whole body.  Next the guy dons his outersuit, water
resistant, breathable or air tight models available, fully NBC treated.
he
dons his kevalr mod V armor nits which cover his wedding tackle, knees,
elbows, chest stomach, thigh pads, etc etc.  The suit is a stealth or
chameleon suit that adopts the color of teh surrounding terrain. The
suit
also dampens IR/UVsignatures.There's plenty of pockets to stuff all
those
things soldiers lug around. So our Joe always looks a bit slovenly, but
that's OK we can give him a smart looking garrison kit.

His boots are lightweight warm/cold depending on climate and kevalr
plated.

For electronics he carries  the mark IV med attachment to his suit. It
mointors vuitals in a small reader on his chest. A touch of the button
can
administer morphine, antibiotics or adrenelin. (The mod IV has built in
normal saline inj. capability.)

His Mark V helmet has some electronics built in. Apart from his normal
ballistic visor, which is polarized to cut out glare, laser eye
protection
and black out in the event of a nuclear blast. He can flip down either
IR or
light amplification. He can display GPS as well as normal magnetic
compass
tape in his HUD. The commo suite includes a two channel tactical radio
with
frequency hopping and encryption. The Mark VI commmand helmet has a bit
more
computing hardware in it, which gives the commander more HUD options as
well
as a secure TACSAT link. (Note that secure Sat should be narrow beam LOS
which means you have to deploy and aim some kind of antenna. Maybe only
a
commo man can talk to orbit. Don't want to much electronic signature
going
around. All helmets have a secure IR (or whatever is hot in the future
narrow beam xmisison mode that is nearly un RDFable.) All helmets can
recieve encrption fills remotely (this has to be done frequently, every
day
at least). The helmet system also interfaces to ethhand held datapad
which
has all kinds of other nifty features.

Our soldier dons his web kit over his suit (they still have to hump like
pack mules in the future, all that light weight high speed stuff means
that
they can carry more of it). The web kit contains an enviro-protected
integral camelback with a gallon of water. More can be carried in
canteens,
these can be tubed right up to the mouth. He carries two days of
concentrated rations on his web kit. He carries a multi purpose
utility/combat knife, which CAN be mounted as a bayonet. (crowd
control),
and a number of caseless ammo packs and grenades. Also mounted on his
web
gear are his power packs for his envirosuit and electronics.

Of course he lugs a ruck, with extra ammo, sleeping gear/mini pop-up
enviro-tent (though issued these, they almost would never carry them.
That's
for the mech weenies.) And a thermarest pad. the rest of the ruck is
more
ammo food water, plus team stuff.

Anyway, that's it for now....tired.

Los