RE: East Timor

Hi Tom,

The kit you see on the news feed is the Infantry Basic Webbing; just
about
everyone also wears a "Camelbak"; holds 70 fl oz of water in addition to
the
two water bottles on your webbing. This is the basic kit and all
training is
done wearing it; including the 3.2 km run in 16 1/2 minutes.

When big packs are worn they are generally only dropped on command;
usually
after the sect/pl comd has done a quick appreciation, worked out his
plan
and is starting to give orders. The packs are always dropped in a 'safe'
place so you can get them back. There is no particular drill for doing a
'panic drop' of packs when you need to bug out fast. The packs have
quick
release buckles; you undo one snap clasp and the pack rolls away easily.
By
the way the pack will genrally weigh upwards of 30kg (68lbs) on
operations
when you factor in extra water, radio batteries, claymores,
NVDs.........

Owen G

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Thomas Barclay of the Clan Barclay [mailto:kaladorn@home.com]
> Sent: Thursday, 14 October 1999 2:17
> To: GZG List
> Subject: East Timor
> 
> 
> I saw some video from the tango on the border of East and West Timor.
> Actually heard the gunshots and saw people jumping for cover. Those
> Aussies had on their full field kit - their rucks didn't look terribly
> light.
> 
> I don't know about other nations, but Canada had an "emergency
> breakaway" manoevre that I was taught in basic. It involved 
> undoing your
> waist ruck strap and then pulling a tab on each shoulder and the ruck
> just "went bye bye". Then you could beat feet fast and fight more
> effectively once you'd dropped that extra 50+ lbs. What's the doctrine
> for this in the Aussie infantry?
> 
> Anyway, I didn't know any Aussies were injured - the report I saw
> mentioned seing the Timorese take out a couple of what looked like
> bodies.
> 
> I guess this was all over a map dispute. Coverage here has 
> been good if
> in little snippets. I've seen some pretty awful pictures of 
> the violence
> of the militias on the net. Enough to turn even my stomach.
> 
> Hope all the Aussies and other peacekeepers/makers keep their heads
> down. Don't want anyone getting killed if we can avoid it :(
> 
> Anyway, to pull back towards OT, I think the idea of a 
> scenario with two
> forces with differing marked borders is great. In fact, making the
> player survey and try to corelate a bad map with the board to GUESS
> where the border is (for both commanders) would be even better.
> 
> FWIW, I don't plan to turn anything from this mission into "gaming
> material" until the boys are home safe and sound. Historical 
> recreation
> of battles long done, I'm okay with. Future speculation, fine too. But
> gaming what real folk are out dying and killing over at the 
> same time is
> just a little out of flavour to my mind. I'll let the good ideas keep,
> but I have a (probably unusual) sense of respect for the situations as
> they are still unfolding.
> 
> Just my 0.02.
> 
>