Re: Platoon Leaders in SG2
From: Thomas Barclay <Thomas.Barclay@s...>
Date: Sun, 26 Apr 1998 15:10:03 -0500
Subject: Re: Platoon Leaders in SG2
John spake thusly upon matters weighty:
> >And of course this is 1960s or 70s tech (PRC-77 sets are not what I'd
> >call "state of the art" comms). Not 2300s tech. Imagine how much
> >warfare has evovled over the last 100 years. Now imagine the next
> >300. Our doctrines and tech should progress a bit I think....
>
> Imagine how easy it will be jam them off the air! Imagine EW
> capabilities growing as fast as or faster than commo tech. And radio
> waves don't change much.
Hmm. Most of the EW guys I've worked with (a spooky bunch) have
suggested that broad spectrum jamming is not the approach taken
because it is WAY too power consumptive. You tend to target specific
bands at specific times. That's why the military also uses frequency
hopping comms nowdays. And If I ever develop a Meson Communicator (a
la Traveller), I won't be jammable in any practical sense.
Jamming is a hazard, but I think it is represented by the EW rules. I
think if they are not being used, it is not present, and therefore
shouldn't be a factor. Right now, platoons tend to have a radio.
Maybe in 2300, each guy has a radio capable of punching through to
orbit (compact power sources for gauss rifles, plasma guns, and grave
tech exists, so assuming they harness the same for comms...) and
operating across the frequency band from about 10 KHz up to 10 GHz.
They might not, but they might. This might be yet another place where
the mainline powers (NAC, NSL, FSE) have advantages because of their
high budget equipment.
I'm just saying we shouldn't be creating something set in 2300 that
plays necessarily exactly like Vietnam or even modern. I realize we
want to maintain certain 'human factors' and an understandable
tactical situation, but we should account for technological progress
and doctrinal progress (which follows technological progress).
Having said that, I realize it is hard to predict the future. But we
should be cognizant of our assumptions. If we assume jamming tech has
superceded commo tech (hence rendering comms risky or problematic),
doctrine must reflect this. If comms is as good as I think it will
get, doctrine should reflect this instead. Each 'version' of a
setting might have different baseline assumptions. But we should just
be aware of them, and be aware of their impact on how one would
fight.
Tom.
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