Tanks

> Which apparently some nations have done as some do use autoloader
> technology. Plus I think you underrate the capacity of modern sensors
(and
> those in the future). They'll spot better and faster than a human, and

> pre-planned evasion or engagement software engines will allow a rapid
> engagement of threats in a flexible manner with minimal human decision
loop

GeeWizzes will help, but it will be a good idea to have a human
monitoring the system, which means there will still only be three bodies

per tank for general standing watches during halts and stuff while
everyone else sleeps. A difference of 16 men to 12 men when the plt sgt
and the plt ldr are both off planning strategy for the next days
advance.

** I'll give you that, but why don't I have GSR and such things for
doing watches around the bivouac?
** And have I abandoned my infantry support?

> intervention. As for retensioning etc, I'd have to agree there is a
> maintenance issue, but it seems to me MBTs as a whole should be
getting
> easier to maintain (by plug and play and COTS components). They are
complex,
> but a broken gun guidance board isn't repaired in the field, its
> replaced-in-place and sent to the tech shop.

True, however, there are still lots of big things on a tank that requre
multople people. Tracks and power packs are two of the most back
breaking
areas. Changing tracks and changeing power packs are hard work. There
has
been some speculation that one could build tanks up to the point where
they have a dedicated ground crew to take care of it, I fear further
increases in the size of the logistical tail with the use of auto
loaders.

** I'm sure the first people who saw tanks made comments about their
logistics too.
** Also, why couldn't we give our tankers some light PA to wear? Safer
if they get hit.
Great for doing that heavy muscle work. And if we go to something like a
grav tank
which may use solid state propulsion, there may be a lot fewer moving
parts prone to breakage.

> As for sitting around chatting
> on the phone, I don't see why a decent AI couldn't equally make that

We are still far away from getting ai's to make complex descisions. Ala
the Bolo concept, a human is always necessary to make the really tough
decisions not covered by the program.

** We're still far away from 2185. Remember where we were in 1815?
Hardly... it bears so little
resemblance to today. And change has accelerated a lot in the last 50
years too. I imagine if
we can fight battles with lightspeed weapons (FT) and cross the stars, a
high level of computer
intelligence will not only be likely but possibly necessary.
** As for the comment made elsewhere about autoloaders being slower...
that's TODAY's autoloaders
which I equate to the muzzle loading musket. We eventually developed the
repeating rifle then a number
of nasty autofire variants. How about a G11 like rotating breech? I bet
a big version of that could load
very quickly.

** I guess my point is one should (if playing SF) try to forsee the
direction technology is going in terms
of increasing capability and its force multiplier effects. It serves to
help do more with less. You can't do
everything with nothing (yet) but you can certainly see that technology
will change our lives and the lives
of soldiers by automating many tasks that otherwise would be done
manually and by simplifying (if the
armies are smart like they'd have to be to operate over interstellar
space) systems to produce more
reliability. Like the space program, they'll probably use a few older
but robust systems so that you don't
have to ship a new Framboozle drive out to your tank 30 ly away.

** Speaking of which, it would be an interesting thing to work into DS3
to have a reliability factor. Let
people build older tech not because it is bigger or clunkier, but
because it is proven and breaks down less.
In campaign games, this could be a major consideration for a force with
a long logistics tail (like across
the galaxy...).

T.

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