Re: Mounted Cavalry (Dadada-dat-dada!)

At 12:57 PM -0700 6/24/01, Don M wrote:
>Don and I were perusing the Reimer Digital Library and came across a 
>US Special Forces manual on mounted operations.
>
>Horse-mounted operations with pack animal (mule, donkey, horse) 
>support, primarily.  However there is a chapter on llamas. . .
>
>The manual is surprisingly detailed and was revised last year, 
>indicating someone's been thinking about this a great deal.
>

Some folks at the light infantry school are always thinking...

>Anyway, we've been corresponding with Nic about ordering a line of 
>figures equipped in accordance with said manual.  We're going to be 
>putting together a large enough order to get the line started with 4 
>variations of equippage.  What we're going for is variations in 
>weaponry--bullpupped rifles, M-79s, a SAW (folding-stock minimi) and 
>a pack-wearing figure that with an antenna becomes an EW trooper, 
>and without becomes a medic.
>
Sounds neat!

>What I'm curious about is will there be any other interest in these 
>guys?	I'm hoping to get together enough orders to get Nic to do 
>some more variations (horseholder, troopers charging with pistol at 
>the ready, some warped officer that insists on carrying a saber, 
>etc) after we order the main force.  Maybe eventually also loaded 
>pack

Yep! I'd like to see a crew served MG set. I'll probably convert one 
using a spare mortar team as the crew. Essentially an RFAC/1 on a 
tripod....

>animals (loaded with dismantled light mortars, recoilless rifles, 
>DFFGs, missle launchers, etc)??  Who knows, even a force of crack 
>llama commandos some day.

There was a WWII Commando Captain (iirc) who carried a basket hilt 
claighmore in the cross channel raids he led. M1911 .45 and a 
claymore...not a bad combination in close assault when you think 
about it... A Sterling Para model would be better perhaps....

>
>This is how I described them to Nic:
>  >>>
>They would be wearing standard camoflage uniforms, with boonie caps 
>(the same Science Fiction boonie caps the OUDF has, with visors and 
>commo mike).  They would be wearing cowboy-style boots, spurs, and 
>leather chaps, and instead of traditional web gear they should have 
>LBVs (loadbearing vests like the US Army has--will send pictures if 
>necessary).  The troops will also be carrying small assault packs 
>and 'camelback'-style water bladders on their backs.  Each man would 
>also have a holstered pistol.
>

>Other armament would include: a bull-pupped rifle (simillar to NAC 
>one, but no underbarrel grenade launcher), an M-79-style 
>large-caliber grenade launcher, or a shotgun (bullpupped also).  The 
>squad support weapon would be no larger than a Minimi, preferably 
>with folding stock.  It would have to use the 200-round ammo boxes 
>like the minimi.  All weapons would be carried cross-chest with a 
>top-sling when mounted.
>  >>> 
>

Why no integral GL?

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