akd

Multicam looks great for Texas. Not sure about Iraq or the Phillipines, though.

Is the M110 sniper rifle not likely to be fielded by 2007?

M110 is still going forward: http://www.defensereview.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=792 http://knightarmco.com/sass.pdf [ November 09, 2005, 08:34 PM: Message edited by: akd ]

They'd be just as dead if it was a JDAM dropped on them. There is no appropiate weapon to use on civilians.

After gathering photos of Stryker unit small arms, I thought a thread with recent Stryker media coverage might be of interest: Spc. Kirk B. Hubbard, radio telephone operator, from Company A, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, takes cover while on patrol in Mosul, Iraq. 11-9-05 I'd swear these Aussies are on top of a Stryker: Two Australian soldiers sit on a light armoured vehicle in Samawa, 270 km (160 miles) south of Baghdad November 9, 2005. Based in the southern Iraqi province of al-Muthanna, the Australian forces provide security for Japanese defence force personnel and training for Iraqi military units. [ November 09, 2005, 09:42 AM: Message edited by: akd ]

Just not the one with the head.

But back to Stryker unit small arms: M4s w/Eotech sights: http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/jizzmonkey/aai.sized.jpg The old M14/M21 soldiers on: http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/jizzmonkey/aaj.sized.jpg M4 w/203 and .50 cal for when 7.62 just isn't enough: http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/jizzmonkey/abb.sized.jpg Old-school shotgun and an M14 with an Eotech sight (talk about an intergenerational relationship): http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/jizzmonkey/abj.sized.jpg A Stryker sniper (really) with a shotgun: http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/jizzmonkey/aca.jpg more M4s w/203s: http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/jizzmonkey/aaa.sized.jpg Stryker guys with M4s in many flavors: http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/2nd_Infantry_Division-Stryker_Platoon/aac.sized.jpg M249 (Para?) with Elcan sight (M145): http://www.defenselink.mil/transformation/images/photos/2005-05/photoessays/tp20050512b5.jpg M249 Para with Elcan: http://www.defendamerica.mil/images/photos/dec2003/essays/pi123103a3.jpg M-240G (or a modified B?): http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/072204front13.jpg Does a sledgehammer count as a small arm? http://www.defendamerica.mil/images/photos/dec2003/essays/pi123103a2.jpg hey look, the baddies are equipped with only the latest technology: http://media.militaryphotos.net/photos/albums/124texcavtroop/aaf.jpg [ November 08, 2005, 08:11 PM: Message edited by: akd ]

Someone needs to update China and India on this.

Well, the source may have an agenda, but... Of a more immediate nature:

I would very highly recommend this site: http://www.smallwarsjournal.com/ Here's a list of topics in just their library area alone: Each topic has a wealth of resources. Or how about their massive reading list? Handy for this thread, to say the least. Here are a few selections: I would also highly recommend The March Up by Bing West and Ray Smith and No True Glory by same Mr. West. I would not highly recommend Robert Kaplan's Imperial Grunts. [ November 08, 2005, 06:42 PM: Message edited by: akd ]

Interesting, in light of the current discussion:

And make all the guys white so we can play it sooner. And make them all wear the same uniform so we can play it sooner. And make them all carry the same weapon so we can play it sooner. And abstract the squads down to three-man groups so we can play it sooner. Where does it end? The reality is, in 2007 there would almost certainly be women in combat with a Stryker unit, even if they were just attached. Furthermore, any realistic depiction of the scenario of war in Syria would have to involve unit and convoy security (which women are currently actively involved in, including as .50 caliber gunners ). To try and pretend that this would play out like CMAK with modern tanks is absurd. The real war in Syria would be much like Iraq today. And even if we look at only the "major combat" phase of OIF (only a fraction of the combat and casualties in Iraq), and try to imagine a similar scenario in Syria, it has to be kept in mind that there were women fighting and dying then. I think that says it all. 47 women in the U.S. armed forces have died in Iraq. As far as women in the context of total, sustained war, the Soviets proved beyond a doubt that women are capable in such an environment (and this is despite the deeply ingrained chauvinism of Russian culture). Seriously, I could replace the word "women" with "negroes" in some posts in this thread and probably dig up nearly indentical papers and statements from the '30s and '40s regarding blacks serving in the military. [ November 04, 2005, 09:43 AM: Message edited by: akd ]

I think you should say that to this lady's face: Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester was awarded the Silver Star. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jun2005/20050616_1745.html

They may not be in the line units, but they can be attached, e.g. women attached to combat units on ops in Iraq to deal with searching arab women. not necessarily an illustration of such, but if I recall, this is from the Stryker unit in Mosul:

Women do not actively take part in combat operations purposely. </font>

At a minimum, there should be female helicopter pilots right up front with the Stryker unit. This also means that at a minimum, helicopters should be actual assets on the battlefield that can be shot down with crew injured, captured, rescued, and not abstracted avenging angels swooping in from off the map. In a broader sense, if the current Stryker Brigades have females in their ranks, their exclusion would not make sense. One of the caveats of the chosen scenario is you are going to have to depict rear-echolon engagements with irregular forces to maintain a degree of plausibility.