The Alternate History of Modern Armor

[SergeantHeretic]

Originally Posted by MattII

Well in the case of Starship Troopers, the Starship is the F.O.B. during a raid, at least, as near as I could tell.

You are correct, sir and in fact the Voice of the Author, Trooper Rico specifically states that M.I.Troopers are more like fighter pilots than old school grunts.

[metastasis_d]

That's where the "mobile" comes into play. Their ability to put boots on ground and pick them back up quickly into orbit (especially when the enemy doesn't have effective AA) kind of eliminates the need for what we think as normal logistics.

I'm sure if they were fighting other humans, or a humanoid (at least in warfare) alien race, they'd have much longer campaigns, occupation troops, they'd need to create supply chains (but again said chains could be resupplied easily from orbit), etm.

Then again, if orbital warfare was a problem, they might have to set up supply depots and then they'd have the same problems real armies have.

[SergeantHeretic]

Originally Posted by metastasis_d

That's where the "mobile" comes into play. Their ability to put boots on ground and pick them back up quickly into orbit (especially when the enemy doesn't have effective AA) kind of eliminates the need for what we think as normal logistics.

I'm sure if they were fighting other humans, or a humanoid (at least in warfare) alien race, they'd have much longer campaigns, occupation troops, they'd need to create supply chains (but again said chains could be resupplied easily from orbit), etm.

Then again, if orbital warfare was a problem, they might have to set up supply depots and then they'd have the same problems real armies have.

Not that the "Bugs" are not nasty enough.

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by SergeantHeretic

Not that the "Bugs" are not nasty enough.

True, but in the case of the Bugs, it's like fighting an animal (even with the whole 'smart bug' thing).

They don't have to occupy a city, win 'hearts and minds,' provide aid to the local non-combatants, maintain suzerainty among a local population, etm.

[SergeantHeretic]

Originally Posted by metastasis_d

True, but in the case of the Bugs, it's like fighting an animal (even with the whole 'smart bug' thing).

They don't have to occupy a city, win 'hearts and minds,' provide aid to the local non-combatants, maintain suzerainty among a local population, etm.

Very true, but then RH wrote ST in the wake of WW2 and Korea, before Vietnam or the War on Terror or the war in Iraq.

SO he tailored the bugs to suit the then prevalent image of an implacable enemy with a tendancy for "Zerg Rushes".

[MattII]

Likewise, Forever War was written in the wake of Vietnam, and it shows.

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by SergeantHeretic

Very true, but then RH wrote ST in the wake of WW2 and Korea, before Vietnam or the War on Terror or the war in Iraq.

SO he tailored the bugs to suit the then prevalent image of an implacable enemy with a tendancy for "Zerg Rushes".

Unfortunately I haven't read the book; I saw the movie and have read lots about the book and how different it was.

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by MattII

Likewise, Forever War was written in the wake of Vietnam, and it shows.

Haven't read that one, either.

[SergeantHeretic]

Friend Metastasis d how have you managed to escape those books and still be a Sci Fi Geek i nthe Army?????

"Starship Troopers" and "The Forever war" are mainstays of the military geekdom.

Honestly I am shocked, shocked and dissapointed.

Both books are very much worth your considerable intellect and enlightened mindset.

[SergeantHeretic]

Originally Posted by MattII

Likewise, Forever War was written in the wake of Vietnam, and it shows.

Actually, "The FOrever war" was Joe Haldeman's catharsis from SERVING in Vietnam.

He wrote the book to get over his own wartime experiences and try to make sense of them.

[metastasis_d]

I dunno, they just slipped past me.

I haven't done a lot of reading in the last few years.

[SergeantHeretic]

Originally Posted by metastasis_d

I dunno, they just slipped past me.

I haven't done a lot of reading in the last few years.

Well I urdge you to make some time for them.

Both books are written by servicepeople FOR service people and about service people.

[mankind]

Back on the subject of armour, what advances in body armour can you see happen in the future? I know there are plans to intergrate a power source with it to power radios and such.

[SergeantHeretic]

Originally Posted by mankind

Back on the subject of armour, what advances in body armour can you see happen in the future? I know there are plans to intergrate a power source with it to power radios and such.

If powered armor is developed, and at this point it is BIG if, it will not replace regular mech infantry, but wil lrather augment Mech Infantry.

Much like a melding of Tanks and Infantry, I could see powered armor serving as an aid in MOUT operations.

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by SergeantHeretic

If powered armor is developed, and at this point it is BIG if, it will not replace regular mech infantry, but wil lrather augment Mech Infantry.

Much like a melding of Tanks and Infantry, I could see powered armor serving as an aid in MOUT operations.

I don't know about powered armor, but the Army Times and the Stripes both had articles as I was getting out about 11 months ago about powered exoskeletons for lifting being fielded in Afghanistan.

[SergeantHeretic]

Originally Posted by metastasis_d

I don't know about powered armor, but the Army Times and the Stripes both had articles as I was getting out about 11 months ago about powered exoskeletons for lifting being fielded in Afghanistan.

That puts powered armor much closer than I thought.

Gosh.

I got out in 08 and I had no idea.

[metastasis_d]

Originally Posted by SergeantHeretic

That puts powered armor much closer than I thought.

Gosh.

I got out in 08 and I had no idea.

Carries like 200 lbs with no extra strain on the troop, from what I remember reading.

Also bulky as fuck from what I remember.

[mankind]

Originally Posted by SergeantHeretic

If powered armor is developed, and at this point it is BIG if, it will not replace regular mech infantry, but wil lrather augment Mech Infantry.

Much like a melding of Tanks and Infantry, I could see powered armor serving as an aid in MOUT operations.

I meant powered as in basically having a battery inside your armour, I think BAE are doing something with it to reduce the amount of different batteries needed.

I can't see power armour as being a front line thing. Perhaps arty guys would appreciate not having to put their backs out lifting shells and it'd be good for casevac.

How would you see these being implemented? As a base of fire in more confined urban areas?

[mankind]

Originally Posted by metastasis_d

Carries like 200 lbs with no extra strain on the troop, from what I remember reading.

Also bulky as fuck from what I remember.

The Lockheed Martic HULC thing, that straps to your legs? Apparently you can only move at 10mph max in it, but as it's a new tech for an army using it right now they would say that..

[metastasis_d]

Here's a picture from Lockheed Martin's site.

And here's some guy demonstrating one