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Thread: The most aswome thing you can not buy!

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    Back to the toy shown, I think Zero's assessment holds up decently. This would never be something you would want to be on while being shot at, but truthfully you don't want to be in an unarmored humvee that's being shot at either but they still mount guns on the things.

    These things are definitely a possible force multiplier though. Given current tendency toward low density conflict and MOUT, these things could be a godsend for militaries capable of fielding them and hell on earth for insurgents.

    As a commander, I can reliably expect about a 10 minute mile from infantry in full gear/packs. With slight improvement these things could do a 2 minute mile for a soldier in gear. As an insurgent, the infantry reinforcements I'm worried about that used to take 5 minutes to get there now start arriving in just over a minute.

    And this is exponential, as with evenly distributed patrols the longer the time period the greater the number of reinforcements arrive per interval. Traditionally there is a greater limit to this because I have to worry about how fast I can return the now combat-exhausted troops to their assigned locations after a firefight, but with these, I can draw from a larger area and return them to it faster and with less fatigue.

    Infantry are absolutely essential to urban warfare, and the biggest issue with using them is getting them where needed. This solves getting them there. Granted, an insurgent could still ambush arriving reinforcements with planning, but that's no different than now. And with these, an infantry squad would travel with much larger spacing, reducing the vulnerability of the squad overall. IED's are what they are, being on foot wouldn't make you less vulnerable than being on one of these, and depending on their construction, this could offer some protection against some lighter anti-personnel mines. Getting thrown off and breaking an arm sure beats the hell out of getting a new leg. There are some anti-personnel mines that might never get set off by these; the tracks have a larger footprint than the boot soles the soldier would have on the ground so there is reduced ground pressure; and the track crawls so there is no percussion of a foot impacting the ground.

    That last part is why one of these could also make a soldier using one vastly superior at dealing with mud/snow etc. If it's built right, you could glide across without getting your feet stuck in. Like high speed snowshoes.

    Now of course, the big issues are: reliability/maintainability, maintenance complexity, supply logistics, and of paramount tactical importance; does it look sexy enough?
    "But it's just a game."
    "So's blackjack. Go cheat in a Moscow casino and when you get caught tell the mobsters it's just a game. They have great sense of humor, you'll have a fun story to tell your future children. Who will have to be adopted, after the little prank the mob does to you in return."

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    Was just getting to the end of your post thinking about maintenance issues and then you mentioned it lol. Don't forget cost, already costs something like $17,000 to equip a single soldier, this thing would tack on an extra couple thousand.
    "An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II flew a show of force and expended flares for emphasis over Salerno after enemy forces attacked a coalition forward base. The arrival of the aircraft prompted an immediate retreat by enemy personnel."

  3. Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Paper View Post
    Was just getting to the end of your post thinking about maintenance issues and then you mentioned it lol. Don't forget cost, already costs something like $17,000 to equip a single soldier, this thing would tack on an extra couple thousand.
    And you KNOW that the soldiers would come up with some pretty inventive ways to break it.

  4. Default

    Well maintenance isn't something you can tell before playing with one of the things, could be a nightmare could be easy as an AK.

    Costs, of course can drop massively with mass production, and with this design certainly will. There is nothing about it that looks inherently more complex than a very light motorcycle. (Then of course you have to multiply the price back up cause it's military spending.)

    Changes would be needed though, I think the wired control would need to be replaced by a stick/grip control on a post in front similar to some scooter designs. When you have to hop on and move in a hurry you don't want to go hunting for the controller. (The other option would be a wireless [jamming/hacking issues] or uniform-networked control [not perfected for production, added expenses].)

    However, I think this does have a lot more potential than some of the sillier Land Warrior ideas I've seen floated. It is immensely more practical and easier to employ than the exoskeletons I've seen worked on, and would allow similar benefits for carrying heavier equipment loads. (I still think the standard pack should attach to the soldier's back by design, but I think the thing should have an attachment to mount a backpack directly to it and it likely would be in most situations.)

    The M1A1 75mm Pack Howitzer was designed to be broken down into small hundred to two hundred pound loads to be carried by mules. I think this thing without a rider could take the place of a "mule" to carry heavier weapons for infantry teams, like .50 cal M2 Browning MG's and the like. That sort of use could easily precede usage of this sort of device as a personal vehicle.
    "But it's just a game."
    "So's blackjack. Go cheat in a Moscow casino and when you get caught tell the mobsters it's just a game. They have great sense of humor, you'll have a fun story to tell your future children. Who will have to be adopted, after the little prank the mob does to you in return."

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    I love your sig EC-10... That was an awesome epic comeback

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    I can't take an army seriously that uses motorized surfboards to reinforce a position.

  7. Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Christmas View Post
    I can't take an army seriously that uses motorized surfboards to reinforce a position.
    Excellent... your hysterical laughter will allow them to overrun you that much faster.

    It's all going according to plan...
    "But it's just a game."
    "So's blackjack. Go cheat in a Moscow casino and when you get caught tell the mobsters it's just a game. They have great sense of humor, you'll have a fun story to tell your future children. Who will have to be adopted, after the little prank the mob does to you in return."

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