Davet

We did the same in Afg with knee pads - just a convenient way to store it, when not wanting it in place on the joint. Heat, sweat, sand and tight elastic straps makes them mega uncomfortable if worn on the knee all the time.

I’m indifferent to getting ghillie’d up, done my time lying on the ground observing and trying not to be seen, and am quite happy running around but with a bit of sneakiness, employing fieldcraft and tactical awareness, every now and then to ambush the unsuspecting. It is annoying when sniper spawn camping happens and I’ve seen people get frustrated and leave because they can’t be bothered and aren’t enjoying the stalemate, then again, I see it as a challenge to my own skills to get out, flank and employ some counter sniper. If it’s talk of applying restrictions on numbers of snipers, etc, then maybe look at a ratio similar to a Lt Inf Bn 1 sniper to every 34-35 bods and got to operate as a pair - sniper pairs the only ones who could use suits as DMR is just a 7.62 capability in a rifle section. Ok, maybe a little bit closer to milsim but the game is all still just playing soldiers, just to differing levels of seriousness. But then, like I mentioned elsewhere and others have pointed out here, a ghillie suit isn’t an instant invisibility cloak, patience and good fieldcraft are just as effective when employed properly.

Although some people expect ghillies to make you instantly invisible, as opposed to simple, good fieldcraft - I was wearing nothing other than normal combats and a helmet and, with careful fieldcraft and patience, managed to ambush groups regularly, they were getting within 10 metres and not seeing me…

Been a few months due to work, school exams, date conflicts, etc, but finally got a day at Adrenalin North Yorks with the boy. A torrential downpour half an hour before start didn’t put the good turnout off, as the sun came out and the winds dried everything bar some of the usual soggy bits fairly quickly and it warmed up nicely. Of all the sites we’ve visited, I really like Adrenalin because of its size (127 acres) and the well developed infrastructure, even when the games are area specific, it doesn’t feel like you’re hemmed in and there’s scope to be sneaky and try to flank. Warm up was a simple clear the village against the clock. Bands (us) went first with no-bands putting up a spirited but ultimately futile defence. A quick swap and no-bands were on the offensive but, again, they were held well by the bands. 22 minutes to clear for no-bands, 14 minutes for bands. One - nil to bands… Next game was Rendition - TF capture the terrorist leader from the baddies and get them “to ze chopper”. Bands first and it was a lot closer this time, two lads from no-bands with a mortar trying to flank the village focussed a lot of the bands on trying to prevent the break-in while another group tried to get the bad dude out. Swap over after hot dogs for lunch, rebalance teams as some folk had to head home, and it was more of the same, but with bands as the baddies this time. We’d finally rectified radio issues so the boy and I were able to coordinate a couple of small groups from different points of the village. Not sure how this one ended up to be fair! Last game, Suicide Bomber - escort the bomber and get them into the fort. Bands as the baddies first, using the whole width of the site to draw fire and TF out of the fort onto the flanks meant the bomber got to the fort fairly quickly and, with a helping leg up, over the perimeter and into the objective. Swapsies time and bands became TF, same again, using the width of the site by the no-bands but a very patient few of us anticipated their route, laid up in depth and ambushed them repeatedly as they tried to push the flank - no joy for them in the end. Bands win, two - nil (I think!) to bands on the day. A great day, well marshalled and good sportsmanship from everybody, on a really good site. It’s a decent drive for us - hour plus, and an early start for the teenager, but well worth it.

Always been a big fan of jungle knots over bungees - easy to set up and release in a hurry and no risk of taking your eye out at 0300 when the sadistic DS decide you’ve had enough beauty sleep. JetBoil, or equivalent, definitely the way ahead - there’s a reason British Tactical et al sell so many of their specially sized utility pouches. Back way back when, before JetBoils, I used to carry a Coleman Alpine gas stove and a big canister in my bergen, as it was a nice low profile and stable stove, and hexi with a Crusader mug and a mug cooker stand from Silverman’s 💲💲💲in my belt kit.

That would be very forward thinking of the Army to buy into something relatively simple to improve marksmanship - easy to do in a classroom or as a background activity then some range time to confirm. Save on ammo and limited training resource availability.

Was that in the States or UK? Could be of use to me beyond just airsoft geekery…

And a bottle of Tabasco or Frank’s Red Hot…

Absolutely classic, underrated and little seen film. That and Charlie MoPic. Sounds like a good theme!

Oh absolutely, not questioning that at all. As for scaleybacks, well, just look at what they’re capable of, after recent news - a regular Ethan Hunt… Certainly, a higher IQ than your average infanteer 😬

Your pal’s actually correct doing it that way, although inadvertently by the sound of it - yes, we refer to ground, first, etc, floors in day-to-day life but, for target indication, it’s 1 for ground, 2 for first, etc, etc. Windows/doors are then numbered left to right - one one being first window on ground floor, one two second window, two one first window first floor etc.

On Herrick, it was a very obvious observation. Switch from lightly armoured ECBA to better protected but heavier Osprey, increase the firepower available with extra ammo/weapons (UGL, sharpshooter, etc) and mobility would always suffer - there’s only so much a human can carry before performance is (exceedingly) compromised. 12hr patrols covering 5-6 miles max not uncommon for dismounts. But, but, Ajax Recce platform - a recce vehicle with the size/signature of an IFV and look at what’s happening to large armoured vehicles in Ukraine, with loitering munitions/drones. CVR(T), those were the days - mechanised infantry Recce Pl commander back in the day…!

The holy trinity - firepower-mobility-protection. Improve one, compromise the others. Which is one of the reasons why, in Afghanistan, the casualty became the mission. L85A3 “makes weight savings for the frontline soldier…of 100 grams”… What’s the effing point?! Project Payne has been around for donkey’s years, everybody talks the talk but there just isn’t the close logistic support chain to actually make it work. Modernisation and “Future Soldier” rumbles on - I was involved in FIST 😳 back in 2006-2008, blue force tracker, optics, lightweight batteries, etc, etc “lighten the load”! Most of it never materialised and, by and large, any weight savings are usually made up by carrying the extra ammo.

British Army issue Virtus helmet (aka Revision Batlskin Cobra), mandible and visor. Good luck getting one cheap! While the helmet itself does pop up on EBay the other bits are rarer and, in reality, they shouldn’t really be on the surplus market as they’re likely nicked and classed as ACTO.

Never truly off duty, there’s a legal obligation under Police Regs. PACE s1 can be applied anytime as long as there’s a suspicion somebody may have/be about to commit an offence - see all the media outrage over use of S&S by the Met Police…!

I imagine, if there were (off-duty) police officers present, they could probably utilise their Stop/Search powers under s1 of PACE.

I’d caution against giving drugs, over-the-counter or otherwise, to somebody unless you’re trained and licensed to do so or it’s the casualty’s own supply and you’re assisting them to take it, eg. GTN, insulin, etc. If you do, have you diagnosed the issue correctly and are you giving the appropriate drug/dose or are you about to make things worse, without knowing the patient’s medical history? And you are effectively then prescribing the drug. Personally, I carry an IFAK with CAT, Celox, Russell or Fox chest seal, Israeli bandage, NPA. In the car, more of that, plus various size OPAs and I-gels, BVM, gauze bandages various sizes, pulse ox, ATMIST cards plus chinagraph pencil and an AED. I’m trained, licensed and regulated to carry and use it.The only stuff I don’t have, that I do at work, is Penthrox and O2. To paraphrase the Flannel Daddy “get some training”.

Venting gas from every orifice. Although I’ve come back to it this morning to give it a go and it seems to be ok so far… 3rd photo, from web, that appears to match and makes me think it’s a WE… I think I have an answer, thanks to @MILITATED and an ad he’s posted that I saw whilst casually browsing potential replacements. WE it is.

The boy’s got a 1911 that appears to possibly be a WE Kimber and the magazine’s gone defective. There are no markings, bar “45 ACP” on the barrel at the ejection port, externally or internally and doesn’t have the frame rail that I’ve seen on other images, although it does appear to be drilled and tapped to take a screw on adapter. Help in identifying so I can buy the correct replacement mag appreciated! Either that or I’m forking out for a new sidearm…

I picked mine up for £65 off EBay, right place right time to get that good a deal. But if you’re looking at £200-300 on a second hand TAD or similar, then the Carinthias on Kit Pest are well worth a look.