> "knowledge is power."
The reason he was using his helmet as a seat was a logistical one. Logistics
is hellish on any Terrestrial Campaign, much less on an interstellar scale. If
the Hapless PFC had been properly supplied, yes, he would not have taken it in
the shorts. That, and the fact that field discipline was lacking, maybe. My
point was if you rely on information from high tech sources you may be let
down, especially in the 'gritty'
future as I see it. My vision owes more to Jerry Pournelle's CO-DO
stuff, Forlorn Hope, or other 'back to basics' military SF, than
unlimited ammo fests of ridiculous 'pseudohigh-tech' P.S.B.-tron guns
guided by the Omniscient 2000 super spy-o-comp. But hey, that's my
opinion.
(BTW, Hoskins ain't dead, folks like Hoskins rarely get what they deserve,
more's the pity.....)
Private Hoskins moaned and shuddered on the stretcher in the casevac (at least
the VTOL fans were replaced last shuttle run). Two other of his
squadmates were here, battered and bleeding, and the El-Tee was sunning
himself, sans the upper third of his cranium back in the veldt-grass
under the spreading pseudo-mesquites. Hoskins could barely bubble up red
arterial blood seemingly in time to the throb of the VecFan engines,
luckily for him the Bird he was in was a sturdy Lockheed/MiG 3027, built
like a tank and reliable as a bull-ox. The '27 circled over Forward Base
McCarthy, home of the "Fighting Forty-Five" commonly known amongst the
other formations as the Forlorn 45's. Settling in a plume of dust, Hoskins was
processed and sent into peaceful oblivion with a quick shot from a spray hypo.
Hoskins began to wonder where they had managed to find the space for
brass band and a top-fuel dragster in his throbbing head. The buzz of
painkillers mixed with the 'badger-in-a-microwave' screech and
pop-squeal of forced regen-equipment created a fuzzy, hellish distance
from his battered body. Doctors and MedTechs came and went, saying cryptic
things like....
"Vatgrown replacement colon..." "Had to have ricochetted....." "Million to one
odds...." "Lucky S.O.B. must have been sitting on his helmet..."
> [quoted text omitted]
I hope to hear more about the adventures of PFC Hoskins.
> George,Eugene M wrote:
> <snipped>
In a message dated 97-08-19 13:40:10 EDT, you write:
<< The reason he was using his helmet as a seat was a logistical one.
Logistics is hellish on any Terrestrial Campaign, much less on an interstellar
scale. If the Hapless PFC had been properly supplied, yes, he would not have
taken it in the shorts. That, and the fact that field discipline was lacking,
maybe. My point was if you rely on information from high tech sources you may
be let down, especially in the 'gritty'
future as I see it. My vision owes more to Jerry Pournelle's CO-DO
stuff, Forlorn Hope, or other 'back to basics' military SF, than
unlimited ammo fests of ridiculous 'pseudohigh-tech' P.S.B.-tron guns
guided by the Omniscient 2000 super spy-o-comp. But hey, that's my
opinion. >>
Sgt. Heinz walked up to Cpl. Schneider and said " On your feet soldier, Capt.
Schroeder called and said to send a troopper to the CP and pick up two
replacements. And while you're there, pick up Yohan's new helmet. I want to
get the new guy worked into the squad before we move up, the NAC is sending in
a new battalion!"
Cpl Schneider looked up and said, "Green troops? Why don't they just bring up
to strength the units they sent here in the first place? It takes a third the
shipping to keep us supplied and up to strength than it does for them to
introduce a new battalion to replace the one we beat up this last month!
"
"The Capt. said it's because they let their politicians determine military
policy. If the politicians talked about replacements they would have to
discuss casualties, if they bring in a new unit they can ignore them. Besides
would you rather go up against experienced troops who knew how to use their
equiptment or these parade ground soldiers who don't do field repairs?"
"You're right as usual Sarge, I'm glad they ship us out with 5 kilo's of
replacement parts in our field kits!"
I agree to a limited degree, but logistically its cheaper to maintain your
equiptment and units than to replace them by a major factor. Properly trained
troops use technology as an aid to their basic senses, not as a replacement.
I expect the high tech helmet of the future will not be this bulbus, all
enclosing, gadget laden piece of plastic that cuts off all other sight and
sound. I expect it will look a lot like a present day helmet with a minor
1/2" bulge on one side and no visible antenae. The vid screen will be a
transparent fold down visor like baseball players have, the vid will show (on
overlay) the magna view, thermal imagining, text and graphics. The throat mike
will be a permanent implant (powered by induction from the helmet) and the
controls will be VR'd through a glove or hand motions.
As for reliability, by the time we reach the stars I expect electonics to have
progressed as much as aircraft did from the First World War to now. The real
question is will the soldiers be trained well enough to understand this
information and then act on it? Not, will it work?