Infantry Discussion Thread part 11: Gallas Razor edition.

[Gallia-]

Why are you trying to dodge and weave with bike under fire, instead of leaving it behind goodwhile before you even start firing?

The Japanese were ambushed at least once in close combat by Anglo-Australian ground troops in Malaya.

Half the bike company was blown up on a bridge and the other half was stranded on the far side with a gaggle of Australian troops who engaged with rifle butts and pistols in what was essentially a melee. The Japanese troops couldn't unshackle their rifles fast enough so they had to fight off the attack with swords and bayonets. There were survivors so presumably the Japanese won, or maybe an officer was captured, but still.

It's very rare in any case. Most of the time soldiers carry their rifles slung on their backs with webbing of ammunition. Certainly modern soldiers would, since rifles are lighter nowadays.

[Purpelia]

See. That is why you issue swords.

[Gallia-]

The Australians actually just left in the middle of the ambush because someone cut their telephone cable with a shovel. They killed and wounded about 120 Japanese.

The Japanese killed one guy. Probably on accident.

[Purpelia]

The Australians actually just left in the middle of the ambush because someone cut their telephone cable with a shovel. They killed and wounded about 120 Japanese.

The Japanese killed one guy. Probably on accident.

They left because they didn't have a true man with a sword to stand up in the middle of the fighting and shout commands but instead had to rely on telephone.

[Gallia-]

No, it was because they couldn't talk to the howitzers they needed to actually kill all the Japanese, because someone cut their wire with a trench shovel or something. The ambush was fairly poorly timed and a few Japanese troops slipped out of the catchment and snuck around to cut the field wire. Literally like two or three guys.

Once they realized they couldn't talk to the 25 pdrs they just left. Some guys got lost in the orderly withdraw and were executed when they got found, but that was after the ambush.

[Post War America]

The Australians actually just left in the middle of the ambush because someone cut their telephone cable with a shovel. They killed and wounded about 120 Japanese.

The Japanese killed one guy. Probably on accident.

They left because they didn't have a true man with a sword to stand up in the middle of the fighting and shout commands but instead had to rely on telephone.

A man of culture I see.

[Triplebaconation]

The doctrine of Swiss bicycle troops was to set up hasty defenses of towns and villages. Over distances of less than 50 km they were found quicker to deploy than motorized or mechanized equivalents. Note that like many other European (or non-US in general) countries Switzerland has an excellent network of bicycle trails.

Their other main role was rear security.

Bicycles have a number of excellent niche roles but equipping large units of light infantry with bicycles probably isn't necessary. When circumstances and terrain dictate they'll spontaneously sprout bicycles anyway.

[Purpelia]

They left because they didn't have a true man with a sword to stand up in the middle of the fighting and shout commands but instead had to rely on telephone.

A man of culture I see.

I'll have you know that doctrinally Purpelian officers were newer officially issued handguns. NCO's and the like sure, they can like get one. Although they usually prefer rifles so as to not stick out. But true officers, especially senior ones only ever got a sword and what ever weapon they carried aside from that was private purchase. And that was usually nothing.

Swords are more than weapons. The are a badge of rank and honor. And they inspire the men to do their true best as opposed to a fake lesser best that they think is true. Great is the courage of those who advance without mercy for their foe or fear for their own lives, who march into certain death. Without them wars are not won. And only a sword pointed at the enemy can inspire that.

Plus like if your senior officers ever even see the enemy with their own two eyes something has gone horribly wrong.

[Gallia-]

The doctrine of Swiss bicycle troops was to set up hasty defenses of towns and villages. Over distances of less than 50 km they were found quicker to deploy than motorized or mechanized equivalents. Note that like many other European (or non-US in general) countries Switzerland has an excellent network of bicycle trails.

Their other main role was rear security.

Bicycles have a number of excellent niche roles but equipping large units of light infantry with bicycles probably isn't necessary. When circumstances and terrain dictate they'll spontaneously sprout bicycles anyway.

):<

[Triplebaconation]

I'm pretty sure FM 7-70 said to jack bikes when appropriate.

[Theodosiya]

A man of culture I see.

I'll have you know that doctrinally Purpelian officers were newer officially issued handguns. NCO's and the like sure, they can like get one. Although they usually prefer rifles so as to not stick out. But true officers, especially senior ones only ever got a sword and what ever weapon they carried aside from that was private purchase. And that was usually nothing.

Swords are more than weapons. The are a badge of rank and honor. And they inspire the men to do their true best as opposed to a fake lesser best that they think is true. Great is the courage of those who advance without mercy for their foe or fear for their own lives, who march into certain death. Without them wars are not won. And only a sword pointed at the enemy can inspire that.

Plus like if your senior officers ever even see the enemy with their own two eyes something has gone horribly wrong.

Laughs in HK-416 w/ M320

[Immoren]

I what remember reading about bikes is that
1) Bikes work surprisingly well in combined arms formation with tanks.
2) Bikes are good as long you manage to maintain momentum forward, but bike troops have problems keeping onto their bikes if they're forced to retreat.

[Purpelia]

I'll have you know that doctrinally Purpelian officers were newer officially issued handguns. NCO's and the like sure, they can like get one. Although they usually prefer rifles so as to not stick out. But true officers, especially senior ones only ever got a sword and what ever weapon they carried aside from that was private purchase. And that was usually nothing.

Swords are more than weapons. The are a badge of rank and honor. And they inspire the men to do their true best as opposed to a fake lesser best that they think is true. Great is the courage of those who advance without mercy for their foe or fear for their own lives, who march into certain death. Without them wars are not won. And only a sword pointed at the enemy can inspire that.

Plus like if your senior officers ever even see the enemy with their own two eyes something has gone horribly wrong.

Laughs in HK-416 w/ M320

Again, if your generals are even capable of seeing the enemy with their own eyes, let alone being shot at something has gone horribly wrong with your army and you should feel ashamed.

[Taihei Tengoku]

swords are for cutting big cakes

[Purpelia]

swords are for cutting big cakes

That too. Can't do that with a rifle.

[Gallia-]

swords are for cutting big cakes

[Theodosiya]

Laughs in HK-416 w/ M320

Again, if your generals are even capable of seeing the enemy with their own eyes, let alone being shot at something has gone horribly wrong with your army and you should feel ashamed.

Sure, but this isn't WH40K, buddy. Generals point with stick or laser pointer, not sword.

[Kazarogkai]

A man of culture I see.

I'll have you know that doctrinally Purpelian officers were newer officially issued handguns. NCO's and the like sure, they can like get one. Although they usually prefer rifles so as to not stick out. But true officers, especially senior ones only ever got a sword and what ever weapon they carried aside from that was private purchase. And that was usually nothing.

Swords are more than weapons. The are a badge of rank and honor. And they inspire the men to do their true best as opposed to a fake lesser best that they think is true. Great is the courage of those who advance without mercy for their foe or fear for their own lives, who march into certain death. Without them wars are not won. And only a sword pointed at the enemy can inspire that.

Plus like if your senior officers ever even see the enemy with their own two eyes something has gone horribly wrong.

Meh swords are overrated. A kick ass Club that doubles as a walking stick is not only more practical and functional but stylish too. Something like this would be good:



For historical reasons my guys would be rocking Axes due to a long history of and the importance of headhunting within their culture. This would be especially important as the stylish helmets of old fell out of favor when the army starting reforming during the late 19th early 20th century.

[Gallia-]

I what remember reading about bikes is that
1) Bikes work surprisingly well in combined arms formation with tanks.
2) Bikes are good as long you manage to maintain momentum forward, but bike troops have problems keeping onto their bikes if they're forced to retreat.

I think 2 is because soldiers panic and abandon the bicycle. This happened in Belgium in 1940 when Allied troops would abandon their bikes, for whatever reason, and presumably got murdered by pursuing Nazis. Probably because they dismounted the bicycle in ambush and got overrun or something instead of attacking into the ambush.

An orderly retreat that gives you time to turn the bike around is fine I imagine. But as long as someone is shooting at you, you really need to attack.

[Arkandros]

swords are for cutting big cakes

That too. Can't do that with a rifle.

laughs in bayonet

[Questarian New Yorkshire]

Plus like if your senior officers ever even see the enemy with their own two eyes something has gone horribly wrong.

?

[Arkandros]

Plus like if your senior officers ever even see the enemy with their own two eyes something has gone horribly wrong.

?

I presume Purp means senior in the sense of O-6 and above, where you’d rarely see combat (if at all) outside of very specific billets.

[Questarian New Yorkshire]

?

[Questarian New Yorkshire]

imagine thinking that your brigade and division commanders wont be anywhere near a battle area LOL

what they will be doing? play lego in a giant underground concrete box 500 miles away?

[Questarian New Yorkshire]

"The forward brigade is advancing over the rocky defile but they're taking heavy fire while they're going in - should we commit the reserve?"

"Rather than going to observe this situation myself I shall require you to describe to my in detail the terrain so I can make my decision from very far away, rather than just being there with a pair of binoculars and making the decision"

OR

"Sir the enemy has caught up with our headquarters, what shall we do?"

"Let's teleport away like in a video game so we aren't captured."