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-Z- (z@gundam.com)
Sun, 19 Nov 2000 14:30:19 -0800
> * Nicholas is correct that the situation of the Kojima Battalion - seldom
> straying far from base, and the ability to interchange parts between GMs
> and Gundams - largely nullifies my points about spare parts and
> maintenance. So there must be other reasons for keeping the teams
> homogenous...
Since the time of the Romans, armies have put a premium on standardization of
equipment among its members. Only the highest ranks or most elite forces are
allowed the luxury of personalized or nonstandard issue gear. In addition to
maintenance issues, there's also training and readiness -- one of the reasons
for inspections is to ensure that everyone is in compliance with the given
standards and that the equipment is in good working order.
Out in the field, you need ti be able to exchange and interchange equipment on
the run. Many of our "buddy care" and first aid techniques are based on
everyone having the same gear and being able to combine certain elements -- two
fatigue jackets buttoned together and supported by two tent poles become a field
litter, two soldiers combine their shelter halves to make one shelter, etc. --
and, of course, everyone can swap ammo among their weapons.
When I was in the Air Force, I rarely saw mixed formations -- usually, they only
occured during joint operations of two or more different services or national
force, such as the Team Spirit exercise mentioned in a previous post.
You alluded to one good reason for homogenous flights in your own earlier
post -- everyone has the same capabilities, especially in terms of weight and
balance and range and fuel reserves, so everyone should be able to perform the
same maneuvers in unison with having to calculate these critical factors in
mid-mission. The commander knows the capabilities of his subordinates down to
the last decimal place and can even infer their current status as an
extrapolation of his or her own and is this less likely to exceed over overtax
them in the heat of combat. It also makes it easier to recalculate a given
aircraft's remaining resources should it be forced into breaking with the others
and the mission profile and ending up in a different situation from the rest.
-Z-
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