Small Arms and Infantry Equipment of the Ziru Sirka

[Drej]

Ruknikha-di-la, 7.02x37mmCL (TL9)

Produced in quantities orders of magnitude greater than any other firearm in history, the Ruknikha-di-la was the standard infantry weapon of the Ziru Sirka for over 3000 years. With its straight stock and folding bayonet, the Ruknikha looked archaic, but it was simple and effective.

The Ruknikha lacked integral electronics and a fire selector lever, two features ubiquitous on its Terran counterparts. Instead, every trooper was issued with a simple and durable 4x day/night scope, to be attached as needed, and the rifle had dual triggers--the forward giving closed bolt semiautomatic fire, the rear fully automatic from an open bolt. In practice, the rear trigger was rarely used, for while the average Vilani soldier was a mediocre shot by Terran standards, he almost universally possessed excellent fire discipline and seldom "rock-and-rolled" without explicit orders even in the heat of combat.

The forestock of the Ruknikha had attachment points for an underslung Sashiira grenade launcher, generally issued one per squad.

NOTE: Unscrupulous dealers in military antiquities and poorly-informed "experts" continue to claim that the so-called "Iladuknikha" was a rare shortened version of the infantry rifle used by certain Vilani armored and commando units. In fact, this was a field modification from the Rule of Man era, and the many examples bearing Ziru Sirka markings in circulation today are almost invariably recent forgeries. Caveat emptor.

Uses the stats for the 7mm assault carbine (UT 137), but with Shots 46 and a superfine bayonet.

[Drej]

Arashukhadinira-di-la, 7.02x37mmCL (TL9)

A variant of the Ruknikha with a heavier barrel and folding T-shaped monopod/foregrip, the Arashukhadinira was used as both a light support weapon and sniper rifle. The Arashukhadinira retained the dual triggers and bayonet of the infantry rifle, but could not mount a grenade launcher. It accepted both 46-round box magazines and a 77-round drum.

Use the stats of the Light Support Weapon (UT 137). A drum magazine weighs 2.5 pounds.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Drej

Arashukhadinira-di-la, 7.02x37mmCL (TL9)

A variant of the Ruknikha with a heavier barrel and folding T-shaped monopod/foregrip, the Arashukhadinira was used as both a light support weapon and sniper rifle. The Arashukhadinira retained the dual triggers and bayonet of the infantry rifle, but could not mount a grenade launcher. It accepted both 46-round box magazines and a 77-round drum.

Use the stats of the Light Support Weapon (UT 137). A drum magazine weighs 2.5 pounds.

Is sniping really Vilani style? It requires trusting the individual initiative of soldiers a lot. Dishaan units might use those as they are effectively serial killers dropped behind Terran lines to kill whomever they run into. And the Legion of the Frontier might as they are eccentric. But wouldn't ordinary use of this be by designated sharpshooters and by countersnipers rather then an offensive use of snipers?

I would imagine the Vilani Army to be rather like the stereotypes of the Russian army. It would have at it's best a high degree of unit cohesion, endurance, and tolerance of hardship. However even the best units would be low on flexibility and the worse would be cyphers. Thus Vilani could probably field very high quality line infantry and artillery. But things that require "fanciness" like armor, special forces, or snipers would be of lower quality.

Of course the Russian army was never completely like that. In WWII Russia had a lot of very good snipers. And of course it has the Spetznaz though their use may be as much assault troops as special forces as we think of. After all the one Spetznaz operation that I have read about, the original coup at Kabul seemed(from what I can remember) to have, except for the insertion, more a jackboot-on-face air then an air of "commandoish dash". On the other hand Russia has always been a wilderness country that could produce hardy people and her rulers have always had less control over them then they thought.

But in any case wouldn't one imagine that the Vilani would be even more like that stereotype? Vilani don't like frontiers and don't romanticize them the way Terrans do. They have "Martial Races" in their army but they don't understand them and misuse their talents. Vilani were not fighting for the survival of their state until the later part of the wars and never for survival of their way of life. They were fighting for Pax Villanica. And it is easy from their perspective to see how they might consider that failure to keep an iron grip on the army would be more of a potential threat then losing a petty campaign to the Terran Barbarians.

In fact Vilani may not even consider sniping of enough importance to field a purpose built weapon for it. Likely they will consider ROF to be the most important consideration. And sharpshooting weapons will simply be adaptations. As indeed this weapon is.

[Drej]

Those are pretty much my thoughts, but I got lazy in the description. To clarify, I didn't envision this as primarily a sniper rifle. Most of the time it's a (rather poor) light machine gun, but its monopod and lower felt recoil (and probably longer barrel and range, if I'd bothered to come up with original stats) make it better for precision work when the officer and expert system tells you that's what you need.

On a related note, I'd imagine Vilani troops have a lot more points in Soldier than things like Guns.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Drej

Those are pretty much my thoughts, but I got lazy in the description. To clarify, I didn't envision this as primarily a sniper rifle. Most of the time it's a (rather poor) light machine gun, but its monopod and lower felt recoil (and probably longer barrel and range, if I'd bothered to come up with original stats) make it better for precision work when the officer and expert system tells you that's what you need.

On a related note, I'd imagine Vilani troops have a lot more points in Soldier than things like Guns.

I imagine the best Villani officers and non coms would go out of their way to make sure of getting soldier skills. Soldier skills are more timeless then tactics. While a Roman Centurion might be bewildered by modern weapons, he likely would have good advice about how to carry one's pack or keep gravel out of one's boots or what not. Likewise all the old Villani tricks about that sort of thing would still be relevant in the ISW even if Terran Tactics were a new development. Terrans had nothing to teach them about how to take care of a camp stove.

[Ewan Quibell]

One area where the Villani would be way ahead of the Terrans is logistics.

Supply, re-supply, mobilisation, troop movements etc these would all likley be done with ammasing organisation and efficency. Especially when you get into the area a logistics between star systems. The Vilani had thousands of years of practice before the Terrans even discovered Jump, added to the Vilani character traites.

You can bet that those Vilani infanty who might not have been as good at fighting than the Terrans, never ran out of ammunition, always have fire supprt, and eat four square a Dandir.

Another aspect to the Vilani infantry would be the 36 hour Dandir as opposed to the Terran 24 hour day. It's likley that the Vilani infantry would be better at sustained activity over longer periods than there Terran counterparts.

Regards,

Ewan

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Ewan Quibell

One area where the Villani would be way ahead of the Terrans is logistics.

Supply, re-supply, mobilisation, troop movements etc these would all likley be done with ammasing organisation and efficency. Especially when you get into the area a logistics between star systems. The Vilani had thousands of years of practice before the Terrans even discovered Jump, added to the Vilani character traites.

You can bet that those Vilani infanty who might not have been as good at fighting than the Terrans, never ran out of ammunition, always have fire supprt, and eat four square a Dandir.

Another aspect to the Vilani infantry would be the 36 hour Dandir as opposed to the Terran 24 hour day. It's likley that the Vilani infantry would be better at sustained activity over longer periods than there Terran counterparts.

Regards,

Ewan

Oh Vilani would be VERY good at logistics. After all, Vilani always "count by elevens."

[jason taylor]

What is a Ziru Sirka camp cook like? Would he be a lower grade shugali or would he be something else.

One time I sent my dad part of a story. They were invited to a feast by an outpost commander who wished to be oh-so-formal to defy the reality that he was out in the boondocks.

Eneri a Khimishargu interpretor from Nusku told them to look away when the cook prepared the meal to avoid seeing his secrets.

The engineer rather unclassily said, "He's a camp cook"

Whereupon Eneri said, "But tonight he is a Shugali."

Now of course the conversation could remain the same if a camp cook was technically a Shugali. But are they?

[Drej]

Vilani dress uniforms were as ostentatious as anything from Terra's Napoleonic period, and were sometimes worn in the field in preference to the combat uniform, which was a simple tunic and trousers or kilt in dull olive, ochre, gray or mauve, depending on world and unit. A temperature-regulating bodysleeve was also issued. Later in the Interstellar Wars a variety of camouflaged uniforms began to appear in schemes which often bore a remarkable resemblance to World War One "lozenge" and "dazzle" patterns.

The Vilani soldier was protected by a light clamshell cuirass and a one-piece helmet with a detachable visor and short-range radio. An assault harness was worn over the cuirass. This had attachment points for six magazine pouches and an expert system computer, all worn on the chest to provide additional protection against hits to the vitals, as well as the two packs carried by infantrymen. The combat pack wrapped completely around the waist, and had large compartments for extra magazines, grenades, high-energy food paste and a small water bladder.

The rucksack and its frame could be quickly detached from the assault harness. It had eight individual compartments containing:
1) A water bladder with a capacity of approximately 4 liters.
2) A vacuum flask holding a day's ration of beer--about a liter. Vilani "warrior beer" was relatively low in alcohol content (8% or so), but especially rich in vitamins and carbohydrates.
3) A mess kit with a copper pot and cup, a collapsible tripod, a utensil (the so-called "vilork"), a fire piston, spice packs, water purification tablets and 12 ration bars. These could be eaten without preparation, but the preferred method was to dissolve them in hot water to make a kind of thick porridge.
4) A toiletry kit with a hand mirror, razor, toothbrush analog, multipurpose cleansing gel and other personal necessities.
5) A first aid kit with bandage spray and a variety of syrettes with analgesics, antiradiation drugs and stimulants.
6) A sewing kit.
7) Components for the squad tent and a lightweight sleeping bag.
8) A large pouch for personal items, spare power cells, etc.

Every Vilani soldier also carried a wickedly curved knife, a multitool, and an entrenching tool that could double as a vicious hand-to-hand weapon.

Boots were considered the most important item of equipment. These usually resembled short jackboots, made out of chemically treated leather with aramid liners. Six pairs of synthetic elastic oversocks and six pairs of organic pseudo-woolen footwraps were issued.

[ciaran_skye]

Originally Posted by Drej

2) A vacuum flask holding a day's ration of beer--about a liter. Vilani "warrior beer" was relatively low in alcohol content (8% or so), but especially rich in vitamins and carbohydrates.

As a cerevisaphile (lover of beer) I can say an 8% ABV beer is very strong as beers go (most are 3-5%) and a liter of that? Holy cow... (For comparison most wines are 12% ABV and distilled spirits usually begin at 35%.)