Near-future US Ranger loadout

[Langy]

Originally Posted by Cheomesh

I have a tangentially related question. I'm doing a one session mission game where my players are going in as some kind of elite Para-Rescue-like guys. Or perhaps they're closer to Force Recon, or really just kind of fictional Elites who go and do things.

Anyways, they're going in via HALO. Just how much can one get away with carrying on a HALO drop?

M.

Probably quite a lot; the maximum weight for the TL8 ram-air parachute in High-Tech (the one they'd use for HALO drops) is 400 pounds, and the extra gear for going HALO is pretty much just an air mask and air tanks, adding another 20 pounds. That still gives you well over one hundred pounds of gear potential, even for rather large soldiers.

EDIT: Note that prior to remembering 'hey, GURPS has books for this stuff!', I researched this using Google and got 360 pounds as the max weight for a random military parachute.

[cosmicfish]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Why wasn't this included in GURPS Special Ops? Is it a new SEAL thing, or was it done earlier but was still classified info when Special Ops was last being updated? It's highy useful infomation.

Not sure what was publicly available at the time, but the details tend to change at least every decade or so. The platoon assignments I mentioned are actually less game-play interesting than Special Forces specialties - most of it has to do with who is responsible for checking and maintain crucial gear, although Comms and Intel cover some pretty important and unique operational skills. The real fun is in all the secondary training, not just sniper and free fall school but more esoteric things as well - a couple of SEALs got trained as Predator pilots at one point! Let me know if you have any questions.

[cosmicfish]

Originally Posted by Cheomesh

I have a tangentially related question. I'm doing a one session mission game where my players are going in as some kind of elite Para-Rescue-like guys. Or perhaps they're closer to Force Recon, or really just kind of fictional Elites who go and do things.

Anyways, they're going in via HALO. Just how much can one get away with carrying on a HALO drop?

M.

Your chute can carry you and more gear than you can reasonably carry. Add in supplemental chutes and you can take in just about anything you need, up to and including light vehicles.

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by cosmicfish

Your chute can carry you and more gear than you can reasonably carry. Add in supplemental chutes and you can take in just about anything you need, up to and including light vehicles.

I'm getting a funny image of a ranger with a Ford Explorer strapped to his back, all dangling from two parafoils.

[cosmicfish]

Originally Posted by DouglasCole

I'm getting a funny image of a ranger with a Ford Explorer strapped to his back, all dangling from two parafoils.

That's in the next Rambo movie. The Explorer looks cooler than a wheelchair.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by cosmicfish

Not sure what was publicly available at the time, but the details tend to change at least every decade or so. The platoon assignments I mentioned are actually less game-play interesting than Special Forces specialties - most of it has to do with who is responsible for checking and maintain crucial gear, although Comms and Intel cover some pretty important and unique operational skills. The real fun is in all the secondary training, not just sniper and free fall school but more esoteric things as well - a couple of SEALs got trained as Predator pilots at one point! Let me know if you have any questions.

I don't have any specific questions about modern era Special Ops. I'm just generally very interested in the subject. I've got GURPS Special Ops 1 and 3 (I originally had 2, but sold it when I got 3. Later I bought 1 solely for the interest value of the cost-inflated templates; I haven't read it much) and GURPS SEALS in Vietnam, and would be quite interested in seeing more GURPS material on the subject.

GURPS Special Ops 3 also (I can't recall of 2E did it too) talks about SEALs with unusual training, although without giving specific examples.

[Dustin]

Originally Posted by Maz

As far as thy have heard China is helping out the Red Khmere (who have resurfaced) with high-tech gear. It is this gear they have to find and destroy, so I think thermite would probably make the most sense. They do not need to blow up the entire facility, just the crucial stuff.

Why pick? Thermobaric and fuel-air explosives are sounding very tempting here, at least for the initial assault. High yield for their weight, and the oxygen depletion in underground spaces is a nice bonus (at least if you're the one on the outside).

[Sarge]

It's your game of course, but in the real world Rangers typically carry between 15 and 20 loaded 30-round magazines a piece, and will carry more if you let them.

Why?

Because when then Rangers are sent out they know they'll use that ammo and they seldom come back with much of it left.

Also, rounds are never carried loose or boxed, they're always loaded in magazines.

I just realized there's something else we all forgot. Each Ranger will carry a small hand-held GPS/smartphone/mini-comp, depending on the campaign's TL.

Originally Posted by Maz

Re. Exoskeletons
It doesn't really look that practical at all, even in 10 years time. Even if it was made more practical, would they really outfit an entire company with it? It sounds expensive.
Anyway, I'm not against the idea it just have to be somewhat believable. Would they be able to resist armouring the thing? How would it work in GURPS? How would it looks and feel to the soldier?

Would they outfit the entire company with it? Well that depends. Is America in your game world still financially stable, or is its current financial condition continuing to spiral out of control, thus contributing to if not causing, these future conflicts?

If they can afford it then yes, otherwise no. Although, they might just issue them to the SAW gunners and/or possibly the mortar squad.

Yes, they would definitely resist armoring the exoskeletons. The Rangers will be wearing kevlar vests with level 3 shock plates anyway. The point behind the exoskeleton, or more likely just a lower body exoskeleton, is to carry more gear faster longer. The point is not to be Starship Troopers or small mechs. The technology isn't up to that and the Ranger leadership has been incredibly good in the past about not trying to saddle their companies with stupid equipment, they generally leave that to the Air Force.

[Maz]

Originally Posted by cosmicfish

So if you want to limit the ammo, I would just manufacture a scenario that did so. For example:

[snip]

Or something like that.

This is awesome! Its close to my original planned intro, but I like it better.
I'm definitely going to steal it ;)


And thanks Sarge for the input on the exoskeleton maybe being used by the SAW, hadn't thought of that, but it makes perfect sense.

[Sarge]

Originally Posted by Maz

And thanks Sarge for the input on the exoskeleton maybe being used by the SAW, hadn't thought of that, but it makes perfect sense.

I'm not sure how much technology will have advanced in your campaign, but imagine if the SAW gunner had a powered exoskeleton that also had a mount for said Squad Automatic Weapon.

I wonder if your players will be able to resist the urge to yell out, "Let's Rock!"