Gear Concerns in game
General comments:
Ok, I see a rather large pachyderm taking up much of the room, so let me get that out of the way. First, as Muns stated, the reason all that gear is listed it, in part, to remind you that these are harsh mountain conditions. For the past several days, most of your characters have been at significantly lower elevations and relative warmth. Now at Charlie’s FOB at elevation where the wind whips constantly, the temperatures are colder and less forgiving. Also, this represents the general equipment that the Army issues to units moving around in these kinds of conditions.
Weather and Climate:
Welcome to the Carpathians, where if you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will get worse. The beginning of March has always been a bit of a crap shoot when it comes to weather. However, thanks to the various nuclear detonations across the planet, the climate is going through a significant cooling trend, and while it has not gotten to its worst, temperatures, winds, snowfall, etc, are already setting records. Temperatures in and around the current game location remain at or below zero on the Fahrenheit scale or -18C… for daytime highs in the sun with no more than a light breeze. The mission is likely to take the group to areas that are colder, winds stronger and snow deeper.
Weight, Equipment Tracking and Expectations
The 173rd Infantry Brigade (Airborne) is a light infantry unit. The most accurate thing I can say about the light infantry never feels lighter to the soldiers. This is because they generally have to carry everything they need to fight and to live, with them. That having been said, I, as the GM, have no intention to put everyone through carrying 100lb/50kg rucks or heavily penalizing people in a way that would be unfair.
I have already worked up a "standard weight" for how kit would be carried for individuals. In addition, the leaders I’ve provided are highly capable and approachable. They have the specific pre-war training and experience to lead this type of mission. There are other "cheats" that I have had going on in the background to help your characters manage the equipment that we just haven’t gotten to yet.
Now, about the list I put out. Muns pointed out 2 things that are accurate that I’ll point out real quick. The first is basically just a bookkeeping issue and doesn’t affect things - all ECWCS items are GEN II, not GEN III. Nothing to freak out about. Also, Muns was on top of things as far as who I am and what I’ve done.
As I said above, the list is what the Army would issue. And I had the PSG give you the same basic instructions that you would get in real life. Many of your character reactions are exactly what I heard when I went to my first Arctic CIF issue. So if it helps sooth the players reactions, the list basically got the exact reaction it should have. And that was half the reason I gave it to you all.
The other half was, more or less, a point of information, education if you will. Looking at the list, there should be 1) an appreciation of the importance of the upcoming mission, 2) an understanding that the environment is as likely or perhaps more likely to kill as enemy bullets, and 3) so that you have an understanding of the gear your characters will be using in order to stay alive and accomplish your mission.
As for equipment tracking and accountability, no, I do not expect anyone to transfer all this to character sheets. No, I do not expect anyone to account for all the equipment issued. No, you do not have to carry all this equipment. For in game posts, you don’t have to be overly specific about things. The biggest thing I can think of is the cold weather clothing. The Army’s ECWCS (Extended Cold Weather Clothing System) has 7 layers. But I do not expect anyone to specify the layers by name. If your character is exerting a lot of energy, just say something to the effect of So-n-So changes layers to keep from overheating or something similar. The same goes for all the equipment.
Going Forward
Over the next several days in game, your characters will be receiving a dose of concentrated training regarding the equipment, how to use it, when to use what and what to look for to help prevent falling victim to the environment. During that time, I look forward to helping to refine things further. If anyone has questions, or additional concerns, please feel free to message me directly. I do not want to overwhelm the players and I am sure we can work out suitable solutions.
Sincerely,
RW,
gm-T2K:Romania