[pmulcahy11b]

I think problems such as the L85 in the Twilight War would have been taken care of quickly and efficiently as troop experiences mounted -- as long as the industrial base and means to turn the rifles in for refurbishment and get them back to the troops quickly existed. That would go for pretty much any equipment. That pretty much brings us back to TDM, when the industrial base and transportation network of the world pretty much fell apart in the space of a few hours. I think that until then (at least on the NATO side), problem equipment would be modified or replaced pretty quickly -- there's plenty of precedent for that in World War 2.

On the Soviet/Warsaw Pact side -- well, the precedent there for most troops is "Shut up and be happy with what you have, and remember that we can always provide you with 'incentive' to work with what you've got." Units like Spetsnaz, Airborne, and Air Assault units may have had their input better listened to, but most of their troops would have to make do with whatever shortcomings their equipment has. Occasionally, something innovative might turn up (like in World War 2 with the T-34), but for the most part, their troops are going to fight the war with what they had to start out with, and after TDM, it'll just get worse.