Quote:
Originally Posted by CDAT
Two things, first it is lake city, not Salt Lake (not sure where lake city is located), second at least in the US every military base that I have been to has ammo stockpiled both war stocks and training ammo, depending on the base and what training can be done there would make a difference on what ammo is there.
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Ah, sorry, Lake City.
So, 'war stocks' are???
The only reference I was able to dig up is for a 'unit of fire' and the definition dates back to WW2 and assumed 1 days high intensity battle (and assumed that would only occur once a month, at least in the PTO) for the unit. AIUI now undefined (or maybe called something else?) Units of Fire are carried on unit transport, at least at Battalion level or above.
ISTR (hazily) that it was assumed that a US/NATO unit would typically have 2-3 UoFs at Battalion, the same at Brigade, and perhaps 2-3 times that much at Divisional level, at least when on a war footing. Whether that was more pious wishful thinking or actuality I have no idea ... I do remember reading that non US NATO (especially the Dutch and Danes) skimped on all sorts of ammo and ordnance, relying on the assumption that the US would bail then out from *their* stocks if the shtf ... which would, of course, burnt US logistics planning to a crisp.
So, I am guessing, bases have (on or nearby) at least one UoF (for long term training rather than combat) and an unspecified amount additional to that for 'war reserve' ... but, presumably, not on the base itself (if in or near a populated area) or one some out of the way part of the base?
Which would be what would be burnt through at least once in any ZA scenario, a la The Walking Dead ... I can't see a lot of aimed headshots (except maybe Marines, if you take their assertions seriously) but one hell of a lot of spray and pray, especially as Zombie numbers escalate.
I would guess that artillery units would be mostly useless by the time the need for them was realised ... they require a rear area to be placed in, but pretty much everywhere would be 'front line' ... as Zombie numbers increase, they'd need more troops defending them than they would contribute firepower to distant units. Unless they can (and do) fire over open sights ... which requires flechette or canister or whatever they call it these days, and I understand that there's never much of it, if it is even available for the caliber weapon in question.
Mortars would, of course, be useful, but run into the resupply problem and, to a lesser extent, the need for a rear area.
Airforce bases? Well, they would have to be defended and, apart from Helicopters (Attack or merely armed), wouldn't have much utility because of lack of the right sort of ordnance, I am guessing. Standard HE/Frag would be worse than useless ... you'd need napalm or massive overkill with something like bomblets, and I suspect they are in relatively short supply,.
Naval bases would have an advantage in that they can simply pull up the gangplank and watch the Zombies mill around on shore ... assuming the base has enough lift capacity to put everyone on ships. And assuming that the infection doesn't get aboard the ships ... at which point they become the venue for a nasty real-life version of a Hollywood slasher flick.
And the Navy's problem would be that, aiui, ships carry only a small number of smallarms, only enough for a tiny fraction of the complement, and, likewise, don't carry a heck of a lot of smallarms ammo for those weapons. Unless, of course, you have a MEF or MEB stationed there, along with its 'Phibs and support ships.
(And that assumes that said Naval Base is actually on or otherwise connected to an Ocean ... I saw enough 'Naval Facilities' in inland locations as I toured all over the US for almost 3 months in 2010 and again in 2014)
Phil