Littlefield Collection - Olefin universe

[Olefin]

Something I wrote a couple of months ago when I heard about the auction - about how that collection and the facility was used in my timeline of the war.

Figured with all the posts lately about the Littlefield collection I would finish it up and post it. Enjoy.


Late August 2000

The compound holding the vehicles of the Littlefield Collection have been guarded by a large contingent of ex-military and Special Forces soldiers ever since law and order broke down following the nuclear strikes. Supplementing the guard force of over 60 picked and highly compensated men were several operational vehicles with operational armaments that now were performing their designed function to keep any intruders at bay, using a limited amount of live ammunition that Littlefield had managed to obtain over the years.

Inside the facility work continued on restoring other vehicles, with power provided by a variety of alternative means, including solar, wind, alcohol and a large stockpile of diesel fuel, as he continued the hobby that he loved even as the world died around him.

Littlefield had made sure that nothing would interrupt the work going on there. From 1995 to 1997 he amassed a stockpile of canned goods, MRE’s and seeds to be able to grow more food once his stockpile ran out. In carefully hidden and guarded storage tanks were stocks of fuel and lubricants for the vehicles. And with the US having to bring older equipment back into operation he was even able to obtain items that previously he had not been able to find for some of his vehicles, including parts to reverse the demilitarization of several of the vehicles.

All during 1998, 1999 and into 2000 as the long struggle in California against the Mexican invaders occurred, work continued with the outside world having forgotten him. That forgetfulness came to an end on August 12 of 2000, as a delegation from the 40th Mechanized Infantry arrived, led by a man who at one time had gotten several items for him from US Army stockpiles long before the war.

Jacques sat down and listened as he was told that MilGov forces in California were at the end of their resources to be able to keep their armor going, with no possibility of more forthcoming from Colorado – not with Utah and Nevada's state governments taking any supplies that were sent to them, cutting their direct supply routes. The only hope for MilGov forces in California to reclaim the areas the Mexicans had taken was to use the repair facilities, the technicians there and most importantly the vehicles in his collection to be able to rebuild their forces and properly equip them with armor.

In the end they gave it to him bluntly – he could help MilGov repair their broken down and damaged vehicles as best he could and also provide reinforcements from the vehicles in his collection freely – or they would come get them. Jacques agreed to their demands but asked for one condition to be met. And with the stroke of a pen, Jacques M. Littlefield fulfilled his lifetime dream and was commissioned as a full Colonel in the US Army commanding the newly named Littlefield Army Depot.

March 28, 2001

Colonel Littlefield had his technicians initially concentrate on getting his own vehicles ready for the Army while vehicle transporters brought M1 tanks, Bradley AFV’s, M109 self propelled guns and other vehicles to the Depot for them to work on as well. Armorers got to work on his collection of shell casings and training shells to make sure that every vehicle would have at least one basic ammo load when it left while old shells stored in long forgotten stockpiles in CA arrived as well.

Machine guns were delivered and mounted and paint schemes were changed to current schemes as much as possible. Parts arrived to bring more demilitarized vehicles back to fully operational status. Most of the vehicles were switched over to run on alcohol as diesel and gas stocks in CA were very low. Other parts needed were harvested from non-operational tanks and vehicles throughout California including the engine and transmission needed to get an AMX-13 running again harvested from two knocked out Mexican vehicles.

The Depot was now even more secure than before with two companies from the 40th Mechanized now assigned as a permanent guard force to supplement the original one. Sixty new personnel had been assigned as well, mostly surviving mechanics and men experienced with military vehicles as well as six welders.

The first batch of vehicles had been readied and personnel trained up on them as quickly as possible to join the planned spring offensive against the Mexican forces. They were an eclectic group of vehicles, ranging from WWII veterans to prototypes to foreign vehicles, in two cases even ex-Soviet vehicles that once served in Middle Eastern armies. A second batch was close to being ready as well including several Stuart’s, Sherman’s and other assorted tanks and armored vehicles.

A column of tank transporters was leaving the facility with Colonel Littlefield watching as each one went thru the gate. While there was a feeling of accomplishment, he also felt sad to see his vehicles leaving, possibly to never return, some of them literally irreplaceable if they were lost.

As the last vehicles went thru the gate one of his men ran up and said “Sir, remember that team we sent to sneak into what was left of Camp Pendleton back in December? The parts they got worked like a charm! She is ready for you to take her out for a test drive anytime you are!” A smile spread across his face as he climbed into his M3A1 Scout Car and headed over to celebrate the rebirth of another of his babies, with the sound of the engine running clearly audible as he approached the M103A2.

[Olefin]

For anyone interested in the exact composition of the first vehicles sent out here they are - based on the vehicles that historically were in working order or could be repaired with more access to spare parts as per the story line or that only needed a .50 cal HMG to get them back to fully operational status

Was originally posted as general numbers in the Olefin universe thread but not with details

Dispatched to the 40th

Tanks - M60A1, M60A2

Dispatched as a reinforcement by itself

Composite battalion

Mech Infantry Company – M113A1 FSV, M59 APC, M114A1, FV603 Saracen APC, Panhard M3 APC, Dragoon APC, M5 Half track

Tank Company – Conqueror, Centurion Mk13, M47 Patton, M4A3 Sherman, M50 Sherman

Scout Company – Fox FV21 AC, FV601 Saladin, FV701 Ferret, Panhard EBR-90 ARV, T17E1 Staghound AC, Humber Mk IV AC

SPG Company - FV433 Abbot M105 SPG, Sexton SPG armed with a 105mm howitzer and an M37 105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage

HQ Section – Saracen Command Post vehicle, BTR-40

Engineering Company – M578, M88A1, M32B3 AV


With the second batch to include vehicles that had parts harvested by the Army for Littlefield's techs to use to get the vehicles back up and running as inferredin the story

notably the AMX-13 tank and the M103A2 tank that he had as well as what he needed to get one Ontos back into operational condition including the recoilless rifles

[kato13]

Have you put any thought into the wear condition for each vehicle?

Some would have fundamental maintenance issues.
Some would have been the pet projects of the maintenance staff and received extra TLC.
Some would have easier access to spare parts.

Were any used for movie production? Those might have gotten extra attention as they would be revenue generators.

[Olefin]

Actually I have - keep in mind that Littlefield restored his vehicles when they were done to basically either production or better than production condition - and many of them had working armament as well historically

Here he is getting not only more spare parts during the war as the Army tries to bring older equipment back into order out of storage depots but has access to their remaining stocks after he officially makes the Collection available to them.

The tanks for instance I choose have working armaments in real life with the exception of one Sherman tank. That is why the AMX and the M103A2 werent in the first batch - he needed more parts for them to get them fully working.

Most likely the wear value of most of the vehicles would be either a 0 or 1 at the most - with the ones that never got restored being from 7 to 10 - what he first sends out are the fully restored, fully armed vehicles. Its amazing how good his restoration work was. There were WWII and Korean War vets who said what he did was in better than factory condition.

For instance he has two Staghounds - one is in terrible shape and would have been used to get the other one ready. There are vehicles that were barely started in their renovation - both of the Jagdpanzer Kanone's he had for instance were very rough - probably wear value 9 or 10 - so not all of them are going to be able to be made useable. But the repair facilities are perfect to get damaged M1 tanks and Bradleys back into shape as well

[kato13]

The next issue is odd ammunition types.

It would be interesting to know if the US manufactured uncommon rounds (not for US modern equipment) such as 37, 75 and 90mm for export. Those shipments would have been locked down at some point.

I have always wanted to work the Rock Island Arsenal into a T2k scenario as it seems likely to survive in some form. Maybe they use their production equipment to make these uncommon rounds and the PC are somehow tasked with moving them overland (or down the Mississippi).

[Olefin]

Originally Posted by kato13

The next issue is odd ammunition types.

It would be interesting to know if the US manufactured uncommon rounds (not for US modern equipment) such as 37, 75 and 90mm for export. Those shipments would have been locked down at some point.

I have always wanted to work the Rock Island Arsenal into a T2k scenario as it seems likely to survive in some form. Maybe they use their production equipment to make these uncommon rounds and the PC are somehow tasked with moving them overland (or down the Mississippi).

He did have a lot of practice ammunition - which with the right skills could be made live again. And per the canon of the game there are places still making shells of various types. We are talking small production numbers - but getting enough for at least one basic ammo load per vehicle should be possible, especially HE shells. Also some vehicles could have barrels fitted from various knocked out vehicles that are different from what they were originally designed to take.

Many older vehicles actually had that done to make them more effective -look at all the mods to the Stuart and Sherman for instance

And I would love to see Rock Island worked in like that. Actually the game sort of ignored military production centers in the US with the one exception of the Lima Ohio tank plant and even then it really didnt look at what a treasure trove a plant like that would be. Imagine how many spare parts you could get for keeping your M1 fleet going from there even if you only could get a couple of operational tanks actually at the plant itself for "loot"

That was how in our game we kept our equipment running as long as we did - we raided Soviet depots and tank repair shops and found captured US ammo and spare parts to keep our vehicles going including my M1


Oh one other thing - to keep in mind the nine techs that he employed full time could fully restore around 4 tanks at a time which took anywhere from a year to two years to do depending on what was needed to do to them (some of them he got in very good condition, some he got that looked like wrecks and were actually wrecks). Thus we arent talking about a tidal wave of new equipment that fully restores the MilGov forces. What you are looking at is the ability to probably repair and restore to full operational capability at a rate of probably 8-16 vehicles per year (with them being recovered battle damaged or otherwise broken down tanks and APC's) if you want the level 0 to 1 wear level and probably twice that or more if you want a level 3-5 level where they only repair enough to get it operational. And his techs are very good at scavenging several vehicles to get what is needed to get one fully operational.

[Olefin]

By the way one thing to keep in mind is that when the game was written his collection was just starting out and even with V2 many people didnt know about it. That collection is a game changer in CA - its the obvious path for MilGov to retake at the very least CA and possibly much of AZ as well by being able to add new equipment and repair its old equipment when they were literally at the end of their logistical rope as to keeping what they had going, let alone reinforcing.

Plus if there is one place that canon definitely messes up its the US letting the Mexicans keep southern CA and Phoenix. There is no chance, actually zero that would happen. Especially considering Mexico's logistical issues - eastern New Mexico and Texas possibly but TJ and Baja hardly represent points of supply that make for a viable long term Mexican presence - especially considering that LA's water supply is in the part of the state that MilGov controls and ditto the water supply for much of southern AZ from the Colorado

Lose that and you go back to LA and southern AZ being desert oasis towns.

Thus Littlefield's collection and depot give MilGov what is needed for the American Reconquista of southern CA and AZ

[Matt Wiser]

Originally Posted by Olefin

By the way one thing to keep in mind is that when the game was written his collection was just starting out and even with V2 many people didnt know about it. That collection is a game changer in CA - its the obvious path for MilGov to retake at the very least CA and possibly much of AZ as well by being able to add new equipment and repair its old equipment when they were literally at the end of their logistical rope as to keeping what they had going, let alone reinforcing.

Plus if there is one place that canon definitely messes up its the US letting the Mexicans keep southern CA and Phoenix. There is no chance, actually zero that would happen. Especially considering Mexico's logistical issues - eastern New Mexico and Texas possibly but TJ and Baja hardly represent points of supply that make for a viable long term Mexican presence - especially considering that LA's water supply is in the part of the state that MilGov controls and ditto the water supply for much of southern AZ from the Colorado

Lose that and you go back to LA and southern AZ being desert oasis towns.

Thus Littlefield's collection and depot give MilGov what is needed for the American Reconquista of southern CA and AZ

Olefin: I agree. This should enable the liberation of Southern California and Arizona.