Months in Combat issues

[kato13]

Andy-Shot 10-08-2004, 09:29 AM I was looking into some background information for a character, who had 24 months in combat, or 2 years. The year, was, however 2000, so that means he entered into combat in 1998. The last boat brought troops over in 1997 if i remembered correctly. What was the PC doing for a year where he wouldnt be considered in combat - but in Europe.

********************

shrike6 10-08-2004, 11:04 AM I'll venture a guess here Andy, it all depends on what your character is but he could have been at a diplomatic post. Marine guard at the US Embassy in Paris for example. Something along those lines anyway. Hope that helps.

********************

Jason Weiser 10-08-2004, 01:15 PM That's not quite true, occasional troop convoys came over in 98 and 99, if you read Howiling Wilderness and USAVG. Now also, how many rear area types got broken up that were in theater that were part of specialties no longer required. (Shot off all those Pershings? No need for units to service them, hey, we can cut some of those 7th Army clerks too) and this reflects the fact these guys may have been in Europe, but the closest they ever got to combat was those Warpac prisoner columns.

********************

graebarde 10-08-2004, 04:23 PM Just because you have been in the service, or even in the combat zone, it does not quite equate to time in combat. Units are pulled off the line to R&R (Rest and Refit). This time would not be in combat. Also they could be in a reserve position, or guarding installations not under direct attack, where they again are not in combat. There are numerous reasons why a person who's been in service for a long time does not have a hight time in combat. IF you were in combat for four years straight, they would have you in a padded room if they could find one. The stress would kill you if the actual combat didn't, hence the importance of R&R.

********************

ReHerakhte 10-08-2004, 09:16 PM To follow up on what Graebarde wrote, not all combat troops in the combat zone are on the front line, many are at the second line so to speak. That is, they are anything from one to twenty kilometres back. They may be waiting as reserves or are engaged in rest & refit, engaged in training/rehearsals for missions, patrolling/securing/providing guards, escorting prisoners/civilians/VIPs (think of the Special Forces protection parties that provide security for generals, visiting politicians etc.) and so on.



Then there are the troops not immediately thought of as front line combat troops such as military police involved in directing military & civilian traffic or on anti-insurgency/anti-sabotage work, signals-intelligence units listening in on the enemies comms, artillery units, propaganda units and so on.


Now that I think about it, the Band Of Brothers TV series is probably a good piece of material to show some of this. The paratroopers were definately front line combat troops but not all their time was spent on the front line under fire. I think GDW probably needed to make it a little bit clearer that what they meant was actual time in the firing line?


Anyway, hope this provides some ideas

Cheers,

Kevin

********************

Andy-Shot 10-10-2004, 08:17 PM That is definately true of a contained war, but this is after a nuclear war and the total effective breakdown of government. There isnt a real line of battle, even in the "rear" areas your still dealing with marauder bands / rogue units etc.


There isnt a safe area anywhere anymore

********************

ReHerakhte 10-11-2004, 03:11 AM That is definately true of a contained war, but this is after a nuclear war and the total effective breakdown of government. There isnt a real line of battle, even in the "rear" areas your still dealing with marauder bands / rogue units etc.


There isnt a safe area anywhere anymore



Ah well, you see this is where reality intervenes and my theory falls apart...


With that in mind, you could probably argue that the PC spent plenty of time in a cantonment doing any number of those things listed above but due to .1 the lack of actual fixed lines, .2 bandits/rogue units or .3 some mad fool in higher command still trying to pursue the war, that they got involved in enough combat to warrant the data from PC generation.

If memory serves me correctly, the complete breakdown of higher command didn't really occur until the 1999-2000 mark, hence the whole "Good luck, you're on your own..." after Kalisz, so you'd still have some kind of rear area for a while to allow the other aspects mentioned above to come into play.


Other than that, I'd have to read the history again to actually contribute something intelligent to this


Cheers,

Kevin

********************