Firebases in T2K

[Raellus]

I was looking at a book on U.S. firebases in Vietnam at the bookstore and I got to thinking. It seems like with the fluid front lines and cantonment systems of the Twilight world, that firebases would make a bit of a comeback.

What do you think?

[Matt Wiser]

After TDM, you bet it would. King's Ransom has one (not developed, but mentioned) outside Lordegan as Firebase Montgomery (2x 105-mm and 2x 155-mm towed howitzers). I'd bet the firebase concept is very common in Europe, Iran, and Korea. Maybe here in CONUS if you're one of those who includes the Mexican Invasion in your setting as well.

[Targan]

In my current campaign Major Po's unit has a Vietnam War type SF firebase attached to the 78th Division's main cantonment in New Jersey. We have quite detailed plans of its layout.

[chico20854]

My mental image of the front line along the Oder on the Polish-German border by 2000 is a series of Vietnam-style firebases, heavy on machineguns, autocannons and dug-in partly operable tanks and AFVs providing overwatch to agricultural areas. In 2000, arable land is too precious to tie up with trenches, barbed wire and minefields, the first two of which can be defeated by operating AFVs. (Of course there would be a protective shell of barbed wire, minefields and obstacles, but it wouldn't have a lot of depth due to the need to farm every available inch).

[Adm.Lee]

By "firebase," shouldn't you mean a post built around artillery? That can project some firepower to support patrols. And yes, I think cantonments ought to center around some of these.

[jester]

But also, what can we call fire power?

I would say a mortar would be an awsome defensive position to project the power and defenses of the base/village.

Remember, a mortar fires from behind obstacles, it is not a line of sight weapon, and it can fire in 360 degrees pretty easily really.

Imagine digging up the town square and installing one, two or three 120mm mortars in the square, they can fire for several kilometers in any direction, so, with spotters and good observation points you would be able to rain down a world of hurt on any wouldbe attacker before he gets close. Of course the skill of your crew, the FDC and the ammo supply are signifigant factors of course.

But, also, it could be done with heavy machineguns as well, firing them in the indirect fire mode, again it could be done with spotters and used to walk rounds right in on a badguy in the defilade. Of course this would work well with a antiair system with multiple guns.