Convoy's!!!

[Adm.Lee]

As someone who knows some foamers (not that there's anything wrong with that! Nor that I'm admitting to every, you know, sat around with a camera waiting for a train, or anything like that... ignore the HO layout in my basement... ), I enjoyed the heck out of the "Going home" module.

I did make the PCs work very hard at scouting ahead, and threw lots of types of hazards in their path.

[Slappy]

OK. I'll dissent. I think you want to move the trucks very slowly, probably about walking speed. Why? so you don't outrun your on foot security detail. Unless you have infantry in front and on the flanks clearing your way one MG position will ruin your entire convoy, especially if you're going 100kph.

Somebody lights up the second or third truck with several flanking automatic weapons. Chances are it jack knifes, blocking the road and maybe taking out several other trucks. Where are you then? I think you're better off engaging those positions with infantry before the trucks are even in range. Have at least a squad up front 200-300m in front of the trucks, one on each side of the road if you can spare it and another squad on either side of the road, 100-200m away from the road. Have a final squad trailing the convoy by about 200m. If you can get a couple of hummers with MGs or ALGs to run to the aid of a squad that encounters resistence, even better. You'll need 2-3x this amount of troops to rotate squads. Say 1/3 of the time on foot, 1/3 on guard in the trucks and 1/3 at rest. Having two groups of ~10 men on horseback would also be excellent. One could ride several miles in front for long distance scouting or patrol neighboring roads and/or towns to get intel. You can travel at night if you like, but probably camping is a better option. I'd say you can make 20-30 miles a day. Now, this of course assumes that you have a company of infantry or better for your convoy, but finding them seems easier than laying 400 miles of rail in hostile terrain.

[Kemper Boyd]

Originally Posted by Slappy

OK. I'll dissent. I think you want to move the trucks very slowly, probably about walking speed. Why? so you don't outrun your on foot security detail. Unless you have infantry in front and on the flanks clearing your way one MG position will ruin your entire convoy, especially if you're going 100kph.

If you try driving a truck at walking speed for a day, you end up using a lot more fuel than driving it at a reasonable speed plus there's a decent chance of engine failure over a few days.

Better to scout ahead and do some basic assumptions: if your convoy is large enough and moves fast enough, chances are that you'll outrun most bandits because they dont have a fast enough response time to take a shot at you.

[sic1701]

Agreed. I believe most maurauders would determine that a convoy moving slowly is just dangling themselves out as bait, hoping a marauder unit will try something so they can unveil some extreme firepower and take them out.

If it looks too good to be true, it usually is.

[rcaf_777]

I just found this on the MP side of the Forum it's a PDF document on the Cadilac-Gage Ranger or Peacekeeper to the USAF.

The Cadillac-Gage Ranger (known as the Peacekeeper with the USAF) was a (4 × 4) APC developed as a private venture to meet an Air Force equirement for a low-cost armored vehicle capable of transporting personnel at a high road speed while still retaining at least some off-road capability. The first Peacekeeper was delivered in April of 1980. By early 1981, 560 vehicles had been ordered by the US Air Force and Navy (most of the Navy vehicles being operated by USMC personnel). By 1994, 708 Ranger (Peacekeeper) APCs had been built for US forces with 20+ vehicles being transferred to Indonesia. In 1996, some of remaining US Navy/USMC Rangers were deployed to Bosnia for operations with (IFOR). By the late 1990s nearly all Peacekeepers-Rangers had been replaced.

I think these would excellent convoy vehicle and with about 560 in CONUS I think quite a few many of them along USAF and USN personel would assinged to convoy duty.

[chico20854]

Originally Posted by rcaf_777

I just found this on the MP side of the Forum it's a PDF document on the Cadilac-Gage Ranger or Peacekeeper to the USAF.

The Cadillac-Gage Ranger (known as the Peacekeeper with the USAF) was a (4 × 4) APC developed as a private venture to meet an Air Force equirement for a low-cost armored vehicle capable of transporting personnel at a high road speed while still retaining at least some off-road capability. The first Peacekeeper was delivered in April of 1980. By early 1981, 560 vehicles had been ordered by the US Air Force and Navy (most of the Navy vehicles being operated by USMC personnel). By 1994, 708 Ranger (Peacekeeper) APCs had been built for US forces with 20+ vehicles being transferred to Indonesia. In 1996, some of remaining US Navy/USMC Rangers were deployed to Bosnia for operations with (IFOR). By the late 1990s nearly all Peacekeepers-Rangers had been replaced.

I think these would excellent convoy vehicle and with about 560 in CONUS I think quite a few many of them along USAF and USN personel would assinged to convoy duty.

See the v1 US Army Vehicle Guide, color plate E2 and its description in the APC section...