AB Questions

[wargameroz]

Tony, if I may

On the Guild there was mention,IIRC of a 120mm mortar and crew for the Germans, is that still a possibility/probability?

Many thanks in advance

Simon

[Tony Barton]

Yes, a probability. I am finishing the 8th Army at present , and it's somewhere down the list after that.

[wargameroz]

Ok, thank you, I can tell the wife I really am not going mad

[wargameroz]

Tony

Any chance of a set of US and Soviets with boxes at some stage, similar to the British and German sets?

Thanks

[wargameroz]

Tony

Any chance of getting the chaps in jerkins done without back packs please. I know that we always ditched our packs when on exercise prior to going into “assault” mode so it always intrigues me to see figures in fighting poses wearing packs when normally they would be left in the vehicles if motorised infantry, and in a pile if leg infantry

[Piers]

Or maybe they didn't.

[wargameroz]

Or maybe they didn't.

True, it maybe a post war thing, but trying to hide and fight with a pack on your back as well as an entrenching tool would be dammed awkward, just having ammo pouches on the front would be bad enough when trying to make yourself as small and close to the ground as possible, especially if an MG43 is chucking stuff at you

[Adler]

Well like most things, sometimes they would sometimes they wouldnt.
Certainly a little dangerous to draw to many lessons from post war training exercises, during the period an infantryman wouldnt want to be parted from his kit without the assurance that he was going to get it back very soon. A pair of 'spare socks' ammo etc is more than a luxury in action. Post war exercise participants were assured their kit would be 'up' soonest and of course theres a different mindset in later times when everything 'basic' is available in abundance, not so in WW2. I remember my Dad waxing lyrically about a package of new homemade socks from home.
L

[Piers]

Leave your pack around in WW2 and someone will rob it. I'm guessing that's why they mention not doing so in memoirs... I have one comment in possibly 'No Triumphant Procession' that mentions being annoyed that German MG fire had shredding his pack but realising the alternative was less than pleasant.

Post-war experience has little bearing on WW2 at times really. Things very different between peace time best practice and total war...

[Tony Barton]

Remember that the haversacks ( "small packs") were the equivalent of the German breadbag. That's where your eats were, and your messtin for eating them from.So whichever ditch you happened to be pinned down in, there was nothing to eat apart from sweets in your pockets unless you had it with you. The fact that it was normally carried high on the back , in what now seems an odd place, didn't make it any less vital to have it with you.
Sure they were ditched on occasion, but not for very long.

The Large Packs were of course on the truck, containing your greatcoat and washbag etc. and you wouldn't see that until nightfall, if then.

[Powermonger]

Winter brits should have loads of equipment because they look so nice with!!!!

[Petek]

Troops with backpacks. When I was a TA infantryman back in the 80's, we never dropped our packs, shovels etc prior to an assault on exercise (you might not be coming back to the same spot again). These were the days of '58 webbing and "turtle" helmets! I recall that the full-sized pick or shovel was worn under your small pack and was surprisingly comfortable there. I also recall that when you flung yourself down to the ground, the small pack would fly forward and wallop the back peak of the helmet and tip the damn thing forward over your eyes! So, yes packs and tools carried into combat!