Thinking about it, I realized that if we did the boat insertion we were abandoning a lot of our technical advantage.  Add to that we would be limited to gear we can carry by land.

Just how close is what we need to do by water?  Also, taking a MPV in would mean that we would have a built in radio repeater with a hardened base AND it can swim a little AND it is a power source AND it has decent NBC ability, versus a hand made (or ancient) boat with an adapted motor and possibly bicycles?  There goes carrying the bunny suits and additional heavy gear by land.. at least at anything resembling speed.

  The boat is relatively new. Friend just came back from the area, motors were nearly everything. Said one boat was using pontoons as fuel tanks.

In reply to Captain Ly Cong Kim (msg # 521):

How big the boat is, is something best asked and answered IC because only Captain Kim probably knows. Darryl probably has seen it. Maybe Elliot and Andy if they've visited the Viet towns of Little Sai Gon (formerly Ft. Lawton and Discovery Park) and the fishing port of Little Da Nang (formerly Lawtonwood at the mouth of the Lake Washington ship canal).

Basically, it's a steel-hulled 32-foot cabin cruiser with a large open rear deck typically used for commercial fishing, pilot boat and harbour master duties. There is a berth that sleeps 4 on bunks and a cabin with a tiny galley. It was designed for the North Sea so it's stable but slow.



The standard Project auto-grenade launcher is the 40x46mm XM174. This was a slightly older alternative to the Mk.19 and a completely different design. It was pretty much the barrel of an M72 mated with the receiver of a Browning M1919 MG. Feed device was a 12-round magazine. Designed for infantry use it used the same low-power 40mm grenade ammunition as the M72/M203/HK69 and can therefore be used on a medium tripod or even hand-carried and fired (single shots only!). It uses a blowback design so cycling is pretty reliable. Ammunition is not belted but pushed round by round into a spring-loaded 12-round drum magazine hanging on the left side of the receiver. (I saw one on display in a museum in Sai Gon when we were travelling SE Asia.)



https://www.smallarmsreview.co...entry.cfm?arcid=2903

The Mk.19 is a completely different design mainly issued to teams deployed to the east (that is, it was introduced in Desert Search). It is also blowback-operated but as it uses a larger 40x53mm round with a much greater range. The linked rounds give it a much greater ammunition capacity but overall it's much heavier and with greater recoil making it impractical for infantry use and best suited for vehicle mounting. As only the navy originally remained interested in the concept the weight, recoil and non-interoperable round with other hand-held 40mm systems was not a drawback.

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:15, Wed 20 Sept 2017.

Groovy.

Is there a map of the operational area that I can look at?

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 523):

At one point I could find authentic 1980's topo maps and satellite/aerial photos online through Microsoft's now-defunct Terraserver service, a forerunner to Google Earth. Terraserver was the most massive database of it's time, the late 90's, but Microsoft let it die for lack of a reason to keep it going.

Following is a USGS topo map of James Island and La Push, WA that should serve our purposes:

https://viewer.nationalmap.gov...0491&preview=Map Indices&avail=&refpoly=

Oddly, when first searching the site USGS wouldn't show James Island at all. There was just the breakwater, then nothing, blank ocean.

Tony

In reply to Project Director (msg # 524):

Looking more like the boat might be the best way to go with this mission.  Thanks for the map.

So the island is where we are heading, and any folks around will be on the water, that matter?

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 525):

I'm not sure what you're asking. Pretty much this time of year you are only likely to meet with Whale Worshippers and maybe other local fishers, and only in inshore waters like Puget Sound. Later on in the year there will be whale hunting parties in open water. As well, you know of Chinese cross-ocean trading vessels that visit their colony to the north (but these are rare and only come in the summer months).

Tony

In reply to Project Director (msg # 526):

And our target is that island with the large bay?  (Name wasn't on the map, but it is the unnamed one, right?)

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 527):

Correct. The only satellite photos of the island not surprisingly show cloud cover, as they were taken recently (in winter). Infrared shows nothing unusual, just vegetation.

Tony

In reply to Project Director (msg # 528):

Gotcha.  I think a boat makes the most sense here.  And we are probably going to have to walk wherever we go when not on it.

That good with everyone?

Optionally, apparently we can have an ATV, but it will cut back on how much we can take with us.  Tony - Can't we lash it to the deck?

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 529):

I assume you would be lashing everything to the deck! It's the Pacific in late winter. This will probably not be a pleasant trip. The only saving grace is that I don't think we've ever had a hurricane hit the west coast but it could get pretty bad, nonetheless.

An ATV (with or without trailer) will take up significant space and alter the boat's balance, although the ballast tanks will help with that. Balance is a factor aside from weight and space.

Tony

In reply to Project Director (msg # 530):

We don't want to load down too heavy regardless!  I was just thinking Jenna's trike might be a great asset, maybe a heavy grenade launcher and MG.  But realistically good camping gear and perimeter defense may be what we need most.

Tony, I was just wanting to check that alternative weapons load outs are the same as in the books ? No M4's or G3's ? Thanks.

If we take the ATV, do you have a plan to get it off the boat and onto land?  I don't know what kind of draft the boat pulls exactly, maybe 4 to 6 feet. We don't want to get too shallow to avoid getting beached until the next high tide. A steel hulled boat might be impossible to free by hand with no backup.

In reply to Tim Charles White (msg # 532):

The allowed weapon load-outs are listed here and adhere to 3rd edition:

link to a message in this game

There are other Project weapons but they are unlikely to be in the local armoury or not issued on a recce like this. Additional Project issue weapons (that would be unavailable) include the Atchisson Assault Shotgun, .44 Magnum S&W revolver, and heavy weapons like the M9A1 flamethrower, 81mm mortars, Stinger MANPADS, M202A1 rocket launchers, M47 Dragon and TOW ATGMs.

One weapon that is available but not listed is the Armbrust 300 AT rocket.

The last Project-wide update was in 1987, but much older gear and weapons remain in inventory. G3's are not Project issue (in either edition). M4 carbines were not available in 1987, and the earlier CAR-15 was around but not Project issue either.

Thanks!

Tony

I am thinking the ATV would not be a great idea. Getting it on land is one problem, losing cargo space is another, and if we run into a situation where we need to bring something back, we may really want that extra space.

Sounds like LPCs and inflatable boats eh?
\
Edit:  Also, can we have an equipment thread where we can list what we have (And edit as need) and then each person has their own "Responsibilities"?
This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Sun 24 Sept 2017.

For anyone who is interested a Stoner model 63 has come up for sale in James D Julias Fall auction, lot number 2083. Some really good photos and it is transferable if you really want it.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:30, Fri 06 Oct 2017.

If only my lotto numbers had hit last week...

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 536):

An equipment thread seems like a good idea.

It would be nice to get a Stoner 63. Still time for that big lottery win!

Tony

In reply to Project Director (msg # 539):

HK51k belt fed... the rings of fire are amazing

Looking great on the gear kit Tony!

I don't see any rations though...
I'd like to see a fair amount, and maybe a survival or sniper rifle kit on the boat issue or team issue.

In reply to James (Jimmy) Gerrold MacGuire (msg # 541):

You can make a post yourself to add it, or better yet, I will change the post to belong to Jimmy so you can change it yourself?

The standard M21 kit is available. I don't think there is a Project Survival Rifle for the Classic era.

Tony

In reply to Project Director (msg # 542):

Awesome!  That works.

Ok, so we will be making adjustments then get this show on the road.

Folks, chip in!

The recording equipment is not on the list yet, either, so there's that to add. Still thinking...