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Message no. 1
From: WILLIAM FRIERSON <will1am@*****.ASU.EDU>
Subject: Rigged Banshee Drivers (was Re: Banshee Bird Strikes)
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 1995 04:06:35 -0700
gurth@******.NL (Gurth) wrote:

>The way I understand it, rigged vehicles still have normal controls as well,
>so anybody familiar with them can take over. Also, to install rigger
>controls, you also need a datajack link in the vehicle, so anybody with a
>datajack can also plug in (though without all the rigger's advantages).
>Furthermore, wouldn't the commander and gunner also be rigged? That solves
>one more problem: driver dead? plug in the commander. Probably from the
>commander's station, without him/her having to squeeze into the driver's seat.

I think you're right. The question is would the military buy the rigging gear
for a specialized (rigged) pilot? It does have the advantages that you listed.
I don't know how many crew members there would be. Since there's only one
weapon, the crew may consist of driver and commander. Another thing that
has to be considered is incedental duties (guard duty, kp, maintenance).
That's one of the main considerations in the installation of auto-loaders
for tank main guns. The US has a loader crew position. The former Soviets
don't.

I think that they would probably have riggers for crew. Banshees are
scouting vehicles, not infantry carriers. Any extra scouts carried
would probably be standard troops. I can't see the military rigging
all of their troops. It would be too expensive.

I don't think you'd use a Banshee to carry out covert insertions of special
forces types. It would be like using a M3 scout vehicle to insert Rangers.
Not very subtle. :)

Later

--
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William Frierson Internet: WILL1AM@*****.asu.edu
Message no. 2
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Rigged Banshee Drivers (was Re: Banshee Bird Strikes)
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 1995 14:13:55 +0200
>I think you're right. The question is would the military buy the rigging gear
>for a specialized (rigged) pilot?

I think they would. If rigged systems have such big advantages (an average
rigger is a _much_ better driver/pilot that you or I will probably ever be),
my guess is they'll invest in rigger gear for at least the drivers and
commanders of AFVs like the Banshee. The military usually gets bulk
discounts anyway :)

>I don't know how many crew members there would be. Since there's only one
>weapon, the crew may consist of driver and commander.

The Banshee's got three crew, AFAIK: driver, commander, and gunner. The
weapon is an autocannon, so there's no need for a loader (at least not until
your ready ammo supply has run out), and I think it would be at least
dual-feed (like, one belt APDS and one belt HE), though FASA naturally
doesn't mention that anywhere.

>Another thing that
>has to be considered is incedental duties (guard duty, kp, maintenance).

One of the British Army's motivations for not getting an autoloader: it
can't make tea *grin*


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