idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

[Longshot]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

I'm suggesting the defection of fully armed and deployed sections of the military; a whole base, battalion, etc., not simply one or two guys smuggling things out in their pants.

If whole sections of the military joined the rebellion they would bring arms and vehicles with them. I don't think the rebellion would really last that long if this didn't happen to be honest. That seems to be how it went in the Middle East at least (even though civilian gun ownership there, including automatic weapons, is undoubtedly higher than it is here).

Mind you, given the downsizing of the military here I'd be interested to know the numbers of weapons in military storage and the numbers of weapons in public hands.

[-=256=-Swerve]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

There is nowhere near enough UK military to hold back a genuinely popular uprising, on a national scale. likely stance would be protecting key assets (person, property and materiel). From what I was lucky enough to read back in 1990 I believe that this was the standing plan at that point.

[loki7491]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

Within the next few years the Army would stand at 80200 strong. Even if ALL of them were combat troops they'd be out numbered something like 10 to 1 just by illegal immigrants and if all turned up to a free concert the couldn't fill some of the bigger venues in the UK!

(RAF and Navy are additional numbers to this)

IF... A whole camp defected, or at least enough of them to control the camp and it's contents, then yes an initial access to small arms and ammo is do-able... it is unlikely, but in your scenario it would be a good start of momuntum. If it is a non-teeth arms unit you will have weapons and a supply of ammo and a supply of soft skin, wheeled vehicles but if it is a teeth arms unit such as infantry or armour your chances of success have just increased massively.

[BioShocked]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

Beginning to sound like you guys are planning something...

[Hawaiian Special Forces]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

Can we rein this back to how it affects the look of an airsofter rather than go too deeply into the story?

[Gadge Europa]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

Sure but two main points.

A teeth unit defecting with armoured vehicles isnt going to be effective for long, you cant run armour without the logisitcal support train and light mobile workshops needed to keep them running... its not as simple as 'lets nick a tank', as soon a you throw a track and you will, you're stuffed.

Secondly, despite having *limited* support from the US and the soviet bloc the IRA and PIRA did a really good job of tying up *thousands* of uk troops for a *very* long time with very basic and obsolete weaponry in the main. A successful rebellion wouldnt need to neccesarily have massive materiel backing.

Take the recent london rioting (that spread to a few other towns opportunistically), if that had had been motivated *politically* rather than by the desire to nick new trainers then you would have been looking at a very real chance of massive social change without the need for a tooled up assault rifle wielding mob.

As for kit, as has been said before. You'd want stuff that doesnt make you stand out.

As Mao Tse Tung said: “The guerrilla must move amongst the people as a fish swims in the sea.”

You're not going to be able to do that in a plate carrier.

[-=256=-Swerve]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

As above

The following google image search for 'Greek riots' follows from the above, as they have been a step further on from the riots we had, and they give some idea of what people would use

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=e...EarM0QXal4CgDQ

Note the occasional motorbike helmet.

Just add some clothes more suitable to our climate and you are there e.g. leather jacket

Then consider weapons, between the armed forces islands of control the in circulation shotguns, .22 hunting rifles, even air rifles would be what you are looking to run with, so a VSR, a spring shottie etc. with the odd handgun and the rare police weapon

Anything that can be ditched or concealed, nothing that declares you as a target

[Agent]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

The most dangerous weapon of all, dual finger pistols


blat blat

[loki7491]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

@Gadge Europa - They'd need to find some that ACTUALLY work and isn't awaiting spares before they can get to a point of throwing tracks

Kit is going to be simple in my mind. Wait until the weekend and at about 3pm take a photo of yourself. Add a civilian based gun of some description and there you go. You'll want to remain looking as civilian as possible so if you have to ditch a weapon you can claim to be innocent.

Hiking boots
Jeans or cargo pants
T-shirt, Jumper or jacket depending on weather

That is my typical saturday rig for doing man jobs about the house / garden or going to the super markets. Add a gun and i can be effective in combat or blend into the crowd.

[Gadge Europa]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

No you're spot on their loki.

I mate of mine on op telic was armoured recce, for about a week until they ran out of cvrt spares and had to use landrovers.

That was the ARMY unable to keep armour going for sustained ops with a full logistic train, a rebel force would be shagged. Add to the fact that it would be a prime target for any enemy air assets and you'd have *nothing* to tackle a helicopter gunship unless you'd also liberated a few SAM systems and the technical crew to run them.

[dieselmonkey]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

On the subject of vehicles, the recent Libyan rebels had some incredible improvised armour. mainly Toyotas with metal plates welded on, and a 50 cal on the top, but there were some bulldozers with heavy plate.

Practically useless against enemy armour and anti-tank weapons, but if you're fighting infantry, and especially opposing militias, fairly nasty toys.

Some interesting photos here:

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2...rebels/100086/

[Lardassmonkey]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

Mali has thrown up a few interesting vehicles as well. Technicals with armoured superstuctures and BTR/BRDM turrets on the cargo beds.

The Balkan wars are good for improvised armour as well, you see them based upon just about anything including tractors.

[loki7491]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

Necessity is the mother of invention!

[Hawaiian Special Forces]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

Trying to look at this another way. How about tackling the question:

"How is your Rebel OPFOR loadout (British or otherwise) distinct from rentals, new people without gear, PMCs or Afghan/Islamic/Ethnic fighters?"


This strikes me as the biggest problem we have in this endeavor so far, it's so easy to simply go with hoodies and jeans as that might be what you might wear, but you may still look like a first timer.

Food for thought.

[Gadge Europa]

Re: idea: The British Rebel Fighter - What would they look like?

But i think thats the point isnt it?

Thats how they would look.

Your average first time rental player but together an outfit for the rigours of 'fighting' with the hardiest and most practical clothes in their wardrobe.

Invariably an old pair of combat trousers, a dark hoody top and a woolen cap.... quite often they get some very old army surplus from the site to supplement it.

Which is essentially what the conscensus seems to be as to how a rebel/terrorist fighter in the current climate would operate. Regular clothes that dont attract too much attention but are also not going to fall apart on them or be too brightly coloured to be conspicuous.

The 'british rebel fighter' isnt likely to look very cool or distinctive if you think about it.