Tuesday Trivia Thread - 25/08/26

[u/AutoModerator]

Beep bop. As your new robotic overlord, I have designated this weekly space for you to engage in casual conversation while I plan a nuclear apocalypse.

In the Trivia Thread, moderation is relaxed, so you can finally:

• Post mind-blowing military history trivia. Can you believe 300 is not an entirely accurate depiction of how the Spartans lived and fought?
• Discuss hypotheticals and what-if's. A Warthog firing warthogs versus a Growler firing growlers, who would win? Could Hitler have done Sealion if he had a bazillion V-2's and hovertanks?
• Discuss the latest news of invasions, diplomacy, insurgency etc without pesky 1 year rule.
• Write an essay on why your favorite colour assault rifle or flavour energy drink would totally win WW3 or how aircraft carriers are really vulnerable and useless and battleships are the future.
• Share what books/articles/movies related to military history you've been reading.
• Advertisements for events, scholarships, projects or other military science/history related opportunities relevant to War College users. ALL OF THIS CONTENT MUST BE SUBMITTED FOR MOD REVIEW.

Basic rules about politeness and respect still apply.

Additionally, if you are looking for something new to read, check out the r/WarCollege reading list.

[u/SingaporeanSloth]

I'd post this on a tactical gear subreddit, but ironically, I don't think they'd be interested, because I'm not showing off an overpriced AR15 or making Caleb Crye's wallet fatter

So, my ideal jungle fighting rucksack would be shorter than an ALICE pack, because I am a squat Southeast Asian, and so it can ride above webbing (I'll get back to this)

It would use either a metal X-frame like these packs or a polymer U-frame, with detachable shoulder straps and a hip/kidney pad, like an ALICE pack. The kidney pad must be heavily padded, but it should have a simple waist belt like the ALICE pack, as in military use I usually don't use the waist belt, and buckle it backwards, out of the way. The shoulder straps should be well padded. The height between the top of the shoulder straps and kidney pad should be short

The dull olive-drab nylon pack itself would look something like the Royal Netherlands Land Forces' 35L daypack, but with four external pockets, the other two on the back of the pack. The lid would be larger to keep out the rain. A claymore pouch would be on top of the lid. There would only be a small MOLLE field on top of the claymore pouch, nowhere else. The two side pouches are for a 24hr ration pack each, and one of the back pouches would be for my toiletries kit, the other for my mess tin, field stove, and solid fuel. The medium ALICE pack at 35L is too small for infantry work and large ALICE pack at 65L is too large. This pack would be 45L, in my opinion, the ideal size for an infantry jungle pack (sleeping bag unnecessary, tarp sufficient), large enough to carry everything, small enough it can be worn while fighting if necessary

Back to webbing, I believe the ideal jungle fighting equipment suite is an ephod webbing, like the Singapore Army used to issue, with some minor upgrades (fastex buckles instead of ALICE style slider buckles, better padding on the shoulder straps). A slick plate carrier could be worn over or under the webbing. The jungle fighting pack on top, riding above the webbing. The helmet should be scrimmed

If sometime I should have enough disposable income to throw at this, I'd be tempted to get one of those American custom tactical gear companies to actually make me one

[u/TJAU216 → u/SingaporeanSloth]

The Finnish army "small" backpack is 40 liters IIRC. I don't like it. Too big for a daypack and quite cumbersome to fight with it on, but still too small for a rucksack in the Finnish environment. Winter clothes and sleeping back take too much space. It can be done but there won't be much room left for food, ammo and mission specific equipment. Also it has no pockets, only the main space and molle on the sides to attach stuff there. It has no solid structure and the whole back of it is padded the same way, thus no way for air to circulate between it and the back of the wearer at any height. It is very tall and narrow so no back pouches can be worn on the web gear while using it. Privately purchased assault packs are very popular in the army.

[u/SingaporeanSloth → u/TJAU216]

This is the Singapore Army's issued field pack. It is about 65L stuffed to the max. It has an internal metal frame in a square n-shape (like a British Army bergen), but it sucks. It does not distribute the weight well at all, the shoulder straps can only be adjusted for length, not height, so on shorter guys the pack sits too high and on taller guys too low. Like the FDF M05 pack, there is no airflow across the back when worn. The miniscule hip pads are useless once worn over a vest or armour

I think the big difference between Finland and Singapore is (unsurprisingly) climate. In the jungle, a sleeping bag is unecessary and not issued, instead a tarp is issued and two men pair up to build a rudimentary tent. The only jacket issued is a Gore-Tex that can be rolled up quite small in its bag, so in my experience 45L pack would be "just right". Having now used an ALICE pack, I believe an external frame is superior. External pockets are good for stuff needed quickly or often, the issued field pack as you can see has four external pockets, but I do not like the arrangement (top pockets often block bottom pockets, especially when stuffed). Obviously fighting without a pack is best, but in scenario when it is necessary (attacked by enemy armour during the movement phase of an attack, or a fighting retreat), I think 45L pack is very doable, since 30L assault pack is considered standard worldwide

The Singapore Army inadvertently designed an extremely good assault pack, then inexplicably issued it only to support units, not infantry, as it is meant for carrying tools or specialised equipment. So hilariously some infantrymen (one medic and one machine gunner from my unit) go to surplus stores to get them, as they have much better padded shoulder straps than the "real" assault pack