increased mobility for troops during F&I, Rev, ACW

[Gary]

Why weren't the troops issued 30" stilts?

Instead of a 30" stride (when marching, not manuevering), they would have a 60" stride and cover twice the distance in the same amount of time. Increased mobility would mean that your soldiers could get there faster than the other guy with less fatigue.

Of course some of you scoff and say why not 60" stilts. Depends. 60" would give the soldier a 90" stride but if the area is heavily forested, that means bumping into branches. 30" is a good compromise height.

Now, you wonder about mud and water. Well, we put pontoons on the end of the stilts and the soldier can walk on water or negotiate mud.

There's only one major problem I haven't figured out. Recall that in many accounts of combat, when it involves soldiers who are inexperienced, they tend to shoot high. If our soldiers are on stilts, the casualty rate could increased. Tactical dismounting may be needed so there'll have to be a quick release system. Velco hasn't been invented yet so that's going to be a problem.

Can you tell I haven't had coffee this AM?

 

[jim gray]

Gary, :huh:

1) Your post is a day late. :blah:

2) Don't hesitate to get that coffee. :haha:

3) The people of that period were probably much more experienced at tying proper knots, and I myself can tie a couple of really secure knots that can be released instantly by pulling on the tag end. Again I am certain that these individuals would have been much more proficient with ropes than I am. I think they would have had no trouble at all with using quick release knots on their stilts.

 

[musketman]

Why weren't the troops issued 30" stilts?

Instead of a 30" stride (when marching, not manuevering), they would have a 60" stride and cover twice the distance in the same amount of time.

Only if all the troops were the same height...

What about the extra tall and short people?

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

With the South's failing econonmy and industry during the Civil War, I think they would have had a serious problem manufacturing (or purchasing from England) enough pontoon-stilts for all the troops. :haha:

 

[jim gray]

I don't know about during the F&I War MM, but when I went through basic training you took a 30" stride regardless of your height. Taller guys didn't have too much trouble adapting, but the shorter guys couldn't have been real comfortable at first. I think that 5'2" is the minimum height for enlistment for men.

I wonder if the 30" stride was the standard for troops marching during the F&I War. If I remember correctly the average height for men was 5'4" tall.

And if the south did have stilts during the Civil War they probably would have burned them in the winter.

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

...when I went through basic training you took a 30" stride regardless of your height...

Ditto.

 

[bob1961]

now you've guys have gone over the top :crackup:...........bob

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

now you've guys have gone over the top

Hey, at least we're staying on-topic... ::

 

What a waste of a perfectly good gun to put foot pegs on the side of it to use as a stilt!!!!
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:


Hwow in the heck would else would they have carried one being on stilts? :hmm:

Hope they had the muzzle in the top postion so as not to plug it with mud! :blah:

Also hard to hide sticking up like Musketman in the middle of the corn field :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:

::Woody

 

[Slamfire]

What a waste of a perfectly good gun to put foot pegs on the side of it to use as a stilt!!!!
:crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:


::Woody

Yeahbut, it'd double the units firepower. :crackup:

 

[leslie]

Is it coffee or did you miss your meds? :shake: