[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Post-Apocalyptic Cavalry (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 7/9/2015 11:25:26 AM EDT
| OK, for a fun hypothetical, it is a post-apocalyptic scenario. Civilization as you know it has ended, probably for your foreseeable lifespan and that of your children. Assume you have an 1860s-era technological and educational infrastructure to work from (i.e. 90% of the people you meet are unable to create anything not available in 1860 or have any knowledge beyond what was available in 1860); but that there are still massive supplies of 21st century technology available to be found (including small arms but no man-portable nukes). The internal combustion engine is dead for all intents and purposes. Does cavalry make a comeback? How does its employment differ from previous eras? |
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Quoted: OK, for a fun hypothetical, it is a post-apocalyptic scenario. Civilization as you know it has ended, probably for your foreseeable lifespan and that of your children. Assume you have an 1860s-era technological and educational infrastructure to work from (i.e. 90% of the people you meet are unable to create anything not available in 1860 or have any knowledge beyond what was available in 1860); but that there are still massive supplies of 21st century technology available to be found (including small arms but no man-portable nukes). The internal combustion engine is dead for all intents and purposes. Does cavalry make a comeback? How does its employment differ from previous eras? |
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Yeah, or that. EDIT: I need to get me one of those double-breasted engineer jackets for my SHTF loadout  |
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this |
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Well played sir |
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Quoted:
OK, for a fun hypothetical, it is a post-apocalyptic scenario. Civilization as you know it has ended, probably for your foreseeable lifespan and that of your children. Assume you have an 1860s-era technological and educational infrastructure to work from (i.e. 90% of the people you meet are unable to create anything not available in 1860 or have any knowledge beyond what was available in 1860); but that there are still massive supplies of 21st century technology available to be found (including small arms but no man-portable nukes). The internal combustion engine is dead for all intents and purposes. Does cavalry make a comeback? How does its employment differ from previous eras? I think I will just use power armor.
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See the picture posted earlier. Kevin Costner made a feature length documentary on post-apocalypse cavalry that should answer any questions you may have.  Being as I have a hard time sorting humorous GD jackassery from interesting thought, I am going to have to dispute that anything good came out of the abomination known as "The Postman." Of course, I am always willing to be convinced by a well-argued case in support of that claim. A .JPG from a shitty movie hardly qualifies though. |
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And it was a damn good movie. Quoted:
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See the picture posted earlier. Kevin Costner made a feature length documentary on post-apocalypse cavalry that should answer any questions you may have. And it was a damn good movie. By virtue of your extremely cute avatar, I will pardon you form this heresy. |
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It will have a role as as scouting force (traditional) and perhaps as QRF, but it will fight dismounted (see Bufords cavalry action at Gettysburg). Mounted charges are retarded against even semi-auto weapons. Quoted:
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OK, for a fun hypothetical, it is a post-apocalyptic scenario. Civilization as you know it has ended, probably for your foreseeable lifespan and that of your children. Assume you have an 1860s-era technological and educational infrastructure to work from (i.e. 90% of the people you meet are unable to create anything not available in 1860 or have any knowledge beyond what was available in 1860); but that there are still massive supplies of 21st century technology available to be found (including small arms but no man-portable nukes). The internal combustion engine is dead for all intents and purposes. Does cavalry make a comeback? How does its employment differ from previous eras? This. Dragoons, yes. Cavalry, no. |
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Being as I have a hard time sorting humorous GD jackassery from interesting thought, I am going to have to dispute that anything good came out of the abomination known as "The Postman." Of course, I am always willing to be convinced by a well-argued case in support of that claim. A .JPG from a shitty movie hardly qualifies though. Quoted:
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See the picture posted earlier. Kevin Costner made a feature length documentary on post-apocalypse cavalry that should answer any questions you may have. Being as I have a hard time sorting humorous GD jackassery from interesting thought, I am going to have to dispute that anything good came out of the abomination known as "The Postman." Of course, I am always willing to be convinced by a well-argued case in support of that claim. A .JPG from a shitty movie hardly qualifies though. There was a nudity scene of an attractive woman....that's about it |
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We can't be put back to an 1860s level of tech. Most of the steam-powered infrastructure that existed in 1860 no longer exists. Strictly speaking, I'm not saying we are back to an 1860s tech. I am saying we have all of the existing tech we know now; but that nothing new has been produced since living memory and that 90% of the current inhabitants of the U.S. can make anything more complicated than what was available circa 1860s. |
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Strictly speaking, I'm not saying we are back to an 1860s tech. I am saying we have all of the existing tech we know now; but that nothing new has been produced since living memory and that 90% of the current inhabitants of the U.S. can make anything more complicated than what was available circa 1860s. Quoted:
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We can't be put back to an 1860s level of tech. Most of the steam-powered infrastructure that existed in 1860 no longer exists. Strictly speaking, I'm not saying we are back to an 1860s tech. I am saying we have all of the existing tech we know now; but that nothing new has been produced since living memory and that 90% of the current inhabitants of the U.S. can make anything more complicated than what was available circa 1860s. Shitfire, we already meet one of those requirements! |
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1st thing that came to mind |
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This. But seriously - once the Internet goes down (Google "knowledge" is lost) I think the vast majority is going to be less capable than 1860's era folk. |
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Being as I have a hard time sorting humorous GD jackassery from interesting thought, I am going to have to dispute that anything good came out of the abomination known as "The Postman." Of course, I am always willing to be convinced by a well-argued case in support of that claim. A .JPG from a shitty movie hardly qualifies though. Quoted:
Quoted:
See the picture posted earlier. Kevin Costner made a feature length documentary on post-apocalypse cavalry that should answer any questions you may have. Being as I have a hard time sorting humorous GD jackassery from interesting thought, I am going to have to dispute that anything good came out of the abomination known as "The Postman." Of course, I am always willing to be convinced by a well-argued case in support of that claim. A .JPG from a shitty movie hardly qualifies though. The idea that the federal government postal system made us a well functioning country is an example of leftist dumb ass. |
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OK, for a fun hypothetical, it is a post-apocalyptic scenario. Civilization as you know it has ended, probably for your foreseeable lifespan and that of your children. Assume you have an 1860s-era technological and educational infrastructure to work from (i.e. 90% of the people you meet are unable to create anything not available in 1860 or have any knowledge beyond what was available in 1860); but that there are still massive supplies of 21st century technology available to be found (including small arms but no man-portable nukes). The internal combustion engine is dead for all intents and purposes. Does cavalry make a comeback? How does its employment differ from previous eras? Modern small arms makes cavalry in the traditional sense obsolete. At least in terms of "ride your horses into the enemy and crush them" types of tactics. Post apocalyptic 'cavalry' will exist, but it won't really be cavalry. It will be mounted infantry. The horse's purpose will be for moving around rapidly. Actual fighting will occur mostly on foot dismounted. |
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This. But seriously - once the Internet goes down (Google "knowledge" is lost) I think the vast majority is going to be less capable than 1860's era folk. Quoted:
This. But seriously - once the Internet goes down (Google "knowledge" is lost) I think the vast majority is going to be less capable than 1860's era folk. I seriously think that they are going to have the know how of 1200's era folk. 
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Quoted: It will have a role as as scouting force (traditional) and perhaps as QRF, but it will fight dismounted (see Bufords cavalry action at Gettysburg). Mounted charges are retarded against even semi-auto weapons. Quoted: Quoted: OK, for a fun hypothetical, it is a post-apocalyptic scenario. Civilization as you know it has ended, probably for your foreseeable lifespan and that of your children. Assume you have an 1860s-era technological and educational infrastructure to work from (i.e. 90% of the people you meet are unable to create anything not available in 1860 or have any knowledge beyond what was available in 1860); but that there are still massive supplies of 21st century technology available to be found (including small arms but no man-portable nukes). The internal combustion engine is dead for all intents and purposes. Does cavalry make a comeback? How does its employment differ from previous eras? I grew up riding befor I could walk. I'de be down for a cavalry position Only one question. What MOS should we give it |
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Look at Afghanistan and the initial invasion.
I've read stories that said Green Beret Alpha teams were using horses to travel in the more difficult terrain where the horse was superior to even ATVs and vehicles simply couldn't make it. How did they tactically employ the horses? I think, could be wrong, but I think the Afghan fighters used horses during their war against the Soviets. Or at least Rambo III told me that they did.
Gotta be books on that stuff somewhere. |
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Look at Afghanistan and the initial invasion. I've read stories that said Green Beret Alpha teams were using horses to travel in the more difficult terrain where the horse was superior to even ATVs and vehicles simply couldn't make it. How did they tactically employ the horses? I think, could be wrong, but I think the Afghan fighters used horses during their war against the Soviets. Or at least Rambo III told me that they did.
Gotta be books on that stuff somewhere. The horses were used simply to travel to and from locations. I had my ass on a horse occasionally as late as 2004 in Afghanistan when working with locals in some terrain. Nobody, neither us nor them, did any actual fighting from horseback that I ever saw or even heard of. They were used as trucks and then the real work was done dismounted. |
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The horses were used simply to travel to and from locations. I had my ass on a horse occasionally as late as 2004 in Afghanistan when working with locals in some terrain. Nobody, neither us nor them, did any actual fighting from horseback that I ever saw or even heard of. They were used as trucks and then the real work was done dismounted. Quoted:
Quoted:
Look at Afghanistan and the initial invasion. I've read stories that said Green Beret Alpha teams were using horses to travel in the more difficult terrain where the horse was superior to even ATVs and vehicles simply couldn't make it. How did they tactically employ the horses? I think, could be wrong, but I think the Afghan fighters used horses during their war against the Soviets. Or at least Rambo III told me that they did.
Gotta be books on that stuff somewhere. The horses were used simply to travel to and from locations. I had my ass on a horse occasionally as late as 2004 in Afghanistan when working with locals in some terrain. Nobody, neither us nor them, did any actual fighting from horseback that I ever saw or even heard of. They were used as trucks and then the real work was done dismounted. So you are saying it is a strategic rather than tactical factor? |
The actual advantage of horses over vehicles is that given food/forage, water and rest horses can travel greater distances unsupported than motor vehicles can. Estimates of travel in the "newest" manuals Circa 1941 say something like 35 miles per day for considerable periods and up to 125 miles per day in emergencies. 35 miles per day in the saddle hurts.....trust me. I guess you could fight afterwards.....well maybe you could. 
Horses are a pain in the ass to keep healthy under the best of circumstances and are remarkably fragile. |
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Quoted: We can't be put back to an 1860s level of tech. Most of the steam-powered infrastructure that existed in 1860 no longer exists. We'd be set way back before 1860's. The only advantages we'd have is we'd know about different scientific principles, like disease, and Newtonian physics, so some things could still be designed using modern knowledge...assuming you can do math without a calculator.  |
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The actual advantage of horses over vehicles is that given food/forage, water and rest horses can travel greater distances unsupported than motor vehicles can. Estimates of travel in the "newest" manuals Circa 1941 say something like 35 miles per day for considerable periods and up to 125 miles per day in emergencies. 35 miles per day in the saddle hurts.....trust me. I guess you could fight afterwards.....well maybe you could.
Horses are a pain in the ass to keep healthy under the best of circumstances and are remarkably fragile. IIRC, the record for a sustained military advance day by day prior to WWII was held by the Mongols. Admittedly, I'm not a dedicated reader of that history; but as I recall, they did not use any motor vehicles. |