Artic Survival

[Clumsy Bob]

How would a small military unit be equipped to assault an instalation in the Antartic.
I envisage a non-military compound probably using the map from the Adelie 14 (sp?) WotC adventure. The terrain would be open an rocky rather than endless snow fields
The soldiers would only realistically expect to be in the field for no more than 24 hours with say, 4 hours hiking.
So what survival gear would be required? and what hardware would be unlikely not to work in sub-zero tempretures?

cheers bob

 

[snak]

Great setting for a showdown ala Ice Station Zero.

Here is a link to a pdf on army logistics. Page 24. Not too helpful, but gives some pictures and talks about one of the biggest challenges to operating in arctic conditions: water supply.

The hardwear wouldn't be as much of a problem as the human.
Battery reliability might be an issue more than ordinance as there are several models of light and medium arms designed for sub-zero operation.

http://www.almc.army.mil/ALOG/issues/NovDec02/NovDec02.pdf

What will be the means of insertion?
C-130?
Airdrop.
Sea landing.
Submarine insertion.
Snow cat? Skidoo? Dog sled?

Will there be a forward base and resupply established?
What is the units objective?
If it is to take out the installation that can be better done with a munition.
Rescue, information retrieval, capture? How will the package be retrieved and wounded evacuated?

4 hours of hiking to the objective only works if they plan on staying at the location or have a means of immediate extraction.

The weather will play a huge part in the operation.

 

[Clumsy Bob]

What will be the means of insertion?

I was thinking of a high altitude parachute jump, due to time constraints. The unit has to reach the objective ASAP while the backup/extraction travels to the scene.

What is the units objective?

Communication with a top secret facility have ceased, due to the nature of the facility the nearest personel (the SAS PC team training in the Falklands) are dispatched to 'secure' the facility until support arrives approx 24 hours later.
All equitment needs to be carried by the individual including arms and ammunition.

 

[snak]

SAS or Royal Marines are an excellent choice.

Since the expectation is to be arriving at a secure location within a short period of time they won't be carrying much.

They might drop in with a snow mobile or two to aide in fast approach and supply porting.

Survival gear probably would include GPS, satellite communications, Arktis brand outwear, emergency shelter and heating packs, first-aid gear.

My limited understanding of the UK forces armaments has Royal Commandos armed with L85-A1 assault rifles.

SAS have more lattiude with armament. In the gulf some carried M16A2/M4 varients.

Squad support weapons could include the LSW which is the L85 with a heavier barrel, or the FN Minimi used by many US and Nato forces.

The sniper rifle of choice would be the Accuracy Arms international .50 caliber Artic version.

Check out the CIA world fact book on Antarctica among other resources. It will give you a decent idea of what nations have bases there.

I ran my D20 modern/Delta Green group through a scenario in Antartica and made the weather one of the villanous npcs. Gravitational winds whipping up a sudden storm made their life hell.