Звездный десант

           ThattargetisduesouthofyouandIwantthatknifetogoinageneralsoutherlydirection,atleast.Iknowyouwon’thitthetargetbutseeifyoucan’tscareitalittle.Don’tsliceyourearoff,don’tletgoofitandcutsomebodybehindyou—justkeepwhattinymindyouhavefixedontheideaof‘south’!Readyontarget!Letfly!"

           Hendrickmisseditagain.

           Wetrainedwithsticksandwetrainedwithwire(lotsofnastythingsyoucanimprovisewithapieceofwire)andwelearnedwhatcanbedonewithreallymodernweaponsandhowtodoitandhowtoserviceandmaintaintheequipment—simulatednuclearweaponsandinfantryrocketsandvarioussortsofgasandpoisonandincendiaryanddemolition.Aswellasotherthingsmaybebestnotdiscussed.Butwelearnedalotof"obsolete"weapons,too.Bayonetsondummygunsforexample,andgunsthatweren’tdummies,too,butwerealmostidenticalwiththeinfantryrifleoftheXXthcentury—muchlikethesportingriflesusedinhuntinggame,exceptthatwefirednothingbutsolidslugs,alloyjacketedleadbullets,bothattargetsonmeasuredrangesandatsurprisetargetsonbooby-trappedskirmishruns.Thiswassupposedtoprepareustolearntouseanyaimedweaponandtotrainustobeonthebounce,alert,readyforanything.Well.Isupposeitdid.I’mprettysureitdid.

           Weusedtheseriflesinfieldexercisestosimulatealotofdeadlierandnastieraimedweapons,too.Weusedalotofsimulation;wehadto.