Hello!
being a mainly WW2 builder i decided to splash out and buy both the DML M1A1 AIM and the M1A2 SEP,probably because both types can be modelled with a LOT of stowed gear.But then what gear can and can't be used?Can you combine both MOLLE and ALICE gear,are troops likely to make private purchases like the British Army or is it all government issue?I've got my eye on the RealModel M1A2 MOLLE stowage and the Legend Stryker and Abrams accessory sets so I can keep my options open
Thanks in advance

It depends. If you are modeling a tank from about 2004 onward, they will not have a lot of stowage on them. Just a few ration boxes, water jugs or boxes, a small assault pack or two, a few ammo cans, etc. In late '03, we moved into semi-permanant FOBs (Forward Operating Bases), as opposed to being on the attack and carrying all of our gear on our vehicles. Most gear is left on the FOBs and only a few items taken out on patrol.

Also, MOLLE was in the system in '03, but not widely distributed to units. By '05, more and more had it. Now, it is almost exclusively MOLLE that is seen. A few guys still have ALICE Rucksacks, but not many. US Soldiers do not buy their own gear either. Pretty much only issue equipment is allowed.

My wife will be relieved to hear that.

i guess someone should have told us that before we wiped out tactical tailor before each deployment

Ummm, hate to disagree, but My unit was issued Woodland MOLLE and Desert IBA in Jun '04. Most of the switched on Troopers Purchased Aftermarket DCU or Coyote Pattern MOLLE. Tactical Tailor, among many others made a small fortune off of us. I wore an SDS RACK in DCU pattern.

In Theater I never really saw any Loadouts among Reserve or Regular that approached Standardized gear.

I will qualify it furthen by saying not normally, not on the active side anyways. If they do, it is because of personal preferance. You are supplied the gear, if you want something more or different, its up to you to get it, but you are not required to.

That's changed, when I deployed in '03='04 it was as you said. however when I deployed again in '06='07 we were issued all the new MOLLE ACU gear at Ft Dix. I'm with the Michigan Nat'l Guard.

Could someone explain to me what is MOLLE or ALICE.


Cookie

From Wikipedia :
MOLLE
ALICE

HTH
Frenchy

i am active duty and never used my MOLLE gear in country in 3 rotations, we brought our molle gear but prefered to use after market stuff. there were kids who used some of their molle stuff, but what the brigade didnt buy from Tactical Tailor or Blackhawk each of us did. i think the only thing Issued we used was the ruck and assault pack. Many of us used the larger camelback mule systems for operations also.

in regards to the alice equipment, for the scout and sniper teams i ran we used the large/medium alice pack over the MOLLE gear until we started getting the TT 3day assault pack for ops.

in each of the SBCT's i have been in, the standing order has been wear your gear how you fight it. not the traditional cold war crap of a standard uniform with 2 ammo pouches over your thighs, 2 canteens and first aid pouch on your right shoulder. there was a platoon from A Co. 1/5 that racked their M-4's and used M-14's. you always knew when they were in a firefight by the sound.

which in many ways makes modelling this era of war a bit tough as there is really no standard SOP for antyhing with the exception of load simple load plans.

talking with friends in tank battalions it was a little more strict, but in the SBCT's it wasnt. we stripped benches from ICV's to put into our RV's. we took out LRAS mounts to make more space. we stripped out NBC sysytems or readjsuted them on the modular mounting bracket rails inside to make more room.

this again adds to the complexity of modelling this era