Ian Ruins the Elbonian Sniper Corps
Forgotten Weapons
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9m 7s
Today's Q&A is from Tim on Patreon:
"The great nation of Elbonia is looking to spin up a sniper program. But they know better than to adopt ZF41 scopes. What rifles do you attempt to sell them?"
After some consideration, I would try to sabotage the Elbonian Sniper Corps by supplying them with equipment that would allow their training to take as many shortcuts as possible. True long range shooting proficiency requires a lot of experience and deep understanding of lots of variables. By using mechanical shortcuts, I could persuade the Elbonian Army that they were saving money, and in simple training circumstances the snipers' performance would look pretty good. Once they got into real combat, though, they would fold like the Russian defense of Izyum.
To this end, I would equip them with a scope which linked magnification to its BDC cam - something like the Vietnam-era US ART or the Russian 1P21. This seems like a clever hack, and works pretty well for basic shots. But when you factor in some extra variables, like a target that doesn't fit the range finding box or the need for short range high magnification, a lack of shooter skill will become immediately apparent.
To go one step further, I would couple this with a multi-caliber rifle and interchangeable BDC cams for the scope. This would ensure that shooters periodically have the wrong scope settings for their rifle, and are ill-equipped to handle it.
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