Will,
As the ex-Army Drill Sergeant, I think I can answer questions about MILES. The individual soldier wears an H shaped suspender like arrangement that has sensors on front and back. Then there is a ring of sensors that go around the helmet. Each little laser sensor is equally rated as a kill. The laser emitter that fastens to the M-16 is adjustable for point of aim. You are supposed to set up a zero range and ensure that each soldier has a chance to zero the device. In practice, nobody really has the time. I don't think I'm ever seen an entire platoon go through a MILES zero. The device is just locked on the rifle, maybe test fired with a blank at a sensor and then the soldier moves out.
The best part about MILES from a tactical position is that there is equipment for the heavier stuff as well. There are emitters and sensors for M-60 machine guns as well as M-1 tanks and Blackhawk helicopters. They "discriminate." You can't kill a tank with an M-16 (not with MILES anyway). Referees walk around with "God guns" which allows them to kill anything with a single shot. This enables them to instantly punish cheating behavior or "re-balance" the battle if it starts tilting one way too fast and threatens to mess up the training.
There were ways to "help your side" when you were a drill sergeant or unit First Sergeant facing an engagement with another unit. We used to pull out our very best marksman and have them carefully zero their M-16's. We would then try to use them as snipers to disrupt the other unit before they could get their spray and pray units in close enough to be effective. It's also good to find out if the rules allow CS gas to be used. A few canisters of that lobbed into a group of half trained soldier can cause lots of confusion. And those same soldier will be easy pickings once they are masked and half blind. Good times and good memories!
Gregg
As the ex-Army Drill Sergeant, I think I can answer questions about MILES. The individual soldier wears an H shaped suspender like arrangement that has sensors on front and back. Then there is a ring of sensors that go around the helmet. Each little laser sensor is equally rated as a kill. The laser emitter that fastens to the M-16 is adjustable for point of aim. You are supposed to set up a zero range and ensure that each soldier has a chance to zero the device. In practice, nobody really has the time. I don't think I'm ever seen an entire platoon go through a MILES zero. The device is just locked on the rifle, maybe test fired with a blank at a sensor and then the soldier moves out.
The best part about MILES from a tactical position is that there is equipment for the heavier stuff as well. There are emitters and sensors for M-60 machine guns as well as M-1 tanks and Blackhawk helicopters. They "discriminate." You can't kill a tank with an M-16 (not with MILES anyway). Referees walk around with "God guns" which allows them to kill anything with a single shot. This enables them to instantly punish cheating behavior or "re-balance" the battle if it starts tilting one way too fast and threatens to mess up the training.
There were ways to "help your side" when you were a drill sergeant or unit First Sergeant facing an engagement with another unit. We used to pull out our very best marksman and have them carefully zero their M-16's. We would then try to use them as snipers to disrupt the other unit before they could get their spray and pray units in close enough to be effective. It's also good to find out if the rules allow CS gas to be used. A few canisters of that lobbed into a group of half trained soldier can cause lots of confusion. And those same soldier will be easy pickings once they are masked and half blind. Good times and good memories!
Gregg
