I was on an excercise when we bumped into some USMC.
We got chatting, and started comparing command kit. Their squad leader had the radio, a map and a notebook. No compass.
Brit Section Commander. Radio, 2 compasses, bino's, model kit, orders book, etc: Approx 10lbs of command kit, give or take the odd pencil.
My point is that the corps squad leader was just that. He got pointed in the right direction and off he went. He gets artillary from the attached Forward Obs Officer, AT from the attack helo, bombs galore from Ground Attack, and there is even a platoon medic to stick tubes in you if you bleed. An american soldier also gets the best logistical support available. It is a different way of going to war. This all goes to rats when the personalities who are there for the guy with the bayonet start going down.
In my opinion The Blackhawk Down episode went bad because the plan was flawed. No-one thought that the Somalies could bring down a helicopter because they didn't have AA missiles.
But then again there are British cockups too. The military tourism that ended with the death of a SAS trooper. And don't get me started on B20. Another patrol commander got off the chopper, looked at the ground, got back on and scrubbed the mission because it wasn't like the ground they'd planned for.
Respect to all of the troops that were in the sh*t in Iraq and Somalia. They did the best they could when the baloon went up...
Back to Brit Soldier addons. My opinion is Helmets and floppy hats, unless you have a story to tell about a regiment, then you put lids on them.
But do we need a different addon for every unit? We could end up with an SBS op with black CRW kit and a SAS op with black CRW kit and very little difference apart from the title. An Army Cadet gets a uniform that isn't much different to the DPM uniform issued to a SAS soldier.
Wetsuits (either SBS/SAS) Black balaclavas (CRW - either) and good old DPM in normal and desert should just about cover it.
At present I would encourage the contstruction of Brit Weapons - SA80, LSW, L96, GPMG, GPMG (SF), Milan - OFP provides the M16's, M203's and (a tactically piss poor) .50.