African Mercenary Loadout

[Gliderrider]

it's a great gun, but the first possitive feed he did had problems, though i think he has sorted those now.

[Gliderrider]

Also, just like to add that "Callaghn" used the following as his "Own" uniform and Kit

Para Beret & Badge with Queens Crown

Para Stable Belt Queens Crown

Light weight Trousers

Officers Khaki GS Shirt

Dennison smock or Para Smock depending on source

37 Belt

M1 Carbine Mag Pouches

1911 Mag Pouches

British 37 Pistol Holster

FS Knife

US M1 Carbine

US Colt 1911

US Jungle Boots

 

A Bit about the man.

Callaghn was thrown out of the Para's for turning over a post office, served time for it, and some how manadged to persuade the africans that he was upto leading and raising a small army. He put a few adverts in daily rags for Mercs. and support personell, most of the volanteers were civi's looking for some exitement, but their was quite a few profesional soldiers, who he promised modern weapons, when they got "in Country" they were just shown a room full of guns, most pre ww2, and had to salvage what they could. They old and bold got sent off, and the "civis" were left to guard a strong point.

 

Late at night, the two landies, one comtaining callaghn aproached, the civis thpought they were being attacked by armour, so opened fire with LAW's(Probably LAW 66's). Miraculesly nobody was hurt, but callaghn ordered some of the western mercs to kill the whole group of support staff, and orded his black bodyguard to kill anyone that didnt open fire on the victims.

[mikoyan99]

I've been trying to work out who this was: judging by you're description, i'd say it's him, with a few minor differences. The GS shirts are the ones worn with the army no.2 unifoirms arn't they?

 

[Gliderrider]

It could be, but the only photo I'v ever seen of him was when his was in court, and then from the back.

 

Yes the GS shirts are the ones worn with No2 dress.

 

I forgot to say that he styled himself as an officer though he had no right to claim to be one. He also liked the M2 HB .50 cal Browning MG, but I'd rather think that was what he wanted on his personal landy rather than his personal arms.

[Cyber Soldier]

The reason he was made commander was because he accidentally stumbled across an enemy tank column and went beserk with a load of LAW 66s.

[Gliderrider]

Was'nt that before the main influx of western mercs? But to start with he claimed to be an ex para captain, when he was a L/Cpl before he was chucked out of the para's

[obsessedwithairsoft]

Why can't mercs be good guys? EO kicked the RUF, who are notorious for their mass amputations, out of Sierra Leone.

 

What kind of LBV are you looking at?

 

 

i meant in a U.S. situation. yes, they can be good guys. however, the U.S. doesn't hire them, and green is always U.S. and i'm not sure yet. probably a MOLLE chest rig. ohh, and a beret.

[Jagdraben]

How does this sound:

 

Utilities (some oddball combination of Transkei camo, Rhodie camo, and/or OD BDU trousers)

Dark green beret (w/ badge?)

'Congo' FAL (FAL carbine) or AKM

M1911A1

USGI WWII belt

US M1916 holster (brown, no embossing)

2x PLCE DPM canteen pouches with canteens

USGI Vietnam-era .45-cal pistol magazine pouch

FMCO CLBV in OD for FAL/HK91E/M14 and Recon pack (obviously kicked around in the mud and left in the sun for a while before being 'authentic') OR Chicom Type 81 chest rig for Kalashnikov with a small ALICE pack (or similar)

USGI Nomex flight gloves (CB or black), Naked Snake-style finger cuts with the gauntlet rolled up

Danner Marine boots or Magnum black jungle boots (the Danners cause I like 'em and the Magnums cuz they'd probably be more accurate)

[mikoyan99]

That should be fine for an independent merc in angola, but it's too modern for 5 commando, as Rhodie camo just wasn't in the area at the time, except for a few very rare cases. For the dpm canteens, i'd recommend using olive freen pattern 58 ones instead as dpm canteen covers just wern't around at the time. Also, while load bearing vests were developed in africa, they wern't very common in the mid 70's merc scene.

If you could post some pics that would be handy, I can judge better then- the right effect can easily be achieved with the wrong kit

good luck, well thought out kitlist there,

matt

[Jagdraben]

I'll start getting the kit thrown together after my next paycheck (one week, exactly). Right now, I'm kinda missing the M1916 holster, the DPM canteen pouches (I'll look into getting pattern 58 pouches instead), the CLBV, the ALICE pack (I do has an Eagle MOLLE A-III pack... but much too modern that is), the African camo, or the FAL or M1911A1. Oh, and my web belt right now is a little too modern. Not USGI, but definately not a pre-1990s pattern. I might also look into getting a pair of brown leather Corcoran jump boots.

 

EDIT: Also, I'm probably going to dump the FAL in favor of a G3A3. Mostly for the same reason I plan on getting a real FAL: Price and availability of magazines.

[mikoyan99]

For the canteen pouches, you can get away with any plain green, tan or khaki ones- i'm not sure sure how common pattern 58 is in the u.s.

For the camo, the real stuff is quite rare, so I suggest like myself you wear plain o.g or tan trousers and an african camo shirt. Thats purely a cost thing though, although that mix is historically accurate. I'm not sure when transkie came into use, it might be worth looking up as I get the feeling it's too late.

As far as boots go, don't worry too much as long as they're dark and fairly plain.

-matt

[pjones]

Would mercenaries typically wear the pin of their former unit on their berets? I just watched The Wild Geese again, and that seemed to be the case.

[mikoyan99]

I think thats the case, our team does at least. Mike Hoare himself certainly wore a Zaire cap badge with the background painted sky blue, but I havn't seen anyone else wearing the same badge.

In our team, I wear the Isle of wight rifles cap badge (As i'm from the I.o.W, it replaced the machine gun corps one you see in the photos), Alan wears a mercenary cap badge of unkown origin, Nick wears a royal armour corps one and Ryan a transport division one.

I'd suggest getting hold of a British, African or European cap badge; American ones wouldn't have been around as there just wern't any American mercs in the area.

-matt

[Jagdraben]

Even if there were, there aren't a whole lot of American units that wore berets with or without badges.

[TheMerchantOfVenice]

My RLI Loadout is getting closer and closer to completion...

Still need for the very full loadout:

Rhodesian Camo

Bush Hat

FN FAL

Decapitated Head and Hands

 

For the sorta full loadout I need a Bush Hat and FN FAL.

 

 

[Jagdraben]

Can't decapitate hands.

[pjones]

My RLI Loadout is getting closer and closer to completion...

Still need for the very full loadout:

Rhodesian Camo

Bush Hat

FN FAL

Decapitated Head and Hands

 

For the sorta full loadout I need a Bush Hat and FN FAL.

 

Nice. There are some other guys who are working on RLI loadouts as well, and I'm looking into a Koevoet setup.

[Cyber Soldier]

My RLI Loadout is getting closer and closer to completion...

Still need for the very full loadout:

Rhodesian Camo

Bush Hat

FN FAL

Decapitated Head, and Hands

 

For the sorta full loadout I need a Bush Hat and FN FAL.

A severed head and pair of hands is a good idea. When the RLI killed a Charlie Tango (Communist Terrorist) they had to identify them. At the begining of the war they used to helicopter the bodies out so they could be finger printed and have a photo taken of their face. After about 1977 they realised that a dead body took up space on the G-Car that could be occupied by 2 live bodies so they just started cutting off the head and hands for identification.

[TheMerchantOfVenice]

Thanks for explaining, Cyber Soldier...

I want a cheap FN FAL, now. Or I might have to buy the expensive King Arms one, or I could wait until Inokstau (sp?) releases theres...

EDIT: I'm not too sure Inokstau IS releasing a FN FAL. I believe it is a FN FNC.

[Jagdraben]

ICS is going to release an FN FAL. And Classic Army has released (although it isn't in distribution, yet) an SA 58 variant that's pretty similar to some 'bush' FALs. Except for the scope mount (which, if it's anything like the real thing, should be easily removable).

[sandstorm]

How many SA-58 variants have CA released? I have seen one of the black-furnitured carbines, it's nice looking, but much too modern for anything pre-90's 'as-is'.

 

Hmm... I bet this would work for either side in African Merc game: Leopard-spot trousers and long sleeves (in jungle or the bush, you really don't want to scratch your skin) and an MP-40 with bunch of spare mags in WW2 era German style magpouches.

[mikoyan99]

Leodord spot trousers? I assume thats a camouflage pattern rather than literally leopard spots. In terms of the FAL, i'm very happy with my king arms, it's a great aeg. For those who can't afford scope mounts, scopes designed to fit 9-13mm dovetails will bolt straight on to the tangent (rear) sight rail once you remove the sight itself (unbolt the hex-screws, tap out the pin downwards witha hammer and slide the sight off). A tight enough screwing-down will keep it on there with friction, or you can file a groove on one side for a truly good fit. See my sig for photos, or I will post more at request.

Going back to your loadout sandstorm, i'd have to see it to judge it- you'd prbably look more like and "enemy" than a merc, but it sounds reasonably cool; the mp40 is an unusual but clever choice.

Please post pics, as for anyone else getting a loadout together,

matt

[sandstorm]

Yea, meant a camo pattern. I have seen it occasionally, tan base with darker spots on it, thus 'leopard'... But I can't remember if I have ever seen it for sale in any of the camo stores.

 

The MP-40 came to me as I was thinking of those Legionnaire memoirs I mentioned before? They liked their SMGs over the rifles in Africa. Althought FAMAS apparently was well-liked there. But since there's a dearth of the various 'old-style' SMGs with lot's of tacticool MP5s around these days, the MP-40 would definitely lend itself to some 50's to 70's 'cheap-gun' mercs or Oppos.

[mikoyan99]

Been doing some more research, leopard camo came from Poland during the warsaw pact days (in the 70's) and Zaire about the same time. I think you'd look like an "advisor" working in the area- or perhaps a merc who got hold of some unusual equipment, an "independent" perhaps. Zaire was involved in the cvil war in the congo, but it was pre that particular camouflage.

But either way, it'll look unique.

Good point about the smg as well, in the bush and jungle they'd be fantastic for spray and pray, although heavier caliber rifles (7.62x51 etc) were also liked as they could punch right through trees and undergrowth.

-matt

[sandstorm]

Apparently, the US tried a 'leopard' pattern in WW2 as well. They brought it briefly back during Vietnam, but the Tigerstripe was more liked. (Check 'duck hunter' in Vietnam, and Bay of Pigs...)

 

Having looked at the leopard patterns, though, I think basic OD or khaki might be easier to hide in the bush and jungle.

 

A Polish Leopard could look rather interesting, though. Need to check if I can find it in my size from anywhere.

 

Lightweight SMGs, especially when used with tight fire control and decent aiming skills (Foreign Legion elites) can be devastating in the short-range fights of jungle and elephant grass. Couple of good riflemen for longer-range support can make a squad of 12 men really dangerous.