User:AndrewTall/Soldier's load

An important consideration in determining the proper load for the individual is a thorough understanding of the physiological capabilities of the person carrying the load. Finally, the impact of psychological and emotional factors upon a unit and its men must be considered.
During the formation of Anuire into a single political entity by Roele Andu, the emperor ordered Baron Barumel Boeruine, third son of the Arch-Duke, to initiate investigations to measure the physiological cost to the soldiers of carrying various loads under various degrees of temperature. These and other studies in Brechtür concluded that a soldier could sustain indefinitely exertion of 5/3 to double the norm (measured by the amount of food required to avoid weight loss), but could do no more without requiring rest every other day.
The Baron was particularly interested in measuring the effect on infantrymen who were carrying different loads under varying conditions of temperature. His research demonstrated that a load of 50 pounds could be carried by a well-conditioned soldier in cool weather with little difficulty. However, in warm weather the same load produced an impairment in physical strength, and the soldiers did not return to a normal state until some time during the following day. The baron?s research led to significant reductions in loads during the Basarji campaigns compared to the loads borne in the Rjurik and Brecht campaigns.
The Baron?s experiments demonstrated that soldiers continued to show physical distress regardless of the degree of physical conditioning. The Baron concluded that the optimal weight of a load was 1/3 of a man?s bodyweight, and that it is impossible to condition the average soldier to march with a load once it reaches 70 pounds no matter how much training the soldier was given - though training could increase the maximum load by 10-20% compared to green troops.
A number of factors beyond heat affect the maximum load that can be comfortably carried. These include the total weight of the load, rate of movement, grade or slope of the terrain, the firmness of the ground, and the physical condition, size, and fitness of the soldier. But equally important was morale, discipline, and in converse, fear, hunger, and shock.

Leaders must collectively recognize the problems of overloading and resolve themselves to reach a viable solution for the soldiers under their command. Ultimately the leader is the key, for he can negate all the planning, and studies on the spot. The tendency to plan for the ?worst case? contingency and plan the load accordingly must be resisted at all costs.
Ideally every load should be selected for the specific mission of the army ? while few would send troops laden with overcoats fit for the Rjurik winter to burning Saere Sendoure, many officers burdened their men with great amounts of water which served merely to slow them to a crawl. Soldiers should be equipped with the bare minimum of equipment to achieve their aim ? every pound beyond this is wasteful, and serves merely to slow and tire the legion.
Task-arming has much to offer towards reducing the unit's load requirements. Resistance to this concept stems from a lack of confidence in our soldiers' abilities and a desire to keep all assets in one spot for the unexpected contingency.