How does an army protect a city/town?

[Legbreaker]

Ideally, comms wouldn't involve signals the enemy could hear or see. Shots, flares, etc are a very good way of giving away your own position and letting the enemy know they've probably been spotted.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS unless there's NO other choice.

[Raellus]

You might want to check out a book called The Village by Bing West, about a small Marine CAP (combined action platoon) that was tasked with helping local Vietnamese secure a village from VC predation. The Marines and the militia "officers" occupied a small, fortified base camp from which they would launch frequent patrols. The rest of the militia forces would live in the village when they were off duty. Once again, active defense was a key part of the overall strategy.

I could see a similar approach being taken in the T2K world- a small unit of professional soldiers teaming up with a small local militia force to provide security for a small-ish settlement (hamlet, village, town).

For a larger settlement, if it's in or on the periphery of a military cantonment area (home to a division or larger), it's probably going to be garrisoned by a part of whichever larger unit calls the area "home".

[DocSavage45B10]

The main use for flares is after contact, typically to coordinate multiple phases for task force elements.

Ideally, comms wouldn't involve signals the enemy could hear or see. Shots, flares, etc are a very good way of giving away your own position and letting the enemy know they've probably been spotted.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS unless there's NO other choice.

[Legbreaker]

The main use for flares is after contact, typically to coordinate multiple phases for task force elements.

Exactly, they're something that can be used if you're not worried about the enemy knowing your location, etc but during the scouting and preparatory stages, stealth and minimising the intelligence information you're giving up to the enemy is vital. Even after contact has been made, information on troop numbers, movements, equipment, etc, etc, etc should not be given up lightly.

[Trooper]

I seem to remember the Germans in World War Two Carrying and feild phone with a cable spool

Thats an old finnish army technique to dense forest terrain! In eastern Finland and in Soviet Karelia there was huge wilderness areas without roads or even without trails.

When you are expecting trouble. You first look firing position for your mortar team. From that point recon squad will start scout enemy. Usually they directly walk in certain direction (using compass bearing). When they spot the enemy, forward observer will "read" the distance from a cable spool "350m from mortar position! Enemy platoon is 100 m. in front of us - 15 rounds now". Its best metod get fire support in featureless dense forest- unless you have GPS.

In 1941 german army and Waffen-SS didnt have a clue how to run operations in wilderness areas. Finnish intructors teached this technique "line and mortar" to Heer officers. It was later widely used in eastern and western fronts. Its also great way to use mortars in night fighting.

[DocSavage45B10]

Thats an old finnish army technique to dense forest terrain! In eastern Finland and in Soviet Karelia there was huge wilderness areas without roads or even without trails.

When you are expecting trouble. You first look firing position for your mortar team. From that point recon squad will start scout enemy. Usually they directly walk in certain direction (using compass bearing). When they spot the enemy, forward observer will "read" the distance from a cable spool "350m from mortar position! Enemy platoon is 100 m. in front of us - 15 rounds now". Its best metod get fire support in featureless dense forest- unless you have GPS.

In 1941 german army and Waffen-SS didnt have a clue how to run operations in wilderness areas. Finnish intructors teached this technique "line and mortar" to Heer officers. It was later widely used in eastern and western fronts. Its also great way to use mortars in night fighting.

Thanks Troop! I'll file that away...

[Graebarde]

There was a discussion on Loonz's site a while ago

http://loonz.freeservers.com/t2k/comvildef.htm

A WHILE ago it was too.. 2000, 12 years ago by the OLD Twilighters too.
Still good viable information.