However, if one has seen a few people killed by random, even unintended, fire one will probably look at a definition of 'effective' in a different light than others.Depends on the weapons. If the opponents have SVD(s), any of the PK series or even old Nagants or Enfields -- even an RPK -- much less a Dshk, they can bring very effective (by any reasonable definition) fire on you at those ranges. Conversely, the M-14 series, the M240/MAG 58s and the various other long range weapons can initiate or return effective fire at those ranges. So whether one even bothers to take cover is -- as always -- situation, state of training and / or experience and all that METT-TC stuff dependent. The only rule in combat is that there are no rules...There is all this talk about long range "contacts" (500-900m) in Helmand. This can not be effective fire for most platoon weapons. Does one even bother to take cover?Or the Soldier led into harm's way by a quite competent officer or NCO not by strolling -- as you so repetitiously, drolly and ignorantly put it -- but by crossing open areas that are forced upon them by the situation in as tactically sound a manner as is possible....ah but as per my many previous comments about strolling around over open ground I guess the soldiers led into harms way by and idiot officer will probably feel a little vulnerable.
The good news is that you don't have to worry about any of that, you can just fulminate at length over the internet while a lot of others ranging from more competent than you or I ever were to those incompetents you seem to see everywhere get on with business...
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