[chuckfourth]

Hi Wuljur

Quotes from Orbis publishers WWII
Im still not sure what light infantry means, for instance
In the Kokoda campaign the Japanese infantry carried a 100 pounds load. Artilleryman and engineers carried an extra 16 pounds. "The Soldiers made a kind of woodmans carrying rack for their load and like pilgrims with portable shrines carried it on their backs. Now they plodded on, step by step supported by a stick through those mountains of New Guinea"
The Japanese had also dragged two 70mm howitzers and Mortars along this 3 ft wide track which made them -more- Heavily armed than their initial opponents the Australian Milita which had no howitzers and possibly no mortars.
Here is something from their manual
"Westerners- being very haughty , effeminate, and cowardly intensly dislike fighting in the rain or mist or in the dark. They cannot conceive night to be a proper time for battle though it is excellent for dancing. In these weaknesses lie our great opportunity."
The New zealanders however did have night fighting training.
So it seems that in this situation scouting is indeed a hazardous operation, suicidal in fact ie because it is along a single track and the enemy is hidden in the jungle.
Ive found that in most detailed decriptions of Japanese jungle figthing that the speed of their response (excellent training) and speed through the jungle (excellent fitness) consistently amazed (and defeated) the Allies, which is why I used to like it when the Japs had 8 movement points instead of 7.

Heres a quote from the American Field Marshal 'Slim'
"We all talk about fighting to the last man and the last bullet. The Japanese soldier was the only one that did it"