06-30-2014, 10:13 AM
Quote: I believe he is altering his variables, maybe to reflect some of the comments on here and at Warwick concerning the volume of water required to keep a force in the field and the total quantum of combatants on both sides.
Every tv show I see about the 8th Army has stressed how they coped in the Western Desert in WW2 on a canteen of water a day, so 9 litres per man for Paulinus still seems way over the top considering it wasn't even a siege position, merely a camp. So the real water consumption may well have been so low that, as a locational criteria, it would be close to irrelavent, this is a major pitfall for Steves process. Water courses are probably more significant as transport/navigation routes in this context.
I would welcome a change in Steve's very thorough analysis if the water requirement as a major influencing factor is reduced. You use what is avaialble (drinking water being the imperative for man and beast) and make do.
I have said before that personal experience of the water ration in recent combat (Second Iraq War) led to many and varied ways to eke it out by re-use etc and hygiene, although very important in the field, was achieved with less than a litre of brackish water for several days (not the same as drinking water; that, on this occassion, was bottled). The water required for heating MREs (when the British Logistic Support HQ had to use them) was certainly re-used more than once and then finally, when there wasn't enough left to heat the food, it was down graded to hygiene use.
Moi Watson
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!