Loose Rounds

The podcast series about the little big things that have had a major impact on military history.

Wheels, ship design, blood transfusions, field rations – all small, but nevertheless significant developments that have had a major impact on military history. In this special season produced in cooperation between Nammo and the podcast War Stories, showrunners Adin Dobkin and Angry Staff Officer look at some of these innovations and discuss their implications.You can listen to the episodes below, or download them on Apple Podcasts.

Episode 1: Mortars

This first episode focuses on mortars, and how incremental changes in technology has helped it develop from a heavy piece of siege equipment, to a versatile support weapon for light infantry – while retaining its basic design, as a muzzle loaded weapon intended for indirect fire.

Click here to listen to the episode on iTunes.

Episode 2: Blood Transfusions

One of the many tragedies recorded by military history is the fact that soldiers used to be far more likely to die off the battlefield than on it, either due to illness, malnutrition, or poor treatment of their injuries. For instance, for every three soldiers killed in battle during the American Civil War, five more would die of disease, and many of those that died in battle only did so because of the limited medical help available at the time.

Today, 150 years later, the situation is radically different. A modern soldier injured in combat has a good chance of reaching a surgical unit within 15 minutes of his or her injury, which is part of the reason why in some current conflicts, more than 90% of military personnel injured in combat survive. The same applies to deaths from disease, which are also largely a thing of the past.

In the second episode of the Nammo-sponsored podcast series “Loose Rounds,” Adin Dobkin and Angry Staff Officer of “War Stories” introduce us to one of the advancements that have made this remarkable development possible – something that we today take almost for granted – blood transfusions. You can listen to the episode below, or search for “War Stories” wherever you get your podcasts (Click here to listen on iTunes/iPhone).

Episode 3: Logistics

Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics. In the third episode of the podcast series “Loose Rounds” Adin Dobkin and Angry Staff Officer show us why, as they discuss the incorporation of logistics into professional militaries and how, in some ways, logistics helped bring about an international trading system.

Episode 4: Logistics

In 490 B.C. Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens to alert the city of victory over the Persians. Today a global network of military communications satellites allow voice and video messages to travel anywhere in seconds. In the fourth episode of the podcast series “Loose Rounds” show runners Adin Dobkin and Angry Staff Officer discuss the massive improvements made in military communications in the 2500 years that have passed from the Battle of Marathon until today.

Episode 5: Field Rations

Field rations – even if you have never eaten one, you probably associate the term with something rather unappetizing. Yet they have been instrumental in allowing large modern armies to move and operate efficiently. Previously, an army would either have to bring a supply train full of animals both intended for slaughter, but also to carry fodder for the food animals, both of which were slow and vulnerable. Alternatively, it would have to live off the land, and buy, steal or forage whatever it could, which meant that significant portions of the available force would have to be dedicated to that purpose.

With the invention of moden military rations, this has all changed, with armies distributing predefined packs of food designed to provide the amount of nutrients a soldier needs when on operations. Though the focus seems to have been more on efficient nutrition rather than taste, something which Adin Dobkin and Angry Staff Officer discuss in the fifth episode of “Loose Rounds”

Episode 6: Cartography

This episode focuses on something we today have come to take for granted – maps, or more precisely, cartography. Join Adin Dobkin and Angry Staff Officer as they take us through its development from ancient times until today.

Episode 7: Ship Design

Did you know Greek Trireme designs was one of the first examples of secret military technology, with harsh punishments for anyone sharing plans with foreigners? This, and much more in this episode of the podcast series Loose Rounds, where Adin Dobkin walk us through more than 2000 years of naval history, ranging from the first dug-out canoes to modern day warships.

Episode 8: Wheels

The wheel – undoubtedly one of the world’s most significant inventions, but also one where various military applications have helped drive its use and development. From the heavy war chariots of antiquity to artillery wheels of the 19th century, the needs of the battlefield have inspired mechanics and engineers to look for improvements and new applications for this age-old technology. In this episode of Loose Rounds, Adin Dobkin and Angry Staff Officer of War Stories walk us through some of these, as well as their effects on history.

Episode 9: AUSA Live Show

Here it is, the 9th and final episode of Loose Rounds – this time in a live session recorded at the Nammo booth at AUSA 2018.

What would the Nammo booth have looked like at a trade show 700 years ago? What does the future of ammunition look like? Listen as Nammo SVP Communications Endre Lunde is joined by Adin Dobkin and Angry Staff Officer to discuss both War Stories and some highlights from the development of ammunition from 1300 and until today.