Logistics of the APS Pirate Hunting Expedition?

[AZRedhawk44]

Okay, so we're all gonna jump on some 75 foot repurposed tuna boat that is sporting a helipad for our Little Bird, bring EBR's/pistols/cutlasses/eyepatches, mount old Ma Deuce up front and head out for the high seas adventures awaiting us off the Somali coast.

Sweet.

How are we gettin' gas to make it all the way there?  And food?

'Cuz we ain't gonna get let in to any port I know of.

Do we have enough international acquaintances and friends around the world that we can be shuttled in for wenching shore leaves on a rotational basis, and they can bring food, grog and fuel back to us in exchange for our plundered booty?

[Gewehr98]

That tuna boat (smells like tuna...) needs VHF Satcom, so the B-52H can get final course correction on the waypoints prior to IP Inbound. 

(You were planning on having some serious close air support, weren't you?)

[AZRedhawk44]

If we're registered to the US, can we re-enter US ports with legally owned US weapons?

What US ports are available on "that side" of the world?

Would letters of marque grant us access to the same ports the Navy can pull in to?

[charby]

Thing is you need a boat that looks good and easy enough to steal/pirate/forced boarding. Basically surrender the craft then you ambush the pirating bastards when they are with in point blank range. Too much ocean for one ship to go chasing stolen ships.

[Brad Johnson]

First, you put a clay thrower on the stern.  A nice one, too.  Something that will hold a lot of birds and runs automatically.  Then maybe a pulley system on a boom so you can winch out targets to, oh, at least 25 yards or so.

And a bar.  Don't forget the bar for the after-hours brag fest where everyone can claim endless rounds of 25/25 skeet and trap, and one-hole 25 yard groups from their pistols.

Brad

[Viking]

I suggest that the boat is some sort of military surplus, retrofitted to look like an innocent civilian, non-threatening craft. Seems to me that we have a lot to choose from from our navy, since most of it seems to be moth balled/headed for the scrap heap these days. Seriously though, the biggest problem would be finding places to go into harbour to refuel & get more food and water. Not to mention ammo, I figure most countries won't be very excited about the prospects of us running rampant through all the gun shops, asking "Got any incendiary .50 BMG? We need like 4000 rounds of it!"
Also, how the hell would we finance it? Think it would fly to ask for 10% of the total value of the ship & cargo as a reward for finding it and bringing it back? I think quite a lot of folks who operate the shipping lines would scream "Piracy" again when they hear that...

[wmenorr67]

There could be some places we take port in the money we spend would double their GNP.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Why don't we just not tell any of the ports we enter that we're carrying weapons?  Concealed is concealed, even for Ma Deuce.

[El Tejon]

Ma Deuce?  We'll need something bigger than a .50USMG.

[Jocassee]

We need to ask a friendly shipping company if we can borrow a container ship for a few months. Stop at Dar Es Salaam and quietly let out the word that we have a ship full of AK's and ammo (that way we don't have to add lying to our rap sheet). Continue up the coast around the horn. Lay to near a well-known pirate cove (Arrr.) Turn out the lights, wait for the sound of motor boats. Throw up a starburst and let all hail bust loose. Good times.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

That's an interesting idea.  We could just use a ginormous cargo ship as our privateering vessel.  We could stock the thing with years worth of food, ammo, fuel, and scotch, all without filling more than a fraction of the hold.

We wouldn't need a friendly port.  We could become our own floating port and stay out at sea almost indefinitely.

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Ma Deuce?  We'll need something bigger than a .50USMG.

What exactly is this Pirate Expedition supposed to do? Board pirate-owned ships or help retrieve pirate-captured ships? If the former, by all means crack out the howitzers. The Ukrainskis might get ticked off if we sunk another ship full of tanks, or the Saudis if we blew open their shiny new oil tanker.

[freedom lover]

Board pirate-owned ships or help retrieve pirate-captured ships?

We can retrieve pirate-captured ships and get paid by the companies discreetly. There is more money in that. All we need is a SCUBA diving assault team who practice CQB and point-shooting all the time, an innocent looking mother-ship, commercial rebreathers, black market weapons and ammo, boarding gear, agents to negotiate with the companies and arms dealers, a good cover story, and alot of free time and money to get started.

[cslinger]

We could stock the thing with years worth of food, ammo, fuel, and scotch,

Or six months worth of food and a year and half of Scotch.  :D

[Nightfall]

If somebody can help me get a cutlass I can mount as a bayonet on an EBR, I'm in.

[grampster]

Why don't we just buy a submarine from the Russians.  I bet we could get one cheap.

It would be more fun to come up underneath those critters and smash their boat and sink it.  Then we could wager on how long it would take the survivors to drown.  Or, we could get bus tours of retired folks to pay for the trip.  Give 'em free food and let 'em wager on the drownings.  They'd be lined up at the dock.

[Leatherneck]

Have you ever noticed that that inner little boy in you never goes away? 

TC

ETA: I like that in a man.

[Bigjake]

What exactly is this Pirate Expedition supposed to do? Board pirate-owned ships or help retrieve pirate-captured ships? If the former, by all means crack out the howitzers. The Ukrainskis might get ticked off if we sunk another ship full of tanks, or the Saudis if we blew open their shiny new oil tanker.

Killjoy :-P

A .50 has many advantages.  It's useful for anti-boat and anti personnel.  No big Saudi tanker or Ukrainian freighter is going to be harmed beyond repair from a few little half inch holes 

But, since you insist, we'll have to add a few Mag-58's to the equation to balance out the overkill that is Ma Duece. 

[Leatherneck]

Waitaminnit here you guys: anti-piracy is done hand-to-hand with pistols and dirks. Yelling OORAH! as you gut them on THEIR boat.

You guys must all be Air Force. 

TC

[280plus]

Pikes, don't forget the pikes! 

[MikePGS]

All we need is a SCUBA diving assault team who practice CQB and point-shooting all the time, an innocent looking mother-ship, commercial rebreathers, black market weapons and ammo, boarding gear, agents to negotiate with the companies and arms dealers, a good cover story, and alot of free time and money to get started.

Where is Gecko45 when you need him?

[Bigjake]

Where is Gecko45 when you need him?

Amphib wheelbarrow anyone?

[Leatherneck]

Pikes, don't forget the pikes!

Damn! I hate when I forget basic kit. Thanks, 280!

TC

[MikePGS]

Amphib wheelbarrow anyone?

Now we're talking :) (so long as its a tactical amphib wheelbarrow, of course)

[gunsmith]

Can we watch aaaaaaaarrrrrrggghh rated movies?