THE COMMON INFANTRYMAN SERIES

Fighting on the Lakes isn’t always about fast-paced firefights and grand battles. For every large operation, there are many more mundane ones. Whether they are out on an uneventful patrol or stationed at camp, infantrymen are always looking for ways to stave off boredom.

DICE GAMES

Gambling has always been a staple among the Naval Infantry, whether it is on long voyages aboard ships or in dreary foxholes. It is a favored method among many men to stave off boredom and earn extra money. Soldiers from The Mill love bar dice, though nearly everyone also loves Crown and Anchor (sometimes referred to as "Moose and Anchor"), a simple dice game commonly played aboard naval vessels. The game consists of three special six-sided dice and is played between a banker and a player. Bets are placed on symbols: if one symbol is rolled, your stake is returned; two symbols double your stake; and three symbols triple it. Players may also bet on multiple symbols. (For playing IC, I recommend that the player bets on numbers 1-6. The banker rolls a D6 three times, and the rolled outcome determines the stake return.)

RADIO

Music and jazz, radio dramas, and the Derby—all of these are broadcast over the radio waves. Infantrymen huddling around the radio is an all-too-familiar sight. FM/AM radio is said to be nearly a necessity among the infantry, and officers have sworn by its effects on morale. When the camp radio dies, morale is often the next to go. Batteries are highly sought after to power these radios.