Compass

[Grumpy Grandpa]

The simplest and cheapest, of Silva compasses will do everything you need it to. Take a bearing from a map, convert it, sight along it and off you go. The other way round, take a bearing on an object, convert it, put it on the map. Mils are of immense value, if you're calling in an artillery strike or setting up the equation to deliver one.

Personally, I always figured there were too damn many of the things for general map reading. Yes, you do get extra precision in your bearing but unless you're using a prismatic compass (and even then,) you still have to either follow the bearing on the ground (subjective) or take the bearing in the first place (also subjective).

Whenever confusion reigned and it often did with young soldiers, my fall back explanation was that it mattered not a whit if you called them degrees, mils or shitbags, you were still working with divisions of a circle. We would often then head off into the bundu with group leaders following bearings of 'x' shitbags to the next RV!