K-ration
The K-ration is a type of comestible that appears in Nethack. It is veggy and considered vegan.
Contents
Generation
K-rations are not randomly generated.
Mercenaries that are part of the Yendorian Army have a 1⁄3 chance of being generated with a K-ration.[1]
Description
When eaten, K-rations grant 400 nutrition, and usually take one move to consume similar to C-rations. K-rations can tame domestic canines and felines and pacify domestic equines.
Strategy
K-rations are a valuable source of quick nutrition in desperate situations, and are plentiful for characters that can clear out barracks like those found in Fort Ludios and the Castle. Though K-rations and C-rations are similar in function, K-rations have a higher nutrition value, and for non-elven characters they are tied with the lembas wafer for the highest amount of nutrition per turn - this makes them a viable food type to carry in ascension kits, especially when dealing with the risk of meeting Famine on the Astral Plane.
K-rations are prized by vegan spellcasters who are not eligible for hungerless casting.
History
The K-ration first appears in NetHack 2.3e.
Origin
K-rations are an old form of daily combat ration used by the US Army in World War II - the letter K has no particular significance, and was chosen simply because it was phonetically distinct from the other ration types (A, B, C, and D) in use at the time. Packed in three wax-paper boxes (one for each meal), they largely consisted of canned entrees and biscuits. The entrees were usually meat-based, and even the biscuits were not vegan, containing animal byproducts such as eggs and milk.[2]
Intended as an emergency ration for short-term use, K-rations were lighter and more compact than C-rations, and also provided significantly fewer calories, in contrast to their superior nutritional value in Nethack (400 vs. 300). Despite K-rations' intended use as a short-term stopgap, in many cases they were given to soldiers for weeks or even months at a time. Their low caloric content often led to malnutrition, a situation made worse by their monotonous menus which frequently caused men to not eat the entire ration; due to this thorough unpopularity, the K-ration was discontinued shortly after World War II.
Messages
- This K-ration is bland.
- You ate a non-cursed K-ration.
Variants
SLASH'EM
In SLASH'EM, K-rations can be upgraded into cram rations or food rations. This also applies to SlashTHEM.
SpliceHack
In SpliceHack, a K-ration can be created at a furnace by combining a C-ration and a food ration.
Encyclopedia entry
The K ration was the [ Quartermaster Subsistence Research and Development Laboratory's ] answer to the demand for an individual, easy-to-carry ration that could be used in assault and combat operations. It was noted for compactness and superior packaging and was acknowledged as the ration that provided the greatest variety of nutritionally balanced components within the smallest space.
