SeinfeldRules

Hello all,
With winter fast approaching, my time for gaming is increasing and I've started to create some new scenarios for CMFB. Here are my attempts! As always, my scenarios are not playtested to death and I don't guarantee perfection - I believe in the 75% solution now as opposed to the 99% solution weeks from now!  Please give me feedback - I am always tweaking in order to produce a better experience for everyone! All my maps are "hand made" originals. Screenshots are with a terrain mod of my creation that I'm putting the finishing touches on.
The Lodge at Hurtgenwald v1.0
http://bit.ly/2ckucTx   You are a Rifle Company Commander in the 1st BN, 109th Infantry. Three days ago you were a brand new Platoon Leader, but the hell that is the woods that surround you has taken the lives of over a third of your company and thrust the mantle of leadership upon you. The incessant rain, mud and mortars has taken their toll but slowly we have advanced, taking the town of Germeter and the woods beyond it. Your next objective, Hurtgenwald, sits less then 1KM away to your north east. Your battalion commander has ordered you to take your company and seize the lodge of the local forest master, located halfway between you and the outskirts of Hurtgenwald, and push into the town itself. At your command, your weary and miserable men reluctantly haul themselves out of their holes and go forward. As they near the edge of the treeline, a burst of gunfire rips through the branches above their heads...

A new scenario!
East of Aachen v1.0
http://bit.ly/2imjAVC

You are a German infantry commander, caught in the ever tightening noose that encircles Aachen. Your Volksgrenadier Regiment is responsible for the eastern portion of the defense, and has been slowly pushed back towards the edge of the city. American gains are steady, but we counterattack wherever we can to give the defenders of the city more time to prepare. Just this afternoon, American infantry and artillery pounded our battalion's position, pushing out our sister company from their foxholes and taking the ground for themselves. Your company, the regimental reserve, was quickly assembled and sent towards the position, in an effort to throw the Americans out before they can consolidate the ground and dig in.

I personally doubt this is actually in Ukraine. The name on the barrel appears to be 1SG Conrad Schmidt, a Medal of Honor recipient from the 2nd Calvary Regiment. 2nd Cavalry Regiment is on of the the permanent Army units in Germany and their howitzers have been seen before in training videos for Ukrainian artillerymen. Other 2CR howitzers also have MoH winners painted on their tubes:
This howitzer being in Ukraine would imply that we took actively serving howitzers off one of the few active duty units we have permanently stationed in Europe and sent them straight over the border into Ukraine... when there seems to be plenty of stockpiled M777s from various unit closures that would probably would have sent first. I also highly doubt we would have done that without stripping them of our identifying marks. Some other oddities: the spades are upright and you absolutely can not fire the howitzer in that position and it takes several minutes to dig them in correctly. Also, the massive camo net setup is very much an American artillery TTP (and hopefully one that will die, as it's terribly ineffective when you have the barrel pointing out the front. Easy to operate under but in today's battlefield makes you MORE obvious to ISR).  Taking both into account, the howitzer is both not in position to fire and not in a position to displace quickly... which to me points that it's a training situation and not in a combat zone. 

I personally doubt this is actually in Ukraine. The name on the barrel appears to be 1SG Conrad Schmidt, a Medal of Honor recipient from the 2nd Calvary Regiment. 2nd Cavalry Regiment is on of the the permanent Army units in Germany and their howitzers have been seen before in training videos for Ukrainian artillerymen. Other 2CR howitzers also have MoH winners painted on their tubes:
This howitzer being in Ukraine would imply that we took actively serving howitzers off one of the few active duty units we have permanently stationed in Europe and sent them straight over the border into Ukraine... when there seems to be plenty of stockpiled M777s from various unit closures that would probably would have sent first. I also highly doubt we would have done that without stripping them of our identifying marks. Some other oddities: the spades are upright and you absolutely can not fire the howitzer in that position and it takes several minutes to dig them in correctly. Also, the massive camo net setup is very much an American artillery TTP (and hopefully one that will die, as it's terribly ineffective when you have the barrel pointing out the front. Easy to operate under but in today's battlefield makes you MORE obvious to ISR).  Taking both into account, the howitzer is both not in position to fire and not in a position to displace quickly... which to me points that it's a training situation and not in a combat zone. 

And another one!
 
Mine Mill Mountain v1.0
bit.ly/1Q7trL8

You are a Soviet Cavalry Squadron Commander in Romania. Our forces have pushed rapidly through the country, bypassing large groups of enemy troops. A group of German stragglers have managed to hole themselves up in a mining town located on the side of a mountain. You've been tasked with digging them out.
 
Please let me know how this plays. Don't know if I have the force balance correct.

Thank you for all the great comments guys - they really keep me going on these things. As proof, here's another scenario!
Hitting the Flank v1.0
http://bit.ly/1N3vhaF
 

 
Our forces are counterattacking. Having detrained merely days ago, your Regiment has been pushing around the flank of the Soviets, looking for an opportunity to halt the Russian juggernaut. The panzergrenadier company you command has been tasked with securing the flank of our regiment's counterattack by taking a town overlooking an important road highway. Located to the NW on the reverse slope of a ridge line, your force is poised to take the town and the woods overlooking the road.
This scenario needs testing! I will be uploading it to the Proving Grounds... but please give me feedback on the length of time required and the difficulty. It got very basic testing.
Also, for those who like my scenarios... keep an eye out from some CMBS ones! Coming soon...

Another scenario...
 
Assault Position v1.0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/d85cs6w3xeeg0oi/AD%20Assault%20Position.zip?dl=0
 

 
Our forces are counterattacking. Having detrained merely days ago, your Regiment has been pushing around the flank of the Soviets, looking for an opportunity to halt the Russian juggernaut. Your panzergrenadier company has been tasked with securing the flank of our regiment's counterattack by taking a town overlooking an important road highway. Located on the reverse slope of a ridgeline, you determine that a wooded grove just NW of the town (and SE of your assembly area) would be the perfect place to form up your company before it's final attack on the main Soviet defenses. The morning of your attack, you begin to move your company to take your assault position. Axis vs AI only.

Thank you for the feedback combatintman and grungar! I'm happy everyone has liked them so far. I'll definitely look into some of the ASL stuff, do they have scenario "stories" like CM, or is it more of a freeform scenario, kind of like a Quick Battle?
 
fry30, I've never thought about it that way, but it's very true! I feel there are lots of these little "episodes" in war, you just have to read between the lines when books and such talk about macro level events. Not everything has to be a titanic clash, even the "quiet" periods were full of patrolling and small unit actions.
 
And another one:
 
 
Into Lithuania v1.0
 
https://www.dropbox.com/s/s8uyz9zc0fr9kjy/AD%20Into%20Lithuania.zip?dl=0
 

 
Our tanks drive on into Lithuania. Following the capture of Minsk, our forces are now pushing up the road to Vilnius. Your company of T-34s is currently leading that push, and just as you cross the border of Belarus and Lithuania, your lead vehicle brews up in a mighty explosion. It is clear the Germans have something waiting for you in the village ahead... Allied vs AI only.

Myrne Roadblock v1.0
http://bit.ly/1OkIHiV

The frontline in the war for Ukraine has stabilized. As the two sides rebuild, combat patrols cause trouble on both sides. In a NATO salient in the Russian lines, enemy forces have been continually cutting the Main Supply Route with platoon and company sized elements. For the past several weeks, your air assault infantry company has been tasked with clearing these roadblocks, using your high mobility to quickly reach trouble areas. This morning, infantry with several BMPs in support infiltrated through the gaps in our lines and occupied the village of Myrne, which sits astride the MSR. Your company was assembled and flown into an area north of the village. Take your force and clear Myrne of the enemy. BLUFOR vs AI only.

Night Jump v1.0
http://bit.ly/1ZqcAXc

The war everyone feared has finally come. Russian tank units are flooding into Ukraine, and the combined UKR and NATO forces in Europe are not enough to stop them. The best NATO generals can do is stem the tide until armored divisions from the US can arrive on the continent. The XVIII Airborne Corps is dropped all over Ukraine in a desperate attempt to stop the Russians wherever they can. Your division, the 82nd Airborne, is dropped near Kherson to help defend the southern route to Odessa. Your battalion's objective is a large grain elevator, a veritable mountain in the flat sea of steppe, able to observe critical avenues of approach for miles. The infantry company you command has its DZs closest to this objective and as you exit the plane into the cold night sky, the angry tracers racing up at you from the buildings surrounding the grain elevator reveals the enemy has gotten there first... BLUFOR vs AI only.
 
 

Hello all,
With the success of my CMRT and CMFI scenarios, I've decided to branch out into CMBS and create some content for this game as well. I only have one scenario right now, but have 2-3 more not far from completion. As always, these are not playtested to death and I don't guarantee perfection - I believe in the 75% solution now as opposed to the 99% solution weeks from now!  Please give me feedback - I am always tweaking in order to produce a better experience for everyone! All my maps are "hand made" originals. They look best with my terrain mod in my opinion!
 
Bradley Speedbump v1.0
http://bit.ly/1MMoW3Q

The invasion of Ukraine has kicked off, and our tanks are rolling across the countryside. The American and Ukrainian forces were not enough to stop the Russian advance, and have been scattered into many individual groups, all seeking to delay us in whatever way they can. As the commander of your Russian Brigade Tactical Group's lead reconnaissance element, you are responsible for locating these NATO forces and either bypassing or destroying them.
As your brigade pushes to Kiev, your patrol's lead vehicle is stopped by sympathetic locals, just east of a large orchard. They hurriedly explain that an American platoon with a tracked vehicle in support have established a position overlooking your brigade's main avenue of advance. The only way the main body can continue down this road unhindered is for you to dig the Americans out of their delaying position, located just west of the orchard. REDFOR vs AI only.

This is absolutely incorrect, you can do no such thing.
That rumor started because the official range is actually more like 84km. https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/ndia/2016/armament/Turner.pdf
See slide 9.

This is absolutely incorrect, you can do no such thing.
That rumor started because the official range is actually more like 84km. https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/ndia/2016/armament/Turner.pdf
See slide 9.

I mean considering the first half of this war was characterized by abandoned and destroyed convoys and a mass withdrawal of Russian forces I have no problem believing a large portion of their KIA ended up in Ukrainian hands. This isn't GWOT, not every body is going to come home. Besides, doesn't that match up with the supposed "disregard" Russia has for the lives of their citizens that we keep hearing about in this thread?

I mean considering the first half of this war was characterized by abandoned and destroyed convoys and a mass withdrawal of Russian forces I have no problem believing a large portion of their KIA ended up in Ukrainian hands. This isn't GWOT, not every body is going to come home. Besides, doesn't that match up with the supposed "disregard" Russia has for the lives of their citizens that we keep hearing about in this thread?

So that's not how I read the translated tweet provided... it's claims RuAF suffered 37, 592 "irretrievable" losses, which includes 9,457 dead within that figure, and doesn't include any data on Russian PMCs (or DPR/LPR either, presumably). I'm assuming "irretrievable" in this case means all KIA, WIA, MIA and POW. At least that's how the English version reads, not sure if the translator messed up somewhere and the context of the "dead" number is wrong
If that reading is correct, it lines up closely with Steve's post the other day on estimated casualties, once you include all branches and armies.

I'm going to offer my own, un-solicited advice on map making...
Use the light forest tile under trees, fences, hedges, roads, buildings, any sort of man-made "divider" - its represents well the undergrowth that builds up on these less traveled/less maintained areas. Look at pictures of rural fences and such and you'll see shrubbery/grass growing taller then the immediate surrounding foliage It also serves as an eye pleasing way to "break up" large chunks of terrain, especially when you're zoomed out - where most players actually play the game - and the fences start to blend in with the surrounding grass.
Alternate between yellow grass, tall grass, green grass, extra tall grass, etc when building large fields. Breaks up the color tone that looks unnatural when zoomed out. Same goes for dirt - mix in dirt, red dirt, hard dirt etc when building lots for your buildings. These large lots - either grass or dirt, or whatever - should look like a Jackson Pollock painting in the editor. Just splashes of different tiles everywhere.
Dirt footpaths serve as a great way to break up terrain as well - simulates the many different ways people cross fields, and the paths they create. Also works great in residential dirt lots.
Combine different buildings to make a realistic looking residence. I like to use the half tile barn on the end of an independent one story house. The half tile barns also look good between fences, and when they form an "L" at a 90 degree angle to a house.
Really pay attention to how homes are setup for the area you are modeling. They are often tighter and more "intimate" then you think. Remember, tiles are 8 meters by 8 meters, which is absolutely huge. I would say most Eastern European residential lots are maybe 3x3 or 4x3 in CM terms. Use street view when you can to see how they look from ground level. Satellite imagery can be deceiving.
When it comes to forests, less is more. I almost never use the two or three tile tree lots. Single trees are enough. In fact, drop your block of trees, and then go back and remove some trees from random tiles. Creates a realistic patchwork effect. Also, use different types of trees in a forest. Trees of the same type in CM are universal in height - no forest is like that in the real word. I like to use Tree D - a fairly short tree - and mix the taller A and C trees into the mix. Creates a more natural forest.
Avoid painting solid lines of height elevation. There is nowhere in this natural world where you have a universal flat area or a universally sloping area (bar maybe a salt bed, I guess..) Purposely leave gaps in your contour lines, and then drop random points in between contours that are one higher or one lower then what the game "calculates" it should be. It will create very pleasing, very natural, undulating terrain. Failing to do this is probably the biggest sin when it comes to map making in CM, in my mind. Elevation is much more difficult in CM2 then it was in CM1, which is why I think people have a hard time with this. But if you take the time to hand craft your elevations, it will pay off big. It makes your map look 100x more realistic.
Don't tie yourself to an overlay! The real world is much more angular then what CM can handle. Have fun with your map - no one will care if this street had 7 houses instead of 5. What matters is the look, and how it plays, Additionally, the height data in Google Earth and other public programs does not have the fidelity to make a realistic map. It's great for a starting point - ie, this town is on a hill - but the nuances of height elevation in real life terrain can not be captured in an overlay. Go for a walk and look for the micro terrain that is out there. Most of it is well within CM's ability to model.

Well his second thread isn't exactly accurate, as we absolutely have and account for manufacturing deviations between howitzers, and have several processes to identify these differences. We also have differences between the efficiencies of our propellants and the weight of our shells, which is why we segregate them into similar lots and track the differences between the various lots... that's probably the main difference between western and Soviet equipment, not necessarily purely a quality thing (though it plays a factor) but the fact that we more accurately account for those differences... looking at the Tabular Firing Tables of a Soviet D-30 and comparing it to ours, the amount of data they used was noticeably less. We have extremely detailed firing tables that account for many different variables, and I'm not sure if more recent Russian howitzers have improved, but I would argue that's a bigger factor then it being purely a manufacturing issue. Not every Russian howitzer is from the 1980s with completely shot out tubes, but if you have incomplete firing tables you will not be as accurate.

I'm going to offer my own, un-solicited advice on map making...
Use the light forest tile under trees, fences, hedges, roads, buildings, any sort of man-made "divider" - its represents well the undergrowth that builds up on these less traveled/less maintained areas. Look at pictures of rural fences and such and you'll see shrubbery/grass growing taller then the immediate surrounding foliage It also serves as an eye pleasing way to "break up" large chunks of terrain, especially when you're zoomed out - where most players actually play the game - and the fences start to blend in with the surrounding grass.
Alternate between yellow grass, tall grass, green grass, extra tall grass, etc when building large fields. Breaks up the color tone that looks unnatural when zoomed out. Same goes for dirt - mix in dirt, red dirt, hard dirt etc when building lots for your buildings. These large lots - either grass or dirt, or whatever - should look like a Jackson Pollock painting in the editor. Just splashes of different tiles everywhere.
Dirt footpaths serve as a great way to break up terrain as well - simulates the many different ways people cross fields, and the paths they create. Also works great in residential dirt lots.
Combine different buildings to make a realistic looking residence. I like to use the half tile barn on the end of an independent one story house. The half tile barns also look good between fences, and when they form an "L" at a 90 degree angle to a house.
Really pay attention to how homes are setup for the area you are modeling. They are often tighter and more "intimate" then you think. Remember, tiles are 8 meters by 8 meters, which is absolutely huge. I would say most Eastern European residential lots are maybe 3x3 or 4x3 in CM terms. Use street view when you can to see how they look from ground level. Satellite imagery can be deceiving.
When it comes to forests, less is more. I almost never use the two or three tile tree lots. Single trees are enough. In fact, drop your block of trees, and then go back and remove some trees from random tiles. Creates a realistic patchwork effect. Also, use different types of trees in a forest. Trees of the same type in CM are universal in height - no forest is like that in the real word. I like to use Tree D - a fairly short tree - and mix the taller A and C trees into the mix. Creates a more natural forest.
Avoid painting solid lines of height elevation. There is nowhere in this natural world where you have a universal flat area or a universally sloping area (bar maybe a salt bed, I guess..) Purposely leave gaps in your contour lines, and then drop random points in between contours that are one higher or one lower then what the game "calculates" it should be. It will create very pleasing, very natural, undulating terrain. Failing to do this is probably the biggest sin when it comes to map making in CM, in my mind. Elevation is much more difficult in CM2 then it was in CM1, which is why I think people have a hard time with this. But if you take the time to hand craft your elevations, it will pay off big. It makes your map look 100x more realistic.
Don't tie yourself to an overlay! The real world is much more angular then what CM can handle. Have fun with your map - no one will care if this street had 7 houses instead of 5. What matters is the look, and how it plays, Additionally, the height data in Google Earth and other public programs does not have the fidelity to make a realistic map. It's great for a starting point - ie, this town is on a hill - but the nuances of height elevation in real life terrain can not be captured in an overlay. Go for a walk and look for the micro terrain that is out there. Most of it is well within CM's ability to model.

Interesting twitter thread on Switchblade 300. Auto-translated the content below so you don't have to:
"Switchblade kamikaze drones have been used in Ukraine for a long time. Today we will understand how they work and why they are not as effective as they might seem. And what is the best way to replace them. Short thread
The United States has supplied Ukraine with 700 Switchblade 300 kamikaze drones. This is a lightweight disposable low-power drone designed to destroy enemy soldiers. In fact, this is not even a drone, but loitering ammunition
The main advantage of the Switchblade 300 is its compactness. It is launched from a small pipe, like a mortar, using compressed air. The entire system can be carried and controlled by one soldier. It can be conveniently brought directly to the position.
The main disadvantage of Switchblade 300 is disposability. Even without a goal, he cannot sit down. Either a fall, probably without the possibility of a restart, or a safe detonation. This imposes a great responsibility on the operator.
The Switchblade 300 is a lightweight drone that carries the equivalent of a 40mm grenade grenade. In these frames we see the wreckage after the explosion. Judging by the state of preservation, the power of the explosion is close to that of a hand grenade. This means that they cannot destroy equipment.
Look at an example of using a drone. Everything happens literally like in a computer game. A huge advantage of the Switchblade 300 is a high-quality camera, which, among other things, allows you to conduct reconnaissance in search of targets.
But the Switchblade 300 cannot significantly strengthen the Ukrainian army and is generally not suitable for this type of conflict. All because of the high price. One drone (or kit) costs $6,000 dollars. Although Ukraine received them for free, we must take into account the price, because you can buy something else for it.
For example, the 700 Switchblade 300 is $4.2 million. With this you can buy an M777 howitzer ($3.7 million) and there will still be money left for ammunition!
Each launch costs a lot. In Afghanistan, the Switchblade 300 has been used to hunt down important militants, groups of bomb-planters for terrorist attacks. It was justified there, because a small drone allows you to attack from the air, while avoiding collateral casualties among civilians.
But in Ukraine there is a regular army of Russia, the strength of which (like any regular army) is in its mass character and interchangeability. The destruction of individual soldiers is of course useful. But at $6,000, it becomes too expensive.   A much more interesting option is a quadrocopter with hanging ammunition. The same 40-mm grenades from the AGS-17 grenade launcher. Ukrainians have learned how to equip mass-produced Mavic 3 drones with them by printing a bomb launcher and grenade stabilizers on a 3D printer.   Videos of successful discharges of such grenades come across regularly. Here is one of the relatively recent ones. Yes, compared to the Switchblade 300, the accuracy is much lower, the wind can interfere. However, only a grenade is spent. The price of which is hundreds of dollars (or free). Drone may return   Let's compare Switchblade 300 and Mavic 3. Range: 10 km (15 minutes) and 15 km (40 minutes) Ceiling: 150 m and 6000 m Price $6000 and $2000-$4000 (Amazon) At the same time, the Mavic 3 drone is a priori reusable if it is not shot down.   As a result, it turns out that for the same amount you can buy about 2 times more drones with comparable and even reusable weapons. I think the price of a VOG-17 grenade with refinement should not exceed a couple of hundred bucks.   At the same time, intelligence plays a much more important role than the destruction of individual Russian soldiers. And Mavic 3 drones (or equivalent) are better at scouting because they can stay in the air longer and have better cameras. And heavier drones can carry larger charges.   The powerful Switchblade 600 with a warhead from Javelin is quite another matter. He is able to destroy expensive equipment, even if he costs much more. However, the supply of such drones to Ukraine is still only being discussed.   Finally, another video of the Switchblade 300 launch in Ukraine. Still, it seems that launching a quadcopter is faster, quieter and safer for the operator, which means it can get much closer to the enemy"   Fits in line with my expectations for the Switchblade in Ukraine.

Interesting twitter thread on Switchblade 300. Auto-translated the content below so you don't have to:
"Switchblade kamikaze drones have been used in Ukraine for a long time. Today we will understand how they work and why they are not as effective as they might seem. And what is the best way to replace them. Short thread
The United States has supplied Ukraine with 700 Switchblade 300 kamikaze drones. This is a lightweight disposable low-power drone designed to destroy enemy soldiers. In fact, this is not even a drone, but loitering ammunition
The main advantage of the Switchblade 300 is its compactness. It is launched from a small pipe, like a mortar, using compressed air. The entire system can be carried and controlled by one soldier. It can be conveniently brought directly to the position.
The main disadvantage of Switchblade 300 is disposability. Even without a goal, he cannot sit down. Either a fall, probably without the possibility of a restart, or a safe detonation. This imposes a great responsibility on the operator.
The Switchblade 300 is a lightweight drone that carries the equivalent of a 40mm grenade grenade. In these frames we see the wreckage after the explosion. Judging by the state of preservation, the power of the explosion is close to that of a hand grenade. This means that they cannot destroy equipment.
Look at an example of using a drone. Everything happens literally like in a computer game. A huge advantage of the Switchblade 300 is a high-quality camera, which, among other things, allows you to conduct reconnaissance in search of targets.
But the Switchblade 300 cannot significantly strengthen the Ukrainian army and is generally not suitable for this type of conflict. All because of the high price. One drone (or kit) costs $6,000 dollars. Although Ukraine received them for free, we must take into account the price, because you can buy something else for it.
For example, the 700 Switchblade 300 is $4.2 million. With this you can buy an M777 howitzer ($3.7 million) and there will still be money left for ammunition!
Each launch costs a lot. In Afghanistan, the Switchblade 300 has been used to hunt down important militants, groups of bomb-planters for terrorist attacks. It was justified there, because a small drone allows you to attack from the air, while avoiding collateral casualties among civilians.
But in Ukraine there is a regular army of Russia, the strength of which (like any regular army) is in its mass character and interchangeability. The destruction of individual soldiers is of course useful. But at $6,000, it becomes too expensive.   A much more interesting option is a quadrocopter with hanging ammunition. The same 40-mm grenades from the AGS-17 grenade launcher. Ukrainians have learned how to equip mass-produced Mavic 3 drones with them by printing a bomb launcher and grenade stabilizers on a 3D printer.   Videos of successful discharges of such grenades come across regularly. Here is one of the relatively recent ones. Yes, compared to the Switchblade 300, the accuracy is much lower, the wind can interfere. However, only a grenade is spent. The price of which is hundreds of dollars (or free). Drone may return   Let's compare Switchblade 300 and Mavic 3. Range: 10 km (15 minutes) and 15 km (40 minutes) Ceiling: 150 m and 6000 m Price $6000 and $2000-$4000 (Amazon) At the same time, the Mavic 3 drone is a priori reusable if it is not shot down.   As a result, it turns out that for the same amount you can buy about 2 times more drones with comparable and even reusable weapons. I think the price of a VOG-17 grenade with refinement should not exceed a couple of hundred bucks.   At the same time, intelligence plays a much more important role than the destruction of individual Russian soldiers. And Mavic 3 drones (or equivalent) are better at scouting because they can stay in the air longer and have better cameras. And heavier drones can carry larger charges.   The powerful Switchblade 600 with a warhead from Javelin is quite another matter. He is able to destroy expensive equipment, even if he costs much more. However, the supply of such drones to Ukraine is still only being discussed.   Finally, another video of the Switchblade 300 launch in Ukraine. Still, it seems that launching a quadcopter is faster, quieter and safer for the operator, which means it can get much closer to the enemy"   Fits in line with my expectations for the Switchblade in Ukraine.

Interesting twitter thread on Switchblade 300. Auto-translated the content below so you don't have to:
"Switchblade kamikaze drones have been used in Ukraine for a long time. Today we will understand how they work and why they are not as effective as they might seem. And what is the best way to replace them. Short thread
The United States has supplied Ukraine with 700 Switchblade 300 kamikaze drones. This is a lightweight disposable low-power drone designed to destroy enemy soldiers. In fact, this is not even a drone, but loitering ammunition
The main advantage of the Switchblade 300 is its compactness. It is launched from a small pipe, like a mortar, using compressed air. The entire system can be carried and controlled by one soldier. It can be conveniently brought directly to the position.
The main disadvantage of Switchblade 300 is disposability. Even without a goal, he cannot sit down. Either a fall, probably without the possibility of a restart, or a safe detonation. This imposes a great responsibility on the operator.
The Switchblade 300 is a lightweight drone that carries the equivalent of a 40mm grenade grenade. In these frames we see the wreckage after the explosion. Judging by the state of preservation, the power of the explosion is close to that of a hand grenade. This means that they cannot destroy equipment.
Look at an example of using a drone. Everything happens literally like in a computer game. A huge advantage of the Switchblade 300 is a high-quality camera, which, among other things, allows you to conduct reconnaissance in search of targets.
But the Switchblade 300 cannot significantly strengthen the Ukrainian army and is generally not suitable for this type of conflict. All because of the high price. One drone (or kit) costs $6,000 dollars. Although Ukraine received them for free, we must take into account the price, because you can buy something else for it.
For example, the 700 Switchblade 300 is $4.2 million. With this you can buy an M777 howitzer ($3.7 million) and there will still be money left for ammunition!
Each launch costs a lot. In Afghanistan, the Switchblade 300 has been used to hunt down important militants, groups of bomb-planters for terrorist attacks. It was justified there, because a small drone allows you to attack from the air, while avoiding collateral casualties among civilians.
But in Ukraine there is a regular army of Russia, the strength of which (like any regular army) is in its mass character and interchangeability. The destruction of individual soldiers is of course useful. But at $6,000, it becomes too expensive.   A much more interesting option is a quadrocopter with hanging ammunition. The same 40-mm grenades from the AGS-17 grenade launcher. Ukrainians have learned how to equip mass-produced Mavic 3 drones with them by printing a bomb launcher and grenade stabilizers on a 3D printer.   Videos of successful discharges of such grenades come across regularly. Here is one of the relatively recent ones. Yes, compared to the Switchblade 300, the accuracy is much lower, the wind can interfere. However, only a grenade is spent. The price of which is hundreds of dollars (or free). Drone may return   Let's compare Switchblade 300 and Mavic 3. Range: 10 km (15 minutes) and 15 km (40 minutes) Ceiling: 150 m and 6000 m Price $6000 and $2000-$4000 (Amazon) At the same time, the Mavic 3 drone is a priori reusable if it is not shot down.   As a result, it turns out that for the same amount you can buy about 2 times more drones with comparable and even reusable weapons. I think the price of a VOG-17 grenade with refinement should not exceed a couple of hundred bucks.   At the same time, intelligence plays a much more important role than the destruction of individual Russian soldiers. And Mavic 3 drones (or equivalent) are better at scouting because they can stay in the air longer and have better cameras. And heavier drones can carry larger charges.   The powerful Switchblade 600 with a warhead from Javelin is quite another matter. He is able to destroy expensive equipment, even if he costs much more. However, the supply of such drones to Ukraine is still only being discussed.   Finally, another video of the Switchblade 300 launch in Ukraine. Still, it seems that launching a quadcopter is faster, quieter and safer for the operator, which means it can get much closer to the enemy"   Fits in line with my expectations for the Switchblade in Ukraine.

I have always viewed the published Ukrainian losses as absolutely ridiculous. If Russians truly have 90,000 casualties then there would be virtually no fighting forces left (not counting support units like artillery or logistics), and you then have to wonder how Ukraine is still struggling to gain momentum in places like Kherson or Kharkiv. Besides, since when has a nation EVER been able to accurately estimate an opposing nation’s casualties? It’s pretty much accepted as historical fact that governments and militaries always overestimate enemy casualty numbers. Plenty of evidence out there that one burned out vehicle doesn’t automatically equal 3+ dead soldiers and humans are hardier then is commonly believed by the public. I can buy 32,000 total casualties but certainly not 32,000 KIA. 

I have always viewed the published Ukrainian losses as absolutely ridiculous. If Russians truly have 90,000 casualties then there would be virtually no fighting forces left (not counting support units like artillery or logistics), and you then have to wonder how Ukraine is still struggling to gain momentum in places like Kherson or Kharkiv. Besides, since when has a nation EVER been able to accurately estimate an opposing nation’s casualties? It’s pretty much accepted as historical fact that governments and militaries always overestimate enemy casualty numbers. Plenty of evidence out there that one burned out vehicle doesn’t automatically equal 3+ dead soldiers and humans are hardier then is commonly believed by the public. I can buy 32,000 total casualties but certainly not 32,000 KIA. 

I have always viewed the published Ukrainian losses as absolutely ridiculous. If Russians truly have 90,000 casualties then there would be virtually no fighting forces left (not counting support units like artillery or logistics), and you then have to wonder how Ukraine is still struggling to gain momentum in places like Kherson or Kharkiv. Besides, since when has a nation EVER been able to accurately estimate an opposing nation’s casualties? It’s pretty much accepted as historical fact that governments and militaries always overestimate enemy casualty numbers. Plenty of evidence out there that one burned out vehicle doesn’t automatically equal 3+ dead soldiers and humans are hardier then is commonly believed by the public. I can buy 32,000 total casualties but certainly not 32,000 KIA.