RPO effectiveness against light armor and building penetration

[antaress73]

A few months ago there was a discussion about RPO being nerfed. We did some test and it DID give a strong boost in urban combat to Russian forces if used in mass. Individual firings were a hit and miss on a regular two storey building. I found some videos where an RPO destroys a BRDM-2 AFV on youtube. I went into the game to do some tests and it had no effect against the 7mm side armor of that cardboard AFV and this despite multiple hits. Yup, IR optics and wheels were taken out but the vehicule protected its crew and was not destroyed.  It also had no effect against humvees, armored trucks.

As for firing at infantry in buildings,   again I found it must pass through a window to have any effect inside a building. Only one out of four rockets did kill or wound soldiers inside even a small house building. It took 5 of them to collapse that same  small building. In real life, it can penetrate walls and explode inside, thus its effectiveness against light armor. A lot of sources rate it as powerful as a 155m shell. Even if that`s exagerrated, a 122mm equivalency would be reasonable. It would not take 5 of them to collapse a small house. 

Maybe it would imbalance the game too much to give the RPO its due.. Data is much less readily available on open sources contrary to  WWII era titles where exquisite details can be obtained and stuff modeled very accurately. I do not question Battlefront's commitment to realism and accuracy in its WWII titles. 

here`s the RPO video: 

 

Edited August 7, 2016 by antaress73

[John Kettler]

antaress73,

Impressive, but flawed, I think, as far as the video. The bus, which already had an interior exposed to the outside, was a prime thermobaric weapon target. The BRDM-2 wasn't buttoned, which allowed the explosive mixture to detonate inside the vehicle. I doubt this would've happened without such ready access.

Regards,

John Kettler

[antaress73]

4 hours ago, John Kettler said:

antaress73,

Impressive, but flawed, I think, as far as the video. The bus, which already had an interior exposed to the outside, was a prime thermobaric weapon target. The BRDM-2 wasn't buttoned, which allowed the explosive mixture to detonate inside the vehicle. I doubt this would've happened without such ready access.

Regards,

John Kettler

Yes but the RPO is made to be effective against light armor.. it is not effective  in the game.. the video is not a proof but it is in the official specs 

See that link: http://www.defensereview.com/new-rpo-shmel-m-infantry-rocket-flamethrower-man-packable-thermobaric-weapon/

 

effective against light armor. It has penetrative abilities against light armor and walls. No need to hit a window to achieve an effect. 

Edited August 8, 2016 by antaress73

[c3k]

I did not see ANY effect upon the BRDM in the video. There is a hit (low, on the propped-up side: notice how the BRDM is positioned for optimum impact angle in the pre-hit/pre-shoot video. The side is jacked up.) There is no un-edited or cut clip which shows turret, rpo hit, then no turret. Shrug. Turret could've been lost earlier/later in the training exercise. It could've been "loose" and just fell off the down-side when the BRDM got hit. Nothing in the video shows any flame exiting from any internal location in the BRDM, like hatches or turret rings. There is no proof of effectiveness in the video. (IMO)

Also, the solo firer has the extended boost phase internal tube...the salvo firers do not. Interesting.

7mm of armor is not a lot, but it is better than an open-windowed, sheet-metal bus. The RPO can pack a wallop...but that's a large front "soft" impact wave (relative to HE), typical of thermobaric explosions. I don't see an armor defeating mechanism inherent in the RPO. The video certainly does not change my opinion.

[panzersaurkrautwerfer]

9 hours ago, c3k said:

I did not see ANY effect upon the BRDM in the video. There is a hit (low, on the propped-up side: notice how the BRDM is positioned for optimum impact angle in the pre-hit/pre-shoot video. The side is jacked up.) There is no un-edited or cut clip which shows turret, rpo hit, then no turret. Shrug. Turret could've been lost earlier/later in the training exercise. It could've been "loose" and just fell off the down-side when the BRDM got hit. Nothing in the video shows any flame exiting from any internal location in the BRDM, like hatches or turret rings. There is no proof of effectiveness in the video. (IMO)

Also, the solo firer has the extended boost phase internal tube...the salvo firers do not. Interesting.

7mm of armor is not a lot, but it is better than an open-windowed, sheet-metal bus. The RPO can pack a wallop...but that's a large front "soft" impact wave (relative to HE), typical of thermobaric explosions. I don't see an armor defeating mechanism inherent in the RPO. The video certainly does not change my opinion.

Look, it was in a video, that pretty much means it was super-real, and the RPO should kill everything.  It's a well known fact that users of similar weapons have totally abandoned conventional warheads and embraced their new themobrnuclear gods.  

[antaress73]

You are very sarcastic and agressive .. Killing a tin can like the BRDM-2 or hummer is not the same as killing even a striker. I was saying the RPO is underpowered against very light armor and walls. Thats all. Not a wunderwaffe . 

It is claimed to be effective against soviet light armor.

Edited August 12, 2016 by antaress73

[panzersaurkrautwerfer]

"It is claimed" doesn't really stand up so well when it's an especially silly Russian video of shameless bus slaughter.  

[sburke]

busssssinga!