AT-13 vs AT-14 thoughts

[domfluff]

Have been playing around with various attachments for the Russian Motor Rifle platoons.

Recently started a PBEM, and quickly realised that the AT-13 ATGM is what I should have chosen, over the AT-14, to bolster my motorised rifle platoon.

The AT-14 is a more powerful missile, but the worse choice in this situation:

BMP-3 platoons have six free seats. Six man squads, a two man team (Sniper/MG/HQ), and two seats free.

That means it's trivial to add up to three two man teams, or a two man team and a four man team, whilst maintaining the same number of transport vehicles.
(Probably going to illustrate that at some point - motor rifle platoons and the varying ways one can specialise them).

AT-14's have a three man team, which is awkward (you can't fit in two three man teams into the six seats, since they won't split down), the launcher is heavy and relatively slow to set up (~50 seconds)

AT-13's have a two man team (therefore you can have three of them), have a shorter minimum range, set up in ~20 seconds and they can also be fired from the shoulder if needed - it's a much more flexible missile, that slots far more easily into the Motor Rifle platoon structure and purpose.

AT-13's are also lighter - the crew can move Quick, rather than just Move when fully loaded. Important for getting away after firing and giving away your position.

AT-13 is wire guided, AT-14 is laser guided - that means the AT-13 will *not* trigger laser warning systems.

The penetration values are similar. The AT-14 has a much longer range, the AT-13 is still effective up to 1,500m, which is usually good enough for a mobile force. The AT-14 carries one additional round (4 vs 3), since the extra team member carries two of them.

Edited November 8, 2018 by domfluff

[The_MonkeyKing]

The reason a choose AT-14 always when possible is the FLIR capability. Its spotting abilities are close to that of the Javelin. Can't kill that you cannot see. Although the laser vs wire is a huge deal in CMBS with all the laser detectors... I often end up using AT-13s as "target area" anti-building weapons.

[domfluff]

Good point. I was having trouble finding details on both systems' spotting capabilities, but I'd assumed the AT-14 was superior - AT-13 certainly has thermal imaging, which is going to be a lot better than nothing.

The issue with using the AT-14 like the Javelin is the mobility I think - I've often used Javelin teams as scouts or with platoons for their spotting (Breaking the Bank in the CMSF 2 demo offers a really good example of this), so having something without the ability to fire shouldered will limit this in practice quite a bit.

[BTR]

I'm not exactly sure how Kornets are so easily detectable in game. The coordinate-net laser for guidance net is magnitudes weaker than target laser used on classical reference systems. 

[MOS:96B2P]

5 hours ago, domfluff said:

AT-13 is wire guided, AT-14 is laser guided - that means the AT-13 will *not* trigger laser warning systems.   

Another interesting topic.  I don't play as the Russians very often.  But when I do I take the AT-13 Saxhorn-2.  

[Artkin]

I was coming into this prepared to glorify the Kornet. But you brought up some great points. Dealbreaker being the fly-by-wire

[domfluff]

I suspect the AT-14 is the far better choice for a static, defensive position, but for a mobile mechanised platoon I think the benefits of the AT-13 are considerable, and probably worth losing some penetrative power.

Edited November 8, 2018 by domfluff

[Chibot Mk IX]

On ‎11‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 1:16 PM, domfluff said:

I suspect the AT-14 is the far better choice for a static, defensive position, but for a mobile mechanised platoon I think the benefits of the AT-13 are considerable, and probably worth losing some penetrative power.

I have a different thought on this

In a PBEM game an AT-14 could be a better choice for "hit and run" tactics. 

If your ATGM team fired one or two shots in the pervious turn, then at the beginning of the next turn it is very likely to subject concentrated area fire from another human player.

AT-13 has a pack up time of 20s, AT-14's pack up time is 0. That means if you give a withdraw command, the AT-14 team will be able to running away immediately,  the AT-13 won't leave until 20s later, by that time AT-13 team might have been cut down by 25mm/30mm HE

Edited November 9, 2018 by Chibot Mk IX

[Sublime]

Even more importantly AT14s taje ages to set up in buildings where you can hastily rush a team into a building face rearwards and get a nice side or flank shot - by shoulder if need be but the setup time is ages quicker. By shoulder I believe they need 7 seconds thats it.

Kornets have their place with long lines of sight though, the trick is to open up with them along with a tank or two, or some other AT missiles, or mayve 2 or 3 launchers from long distances in trenches. IME kornets are the real abrams killers besides tank ambushes - though bradleys are a MAJOR threat for a Redfor player and I find AT13s very reliable for dealing with those. Only somewhat so with the abrams.

When it works correctly the khrizanthema is truly the best abrams killer in game - my best ambushes have been semi keyholed spots where I used a tunguska to stun an abrams into inactivity and unmasked a khriz which would volley a couple of missiles in and I could withdraw everything before the opponent could react.

As I always, always say like some bitter old man if my BMP2Ms fired their kornets EVER that ive seen in MY games at least I woulda won at least 25% more pbems.. Grumble grumble.