c3k

Thank you. I am actually long time CM player (fell in love with CMBO) and forum reader as well. But I avoided commenting because until recently my opinion that Russians military sucks big time was not very popular.  
If I am not mistaken Murz said somewhere else that they started to compensate lack of proper infantry by increasing number of tubes used for assault support leaving some areas defenseless. For example, for Popasna assault they left Donetsk defenseless artillery wise. 
AFAIK It is much worse - when weapons go to storage they are usually cannibalized for spare parts. After that nobody really checks or maintain them. Any auditor/controller is simply bribed. Possibly that is the reason they do not inspect guns beforehand - otherwise they will have to report the scale of the problem and face the consequences. 
I do not believe they had a large "ready" inventory or any inventory at all. Do not underestimate incompetence of Russian officers.  20 years ago when I almost became one I was very flabbergasted at the whole system and decided not to proceed.
 Oh, I hope one day somebody translate all Murz rants about how inefficient Russian Army is. Only Wagnerites/PMC or LDNR+Russian volunteers may be capable of doing that fast. But regular Russian Army on a mass scale? No. Just No. 
Personally, from my limited experience with Russian army + what I know from reading Russians I believe your predictions are spot on. It is just Russian society (and the army as part of that society) is like pressure cooker - it can withstand a lot of internal pressure without huge visible cracks for a time being. Then it explodes when nobody expects.

Thanks ) Just became some more of work, my wife turned back and often occupies PC because her work, also it's hard to live three months 24/7 as war news translator, so I took small vacations 

Russian TG tells the lack of infantry forced Russians to use personnel of recon companies and battalions to participate in actions like usual infantry. This causes additional losses of specialiized troops, so Russian units soon can be limited in the tactical recon. Russian command puts an ultimatum for recon units commanders - either their soldiers go to the battle like usual infantry or this commander have to retire. As the author told on this screen, his familiar recon battalion commander chose to retire. 
Members of LostArmour discussion boards also told about lack of capable infantry both in Russian troops and LDPR. All last success maintained mostly by PMC, remained motivated VDV and Spetsnaz, which more and more plays a role of VDV. Most part of "line infantry" day by day is losing own motivation.  

Unfortunately no. You really have to see it as a towed gun mounted directly on its tractor and not as an SPG. The crew must load the shell on the stretcher (the rest is done hydraulically), add the propellant charge etc. The shells are stored on the sides and therefore require to be installed on the stretcher. Barrel angle and movement can only be achieved with rear command box as well as for firing. When firing (depending on the number of propellant charges) the cabin at the front rises (up to about 1 meter in Afghanistan at maximum propellant charge). It could be dangerous for the crew.

The Russian sailors in the Pacific are probably secretly happy that the Turks closed off the Black Sea to the rest of the ships in the Russian navy.

"Fog Eating Snow". Yes, the Ukraine nibbles and bits approach is working. But, they will absolutely need to continue to attrit Russian artillery if they are to win and regain their pre-2014 borders (I include the Crimea). To do this, they need long-range artillery especially MLRS. ATACMs would be nice.   300km range would allow Ukraine to set the launchers back in their "safe" areas and launch against identified Russian batteries (whether inside Ukraine's borders or firing from inside Russia. Shrug: that's Russia's choice.).
Regardless if Ukraine gains the 300km+ guided weaponry, they need to out-range and use effective counter-battery fire to eliminate Russian ranged weapons. THAT, and only that, will allow them to advance to (and maintain) their borders.
As far as Crimea: destroy the Kerch bridge; interdict any shipping trying to resupply Crimea; pressure the Perekop Isthmus. Make Sevastopol a maritime graveyard for the Russian navy. Then move in.

"Fog Eating Snow". Yes, the Ukraine nibbles and bits approach is working. But, they will absolutely need to continue to attrit Russian artillery if they are to win and regain their pre-2014 borders (I include the Crimea). To do this, they need long-range artillery especially MLRS. ATACMs would be nice.   300km range would allow Ukraine to set the launchers back in their "safe" areas and launch against identified Russian batteries (whether inside Ukraine's borders or firing from inside Russia. Shrug: that's Russia's choice.).
Regardless if Ukraine gains the 300km+ guided weaponry, they need to out-range and use effective counter-battery fire to eliminate Russian ranged weapons. THAT, and only that, will allow them to advance to (and maintain) their borders.
As far as Crimea: destroy the Kerch bridge; interdict any shipping trying to resupply Crimea; pressure the Perekop Isthmus. Make Sevastopol a maritime graveyard for the Russian navy. Then move in.

"Fog Eating Snow". Yes, the Ukraine nibbles and bits approach is working. But, they will absolutely need to continue to attrit Russian artillery if they are to win and regain their pre-2014 borders (I include the Crimea). To do this, they need long-range artillery especially MLRS. ATACMs would be nice.   300km range would allow Ukraine to set the launchers back in their "safe" areas and launch against identified Russian batteries (whether inside Ukraine's borders or firing from inside Russia. Shrug: that's Russia's choice.).
Regardless if Ukraine gains the 300km+ guided weaponry, they need to out-range and use effective counter-battery fire to eliminate Russian ranged weapons. THAT, and only that, will allow them to advance to (and maintain) their borders.
As far as Crimea: destroy the Kerch bridge; interdict any shipping trying to resupply Crimea; pressure the Perekop Isthmus. Make Sevastopol a maritime graveyard for the Russian navy. Then move in.

whoa, Zelensky visited a lot of the frontlines, including inside the salient, ballsy, and impressive they felt confident enough to make it happen.
 
 

Yes, I have plenty of saved replay to prove that. An AFV with poor optics will turn the turret and hull toward the missile even though they have not spotted ATGM team.

A few thoughts on this:
1. Currently, AFVs know precisely when an ATGM is fired at them and from where. 
2. Currently, the game is a bit prone to under-model artillery effects against AFVs (this has been discussed ad nauseum).
Any adjustment would have to address the above two issues...AND ensure that the TacAI does not know the difference between a 155 landing 15 meters away or an NLAW that hit a tree. The crew would just know that there was an almighty "bang" and they're still alive.

A few thoughts on this:
1. Currently, AFVs know precisely when an ATGM is fired at them and from where. 
2. Currently, the game is a bit prone to under-model artillery effects against AFVs (this has been discussed ad nauseum).
Any adjustment would have to address the above two issues...AND ensure that the TacAI does not know the difference between a 155 landing 15 meters away or an NLAW that hit a tree. The crew would just know that there was an almighty "bang" and they're still alive.

A few thoughts on this:
1. Currently, AFVs know precisely when an ATGM is fired at them and from where. 
2. Currently, the game is a bit prone to under-model artillery effects against AFVs (this has been discussed ad nauseum).
Any adjustment would have to address the above two issues...AND ensure that the TacAI does not know the difference between a 155 landing 15 meters away or an NLAW that hit a tree. The crew would just know that there was an almighty "bang" and they're still alive.

A few thoughts on this:
1. Currently, AFVs know precisely when an ATGM is fired at them and from where. 
2. Currently, the game is a bit prone to under-model artillery effects against AFVs (this has been discussed ad nauseum).
Any adjustment would have to address the above two issues...AND ensure that the TacAI does not know the difference between a 155 landing 15 meters away or an NLAW that hit a tree. The crew would just know that there was an almighty "bang" and they're still alive.

This cartoon from 1982 aged like fine wine. 😀

Over on a proper news site today I've been contributing to their Ukraine news story chat group by sharing some nuggets from this forum for their edification. I think I'm making people mad at me. Some people just don't like accurate specific, detailed information dropped into the middle of their conversation.

For those that follow such things, I have cultivated a certain image of, shall we say, "nonchalance" towards the lives of my pixeltruppen. 
I never thought anyone would take it seriously, let alone try to replicate it. Then Putin showed me that I had been mistaken.

For those that follow such things, I have cultivated a certain image of, shall we say, "nonchalance" towards the lives of my pixeltruppen. 
I never thought anyone would take it seriously, let alone try to replicate it. Then Putin showed me that I had been mistaken.

Bolded. The rust appears almost instantly after a high-temp vehicle fire. Rust is, after all, just oxidized metal. The fires will burn off all the paint and other protections, leaving the bare metal exposed and also more reactive (due to high temp) to the atmosphere...that is 20% oxygen.
 

For those that follow such things, I have cultivated a certain image of, shall we say, "nonchalance" towards the lives of my pixeltruppen. 
I never thought anyone would take it seriously, let alone try to replicate it. Then Putin showed me that I had been mistaken.

For those that follow such things, I have cultivated a certain image of, shall we say, "nonchalance" towards the lives of my pixeltruppen. 
I never thought anyone would take it seriously, let alone try to replicate it. Then Putin showed me that I had been mistaken.

For those that follow such things, I have cultivated a certain image of, shall we say, "nonchalance" towards the lives of my pixeltruppen. 
I never thought anyone would take it seriously, let alone try to replicate it. Then Putin showed me that I had been mistaken.

For those that follow such things, I have cultivated a certain image of, shall we say, "nonchalance" towards the lives of my pixeltruppen. 
I never thought anyone would take it seriously, let alone try to replicate it. Then Putin showed me that I had been mistaken.

For those that follow such things, I have cultivated a certain image of, shall we say, "nonchalance" towards the lives of my pixeltruppen. 
I never thought anyone would take it seriously, let alone try to replicate it. Then Putin showed me that I had been mistaken.

Bolded. The rust appears almost instantly after a high-temp vehicle fire. Rust is, after all, just oxidized metal. The fires will burn off all the paint and other protections, leaving the bare metal exposed and also more reactive (due to high temp) to the atmosphere...that is 20% oxygen.