Probus

Tis But A Scratch.

Well yes, but how about a micro bone about the new game? 

I am pretty sure that automatically makes you a Canadian citizen.

Those side-by-side thermal and non-augmented shots really show off how important thermals are

3000!!!  \  /

As usual, I'm suddenly finding I accomplished something entirely by accident and feel a culturally ingrained need to apologise...

But hey-ho, back to work.

3000!!!  \  /

Damn you Hapless.  He got first post on page 3000.

Recent huge flash in the Sun caused Aurora Borealis in southern latitudes, so it can be seen in Ukriane too even in Odesa oblast.
Red evening sky caused many jokes about Russians used nuke %) 
Soldiers pose on background of such rare phenomena  (though this is second Northern Light in this year in Ukraine - first was in spring)

Another video on Ukrainian drone operators:
 

New Eilat APC in use:
 

Looks 2x Trophy APS interceptions from the same tank against incoming RPGs. I assumed Trophy included some sort of fire location system, but the tank does not appear to respond to the clearly visible firing location.  Maybe not effective in such a dense, close environment.
 

And this is how we snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory.  Ukraine will fight as long as it can and we should support them until that end.  Here we are discussing one possible end - I am not sure we are even at probable but we need to be ready for it.  Conversations well above my pay grade will land on how things finally resolve with respect to the war.  
After the war we need a modern day Marshall Plan.  One for the history books.  We turn Ukraine into South Korea in a month.  Even if EU and NATO somehow remain off the table there are plenty of other ways to secure that nation.  Not least of which would be stationing western troops on their soil a la the US 8th Army.  We need to follow through or we risk blowing the whole thing.  All the money spent to date will be lost if we leave Ukraine hanging during reconstruction.  If we double down on this and turn Ukraine into a regional economic powerhouse…a friendly democratic regional economic powerhouse, that is how we cement this as a major strategic victory.

Pretty sure it is a spoof on one of the Far Cry games where there is a shovel launcher that is ridiculous. 
 
https://farcry.fandom.com/wiki/Shovel_Launcher
 
I remember one of my sons playing that and telling me about it. Made my brain hurt......
 
On a side note, a couple of us brought up the Power Armor a couple thousand pages ago, so glad to see us circling around to it! Now if one of these smart laser/nuclear/quantum physics guys on here could just throw together a Fusion Core to get them ripping that would be great.  

Sounds like we need a Combat Mission: Mobile Infantry.  We should test some of this conjecture!   

Sounds like we need a Combat Mission: Mobile Infantry.  We should test some of this conjecture!   

Sounds like we need a Combat Mission: Mobile Infantry.  We should test some of this conjecture!   

Sounds like we need a Combat Mission: Mobile Infantry.  We should test some of this conjecture!   

I am not sure.  All AFVs tend to be heavy and hot too.  I don't think we are ready to shed some sort of heavy direct fire support.  My bet is we will likely see unmanned AFVs, while infantry go distributed and light.  They will need carriers but more battle wagons than assault vehicles.  Top armor is a trade off because you either have to accept more weight or go lighter on other sides.  EFP is not HEAT per se, it is a slug of hot metal fired at the vehicle at great speeds.  Sort of if HEAT and AP had an angry murderous baby.
We spent quite a few pages on why the UAS problem is so difficult.  I do not believe APS will save us.  Too many small cheap systems to cope with, backed up by good ol fashion flying steel from artillery. 
So how do we beat such a system?  Well no one really knows right now.  My best guess is through the better use of a similar system.  C4ISR advantage is a must.  Data Superiority, Cognitive Superiority, Learning Superiority.  Using unmanned systems and PGM to destroy an opponents Denial abilities - collapse the Bubble.  And then some sort of hybrid mass that can remain highly distributed but then concentrate rapidly to exploit opportunity.  Lastly, someone has to crack the Riddle of Logistics - The Lies of Want vs Tyranny of Need.  Forces will need to be a lot more self-sustaining.  Zero Tail.  Grande Armee of Energy, type of thinking.
People are getting all excited about Unmanned and AI but Nanotech is around the corner.  And I am not talking Grey Goo.  I am talking manufacturing nano-additives to fuel and explosives.  Not to mention energy storage. 
Complicated indeed.

If we're looking at a battlespace where high signature vehicles are prohibitively vulnerable and low signature infantry is simultaenously survivable and lethal (via calling for precision fires), maybe the way forward is less to try and proof AFVs and more to boost infantry mobility and load carrying ability.

Or, in short: Heinlein probably nailed it.

It is difficult getting reliable info on what's going on. I guess the IDF is pretty closed lips. The War Zone has a lot of articles concerning the war:
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone

I want to retire someplace quiet and dig a deep hole.  Watch 80s movies on DVDs off grid.  And maybe die in peace before our machine overlords enslave us all.

Just recently started following this Twitter account. Like it so far, good info on both Ukraine and Israel.
Relatively new account, was only created in 2023.

No idea, but if SF2 (SF3!!) had Merkava's and Namer AFVs we could simulate it. Oh, and we would probably need some more types of drones. 

Stupid me, I forgot to pre-plan arty as well.  (and I wish pre-planned artillery could be set for times greater than +15 minutes - Game 5 suggestion). But I also used smoke missions to cover my advance across open areas and that was useless.  American vehicles apparently could see through it as if clear as day so I got decimated.  But the smoke worked great to prevent my tanks from seeing the US forces and firing back at them on my advance.  My opponent was able to do that on his advance while getting beaten down on his and he was able to score 2 or 3 kills on US tanks and TOWs