Kraft

So out of the gate I just want to say that Combat Mission Cold War is fantastic and is probably my favorite Combat Mission. Overall everything seems exceptionally well done and I am having tons of fun with the Campaign and Scenarios. I think I may have found an issue with M735 and M774 ammunition however. While playing various missions and some quick battle multiplayer with some friends, I noticed that the T-64A was remarkably durable. I didnt think too much of this at first, because I was expecting the T-64 to be a tough nut to crack. But as time went on I started to notice that it might be a bit too tough.
M735 and M774 are not capable of penetrating the front glacis plate of T-64A, in combat mission. I have not tested this agaisnt the other Soviet tanks with similar armor compositions, so I am not sure if this potential problem pertains to those tanks as well. If the same issue exists there, much of this post may be relevant to those tanks also since they have the same or similar armor profiles on the glacis.
 
I would like to start out by showing how the current game models the mentioned APFSDS vs the named target. I performed this test at 1000m, 0 degrees angle. I used RISE Passives for the M735 test and M60A3 TTS for the M774 testing. I counted each APFSDS fired to ensure I was not confusing sabot hits with other types of ammo the AI might choose to fire. I did the tests after noticing the durability of the T-64 glacis in various battles to verify under controlled conditions what I suspected was happening. In the screenshots you will notice that HEAT and Sabot hits have a different damage decal. To summarize the results, neither round can reliably penetrate the T-64 glacis. The game appears to model the weak point near the drivers hatch as the "upper front hull" and the main glacis as the "super structure front hull." M735 is ineffective against the superstructure and can occasionally gain penetrations against the driver plate area. M774 is slightly more effective with almost all rounds that hit the superstructure bouncing off, but very occasionally one will get though. M774 also tends to get through the driver plate area fairly reliably. However in both cases many of the hits to the driver plate area are counted as partial penetrations and not complete penetrations, which is odd considering that there is basically no composite armor in this area. Partial penetrations can seen in these screenshots via a smaller hole decal. They are rare for both rounds, especially vs superstructure.
 
M735:




 
M774:


 
The T-64A glacis plate uses a laminate armor array that consisted of 80mm of steel followed by 105mm of texolite followed by a 20mm backing plate of RHA. This armor greatly increased protection against shaped charges while still providing good protection against kinetic threats.  For additional visualization purposes, I will use some screenshots from war thunder in some areas. There will also be screenshots from various books and webpages.
 

 

Source: https://thesovietarmourblog.blogspot.com/2017/12/t-72-part-2.html#8010520

From Zaloga's T-64 Battle Tank:

 
 
 
 
The Combat Mission CW manual states that M735 has 410mm of penetration and M774 has 440mm of penetration. These numbers are identical to the ones quoted on the steel beasts wiki, and are listed as being for a range of 3000m. I will include the table here, as well as some other rounds which will be relevant.

 
From Tankograd: https://thesovietarmourblog.blogspot.com/2017/12/t-72-part-2.html#8010520

 
The above simulation shows that M735 would certainly penetrate the 80/105/20 array and then some at 1000m.

 
The Israeli M111 APFSDS was a derivative of the M735. It would appear to be ballistically of similar performance due to that and the penetration values on the SB wiki. Russian testing of this round revealed that it could penetrate

From Tankograd:

It should be noted here that the T-72A and M1 featured a even thicker armor array than the one on the T-64, going to 60mm RHA/105mm texolite/50mm RHA. So if this could be penetrated by M111 it stands to reason that M735 could go through the weaker T-64A armor.
 
After the end of the cold war T-72M1's were shot at with various German ammunition, including DM33 which is similar in performance to M774. These T-72s have the extra armor added later in the early 80s. It should be noted as well that the extra armor plates are past the scope of CMCW since they were not implemented until after the 1982 Israeli conflicts. DM33 105mm APFSDS penetrated the hull at 2km.

 
Additionally, here is how M735 performs in steel beasts at 1840m, which is using the same penetration numbers as the CMCW manual (the picked range was just as close as I could get to 2km in the editor without spending 1 million hours trying to get it exact):


 


 
 
Based on the general evidence, I think that the M735 and M774 ammunition should be made much more effective in game. M735 should be effective agaisnt the T-64A armor out to any practical range and M774 should be capable agaisnt the T-72A armor if it is not already, which I am guessing it is not based on in game performance agaisnt the worse T-64A armor array.

Found this on Youtube 😄

Found this on Youtube 😄

Found this on Youtube 😄

Found this on Youtube 😄

use to be some website years back where you could add so many affects to any picture or document you uploaded, can't recall the name but sadly it had to shut down. was so so easy to do, i did some paper work documenting a u boat campaign i was playing once, it was so easy, just up load any picture and insert and place, boom...with all the cool affects etc you'd want..

Ah...a journey of learning about to begin.  So for the Cpt Miller has given you the Soviets.  For the US I would suggest:
https://www.bits.de/NRANEU/others/amd-us-archive/FM71-100C1(79).pdf (Div level....very big picture, more for context than use in CM)
https://www.bits.de/NRANEU/others/amd-us-archive/FM71-2(77).pdf  (Bn TF, start here, this one will walk you right through)
https://books.google.ca/books?id=My8-u2rYNVoC&pg=PP1&lpg=PP1&dq=tank+and+mechanized+company+team+fm+1977&source=bl&ots=qqIQKfV9MT&sig=ACfU3U00aPRhU6AIK2f45OySHMo3SQX7Xw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjkj9nanKnwAhV2Ap0JHeqIBQ0Q6AEwEXoECAgQAw#v=onepage&q=tank and mechanized company team fm 1977&f=false (Coy Tm Bible from 1977)
https://books.google.ca/books?id=V7rLfdbG5QcC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false (Mech Inf Platoon, 1977)
Attached.  FM 17-95 (Cav Troop, 1977)  [Edit.  MikeyD already posted The Tank Platoon)
 
The_Capt's advice:  Keep your gun pointed at the enemy, keep one foot on the ground, timing, timing and....timing, weapon ranges=the point of your existence, make them dead - they fight poorly when dead.  Oh and do not overextend....I always break that one.
 
 
FM_17-95_1981.pdf

it's very nice friends but I only explore the limits of the game ...
Not far from Le Mans....

a race is in progress (to close the Falaise gap ?) 

the Germans are in the lead, of little...

Let's take a closer look at the AOK 9 records on this Hungarian excursion:
Sturm-Mörser-Kp. 1000 is last shown on AOK 9 list of einsatzbereiten (operational) panzers on Oct. 10, 1944.  

There is then no mention of Sturm-Mörser-Kp. 1000 in the operational panzer holdings or transport records until Oct. 15, when the company is noted as in transport from XXXXVI Pz.K. to Budapest by train:

However, departure from Warsaw does not happen until the evening of Oct. 17:

Two days after departure, Sturm-Mörser-Kp. 1000 has switched from the Abtransport section to the Zuführung section. It is on the train to Budapest, but will be returned to the Warsaw area:

The following day the company arrives back in Warsaw at 12:10 a.m.  The entire "Hungarian jaunt" was no more than 52.5 hours.  Today (not 1944, not wartime) the train from Warsaw to Budapest one way takes 10.5 hours. I have serious doubts the company even made it to Budapest before being rerouted back to Warsaw.

Then the next day Sturm-Mörser-Kp. 1000 is back on the operational panzer list, but with one Sturmtiger instead of two: 

Does this mean that one of the Sturmtigers was lost during the "Hungarian jaunt"? Not necessarily because this is a list of operational panzers, not all panzers.  It's quite possible that one of the Sturmtigers suffered some sort of irreparable mechanical casualty during this period and remained off the operational list until the company returned to Germany Nov. 22. In fact, given the shuttling back and forth, this seems plausible.
Source: NARA T-312 R-348

I will fight for german UNTIL death!

Both half-tracks back away from the small arms fire. The lead HT MG gunner attempts to engage the offending Soviet(s?) and is immediately cut down for his efforts. The HTs back off for half a minute while friendly tanks and infantry saturate the strong point with area fire again. Then, they re-engage, one HT on each side. Despite the huge amount of MG fire being put on the strongpoint, Soviet defenders still manage to survive, take shots and even inflict casualties on the German infantry, who have paused their advance to engage and limit their exposure from movement.
As the rear HT circles behind the strongpoint, another Hero of the Soviet Union emerges, braving a hail of bullets from multiple MGs to hurl grenades at the approaching German vehicle. It doesn't look good for the German crew...

 
The first grenade goes wide, but the fearless Soviet pulls another and is about to let it fly when the lead half-track on the other side lets go a jet of liquid flame that finds its mark, ending the immediate threat to the second HT. Whew!

 
Meanwhile, enemy air, which has been circling seemingly forever, finally appears ready to attack. Thank goodness the Germans have strong AA support.

 
Wait...

 
Nevermind.

  At least the radio man got out. ☹️

Mobile recon kubels in to scout out the torched strongpoint on the right. So far, all clear.

 
Meanwhile, the flame half-tracks reposition to support the assault on the strongpoint on the left. Friendly infantry is very glad for the help!

 
Uh-oh... friendly suppression fire on the left side of the strong point eases up for the incoming half-tracks a bit too soon and Guards-Iron-Man-Ivan doesn't let the opportunity go to waste. SMG fire immediately erupts from the next target area and hoses the lead half-track. Gulp!

First turn as the Axis in Berlin feels very authentic

Oh, I'm going to have to disappoint you there...
I knew this would eventually come up, and I've been thinking about it.
Since 2011 I've made around nine UI versions covering four different titles (BN/FI/RT/FB). Over the last five years or so I've also done the occasional side project for Kohlenklau. And while these are still an absolute joy to do, I decided not to do major updates for any of my UI's anymore.
Sorry guys.

Being released in our lifetime

You missed one:
2014 - Russia did invade Ukraine.

To be fair, although I agree the schizophrenia is a little annoying, we have a situation where a bug first reported four years ago appears to have been not important enough to have been fixed... but was important enough to (slightly) delay a major module release.
 
No matter how you cut it, there are problems with how bug reporting (and acknowledgement of said reporting) is taking place... a problem which then exacerbates other communication issues between BFC & some of its customers.

No. Neither tankers nor even by the pipes through the bridge. Russian Kuban' region beyond the Kerch Strait hasn't enough water resourses to supply additionaly Crimea. In first years Russian administration of Crimea drilled many artesian wells, but large consumption quickly degrades theses wells and the place of fresh-water occupies sea water - this leads to soil salinization. 
Relatively better situation with water only in south Crimea, were the springs and rivers in the mountains, but growing migration and military bases will demand more and more water.  Crimea peninsula is returning to the same condition, which was before Northern-Dnieper channel building - this will be again saline-steppes or half-deserts in the northern and eastern parts. 
Russians tried to throw discussion about water for Crimea in Ukraininan society, including through several media-figures of "People's servant" party, as if "we must give a water to our Ukrainian people in Crimea" and "we must prevent ecological disaster of our Crimea", but even the tips that we can give the water to ther Crimea summoned the storm in social networks, so this question luckily doesn't have the continue. For now. 
Yes. But it need to consider, many channel sections already out of service. Locals are looting large concrete plates of the chanel, the watercourse overgrown with bushes and trees for 6 years in many sections. Russians need to repair occupied section of the channel in order to the water could pass. So if they wil start any works - this will be first sign "the attack is coming". Though, they can attack first and then to start repair, as if "locals had several years of problems, so they can be patient one year more".
Russian primary targets will be the сhannel gate near the Chervonyi Chaban village, which closes the water flow to Crimea, then the pump facility in Nova Kakhovka town, which serve the water in the channel and and Kakhovla hydroelectric power plant in the same town as well as the dam. Their secondary target can be some "security zone" that Ukrainian artillery couldn't hit electric plant, else the pumps will not be able to work. Also they should to secure or more probably just block the bridges through the Dnieper near Kherson. Though the area of Kherson oblast between Crimea and Kakhovka resorvoir is hard for fast advance of large number of armor, because there are many irrigation canals, limiting the maneuvers. Russians will be forced to break through along three roads, heading to Nova Kakhovka and Kakhovka towns. Crimea garrison hasn't enough forces to coplete this task, so air-assault units must be moved to Crimea first.
    

I’d like to add my own USMC and USMCR with the M-14 and  M-16 experiences to this discussion. I qualified with the M-14 every year from 1969 to 1973, and the M-16 from 1975 until 1980. With the M-14, we qualified at 200, 300, and 500 yards. With the M-16, we qualified at 360 meters (my memories are up to 50 years old, so please forgive me if I’m off a bit) using known distance (KD) targets. Max effective range was 460 meters (~500 yards) for the M-14, and 360 meters for the M-16. For those who don’t know the term “maximum effective range,” in the USMC it is the range at which any Marine can be expected to inflict a casualty on the enemy (which means hit, but not necessarily kill the target). We qualified with open sights (adjustable aperture and windage on the M-14, and long/short rear flip sight and bullet adjustable front sights on the M-16). We didn’t have any “glass.” Combat ranges are considerably shorter. The max effective range for my trained M-60 gun teams with tripod was 1500 yards. Bipod was probably 500 to 600 yards. In a defensive fixed position, If you can see the enemy at those ranges, you probably want to begin by dropping company level 60mm mortar rounds on them, then your M-203s, and open up with your rifles around 200. Finally, you’ll have your Pigs open up across the line from the flanks. I recommend NEVER opening up with your pigs at range. It just gives the enemy targets.

The US Army by the book maximum effective range of the M16A1 and A2 is 460 Meters. In reality when we went to the range, the farthest pop up silhouette was at 300 Meters. In Desert Storm I fired my M16A2 at max 150 Meters. In my 2 tours during Iraqi Freedom I fired my M4 100- 150 Meters max. However both of those were very different from what war in the Fulda Gap would be like. 

It was more about how much you can rely on China's friendship. I'd take a Russian tank over a Chinese tank any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

 

Tested, probably. Russian engineering while differing at times on priorities from the West has still produced some innovative designs. Proven? Where? US has unfortunately had plenty of battle time to test our equipment and improve on it. Russia hasn't - 1. Had so much experience and 2. Proven themselves well. Most of their lessons learned have been how badly they need improvement. That is just the reality of everything they have gone through and the adjustments they need to make which they are in fact doing. Proving that those adjustments are valid though...well hopefully we won't see Armatas showing up in Ukraine cause that one might be a little hard for even Putin to brush off.

Russia blaming Ukraine for provocation after invading Donbass and annexing Crimea is some Orwellian ****.

Mentioned above two large landing ships from Baltic fleet have entered Black sea today. Russian group of landing vessels in Black Sea now has 11 landing ships and more than 20 landing crafts and landing-assault boats.