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Excellent post Icecold, I real life too, I don't know not even single one rifleman, who likes to run all the time.

I never made any assumptions from Ukranian army, or made any comparison between the Separatist and Ukranian performance. Base of my observations was the combat footage found from the youtube, material shot by the separatists and uploaded and distributed by the same separatists to bolster their own agenda. Somebody might call it propaganda. I don't really care, I just look at the troops, their performance on the video and how they seem to act and wage the war, and this is the base of my personal observations. And what I see, doesn't confess me that they have much military training or military background and thus their actions in the field are most likely incompetent and modest, if acted alone without any major outside support and reinforcments, material and/or immaterial. This is where I totally agree with forum member "Baneman".

Let me also add that speaking of the level of Russian participation in Ukranian conflict, is little irrelevant. Do they, or do they not, on what level and do they have any RF active service military units present in the area? Doesn't really matter any longer, IMHO. Russian participation in the conflict is allready so heavy and obvious, that it wouldn't change the situation if they have active service units in the area. It couldn't make their responsability or participation for the conflict more bigger than it allready is. My opinnion is that if their support for the separatists and Novorossia is absolutely vital, and they would collapse without it, they are De facto as equal participant and operator in the conflict as Ukraine is.

"Pedal to the metal" I like that. That's right. One tactic to save the convoy from the ambush, is to drive through it away from the zone of fire, and stop in safe place or at least 400-500m after ambush, disembark, count casualties and maybe organize counterattack or at least defensive perimeter if necessary. No wonder why the ambushing side try to destroy the first and last vehicle in the convoy first...

The common separatist explanation, that the separatist material comes from captured Ukranian depots and warehouses, makes me allmost piss my pants with hilarious laughter. Allmost everytime I hear it. There's also one thing I like to bring in to this conversation. It's the reserve status of some separatist specialized operators. Several million people are living in the "Novorossian" region of east ukraine. From that population, you can raise some older reservists to fight in separatist ranks, which have at least some specialized training for some spezialized equipment. For example, AA-gunners (ZU 23-2), AT-gunners (100mm MT-12), Artillerists (122mm D30), Mortar & ATGM crews and FO teams could be gathered from the volunteers. Not to forget MT-LB, BMP and BMP crews. In the region, there must be at least hundereds of thousdands of men from 25 up to 60 years old, who have gained some military training in Ukranian or Soviet army. With additional training (maybe from Russian advisors?) you can gather spezialized crews to man the equipment, especially Soviet designed, which are quite simple and "idiot proof" to use. I have noticed earlier that there are quite a lot of older tankers seen to man the "captured" separatist tanks, some of them maybe even 50 or even 60 years old. Born in 1960s, served as a tank crew in the soviet army until the end of 1980s, and today as a separatist tanker. It's easier and faster to give some additional training to old tanker, even to one who has served 30 years ago, than take younger one without any experience, and start from the zero.

Absolutely nothing. That's why I use term Russian citizens, wiiiide and broad term, which covers everything from possible russian conscripts (no solid evidence) to russian PMCs and volunteer civilians, reservists, active duty officers or noncoms participating the conflict on their holidays or other free time etc. Russian citizens are participating the conflict for sure, that we can admit.

Thank you for your compliment. I'd like to highlight that I'm not an expert. I'm just an "average Joe" with very basic infantry training from conscript service, which is the base of my observations.

It think you are right, they are most likely quite incompetent. Separatists are thrown to battle with very little or no military training at all. That's quite obvious if you look at their small unit actions and tactics in various combat videos. Poor fire control, poor use of cover, environment and camouflage, grouping up too often in improper situations, poor use of spotters to cover rear and flanks. These for example. Although they seem to have good morale and willingness to fight, and strong supporter as a backbone. Russian goverment supporting them materially and russian citizens immaterially, at least as military advisors. Without mentioned russian support, separatist uprising would be futile and it will collapse soon after russia and (some) russians cut down their support, especially material.

Does the russian vehicles still have the possibilty to create smoke cloud by injecting diesel to exhaustion pipe? If I remember right, at least BMP-1 and -2 had the possibility, maybe T-55 and/or later model tanks too? Been in such cloud once or twice...

Separatist units are smaller than their actual names I believe. It's hard to belive that Vostok brigade or Miners division are actually brigade- or division strenght. Most likely far less and the number of fighters coming and going makes the strenght very vague in most of the units. Your idea is good I think, but instead of using actual or current unit names, I'd just simply call the pro russian separatists "pro russian separatists" and leave the imaginatin to the player.

I think both of the systems are brilliant and battle proven. Both systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. But one thing I can say for sure to the people who might ask my opinnion, which one to buy? I always say, that if you want to buy a "rifle" and train "rifle shooting", don't buy traditional AK/AKM variant, buy AR15 instead, which has better characteristics for such shooting. Many of the improvements you describe have been modelled in Finnish M62 and M95 assault rifles, Galils and AK12. Redesigning magazine release might be little problematic, but you can release the empty magazine in emergency very quickly by first hitting the release lever with full magazine and with same movement pushing the empty magazine away with full one. You most likely know the drill.

My AR15 has never been an issue too. Goes bang and shoots straight every time I pull the trigger. I clean it quite seldom, but always run it wet. Always, with generous amount of ATF as a lube. Though beign reliable in civilian use, military environment and battlefied conditions especially will be a totally different ballgame. That will put all the weapon systems to the ultimate test, not the civilian shootingrange or service environment, IMHO.

Yes, which was quite pleasant to recognize during the Crimean crisis (if I dare to say). Me and AKMS have special relationship... During Soviet Afghanistan conflict there was 1-2 silenced AKMS in various VDV/Spetznaz/recon squads. Still the same seemed to be the doctrine during the Crimean invasion last spring. AKMSs were regulary seen in the hands of "polite green men". Russians have the 57-N-213U with 12.6g bullet with V0 of 300 m/s in their inventory. 7.62x39mm seems to be far from obsolete in Russian inventory I presume. Latest cartridge designs have been made in the early 2000s at my knowledge.

Hello Luke and Congratulations for your latest build. I've shot Bulgarian made (Arsenal) AK-74M variant vith commercial ammo. The recoil impulse was so low and short that first time I pulled the trigger, I believed that only the primer went off without igniting the powder. After a second, I realised "wait, carrier came back and I saw empty case flying". I checked the magazine, one cartridge was missing from the top and the chamber was empty. Recoil impulse was significantly lower than with various x39mm AKs and even lower than with my 5.56mm AR15 with rifle lenght gas system (S&W upper & lower + Bushmaster 20" goverment profile 1-7" barrel). Incredibly pleasant to shoot.

I've never heard of this before, but thinking of Finnish domestic & internal politics where Finnish Keskusta puolue (Center party) has involved, I have no doubts for this at all. Not only diplomatic relations but also military alliances count. Earlier when we bought second hand Leopard 2A4s from Germany, it was under depate, would the price have been lower, if we've been a Nato member. The last quoted sentence, that's something to admire.

AK iron sights are actually quite good and effective for fast paced combat and engaging targets quickly up to 75m if you know how to use them. From my opinnion, pretty fast to take rough aim, better in low light environment than diopter sights and don't cover too much target area as some iron sight designs do (like most of the diopter models). Also very robust after they are set, no need to worry to lose the zero. They are not so great for precise shooting for extended distances, but the platform was never even designed for such purpose.

Don't feel sorry if your country has been left behind with something like this. Most countries have been left behind more... Be proud of that Russia have always produced brave and capable soldiers, and that's a feature to truly respect.

Thank you for the comprehensive awnser Panzersaurkrautwerfer. I was thinking of the price, not because of the domestic sales but for foreign exports. Your description of supply and maintenance doctrines and routines with M1 Abrams family tanks sounds very interesting. It sounds not only robust, but also very sophisticated, requiring high professionalism from the personell. No longer you are able to assign "mentally slower" or otherwise lower performing people to supply & maintenance formations, doesn't work that way any longer in modern armies. It's also little unfair that hard working professionals don't necessary get the respect that they deserve. Those people might not risk their lives at same level as front line fighters, but it's a crude fact that no fighting army will not be functional without effective logistic/supply/maintenance chain. Who ever disagrees, can go and ask from Generalfeldmarschall Paulus from the subject. My knowledge from tanks is very limited, but I have made a conclusion over the years, that while M1 Abrams family tanks are quite expensive if compared to other rivals, you get overall best "bang for the bucks" with them, especially in the long run and with compatible logistics. Russian tanks are excellent and well thought designs in many ways, but it seems to be that they have been left behind little bit. And no need to discuss from other Western countries or their tank designs, especially from western europe (Netherlands just sold us to Finland 100 Leopard 2A6s because they don't seem to need them). All the countries seem to have very little interest on investing to improve existing designs or design new models. Russia and United States seem to be most dynamic on that sector.

Thank you for the answer Vanir ausf B.

Interesting conversation. Few questions to add: 1. Unit cost. I presume latest model Abrams is more expensive than top tier T90. How many T90s you can get with the price of 10 Abrams? 2. Which one is easier to supply, maintain and repair on the field? Which one hogs more resources. Materiel, specialized mechanics, spare parts, specialized repair facilities? 3. What's the average distance of combat among tanks, if you exclude desert. Mostly in western/eastern/northern european areas? If I look around here in southern Finland, It's hard to find spots where you can find unobstructed field of view more than 1km. Oh, and one more question considering thermal optics. Might sound stupid, because I know nothing of them. Will the "common dust" which arises from sand or dirt, block in some degree the vision of thermal optics? I was thinking of that if the dust is made from microscopic particles of various stones, will the billions of small particles somehow block the vision by harassing the formulation of the image?

If infantry company or platoon have tools, supplies, time, knowledge and expertise to fortify larger apartment house, they will turn it to hellhole and meat grinder to anybody trying to assault it. Couple dozen well placed 122-155mm shells with stiff fuzes will do the trick a lot of more faster and cheaper and saving precious men and material.

+1 Couldn't agree more. Single IFVs cheving a light building in to the pieces for few turns or entire platoon for one turn is my most used MOUT tactic. Doing it from distance to avoid LAW/RPG fire. After the wall collapses, I fire few more salvos into the building and after that my infantry enters. Usually they encounter only littered corpses of enemy soldiers. My tactic is also quite "russian" in advance or assault. I avoid MOUT as long as possible, trying to skirt and flank, and destroy the enemy outside urban areas. I also seek for multiple directions to fire urban inside areas and use streets and avenues as "fire corridors" to restrict enemy movement inside the town and finally destroy them when opportunities arise during my overwatch. But whenever I'm forced to attack a building, I do it with masses of firepower from distance, using MBTs, IFVs and artillery (saving mortars for open ground targets).

I'm dubious about the widespread use in the future and massive deals. Russians still have insane amounts of 7.62mm AKMs and 5.45mm AKs in the storages. Multiple times they have men to use them. In the large scale, I think there's not going to be any significant impact, will the troopers use AK12 or older AK74 generation weapons inthe future. Both are so akin. And wars are won or lost with totally other platforms than basic infantry rifles.

I'm dubious about the widespread use in the future and massive deals. Russians still have insane amounts of 7.62mm AKMs and 5.45mm AKs in the storages. Multiple times they have men to use them. In the large scale, I think there's not going to be any significant impact, will the troopers use AK12 or older AK74 generation weapons inthe future. Both are so akin. And wars are won or lost with totally other platforms than basic infantry rifles.

Yep. Done the same with 4x4L M-B ML 270GL, which is excellent off-road vehicle in many aspects.