Cheese

An Abrams on exercise (note flashing strobe and BFA on Ma Deuce) has gotten itself into quite a fix. Will it be able to escape the attentions of General Mud?
 
http://www.military.com/video/combat-vehicles/combat-tanks/m1-abrams-stuck-in-the-mud/1481057376001/
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

This is a story I've never before seen told. It details perhaps the largest systematic recycling and repurposing effort ever mounted, with concomitant astronomic savings for the Army--billions in then year dollars! I'd read about efforts to do things like keep desperately needed trucks running by rigorous salvage and cannibalization, also had seen something in which completely wrecked boots were refurbished to as new, but they were nothing compared to this.
 

 
Regards,
 
John Kettler
 
 

Cheese,
 
Much of what you're discussing here is already being addressed in another thread, on another CM Forum. You may find it of interest.
 
http://community.battlefront.com/topic/119081-future-combat-mission-games/
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

Wow you guys have reached an all new low around here.  Near constant whining and no valuable input.  I think my ignore list will be growing soon.  It is official I'm calling you a
 

LOckAndLOad,
 
I'm a bit confused. Was under the impression the T-90AM didn't exist and was merely the logical extension of the existing T-90MS. Is this correct? If so, what is the tank called that you linked to the pic of? Turning now to the cameras, I think there's a lot more to them than we expect. Notice, for example, the rather impressive capabilities of Android based thermal imaging: soldier at 500 m and a vehicle at 1500! Do you have any tech data on the cameras shown in your pics, please? That same tank has what appears to be a multifunction mast incorporating front and rear facing cameras and, under the shroud, what I believe to be the LWR detectors. But what really intrigues me is the welter of masts on the T-72BM3 TUSK, if you will. Love the splinter paint job! Looks like a multifunction mast, a satellite link and the two darker ones doing goodness knows what. As for Bumerang, recommend you brace yourself for a cowbell themed pic.
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

L0ckAndL0ad,
 
Based on some quick research on LWRs, in #679, I make it that the faceted device directly above the obscurant launcher is an LWR. This makes sense, given the apparent coverage of around 120 degrees. Additionally, in one of the other pics, you can see the same thing mounted on the rear of the turret roof and facing aft. This appears to be a more evolved version of the LWR for Shtora-1, as seen here. Are you sure the two optronic devices on either side of the guns (in first link from your #696) are LWRs? They certainly don't look like the other such installations on the tank, which is why I think they are probably cameras. Your two remaining links there are virus blocked for me. Any thoughts on all those masts atop the TUSK T-72BM3? there sure is a lot of stuff up there. I'm pretty confident of my estimated satcom link, having seen similar rigs on pics of British tanks.
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler 

Sublime,
 
The Germans had no less than three different proximity fuze programs going by war's end, using a bunch of different triggering phenomena. That's as reported, based on reviewing the actual intel (B.I.O.S. and C.I.O.S.)assessments, by the man who ultimately retired as Chief of Technology of the Italian Air Force. PM me for citation, if interested. Sorry. Can't recommend you for MoH!
 
ASL Veteran,
 
We've needed flares in CM ever since CM began. Flares figure in warfare at least as far back as WW I. Their existence provides quite a check on night ops, and that's true regardless of theater and, to a large degree, year clear up to now. The more I read, for example, the more amazed I am to find how many GPW Russian attacks were made at night. Dealing with such matters requires flares of every sort: trip flares, flare pistol launched ones and illumination rounds. 
 
Childress,
 
To me, the argument you say Steve would make seems ridiculous on the face of it. I believe the problem has always been the huge load dynamic lighting would impose on processors. 
 
kohlenklau,
 
Decades ago I was attending a weekend seminar, and Adrienne Barbeau, a friend of the seminar leader, showed up in all her considerable feminine glory wearing a tan and a tight white linen pants suit with plunging neckline! Unsurprisingly, that was a bit of a distraction to the attendees. Sure was for me. If you like the pic you posted, be advised there's one on Google Images which is autographed and, as they say, NSFW (or here, for that matter).
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

ident,
 
Welcome aboard!  
 
May we call you "Squawk" to complete the phrase? Couldn't resist! We've just come off a lengthy discussion of your question over on CMBS. This is the thread. The CMBN Demo is prehistoric, in CMx2 terms, and it bears very little relationship at all to 3.11, which is the most complete version of CMBN available to us. Emphatically suggest you make no decision about CMBN based on that fossil. Instead, recommend you look at feature lists for 2.0 and 3.0 at BFC.com (also in my posts at link) and vids showing the game under 3.0.
 
CW 
 

 
Bloody Bill trains the next generation of CM gamers!


 
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

I think that there is variability in how may active players there are between the tittles.  However I don't think it matters much.  There are several online wargaming clubs and at theBlitz where I find many opponents there is always some one willing to play any of the games.  So I would pick the game theatre you like and not worry about finding opponents because there will be enough.

Alex,

I'd call your post great, but stellar is more like it! The last I looked at this was in SOF (SOLDIER OF FORTUNE) magazine during the Soviet-Afghan War when people from SOF went to Afghanistan, visited the Muj and brought back the Soviet body armor with the titanium hexagons inside, I believe. The SOF people brought back stuff that had the intel types here in fits of threat analyst ecstasy. I still have an AK-74 cartridge brass and a Spetsnaz(?) short sleeved striped shirt from Afghanistan, bought from a reputable militaria dealer during that war. SVD on the wall and an R123 radio on the counter, plus cammies from every part of the world!

Regards,

John Kettler

11,000+ pics. Should keep a few of you off the streets for a bit. The France category is very heavy on Normandy on D-Day and beyond.
 
http://www.worldwarphotos.info
 
Mr Trowbridge has done himself proud. Just one of his treasures. School of Armor Technology study on attacking the Panther and Tiger 1. Rejoice all ye ordnance and weapon effectiveness grogs.

http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com/German-tank-evaluation/TIGER-1-and-PANTHER/
 
One of myriad treasures, amid a sea of pics of AFVs (many unseen before by me) and other weapons in the field, wrecked, captured, in museums, etc. B&W and color. Any SAN loss is your fault, not mine. 
 
http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com
 
T-34
 
http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com/SovietTanksatWar/T34/
 
British wartime assessment of KV-1 provided by Russia

http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com/NEW-2015/In-Depth-view-of-Russian-KV-1/
 
M-3 Grant
 
http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com/Other-1/M3-Grant-medium-tank/
 
Tiger 1 command tank pic which is pretty strange
 
http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com/Photosyoumaymissedinlst10years/Part-1-3/
 
Panthers in every state imaginable.
 
http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com/Photosyoumaymissedinlst10years/Part-8-1/
 
A thoroughly misnamed juicy  file which includes a pic of the mythical Bren AA tripod mount!
 
http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com/Shermansatwar/Part-One/
 
If those don't whet you appetite, I believe a toe tag may be in order.
 
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

There has been intermittent discussion on CMBS and elsewhere regarding operating tanks in trees. What's seen here appears to fall between the terrain categories of Light Woods (passable by armor) and Heavy Woods (impassable by armor). Here, we have not just saplings, but spread out mature trees, strong enough to resist being pushed by an M1A1. They are not Abrams proof, for that sharp bow allows another sort of approach in this instance. It does, though, have a fundamental, potentially diastrous problem associated with that technique. Nor do we see what would happen were the tank to continue to move forward.
 
http://www.military.com/video/combat-vehicles/combat-tanks/m1a1-tank-removes-trees-in-australia/1716924710001/
 
Some of you may be familiar with the sort of KV-1 footage in the English subtitled doc shown here starting at around 1:12. There are major differences in play, starting with the fact the KV-1 is buttoned. Nor is it facing a tree with extensive strong branches. Instead, I believe it's attacking a birch, known for its delicate foliage. The top of the M1A1 has all sort of things which can be hit directly (sights with doors open), snag and be damaged or even torn off. By contrast, the top of the KV-1, save for a rounded episcope housing, is practically smooth
 

 
Food for thought.
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

Personally I would love to see a pacific game. I would even hope to see it as a stepping stone to doing Vietnam, but as much as you don't want to hear it, BF has so far repeatedly said no and I suspect that is primarily based on financial expectations. They aren't going to lose money to create it. LongLeftFlank actually did a Makin mod which was quite good.

Beyond that there is already enough in the pipeline for us to continue debating this for years before BF will even be in the position of saying, gee we ran through everything else, heck maybe we should do the pacific.

So much has happened in the South Pacific, all those who liberated that region from tyrannical scumbags need representation. Anyone care to share possibilities of battles?

Bud,
you need to keep the rule of thumb firmly in mind: if Kettler said it, it's probably wrong.
 
For example, a short minute at Amazon preview or here (PDF link) would quickly advise you that what he said about Stuarts and canister is rubbish
 
What's particularly "interesting" is that Kettler already knows what he's saying is rubbish, but chooses to repeat it anyway. Make of that what you will.

I don't speak Portuguese, by it's not close enough to Spanish I can muddle through to some degree. Though there are a few images which simply aren't right, this vid has more info than I've ever seen on the mine dogs. It's got the "how it works" placard, the mine dogs in a long column with their handlers, mine dogs in gas masks, even color movie footage apparently shot at Kursk, with the dog fully loaded and barely controllable by the soldier in his slit trench. No extra charge for the wrong front Yorkie in a GI helmet which appears several times in this tribute. The text talks about how many dogs served, how many died and their purported kill count.
 

 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

The Modern Ukraine strife is overwhelming the earlier strategic operation there, which was greatly assisted by the deadly and surprisingly not very survivable (crew and plane had combat life of seven sorties, per a man who flew them) "Flying Tank." Link has English subtitled Russian video, together with a separate full English transcript of everything said.
 
http://allworldwars.com/videos/IL-2%20Pilot%20Manual/How-to-fly-IL-2-Sturmovik-1943.html
 
There's also the Il-2 flight manual. In English.
 
http://allworldwars.com/IL-2-Illustrated-Flight-Manual.html
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

I may've posted this before, but if I didn't, you'll likely be glad I did. He was in the GPW from November of 1941, maybe earlier, and fought through the entire war.
 
http://www.nps.gov/nama/blogs/The-Nine-Lives-of-a-Soviet-Tank-Commander-Vasily-Bryukhovs-Service-During-World-War-Two.htm
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

Found this GPW photo series in a sidebar while looking at an article on ice tanks. It has some familiar pics, as well as a bunch I'd never seen. I particularly like the officer bringing a 45 mm ATG forward (ATG being pushed with trails raised, sort of like a wheelbarrow) and the soldiers who look to be building a bunker with artillery fire geysering the nearby ground. But I'm really curious about these AFVs in column in pic #3. I think these are trophy vehicles, and they appear to have Panzer 38T running gear. Anyone know what these are? My best guesses? Gunless Marder III, Gunless(?) Grille M or 38T Munitionpanzer. In any event, this Czech 38 tank site is first rate. 
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

We've got a long way to go in terms of the game animations, but meanwhile, I thought this would be of interest. I found it while looking for something on Spetsnaz use of the entrenching tool in battle. I think it's a pretty cool piece of combat art. Very powerful and dynamic.
 
http://www.combatreform.org/russianETOOLcombat.jpg
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

DAF, who previously graced u with first rate work on Russian fire planning and use of artillery, put together a simply brilliant study of Soviet supply operations during the GPW, and is it ever deep!  You will know more about large scale logistics (you all want to be generals, right?) when you're done than you ever dreamed possible. What he presents, though, is much more than the Russian side of the house, but also the Germans and the Allies. A most revelatory piece of work, part of which directly pertains to Op Bagration. The Red Army lived or died on its railroads, which during an advance could be pushed forward as much as a 75 km/day, and it was the nearest railhead which drove everything else, as he details below.
 
http://www.armchairgeneral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133563
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler
 
 
 
 

Google translated:
 
RPO-M / RPO PDM-A Bee-M Author: Dimmi
Created: 12/12/2010 2:59:20 Changed: 05.03.2011 19:39:03 Comments: 0 Category: EARTH / firepower melee / RPO-M / PDM-A Bee-M (2004) /

 
DATA FOR 2010 (standard completion)
"Bee-M" RPO-M / RPO PDM-A
Jet infantry flame-thrower with a one-time shot with TPK and reusable starter. Designed Instrument Design Bureau (KBP Tula) on the basis of the flamethrower RPO-A . Adopted in 2004. The media just found the name of the RPO-2 "Prize".


Jet infantry flamethrower RPO-M "Bumblebee-M" (installation on the basis of a photo Mike1979, http://ru.wikipedia.org )
Calculation - 1 person (probably pack of 2 RPO)

Shooting from the RPO-M "Bumblebee-M" ( http://www.kbptula.ru ).
Guidance - diopter sight. Can be used optical sight, including night. The starter - TPK disposable to reusable starter.




RPO-M "Bumblebee-M", shot and reusable starter ( http://www.kbptula.ru ).
Rocket (shot) - equipped with starting RDTT integrated with ammunition. The charge of solid propellant burns completely when moving projectile down the barrel RPO. Caliber - 90 mm ​​Length - 940 mm



Weight flamethrower - 8.8 kg
  Maximum firing range - 1700 m Firing range sighting - 800 m Blank range to the target height of 3.5 m - 300 m
  Warhead types :
- RPO PDM-A - explosive fuel-air mixture (thermobaric shot / fuel-air explosives), burns without detonation, power equivalent to high-explosive shells 152 mm (according to CPP). In the fore part of the charge a small shaped charge to destroy obstacles. Compared with the RPO-A warhead power increased by 2 times.
Weight mixture - 3.2 kg Status: Russia - 2004 - flamethrower adopted for the Russian Armed Forces. - 2011 - in the framework of the purchase of arms for 2011-2020 yy . planned to supply the troops RPO PDM-A. Export - no data (2010).







  Sources : SUE Instrument Design Bureau. Site http://www.kbptula.ru/ , 2010
to Lenta.ru. Site http://lenta.ru , 2011
World Guns. Site http://world.guns.ru/ , 2010    

None of my AFVs had APS. It was parked in the woods, though.
 
I don't have that turn save anymore, but I haven't finished the battle yet and the tank is still alive. Here's the damage it took from the 2 hits. Notice the used ERA block and scar (from the first hit).
 

xiGuNDoCIx (with that handle, obviously way more dexterous than I am),
 
I thought SLAP at 19 mm at the same range was impressive. The MK 211 is roughly 2.5 times that.  In fact, it has better penetration at 1500 meters than did the 50 mm Pak-38!
 
Regards,
 
John Kettler

While we're on RPOs and such, have you seen RPO Junior, if you will? BUR 62 mm. KBP shows it as in production, and I saw something saying it entered service in 2014. 
 
http://www.kbptula.ru/en/productions/small-arms-guns-grenade-launchers/grenade-launchers/bur
 

 
Regards,
 
John Kettler