New patch arty observation

[Erwin]

6 hours ago, Bulletpoint said:

the explosive force of a 155mm shell itself would have been deadly

Have also experienced in the game close proximity blasts like this have minimal effect on troops.  But one doesn't have to be hit by any shell fragments to be hurt.  The blast effect alone (which is inescapable) would liquefy one's innards and be fatal.  Fatalities and serious injuries can start as low as 3 psi over pressure and be 100% fatal at 20 psi.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK202251/

 

[Bulletpoint]

41 minutes ago, Erwin said:

Have also experienced in the game close proximity blasts like this have minimal effect on troops.  But one doesn't have to be hit by any shell fragments to be hurt.  The blast effect alone (which is inescapable) would liquefy one's innards and be fatal.  Fatalities and serious injuries can start as low as 3 psi over pressure and be 100% fatal at 20 psi.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK202251/

 

Thanks, interesting link. Though I think it says it's 200-250 psi where death is "usual":

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK202251/table/tab_3_2/?report=objectonly

 

[DougPhresh]

On 8/21/2020 at 3:56 AM, Bulletpoint said:

The only way I can see this happening if the shell was a partial dud, so that only a small portion of the filling actually exploded.. I think that at 20 feet distance, the explosive force of a 155mm shell itself would have been deadly, not to mention any splinters.

Some shells have poor bursting and fragmentation characteristics. The Italian Brixia Model 35 for example, was known to sometimes break into only a few large fragments. For a weapon with a small blast effect that relies on fragmentation to kill, that was obviously not good. 

There have been some advancements in shell design to create an even burst pattern with fragments of the ideal size to cause the intended effect. 

[Erwin]

That may be accurate.  What doesn't "seem right" is that one can have a 1000lb bomb or 150mm shell go off over a trench and the enemy in that trench seem rather unaffected.  While maybe they are lucky and are not hit by fragments.  However, the point is that one doesn't need to be hit by fragments to be KIA or WIA, the explosive blast alone will liquefy one's innards.