RPO Rys

[Ghost of Charlemagne]

Why is there no RPO Rys in the game?

According to readily available online sources it entered service in 1975 and used was widely used by Soviet forces during Afghanistan campaign which sort of means it falls within the timeframe of CM:Cold War.

[MikeyD]

Its probably like the US M202A1 'Flash' fire rocket launcher in the same timeframe. The BFC guys had every intention of putting it into the game but they just couldn't find a way to shoe-horn it logically into the TO&E. That's the rule, everything needs to have a spot in the TO&E.

 

[domfluff]

It's in the timeframe, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it - but the main thing is that it's an engineer's weapon, for urban combat. This is firmly not the focus of Cold War, and my guess would be that this is why it's not in-game.

[The_Capt]

Oh man how cool would that beast be?!  Seriously I would love to see some of these weird and wonderfuls but we have to choose our dev priorities.  I am lobbying for some cool spins in the module, let’s see if we can get away with them.

[Gary R Lukas]

Damn, I forgot about that crazy M202, we trained with them in 1982 but that's as far as we got. I don't know if it was true but our Marine Instructors told us that sometimes the rocket would get caught in the launch tube when firing and the entire launcher with rockets would take off down range. I guess that was supposed to be the new flame-thrower but the USMC scrapped it.

[Artkin]

On 9/29/2021 at 1:41 PM, The_Capt said:

Oh man how cool would that beast be?!  Seriously I would love to see some of these weird and wonderfuls but we have to choose our dev priorities.  I am lobbying for some cool spins in the module, let’s see if we can get away with them.

Not for nothing but the more things you put out, people will pay for them. So you will always have something on your plate only if you love us enough.

[Haiduk]

On 9/29/2021 at 10:36 AM, domfluff said:

but the main thing is that it's an engineer's weapon

More accurately, this is a weapon of flamethrower company from the composition of separate NBC-protection battalion of motor-rifle division. Depending of tasks flamethrower squads or even platoons can be attached to motor-rifle battalions, which could have assault tasks. I suppose, there is no problem to include RPO in the next module

Edited October 1, 2021 by Haiduk

[Bufo]

18 hours ago, Haiduk said:

 I suppose, there is no problem to include RPO in the next module

It is in Black Sea, so it would be strange if they couldn't add it to CW.

Edited October 2, 2021 by Bufo

[Haiduk]

2 hours ago, Bufo said:

It is in Black Sea, so it would be strange if they couldn't add it to CW.

CMBS has RPO-A "Shmel' ", it is not the same the RPO "Rys' " and out of CMCW timeline. RPO-A was in experimental use in Afganistan since 1984 and was adopted in 1988. 

This is RPO, 1975. It contains of two parts - the launcher with bipod (also shoulder launch possible) and the container with thermobaric rocket, attaching from the back of launcher. Caliber 110 mm, effective range - 190 m, maximum range - 400 m, 1,44 m length, 12,6 kg weight 

 

This is RPO-A, 1984-88. More compact and lighter launcher which already contains the rocket. Only shoulder launch. Caliber 93 mm, effective range 600 m, maximum range 1000 m, 0,92 m lenght, 11 kg weight

 

 

Edited October 2, 2021 by Haiduk

[Sequoia]

On 9/28/2021 at 11:37 PM, MikeyD said:

Its probably like the US M202A1 'Flash' fire rocket launcher in the same timeframe. The BFC guys had every intention of putting it into the game but they just couldn't find a way to shoe-horn it logically into the TO&E. That's the rule, everything needs to have a spot in the TO&E.

 

I had to exist somewhere in the TO&E. Or is it part of an asset not in the game?

[Artkin]

15 minutes ago, Sequoia said:

I had to exist somewhere in the TO&E. Or is it part of an asset not in the game?

As Haiduk mentioned, they are higher level assets on the divisional level. They are directly under the division HQ's command alongside the various mechanized/armored brigades. I've seen divisional level companies in CM though. I agree it would be reasonable to see something like that ingame.  

[MikeyD]

They had the same issue with US sniper rifles in this timeframe. Held back at Division (or higher), nobody trained to use them. If you try to insert the weapon into the Battalion TO&E they multiply like rabbits so you then have too many weapons on the map. Keep in mind, the decision makers REALLY wanted M202 and had included them on the model to-do list. I wouldn't be surprised if they get included someday. But there was just no place to put them.

[Haiduk]

As I said flamethrowers are attaching units. For CMCW time it can be inluded as a squad to motor-rifle battalion task force and be present in the units list as a separate unit (better like a platoon than company - this will be more naturally since a game is more appropriate for battalion level), as well as flamethrower pair should be in specialist teams.

[markus544]

Never heard of the dang thing..Dump it

[Sequoia]

Hi, right, I got where the RPOs fit in. I was asking about the M202A1. 

[Artkin]

10 hours ago, Sequoia said:

Hi, right, I got where the RPOs fit in. I was asking about the M202A1. 

Yo man I am so burnt. Sorry

[Sequoia]

Another item. This is a US M728 combat engineer vehicle from the period. I assume it was somewhere in the division Engineer battalion. The main armament is  a 165mm M135 short-barreled demolition gun with 30 rounds of HEP (high explosive, plastic) ammunition. I know Batttlefront isn't keen on specialist engineer vehicles. Also I think if they added it, people would expect the dozer blades to work which would require extensive new coding.

[MikeyD]

M728 had been on the BFC original to-do list, as well, but got removed. I can't recall why. Perhaps because it didn't have a place in hot front line combat. Perhaps it was as simple as "The deadline's been moved up, cut the least important vehicles!"  

[MOS:96B2P]

On 10/5/2021 at 10:09 PM, Sequoia said:

Another item. This is a US M728 combat engineer vehicle from the period. I assume it was somewhere in the division Engineer battalion. The main armament is  a 165mm M135 short-barreled demolition gun with 30 rounds of HEP (high explosive, plastic) ammunition. I know Batttlefront isn't keen on specialist engineer vehicles. Also I think if they added it, people would expect the dozer blades to work which would require extensive new coding.

IMO this vehicle or some other US vehicle with a working dozer blade would be very useful in the game.  Some Combat Mission titles have the flail tank which clears a path through mines.  Possibly a dozer blade could be made (coded) to work in a similar fashion?? 

Breaching obstacle belts was often practiced at the NTC and was expected to be used in a real war.  Many accounts of NTC rotations from the 80s and 90s involve obstacle belts and how units breached or failed to breach them during a mission.  Some interesting AARs.   For now, in CMCW, scenario designers can leave a path through the minefield part of an obstacle belt.  The player can use engineers to blast through the barbwire part of an obstacle belt (track vehicles can also crush wire with some damage to the tracks).  Next the engineers attempt to locate the path(s) through the minefield that the scenario designer left for them to find.  Then if successful the player can pass the mech and armor platoons through and continue to the objective.  In this manner CMCW  can kind of simulate breaching an obstacle belt.  

All that to say a mine plow vehicle in CMCW would be very useful (or whatever mine removal system would be the easiest to implement).   I'm guessing a plow similar to the flail tank might fit the bill.  

Obstacle belts that change location, depending on which AI plan loads, can be located by scouts, breached by engineers and exploited by armor & Mech are cool...... 

 

[Codreanu]

I'm pretty surprised mine plows weren't added for Soviet tanks at the very least, a way to clear a minefield seems like it'd be incredibly important in the opening stages of the war. FM 100-2-3 says they were issued 1 per company to 1 per platoon depending on the type of plow so it's not like they were rare.

[Bufo]

1 hour ago, MOS:96B2P said:

 

If we have these big obstacle belts, then we can also have proper mine clearing vehicles as well, like the Soviet UR-77 Meteorit.

[MOS:96B2P]

5 hours ago, Bufo said:

If we have these big obstacle belts, then we can also have proper mine clearing vehicles as well, like the Soviet UR-77 Meteorit.

Now those are cool.  I would be happy with both sides just having mine plows/rollers.  But if Battlefront wanted to provide more engineer equipment that would be fun too.     

[Halmbarte]

I'd like breaching capabilities and would love to see an easier to implement vehicle prepared position as well that doesn't need the map editor. 

 

H

[domfluff]

Engineering equipment has been on the "soon" list since the CMSF 1 manual.

I actually have a pet theory that the first mission of Task Force Thunder was designed with a mine plow Stryker in mind, which never materialised.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Or an Abrams with a mine-plough:

Either would make sense.....Both are desperately needed IMHO.