NS Military Realism Consultancy Thread Mk X Purps Safe Space

[Variota]

In Variota, there's a small autonomous area, the Klan Reierfer Gebiet. For their military, I'm working out some things but need some advice. KRG is meant to be an authoritarian state, situated on the outer borders of Variota. It's split up into two areas, thus making the defence of the area somewhat more difficult. That being said, I would imagine defence wouldn't be the main purpose of the military but instead, keeping the citizens compliant and down. So:

- In the authoritarian spirit, I feel that it's only right for the KRG to use conscription. However, since the state is reasonably small (I'm currently at ~2 million inhabitants max. for the area), I feel that it might be better to go with volunteers. The volunteers would presumably benefit from better training and equipment (because of smaller numbers) and have the benefit of an higher level of genuine loyalty towards the state. I'm torn between, essentially, going conscription and really drilling in loyalty to the regime or going voluntary and using more precise and/or non-military methods to keep the people down.

- How feasible would it be to use pack animals between a large border station (acting as a hub) and various small watchposts further into the hills/mountains? Obviously, it won't work as well as a truck or another transport vehicle but it would save on having to lay proper roads to these remote spots, especially if the posts are only meant to hold two or so men each.

- With the state being hilly/mountainous, split in two and low in population and the armed forced aimed more at border control and civilian control, do they really need tanks? I can totally get the power that a tank might have as a symbol, lowering the morale of rioters and such, but as they aren't going to be suddenly facing a genuine enemy army, I feel that tanks would be a bigger expense than it's worth. Will they be able to fill the hole left from the lack of tanks with APC's etc?

- Does anyone know how large the share of conscientious objectors would be if going with conscription? 5%? 10%? More? My guess would be that the harsher the government, the bigger the share of people trying to become a conscientious objector but that could be somewhat mitigated by strict procedures.

[Dostanuot Loj]

He is a 'race realist', so say as you will but little will likely change.

What the heck does that even mean?

That HM QE is a racist.

[Crookfur]

Sensitive enough that its only really used in small(ish) quantities in AP mines and its not really suitable for anthing you want to "launch".

Also mixing it with TNT makes it castable and moldable.

Anyway a nice list of mines by filler type can be found here:

http://www.nolandmines.com/explosivesinmines.htm

Generally you want your mine filler to be stable and insensitive so you can store, handle and leave it buried for long periods quite happily. It's the fuzing you want to make nasty.

HMX is apparently very sstable.

It still has some medical shock sensitivity but yes it can be used in a more "pure" form. To actually make charges out of it you still need to either mix it with tnt to make it castable or form it into a PBX (although these can be expensive which is why some of the HMX based PBXs only show up in nukes).

[Greater Kazar]

I'll take you up on that offer Spirit of Hope.

Currently I'm struggling with the organization of my mechanized divisions. In Namgiang the division is considered the basic tactical unit, so I tried to model some of my stuff after Soviet divisions. However, Namgiang isn't the Soviet Union, especially culturally and geographically. This is what I got so far:

Group=Regiment

Rifle Division:
HQ Battalion
3x Mechanized Group
1x Artillery Group
1x SAM Group
1x Sustainment Group

I'm going for 12-13k personnel for my mechanized divisions, and I am going to have a lot of corps level support.

What kind of support battalions separate from the Mechanized Groups should one have? What kind of factors influence these decisions?

Should I do three mechanized regiments then have an armor battalion in each, or make it 3 mechanized 1 armor regiment, or both?

With a cap of 12-13K and "Lots of Corps Level Support..." I would say nothing as far as support battalions. Corps should/could/would provide: Engineers, Aviation, Intel/Electronic Warfare, and Signal.

I'm in favor of a tank battalion in each Mech Reg, even if it looks like a Soviet MRR.

[Gallia-]

Sensitive enough that its only really used in small(ish) quantities in AP mines and its not really suitable for anthing you want to "launch".

Also mixing it with TNT makes it castable and moldable.

Anyway a nice list of mines by filler type can be found here:

http://www.nolandmines.com/explosivesinmines.htm

Generally you want your mine filler to be stable and insensitive so you can store, handle and leave it buried for long periods quite happily. It's the fuzing you want to make nasty.

HMX is apparently very sstable.

Both RDX and HMX, in their pure forms, are white powders. It is "stable" but neither are as stable as TNT, or mixtures with TNT, and both are somewhat shock sensitive. They are not very conductive to, well, anything, because they can only be held in glass jars and are very difficult to manipulate freely. If you tried to put "pure" HMX or RDX into a land mine, it would probably explode in your face. Which are the two biggest reasons why they are mixed with TNT. As I understand it, for stuff like antipersonnel mines, RDX is most useful because its brisance means that it can shatter metal into suitably sized man-killing fragments, while a Composition B-type mixture gives RDX stability and lowers its brisance in exchange for a greater gas volume (which gives it better "heaving" potential?).

Anyway, a "pure" RDX explosive is Composition 4, which contains something like 91% RDX, 9% binder resin and stabilizer.

Also AFAIK, HMX is very expensive relative to RDX, which is much cheaper to synthesize, and that is why RDX continues being used.

e: Goddammit Crookfur. ):

[Greater Allidron]

I'll take you up on that offer Spirit of Hope.

Currently I'm struggling with the organization of my mechanized divisions. In Namgiang the division is considered the basic tactical unit, so I tried to model some of my stuff after Soviet divisions. However, Namgiang isn't the Soviet Union, especially culturally and geographically. This is what I got so far:

Group=Regiment

Rifle Division:
HQ Battalion
3x Mechanized Group
1x Artillery Group
1x SAM Group
1x Sustainment Group

I'm going for 12-13k personnel for my mechanized divisions, and I am going to have a lot of corps level support.

What kind of support battalions separate from the Mechanized Groups should one have? What kind of factors influence these decisions?

Should I do three mechanized regiments then have an armor battalion in each, or make it 3 mechanized 1 armor regiment, or both?

With a cap of 12-13K and "Lots of Corps Level Support..." I would say nothing as far as support battalions. Corps should/could/would provide: Engineers, Aviation, Intel/Electronic Warfare, and Signal.

I'm in favor of a tank battalion in each Mech Reg, even if it looks like a Soviet MRR.

Fair. I believe Soviet MRRs had support battalions such as Engineers and Signals.

[Averland-Jorland]

You can not have a Division without a signals unit. You are planning to communicate via semaphore?

[Tekeristan]

You can not have a Division without a signals unit. You are planning to communicate via semaphore?

Yodeling

[Greater Allidron]

Excuse my ignorance on divisional support services. I assumed comms could be a part of the HQ but that may make the HQ battalion turn into the HQ regiment.

[Allanea]

Excuse my ignorance on divisional support services. I assumed comms could be a part of the HQ but that may make the HQ battalion turn into the HQ regiment.

Yes and no!

There's a comms unit as part of HQ, but it's tiny.

There's often a separate comms unit which can be pretty bulky due to the complexity of the equipment, etc. In the Soviet army this was 200-250 men ambitiously calling themselves a 'signals battalion'.

[The Akasha Colony]

Excuse my ignorance on divisional support services. I assumed comms could be a part of the HQ but that may make the HQ battalion turn into the HQ regiment.

As Allanea says there's a small signals unit in the HQ units of most major units but this HQ signals unit is basically there just to relay the HQ's own communications.

Larger units like brigades and divisions have separate signals units that are responsible for maintaining the entire communications backbone for the whole unit. They are usually not co-located with the HQ so there's no reason for them to be part of the HQ since they will be operating independently.

[Spirit of Hope]

Excuse my ignorance on divisional support services. I assumed comms could be a part of the HQ but that may make the HQ battalion turn into the HQ regiment.

Shameless plug. . Those are the TOE's for my armed forces in NS. I developed them from TOE's from the US armed forces found here, here is one based on the Soviet Union (as guessed by american intelligence), and here is another resource.

[Radictistan]

My latest Google expedition led me to an old brochure/yearbook for a military school and My God it's palatial! The dorm rooms are at least as nice as a lot of civie colleges today, they've got lounges, vending machines, waiters, TV, pool tables. Is this what the Anglosphere was like before adopting the IJA training philosophy?

[DnalweN acilbupeR]

Excuse my ignorance on divisional support services. I assumed comms could be a part of the HQ but that may make the HQ battalion turn into the HQ regiment.

Shameless plug. . Those are the TOE's for my armed forces in NS. I developed them from TOE's from the US armed forces found here, here is one based on the Soviet Union (as guessed by american intelligence), and here is another resource.

people actually use MMEV wow

[Spirit of Hope]

Shameless plug. . Those are the TOE's for my armed forces in NS. I developed them from TOE's from the US armed forces found here, here is one based on the Soviet Union (as guessed by american intelligence), and here is another resource.

people actually use MMEV wow

Yes, I like it so I use it. I'm sure there can be a great debate over what is the best, but that is a debate I'm not that interested in.

[DnalweN acilbupeR]

people actually use MMEV wow

Yes, I like it so I use it. I'm sure there can be a great debate over what is the best, but that is a debate I'm not that interested in.

i'm not implying it's bad i just had the impression the general consensus around here was that it was a bad idea (which may have had more or less to do with it/ADATS practically being cancelled)

what level asset would MMEV be?

[Spirit of Hope]

Yes, I like it so I use it. I'm sure there can be a great debate over what is the best, but that is a debate I'm not that interested in.

i'm not implying it's bad i just had the impression the general consensus around here was that it was a bad idea (which may have had more or less to do with it/ADATS practically being cancelled)

what level asset would MMEV be?

In my case they are in the air defense batteries. So each brigade has 12, and then the Division has one air defense regiment with 3 batteries. So Division has direct control over 36, with an additional 36 under the control of the divisions. Higher level air defense falls on the Air Defense Brigade which is a theatre level asset.

[DnalweN acilbupeR]

i'm not implying it's bad i just had the impression the general consensus around here was that it was a bad idea (which may have had more or less to do with it/ADATS practically being cancelled)

what level asset would MMEV be?

In my case they are in the air defense batteries. So each brigade has 12, and then the Division has one air defense regiment with 3 batteries. So Division has direct control over 36, with an additional 36 under the control of the divisions. Higher level air defense falls on the Air Defense Brigade which is a theatre level asset.

how does the whole anti-tank role play into that (or it doesn't?)

[Spirit of Hope]

In my case they are in the air defense batteries. So each brigade has 12, and then the Division has one air defense regiment with 3 batteries. So Division has direct control over 36, with an additional 36 under the control of the divisions. Higher level air defense falls on the Air Defense Brigade which is a theatre level asset.

how does the whole anti-tank role play into that (or it doesn't?)

My basic thinking at this time is that the brigade, or division, commander places the units where he feels there is the most need, either AA or AT. At which point they automatically take up an air defense role, and provide AT fire as directed by brigade headquarters.

If a unit needs the AT support they make a call for fire specifying that the need for AT and brigade decides if the priority is worthy or not to support that call for fire.

Obviously I haven't given this a lot of thought.

[The Akasha Colony]

My latest Google expedition led me to an old brochure/yearbook for a military school and My God it's palatial! The dorm rooms are at least as nice as a lot of civie colleges today, they've got lounges, vending machines, waiters, TV, pool tables. Is this what the Anglosphere was like before adopting the IJA training philosophy?

It seems pretty basic, really. Most major private institutions in the US and well-funded public ones would have facilities of comparable or better appearance and luxury.

[HMS Queen Elizabeth]

I'm willing to advise a blind man on how it is to see but that doesn't mean he can follow my advice.


They're stupid because we can measure how stupid they are, and when we do we measure that they are very stupid indeed. This explains what they (fail to) accomplish. According to economic statistics, North Korea and Zimbabwe are about equally poor. We can suggest that both countries are equally poorly governed. But it's clear that Zimbabweans are still considerably stupider and less organised than North Koreans.

You know there you go and prove my point. Robert Mugabe, the "president" of Zimbabwe, isn't stupid, he just isn't necessarily interested in making Zimbabwe better. He is much more interested in enriching himself and his cronies.

While we're reading minds, you think KJU is interested in making NK better?

Both of them are Marxists, and there's the real problem, but North Korean Marxism is smart, disciplined, and organised, while Zimbabwean Marxism is dumb, violent, and chaotic.

In a country where the per capita GDP is $1,000 Robert Mugabe is worth around $10,000,000.

Is that meant to disprove the point? Mugabe has owned a whole country for about 30 years and he's managed to reach the dizzying financial heights of "owner of a chain of gas station franchises". He's literally stolen about a cent per subject per year. He's a complete moron.

[Allanea]

And yet North Koreans are poorer than Zimbabweans.

[Spirit of Hope]

You know there you go and prove my point. Robert Mugabe, the "president" of Zimbabwe, isn't stupid, he just isn't necessarily interested in making Zimbabwe better. He is much more interested in enriching himself and his cronies.

While we're reading minds, you think KJU is interested in making NK better?

Both of them are Marxists, and there's the real problem, but North Korean Marxism is smart, disciplined, and organised, while Zimbabwean Marxism is dumb, violent, and chaotic.

Nope KJU is interested in keeping his place in power. Part of doing that is ensuring he keeps his people worried about an outside threat, normally the US and SK, and making sure the US has no interest in actually moving to take him out. Hence the Nuclear weapons. It isn't reading minds, it is understanding power and power structures.

In a country where the per capita GDP is $1,000 Robert Mugabe is worth around $10,000,000.

Is that meant to disprove the point? Mugabe has owned a whole country for about 30 years and he's managed to reach the dizzying financial heights of "owner of a chain of gas station franchises". He's literally stolen about a cent per subject per year. He's a complete moron.

Yes he has maintained power for 30 years. That isn't exactly an easy thing to do.

[HMS Queen Elizabeth]

And yet North Koreans are poorer than Zimbabweans.

I am not arguing that smart people inevitably produce success. I am arguing that dumb people inevitably produce failure.

I am a top x percentile writer in the English language but that does not mean I will become a famous novelist even if I try. I can be fairly sure that someone in the bottom x percentile at writing English will not become a famous novelist.

The previous posters were doubting that Africans are any dumber than anyone else. The example of North Korea is to show that an intelligent society looks very much different to a stupid society even if wealth and outward success are held constant.

[I didnt vote for Trump]

And yet North Koreans are poorer than Zimbabweans.

I am not arguing that smart people inevitably produce success. I am arguing that dumb people inevitably produce failure.

I am a top x percentile writer in the English language but that does not mean I will become a famous novelist even if I try. I can be fairly sure that someone in the bottom x percentile at writing English will not become a famous novelist.

The previous posters were doubting that Africans are any dumber than anyone else. The example of North Korea is to show that an intelligent society looks very much different to a stupid society even if wealth and outward success are held constant.

I'm curious; how is a country structured around a cult of personality and living in willful ignorance of the outside world considered "intelligent" in any sense of that word whatsoever?