NS Military Realism Consultation Thread Vol. 11.0

[Dostanuot Loj]

2 MBT Company
1 IFV Company
2 120mm mortar battery, mechanized
1 105mm howitzer battery, mechanized? or towed?
1 SHORAD battery (Something like Tunguska or Pantsyr, a.k.a combined gun-missile vehicle)
Other support element & HQ...

Why do you need two batteries of 12cm mortars and a battery of 105mm at battalion? And a SHORAD battery on top of that? I'm not saying it's bad (heavy though), but what is the reason?

2 Armored Battalion
1 Mechanized battalion
2 155mm howitzer battery, mechanized
1 MLRS battery, mechanized
1 MERAD battery, NASAMS or European/Israeli equivalent
Other support element & HQ...

My question above is especially pertinent when you are essentially duplicating capability at brigade level. If you keep the 155mms drop the 105s at battalion level as they are unnecessary.

2 Armored Brigade
1 Mechanized Brigade
2 203mm/210 or whatever heavy howitzer battery
1 Cruise missile battery
1 LRAD battery
Other support element & HQ...

Your 203mm should really be a corps asset, same with cruise missiles. Divisions should be maneuvering not conducting that level of strikes. Also same with LRAD. Bump tour MLRS all into one fires brigade and attach it to division with some 155mm batteries included, and leave a battery or two of 155mm at brigade. Drop the 105mms. That disclutters your fires, puts control where needed, eases logistics, and allows your divisions to do division things and not get bogged down. LRAD, cruise missiles, and heavy guns are a corps asset that are better managed and supported there.

You push a lot of firepower down where it is unwieldy and difficult to support, and then clutter it up with overlapping types of weapons which produce competition for supply.

[Theodosiya]

Simple. I wanted as many firepower as possible in many levels, and for my formations to be able to have heavy Air Defense. That, and I probably won't field corps, except a Marine "Corps", and if there's higher level of threat of war.

How about moving up some assets? MANPADS in Battalion, SHORAD in Brigades, MERAD in Division?

If I want to keep 105mm, where and what should be done?

Okay, no cruise missile or LRAD and 203mm. Just 155mm and MLRS fire brigades, maybe some Apache too.

Maybe put LRAD,cruise missile and 203mm howitzer as separate strategic fire brigade/regiment/battalion attached to division? When war with Russia blows up, Corps got reactivated and units got deployed in full strength forces.

[The Akasha Colony]

2 MBT Company
1 IFV Company
2 120mm mortar battery, mechanized
1 105mm howitzer battery, mechanized? or towed?
1 SHORAD battery (Something like Tunguska or Pantsyr, a.k.a combined gun-missile vehicle)
Other support element & HQ...

This would be the Armored Battalion. Mechanized would have two IFV instead, but otherwise identitcal

Pantsir or Tunguska is way too expensive to be placed at this level. And unnecessary. The battalion commander's only real air defense concern should be helicopters, and his tanks and IFVs have plenty of firepower to deal with those. At most, you might want a few MANPADS teams with Humvees attached to HQ, or even just a few MANPADS the battalion commander can hand out if the danger from helicopters is particularly high. As has already been mentioned, front line ground vehicle formations are low priority targets for enemy fast jets, so the only serious threat is helicopters. And even these won't be hugely common unless you're fighting the US Army. If the enemy is so rich in air assets that they can devote precious fast jets to attack your front line ground formations on a regular basis, you've probably lost the air war and with it the rest of the war too.

If the battalion absolutely positively needs more air defense support, the battalion can just get a Pantsir or two assigned to it from the brigade. But this is unlikely, since such a dense air defense threat would be dealt with at a higher level with more robust assets (like fighter support).

2 Armored Battalion
1 Mechanized battalion
2 155mm howitzer battery, mechanized
1 MLRS battery, mechanized
1 MERAD battery, NASAMS or European/Israeli equivalent
Other support element & HQ...

This is Armored Brigade. Mechanized would be 1 Armor and 2 Mech battalion.

2 Armored Brigade
1 Mechanized Brigade
2 203mm/210 or whatever heavy howitzer battery
1 Cruise missile battery
1 LRAD battery
Other support element & HQ...

This is Armored Division. Mechanized basically means more IFVs instead of MBTs, for me, so, it would have 2 Mechanized and 1 Armored Brigade.

Comment and suggestions highly appreciated. Also, Motorized formations would lack Armored formations. They would still have Tanks, but overall is in lower number than Armored or Mechanized. Motors would have 2 Motorized and 1 Mechanized ratio.

The alternating 2:1 ratio is what the US Army does with battalions in its brigades, but it sort of loses meaning at higher levels and the distinctions become increasingly arbitrary. In this system, an armored battalion has a 2:1 ratio of tanks to infantry, while the mechanized battalion is the opposite. But this difference becomes smaller at higher levels. An armored brigade would thus have a ratio of 5:4 while a mechanized brigade would have a ratio of 4:5, nearly identical and roughly balanced. At the division level, it becomes 14:13.

[Prosorusiya]

Does it make sense to give a Cold War special forces sniper team a long distance backpack radio as part of their equipments? I know a lot of snipers, in addition to their primary mission also work to observe enemy movement, and being able to report such things via radio seems like a critical part of such a mission. Also, I know I’ve asked this before, but thoughts on wether or not a sniper pair ought to have two sniper rifles, or a sniper rifle and an assault rifles to cover the sniper?

[Gallia-]

Will they actually use it? Then yes.

OTOH the most useful aspect for a radio for "Cold War special forces" is if they are literally counting trucks in Poland and sending pre-recorded burst transmissions on max LPI waveform to Seventh Army Headquarters.

[Kanugues Wed]

Does it make sense to give a Cold War special forces sniper team a long distance backpack radio as part of their equipments? I know a lot of snipers, in addition to their primary mission also work to observe enemy movement, and being able to report such things via radio seems like a critical part of such a mission. Also, I know I’ve asked this before, but thoughts on wether or not a sniper pair ought to have two sniper rifles, or a sniper rifle and an assault rifles to cover the sniper?

One bigass sniper (.338 laupa magnum, stop pussyfooting around with 7.62), one DMR and a PDW.

[Spirit of Hope]

Does it make sense to give a Cold War special forces sniper team a long distance backpack radio as part of their equipments? I know a lot of snipers, in addition to their primary mission also work to observe enemy movement, and being able to report such things via radio seems like a critical part of such a mission. Also, I know I’ve asked this before, but thoughts on wether or not a sniper pair ought to have two sniper rifles, or a sniper rifle and an assault rifles to cover the sniper?

They should definitely have some form of communications equipment, snipers often end up in remote locations, being spotters for other assets, providing overwatch, or acting as a reconnaissance force. As for what they are armed with, a sniper rifle and some for of assault rifle is probably best. But since they are both well trained shooters you should feel free to give them a nicer assault rifle, better optics, etc.

[Prosorusiya]

Will they actually use it? Then yes.

OTOH the most useful aspect for a radio for "Cold War special forces" is if they are literally counting trucks in Poland and sending pre-recorded burst transmissions on max LPI waveform to Seventh Army Headquarters.

Yeah that’s pretty much the role I envisioned. That and contacting higher ups to get permission to fire on very important targets. I was thinking of having them carry a R-154 radio that is usually used by I think platoon to Company, either that or company to higher units.

I have to go read up on Soviet snipers more but this is what I envision a team looking like, roughly.:

Sniper (Starshina rank): 1x SVD, 1x RPG-18
Radioman/spotter: 1x AKMBN, 1x R-154 radio

Trying to keep combat gear light, especially for the radio with the bulky backpack radio. The AKMBN is a suppressed weapon with a early nightsignt... it might be a better idea to have the sniper carry that sight though to swap depending on wether they are on a day or night mission?

The only disadvantages I can see with such a set up is that you’d naturally have two types of ammo in one unit which isn’t ideal but might be a non-issue at this scale of unit, that adding the suppressor to the AKM makes it as long as a SVD which might be somewhat unwieldy in a close combat situation. Certainly, I could opt also for giving my sniper a Stechkin as a pdw, though iirc the Soviets where not impressed with it in such a role.

[Palmyrion]

>Low wing configuration
>Engine above wings (not too dissimilar from the F-117 or the B-2)
>Stealth fighter with capabilities similar to F-22
>Feasible or nah

[Immoren]

For myself.
Some conscripts who are Cream of the Crop (and most likely willing) of conscript NCO schooling are sent to reserve NCO school and are given rank of second lieutenant at the end of their service.
"Generalist" career officers require either reserve NCO school or Reserve Officer school under their belt, but don't require prior Bachelor's course prior but they complete Bachelor of Military Science as part of their initial officer training.
"Specialist" officers require either reserve NCO or Reserve Officer degree and at least bachelor's degree from some civilian college that is going to be relevant to the job/role they are applying to comission into.

[Immoren]

Is the fact that you (can) advertise job openings in military like you'd do with any other jobs sign that your force is too small.

[Gallia-]

Will they actually use it? Then yes.

OTOH the most useful aspect for a radio for "Cold War special forces" is if they are literally counting trucks in Poland and sending pre-recorded burst transmissions on max LPI waveform to Seventh Army Headquarters.

Yeah that’s pretty much the role I envisioned.

IRL this would have been done by a 14-man(?) (on paper) ODA.

That and contacting higher ups to get permission to fire on very important targets.

Lomboat.

The only disadvantages I can see with such a set up is that you’d naturally have two types of ammo in one unit

A Soviet infantry squad has like half a dozen "types" of ammo. Or more.

[TimberWolves]

Does it make sense to give a Cold War special forces sniper team a long distance backpack radio as part of their equipments? I know a lot of snipers, in addition to their primary mission also work to observe enemy movement, and being able to report such things via radio seems like a critical part of such a mission. Also, I know I’ve asked this before, but thoughts on wether or not a sniper pair ought to have two sniper rifles, or a sniper rifle and an assault rifles to cover the sniper?

In addition to their primary mission?

A snipers primary mission IS observation. Report up the chain, and see if the div commander wants a bullet put through someone or something.

You know what causes more damage than a .338? A 155mm shell, or a cruise missile.

[The Akasha Colony]

>Low wing configuration
>Engine above wings (not too dissimilar from the F-117 or the B-2)
>Stealth fighter with capabilities similar to F-22
>Feasible or nah

Notice how F-117 and B-2 are not fighters.

High-mounted intakes above the wing have a tendency to starve the engine during high alpha maneuvers because the wing itself blocks the flow of air. This is not a problem for non-fighters like F-117 and B-2. But it's a problem for fighters like F-22.

This is not an issue if the intakes extend forward beyond the wings and are not blocked by them like in F-4, but this is a different configuration from F-117 and B-2.

[TimberWolves]

Genuine snipers operating on their own in a conventional conflict in urban terrain is a meme. Have a section of infantry at least to escort them.

In rural terrain is where they shine on their own.

Also, give them UHF radios to coordinate with air power.

>inb4 triangulating on a UHF manpack

[Taihei Tengoku]

UHF is the easiest to direction-find...

[Gallia-]

Triangulating backpacks...with backpacks.

[NeuPolska]

(Image)

Triangulating backpacks...with backpacks.

Replace the UCP with the OCP and you have what I’m probably gonna end up looking like whenever I get deployed

[Gallia-]

>tfw don't even get a PVS-14

RIP.

[Theodosiya]

>tfw don't even get a PVS-14

RIP.

Why have PVS-14, when you can use GPNVG-18

[Iltica]

Been wondering, how practical is using captured vehicles? It seems like they would be almost impossible to maintain without a supply of parts and ammo, not to mention your mechanics aren't trained on them.

[New Vihenia]

Been wondering, how practical is using captured vehicles? It seems like they would be almost impossible to maintain without a supply of parts and ammo, not to mention your mechanics aren't trained on them.

Just run them until they broke and blow it, or put in museum later.

[Kazarogkai]

*Snip*

I see.

I think I have a very odd idea that might satisfy realism to some degree while still... placating my rather eccentric tastes. It involves the Block(company sorta) and it's organization. As of now said Armoured Blocks consist of 144 men mind you and are divided up into 4 platoons and 3 sections(3 tank + 1 support/hq) of 36 men each. So what I am proposing is basically to keep that more or less but change the composition sorta kinda. Instead the new composition will be: 2 Combat Packs(24 men) 1 Combat Supply and Support Pack(48 men),1 service/hq group(48 men). The combat group consists of 2 sections(12 men) each composed of 3 tanks each and led by an officer, a pack commander in the first and a sub-pack commander in the second. This is where my two officers per unit thing comes in quite a bit of handy. I know the typical maximum is 5 but I like even numbers plus they use a base 12 numerical system and it fits my system nicely so I'll stick with it. The sections will de-facto operate semi independently with the first section functioning in over watch and the second as the movement group. This gives a total of 12 tanks which is supplemented by an additional 3 tanks derived from the company HQ for a total of 15 per Block. The overall organization will look accordingly:

Armoured Block
A Service Pack(48)
a Block HQ(6)
b Signal Team(6)
c Recon Team(6)
d Medical Team(6)
e Pioneer Section(12)
f HQ Armored Section(12) 3 Tanks
B Supply and Support Pack(48)
a HQ Section(12)
b Supply Train(24)
c Mechanical Section(12)
CD Armoured Pack(2x 24) 12 tanks
a Ar Section(12) 3 tanks
b Ar Section(12) 3 tanks

I Think I'm going to stick with that I guess. I's a similar story to my current naval and air units who are technically the same in terms of personal size(from the Mari/regimental level up) but are organized differently being well organized around their ships with the ships functioning as the individual "units".

[Petroslovania]

We are an island nation with the size and population of India but with 2025 level tech available to everyone.

Our Navy is 2,000,000 strong
Airforce is 450,000 strong
Army is 300,000 strong
SpecOps 75,000 strong

[NeuPolska]

We are an island nation with the size and population of India but with 2025 level tech available to everyone.

Our Navy is 2,000,000 strong
Airforce is 450,000 strong
Army is 300,000 strong
SpecOps 75,000 strong

Using numbers is for amateurs

How’s your military organized? How many divisions? How many corps? How many battalions are you packing into a single brigade? For that matter, how are your platoons organized?