NS Military Realism Consultation Thread Vol. 11.0

[Gallia-]

STAFF, BONUS, and SADARM can all be launched from artillery guns. Copperhead (and any SAL) are essentially IR guided, and Copperhead II had a IIR seeker. I think it's mostly because after both GPS guidance and a terminal seeker, there just isn't much room for an actual warhead left.

[Purpelia]

It's random question time. This time NOT for children.
Microwave ovens in your military? Discuss.

And seriously don't put children in there.

[Gallia-]

yes galla uses the "radar"

[New Vihenia]

STAFF, BONUS, and SADARM can all be launched from artillery guns. Copperhead (and any SAL) are essentially IR guided, and Copperhead II had a IIR seeker. I think it's mostly because after both GPS guidance and a terminal seeker, there just isn't much room for an actual warhead left.

Ok, MMW version coming soon.

Workin on internal view.

[Purpelia]

yes galla uses the "radar"

I am specifically asking about the cooking appliance. I was considering shoving one into my IFV's.

[Austria-Bohemia-Hungary]

yes galla uses the "radar"

I am specifically asking about the cooking appliance. I was considering shoving one into my IFV's.

Just use a water cooker like everybody else.

[Gallia-]

microwaves in ifvs arent necessary just stop and use a camp stove lmao

[Austria-Bohemia-Hungary]

microwaves in ifvs arent necessary just stop and use a camp stove lmao

Is there any reason in particular we are stopping and using a camp stove instead of shoving the MRE inside the internal "boiling vessel"? <.<

[Ord Caprica]

microwaves in ifvs arent necessary just stop and use a camp stove lmao

Is there any reason in particular we are stopping and using a camp stove instead of shoving the MRE inside the internal "boiling vessel"? <.<

Because people in the military aren't that smart

[Republic of Penguinian Astronautia]

Is there a feasible way to harden a county against nuclear attack? What is most important in rebuilding afterwards? Is it possible to make industry survivable in some way?

[Austria-Bohemia-Hungary]

Is there any reason in particular we are stopping and using a camp stove instead of shoving the MRE inside the internal "boiling vessel"? <.<

Because people in the military aren't that smart

Actually the answer given by Gallia was because it's a culture thing. But you do you.

[Austrasien]

Is there a feasible way to harden a county against nuclear attack? What is most important in rebuilding afterwards? Is it possible to make industry survivable in some way?

In brief a combination of:

• Adequeate warning
• Dispersal
• Hardening

...can be expected to reduce direct casualties (people killed by blast, heat, acute radiation poisoning) a lot. Nuclear weapons effects are strongly dependent on the range from the explosion and generally fall off with the square or cube or distance or even faster, so even relatively modest protection when consistently applied can cause a dramatic reduction in the "absolute death radius". Mid to long term deaths from possible secondary effects like epidemics cannot be even guessed at since they may or may not even occur.

A significant challenge is most realistic protective measures are only useful if there is sufficient warning time to engage them. Shelters are only good when they are occupied. Machines can be buried, which is excellent protection, but this takes a lot longer than the 30 minutes flight of an ICBM. Nuclear weapons are also sufficiently powerful that very nearly any conceivable protective measure can be defeated by detonating a large enough bomb close enough.

So a comprehensive civil defence program, with sufficient lead time to bring it into action, would be highly effective at protecting a nation from long term damage caused by relatively limited nuclear strikes. Say what India and Pakistan might unleash on each other. Or China on America. But against an extremely large and sophisticated arsenal like the Soviet or American arsenals at their heights only things which were not deliberately targeted could be expected to survive.

In the aftermath of a nuclear attack, the most acute shortage would be electrical power. The electrical grid is by nature highly susceptible to both disruptions in general and to nuclear effects in particular. Loss of electrical power would impair basically everything in anything like a modern economy. Since long-range transmission, in particular, would be exceptionally hard to restore in a timely manner distributed generation (read: boiler in shed) will be particularly helpful.

[The Manticoran Empire]

Is there a feasible way to harden a county against nuclear attack? What is most important in rebuilding afterwards? Is it possible to make industry survivable in some way?

Yes. However it isn't cheap. Underground factories, underground emergency services. Basically the entire society needs to move into bunkers if they are in potential target zones. However, those become useless if there isn't enough warning, which is very likely to be limited. Sub launched missiles could give less than 10 minutes warning and stealth aircraft could govern even less warning. Also a good idea to add interception systems to at least reduce the damage (hopefully).

[Barfleur]

Do tactical and intermediate-range ballistic missiles still have a role in today's war? If so, which should my army prioritize?

[The Manticoran Empire]

Do tactical and intermediate-range ballistic missiles still have a role in today's war? If so, which should my army prioritize?

They do, actually. Ballistic missiles can have a number of effects, mostly having to do with forcing your enemy to disperse forces and move missile defense units to protect key industry and (if you are fighting a democracy) urban centers. Furthermore, they have a wide variety of potential payloads, from conventional high explosives to chemical weapons to nuclear warheads. As for which one you should prioritize, that will depend on your strategic situation.

[New Vihenia]

which should my army prioritize?

Naturally both as seen today. Country that are having Battlefield Short Range Ballistic Missile are also developing or deploying Intermediate range missile. e.g China and Russia.

The trend however appears to be making the "differences" between tactical and strategic blurry. Mainly through technology, like warhead miniaturization, more efficient propulsion, materials etc that allows apparently "small tactical missile" To match range of what considered IRBM. There is also something like RSS-40 "Kuryer" Which as big as DF-21 yet having range of 10000 Km.

[Republic of Penguinian Astronautia]

In what numbers and of what types should nuclear weapons be carried on warships of different types?

[Spirit of Hope]

In what numbers and of what types should nuclear weapons be carried on warships of different types?

That is going to depend on a number of factors, what is the ships role, what missile types does it carry, what treaty limits exist, etc.

You can mount a nuclear warhead on basically any missile, or all of your missiles, if you wanted to. In reality this would be a rather bad idea, it would leave you with no conventional strike options, not to mention potential treaty issues.

If you have no treaty constraints you would probably only have a few nuclear warheads mounted on cruise or anti ship missiles, potentially a couple of nuclear torpedoes, per ship/submarine. The obvious exception being SSBNs, where you would stick as many nuclear warheads on SLBMs as possible.

[Gallia-]

Something like 4-6 nuclear ASROCs and a similar number of W45 Terrier -Ds were carried on ships that could use them.

The first is an anti-submarine depth charge, the second is an anti-ship beam riding missile.

Attack carriers usually had ~100 warheads of all types.

[Munkcestrian Conciliar Republic]

How could a modern-tech slave-trading megacorporation go about defending its deliveries and fresh kidnappings (both of which are done by sea) from those looking to disrupt such operations? It's based out of a city-state in the middle of an ocean, but I'm assuming it has access to safe ports all around the world.

[The Manticoran Empire]

How could a modern-tech slave-trading megacorporation go about defending its deliveries and fresh kidnappings (both of which are done by sea) from those looking to disrupt such operations? It's based out of a city-state in the middle of an ocean, but I'm assuming it has access to safe ports all around the world.

Depending on how far Abolition movements have gotten, you'll face a couple of distinct threats. The first and most obvious are slave uprisings. These can be fairly easy to deal with, mostly having to do with keeping slaves confined while in transit. This does, however, risk losing some of the product through illness or other factors, such as violence between slaves or the cruelty of the slavers themselves.
The second threat is abolitionist militias. These are most likely to come from developed, industrial countries that don't purchase your slaves. Or at least have made it unlawful to do so. These will mostly be righteous busy bodies, showing up to your depots in the form of mass demonstrations and occasional break-ins. There will, however, also be the violent ones, individuals similar to John Brown who will seek to spark slave rebellions and force the abolition of slavery by any means necessary. They would mostly attack those safe ports you refer to, though it is very possible that they will also raid the slave ships themselves.
The least common, yet most dangerous threat, is a modern version of the British West Africa Squadron. A naval power, possibly analogous to the United States or the British Empire in terms of economic and military might, abolishes slavery in their territory then takes it upon themselves to fight slavery across the world. Virtually nothing will enable you to counter guided missile destroyers, especially not since you'll be using what are effectively prison ships to ply the oceans.
Your single best defense is to prevent the abolition of slavery in any country, mainly through funding pro-slavery politicians, paying off trade officials, and funding attacks against abolitionist groups. If you can afford it (which, given the relative value of a slave in a modern society might actually be fairly easy), hire mercenaries to assassinate major abolitionist politicians and organizers.

[Triplebaconation]

lol

[Austrasien]

How could a modern-tech slave-trading megacorporation go about defending its deliveries and fresh kidnappings (both of which are done by sea) from those looking to disrupt such operations? It's based out of a city-state in the middle of an ocean, but I'm assuming it has access to safe ports all around the world.

Pay other people to capture and ship the slaves.

Let them worry about physical security.

[Paola land]

Have a naval station constantly on hand and shoot anyone that is on sight!!!! PAOLA LANDIANS ARE WILLING TO FIGHTING F*CK SLAVERY!!!! We love everyone. EQUALITY!!!!!!!! Except for people that want to harm us of course.

[Triplebaconation]

How could a modern-tech slave-trading megacorporation go about defending its deliveries and fresh kidnappings (both of which are done by sea) from those looking to disrupt such operations? It's based out of a city-state in the middle of an ocean, but I'm assuming it has access to safe ports all around the world.

Pay other people to capture and ship the slaves.

Let them worry about physical security.

This would still be quite a stupid system.

Let the slaves ship themselves! A modern "slave corporation" will resemble an employment agency more than a bunch of dumb pirates.