NS Military Worldbuilding Thread No. 12

[Altpeak]

So to bring this ramble back to what you actually asked about, it's quite easy to integrate into a modern division structure given most of the actual impact of the regimental system takes place "off the field" so to speak. You just rename every battalion that isn't infantry to regiment and give the infantry regiments names (e.g. 1st battalion, the Loamshire regiment).

Ah, I see. This has all helped tremendously. Another question I had regards the actual size of British-style regiments (both full and battalion-sized). As a general rule I've typically stuck to 2,000-4,000 soldiers in a proper regiment and ~750 in an armored or cavalry unit, but these seem like fairly arbitrary numbers. Is there much variation in size, or is there a very standard template? Likewise, how large are these operational brigades/divisions which draw from the line regiments?

Size is really going to vary depending on a number of factors, although for a single battalion sized formation I'd put 1,000 as the upper limit. More normally it'd be between 600 and 800 for infantry and potentially lower for guys like Signals, who aren't very manpower intensive. Given we call both formation reconnaissance and tanks "cavalry", size of that one will depend on what it contains. A signals or logistics regiment will again depend, as the number of squadrons (company sized units that can operate independently) will vary depending on what its doing.

Infantry regiments historically contained only 2 battalions, 3 or 4 in some special cases like the Rifles and Guards, but nowadays can go as high as 8 when reserve battalions are included.

Brigades likewise tend to be far less standardised than in the US Army, as they tend to be more customised to what they're doing.

That's all I can really give you for such a general question but if you can narrow it down a bit I can probably answer in mlre detail.

Tldr: it varies

[Gallia-]

Allegedly the Fukushima US naval response was lacking in NBC gear so I think that is all that everyone needs to know about typical military readiness levels.

just sit in the ship lmao

and yeah your gonna be mostly scrubbing a deck and then hiding inside your ship

to remove particles you're going to end up just needing some basic protection that you end up throwing away after use.

You can just wash coveralls and stuff that have radioactive dust on them it's not that big of a deal.

It's not like a biological or chemical weapon where the danger is persistent because it's literally living inside the fibers, or it's a really nasty pesticide that can be laundered a dozen times and still give you GWS.

That said I guess if you wash it enough times and long enough, you can get rid of VX exposure in some trousers. It'd take more time washing it than it does to make a dozen new pairs of trousers though.

[New Vihenia]

It's been "expected" since WW1 but never materialized. The crew would just put on gas masks. Chemical attacks can be devastating against warships, and naval chemical weapons were developed up until after WW2.

I see. well i'm thinking of somehow mixing Mustard or maybe Sarin shell along with conventional AP shell. That'll at least complicate damage control as the shell may render compartment or even pier (in case of shore bombardment) uninhabitable.

[The Dolphin Isles]

It's been "expected" since WW1 but never materialized. The crew would just put on gas masks. Chemical attacks can be devastating against warships, and naval chemical weapons were developed up until after WW2.

I see. well i'm thinking of somehow mixing Mustard or maybe Sarin shell along with conventional AP shell. That'll at least complicate damage control as the shell may render compartment or even pier (in case of shore bombardment) uninhabitable.

I feel like this would work really well for a citadel hit or something like that, but couldn't you achieve a similar effect with an explosive package that hopefully immediately incapacitates everyone or most in the compartment? Additionally, you would have the effect of possibly severing key utility connections even if you hit a less valuable part of the ship with a shell with explosive filler. Ships are already designed with bulkheads to stop water intrusion, so I feel that they would be some of the best suited platforms to withstand armor-piercing gas shells as well or is this an apples to oranges comparison?

[Crookfur]

So to bring this ramble back to what you actually asked about, it's quite easy to integrate into a modern division structure given most of the actual impact of the regimental system takes place "off the field" so to speak. You just rename every battalion that isn't infantry to regiment and give the infantry regiments names (e.g. 1st battalion, the Loamshire regiment).

Ah, I see. This has all helped tremendously. Another question I had regards the actual size of British-style regiments (both full and battalion-sized). As a general rule I've typically stuck to 2,000-4,000 soldiers in a proper regiment and ~750 in an armored or cavalry unit, but these seem like fairly arbitrary numbers. Is there much variation in size, or is there a very standard template? Likewise, how large are these operational brigades/divisions which draw from the line regiments?

Pretty much everything you want to know about the British army and where everything sort of fits:

http://www.armedforces.co.uk/armyindex.php#.X74zpLPgouU

A British inf. battalion ranges from about 600-800 personnel depending on the role, armoured and "heavy protected mobility" (ie mechanised) inf. are larger as each vehicle has its own crew (or at least driver) separate to the infantry sections where as I believe in the light protected mobility battalions the rifle sections drive the foxhounds themselves.

There are a lot of oddities in the current BA that are the result of penny pinching (ie armoured/cavalry regiments with no MBTs) and a glut of equipment coming back from Afghanistan (the protected mobility inf. battalions).

As a general, but not in any way hard and fast, rule a brigade consists of 3-4 "line" ie armoured/tank or infantry (of whatever type) battalions/regiments supported by company/squadron sized elements from the supporting arms (artillery, engineers, aviation, medical, logistics, mechanics (REME) and signals). Although its not unusual in some cases for there to be an entire artillery regiment.

Division is pretty much the same again but the next size up so multiple line brigades supported by regiment/battalion sized formations.

edit: Oh and to make everything even more fun, In the BA and some other forces brigades tend not to actually fight as brigades but in a series of battlegroups made up by mixing companies from the line battalions...
IIRC the Americans kind of do this but on a more permanent organisational manner with their combined arms battalions rather than the more adhoc battlegroup.

[Gallia-]

Defense of Hill 781 has a combined arms task force (ad-hoc battalion battlegroup in British speak I guess?) defending against a MRR.

I guess the modern US Army does the same thing but the mechanized infantrymen know how to tension T158 track.

[New Vihenia]

Well putting a "standard" 30mm turret and 7.62 MG at panoramic sights.

Obviously one cannot operate the 30mm with hatch open but the point of RWS is head down. I think.

[Gallia-]

At that point you might as well just make the hatch swivel open like a M1 tank or something to preserve turret traverse and ensure it can be opened at all turret angles.

[Austria-Bohemia-Hungary]

Commander-driver positions looks very cuddly. Almost T-55 levels I think.

[Gallia-]

UwU that's not a bad thing tbf :3

has to be some reason ppl dont wear helmets in the gunner seat of M-1 :333

[New Vihenia]

Commander-driver positions looks very cuddly. Almost T-55 levels I think.

Maybe, just that not that cuddly Considering the thing im brewing there is Boxer sized.

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Now with all the swiveling hatches, with with all the anti-slip surface so people wont get slipped on the roof.

[Gallia-]

eggselente

[Cossack Peoples]

How does plasma stealth fare compared to other more conventional methods of low-observable technology? Does it have any comparative advantages? What, if any, application could you see it having if pursued today or in the future?

[New Vihenia]

How does plasma stealth fare compared to other more conventional methods of low-observable technology? Does it have any comparative advantages? What, if any, application could you see it having if pursued today or in the future?

Kinda bad TBH

Much harder to generate :x. One needs to actually have electron gun to do it. That consumes power and since it use tubes.. there is risk of ionizing radiation exposure. Another method is actually have radioactive paint, which will decay and actually ionize air around it, creating plasma. The best known place for it so far is in missiles where Russian is said to have "marabou" device for missiles.

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Oh and time for a Wheeled taskforce.

[Cossack Peoples]

I know this is going to sound cartoonishly villainous, but that's the point: would a nuclear-powered, radioactive paint-coated HGV with a CHAMPS-like EMP payload work?

I know it wouldn't be the most combat effective or even cost effective, but would any of the components create any major problems? Would it be too large? Would the speeds and stealth it pursues even come into effect?

P.S. and no, Dr. Evil is not going to deploy this superweapon. It's going to be generic terrorist cell #9423.

[Gallia-]

just make a tiny nuke lol

[Cossack Peoples]

just make a tiny nuke lol

But EMP destroy anime across entire country

[Hurtful Thoughts]

just make a tiny nuke lol

But EMP destroy anime across entire country

Not really, at best it'll knock out a power grid a mess up recently downloaded porn and electronic banking for awhile.

Can achieve same effect with conductive silly-string sprayed across a few power lines.

Also: forest fires.

[Langenia]

Would it make sense for a CATOBAR aircraft carrier to have a ski jump?

[Gallia-]

Yes.

[Langenia]

Yes.

Wait I though ski jumps would only work on STOBAR?

[Gallia-]

Ulyanovsk had waist catapults for launching Yak-44 and ski jumps for its intended wing of Su-33 and Su-25.

The worst thing a ski jump does is reduce deck parking but if you're operating like a 40 strong carrier wing, like pretty much every carrier does these days, you don't need big deck parking.

[Langenia]

Ulyanovsk had waist catapults for launching Yak-44 and ski jumps for its intended wing of Su-33 and Su-25.

The worst thing a ski jump does is reduce deck parking but if you're operating like a 40 strong carrier wing, like pretty much every carrier does these days, you don't need big deck parking.

So I assume a ski jump disturbs deck parking in a 90 strong wing?

[Gallia-]

It just means you won't be able to use the bow for deck parking or fast recovery of aircraft.

Because it's bent up.

I'm pretty sure "90 jets" hasn't been a thing for the better part of a century now though. CVW-9 mustered with like 70 in 1997 and I guess modern Navy battlegroups do it with 55-60 planes.

40 aircraft is plenty strong for the post-industrial post-apocalyptic cyberpunk future that is "any time after the invention of broadband internet".

[Langenia]

It just means you won't be able to use the bow for deck parking or fast recovery of aircraft.

Because it's bent up.

I'm pretty sure "90 jets" hasn't been a thing for the better part of a century now though. CVW-9 mustered with like 70 in 1997 and I guess modern Navy battlegroups do it with 55-60 planes.

40 aircraft is plenty strong for the post-industrial post-apocalyptic cyberpunk future that is "any time after the invention of broadband internet".

Oh, that's something I didn't know. I thought US Navy air wings always had 90 planes. That's good to know.