Specification of the 125mm to compare with the 120mm
 

Specifications of the gun
Designation KBA3
Calibre 125 mm
Type smoothbore gun
Breech-block type semiautomatic with horizontal placement of the wedge
Gun length 6678 mm
Barrel length 6000 mm (L48)
Normal recoil length 260 to 300 mm
Maximum possible recoil length (STOP) 310 mm
Initial pressure in the recuperator 59 to 62 kgf/cm2
Number of recoil brakes 2
Placement of recoil brakes symmetrical relative to the gun bore axis
Number of recuperators 1
Resistance to recoil 98000 kgf
Gun weight 2500 kg
Weight of gun recoiling part 1900 kg
Muzzle velocity (when firing 3VBM17 "MANGO" armour-piercing round) 1700 m/s
Maximum acceptable calculated gas pressure in charge chamber 6500 kgf/cm2
Gas pressure in charge chamber (when firing 3VBM17 "MANGO") 5660 kgf/cm2 (at t=15°C)
Horizontal dispersion (APDSFS and HEAT at 2000m range) 0.2 mils
Vertical dispersion (APDSFS and HEAT at 2000 m range) 0.2 mils

Specifications of the gun
Designation KBM2
Calibre 120 mm
Type smoothbore gun
Breech-block type semiautomatic with horizontal placement of the wedge
Gun length 6903 mm
Barrel length 6000 mm (L50)
Normal recoil length 260 to 300 mm
Maximum posible recoil length (STOP) 310 mm
Initial pressure in the recuperator 59 to 62 kgf/cm2
Number of recoil brakes 2
Placement of recoil brakes symmetrical relative to the gun bore axis
Number of recuperators 1
Gun weight 2600 kg
Weight of gun recoiling part 2115 kg
Muzzle velocity (when firing OFL 120F1 armour-piercing round) 1790 m/s
Maximum acceptable calculated gas pressure in charge chamber 7200 kgf/cm2
Horizontal dispersion 0.2 m (APFSDS, R=3,000 m)
0.25 m (HEAT, R=2,000 m)
Vertical dispersion 0.2 m (APFSDS, R=3,000 m)
0.25 м (HEAT, R=2,000 m)

So technologically it was possible but as only the Ukraine IRL showed any interest in it, the chances of it actually being implemented are on the far side of slim (for 1.0 at least).

Personally I've no problem with this having occured in a 2.0/2.2 timeline. It's the insistance of players, and a lesser extent (hopefully) GMs to use technologies that didn't even hit the drawing board until the last decade that I find difficult to swallow.
It's a bit like insisting that the M60 machinegun was available for use (if only on a limited basis ie only available to PCs) in 1944 just because the M60 design incorporates elements of machineguns of that era!

Stinks of munckinism to me.

:pissed:

Mo, I had completely forgotten about the Ukranian T-72 upgrades. It can be done (maybe not by '97, but that's not my point). But (you had to know a "but" was coming!;)), I'm certain that the new gun and modified loader took at least a couple of years to design, test, install, etc.

The German army simply wouldn't have time to do this when its troops and armor were already engaged with Soviet and Pact forces. They would need those tanks at the front.

Here's a compromise solution that incorporates your prefered v2.2 statement that German T-72s have been "modified".

As soon as the German army was "unified", R&D (research and development) began on upgrading the T-72's main gun to NATO 120mm and modifying the autoloader accordingly.

Germany's T-72s, however, were not pulled off the line immediately. Badly needed on the front lines, they served with their original 125mm guns. A year or so into the conflict, once the 120mm gun and autoloader had been developed, tested, and produced en masse, remaining German T-72s were rotated back to the factory to be retrofitted with the new 120mm gun system. By the TDM, most, if not all of the T-72s in the German army had been modified in this way.

How's that?

Of course I expected the "But" (I would have been more than disapointed if you didn't come up with it:D) and I have to confess that I have to agree with it.:rolleyes:.

The way you put things seems very nice to me.

One last point: I used my own timeline as I never liked any of the original ones. I simply could'nt identify myself with any of the two. I usually refer to the v2.2 simply because I have a paper copy of it (not true for the v1.0).

In the old campaign I played with my cousins our philosophy was "If it ain't nailed down steal it, if you can't steal it blow it up so nobody else can steal it and use it against you." At times we used captured vehicles ranging from ZSU's to BTR's to the occasional BMW, and even some mining equipment. Oh yeah, a couple of GAZ's decked out as ambulances made for a great covert insertion to a Soviet cantonment...

We tended to only take certain weapons though, as things like maps and medical gear were deemed to be more important when space/carrying capacity was limited. We always tried to make room for spare 7.62R ammo or extra AK mags, and 12 gauge shells as well. That stuff was common enough to be very useful for either combat or trade.