Quote:
Originally Posted by Raellus
Rifleman, I like your formula. Seems like a pretty logical way to determine non-MBT AFV strength. A long while back, we had a discussion about whether certain types of AFVs- SPAAA, for example- would have a greater survival rate than others. I tend to think that vehicles that had a slightly reduced exposure to the FOB would be slightly more common, c.2000, than vehicle types that saw more direct combat. So, perhaps 7.5-10% prewar strength adjustment for "non-combat" vehicles like prime movers, SPA, SPAAA, etc, as opposed to MBTs, IFVs, and APCs, would be reasonable?
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I thought alot about what you said. I'm thinking about other factors in this. For example, artillery in the cold war faced radio direction finders, artillery radar, and counter battery fire. Not to mention, the soviets placed field artillery concentrations as their number two target (after nuclear weapons!), so they'd get a lot of attention from their air units too.
I can't see prime movers getting hammered from direct fire at all! But, I can see them getting a lot of cross fire hits. SPA would be a target that would get a lot of attention. On the other hand, SPAAA is an interesting topic. I could see ZSU 30-4s and M988s getting into the trenches with those autocannons pressed into service. As a matter of fact, I believe that the Soviet armor forces actually have ZSUs at either battalion or regiment level and they are expected to be right up from providing cover fire. On the other hand SPAAA systems mounting SAMs would be only have aircraft as a natural enemy, and would have a much, much higher probability of survival.
I could also see logistical assets surviving better too. Spetnaz teams would get their licks in, as well as the nukes, tactical bad decisions, lightning attacks and so on, but they aren't actively engaging in combat, thus creating no signature. I would think that would lead to more survivabity.
Also, I would think items like HMMWV weapons carriers would do better. Maybe not in the scout platoons, but once they move forward and drop off their infantry, they camaflage and wait. They would try to aviod combat, more so than say a BMP or M1.
What about something like this:
AFV/IFV/APC 0.0%
Towed artillery +0.5%
SPA +1.0%
HMMWV/UAZ +3.0%
SPAAA with chaingun +3.0%
SPAAA with missles +10.0%
CSS vehicles +10.0%