Quote:
Originally Posted by ToughOmbres
A really lucky series of hits might damage antennae, smoke grenade dischargers, dazzlers, stowage boxes, a coax or possibly foul up a road wheel on an MBT.
They would be much more useful against BTR's or possibly BMP's-the caveat being the BMP would have a much longer reach to engage you. I'd rather not face down a BTR 60 or BTR 70 with 40 mm but it would be better than nothing.
|
IF you can set your engagement up, AND you have no other option to hand, a Mk19 with HVHEDP is potent for most targets short of a tank. It’s got the technical capability to achieve an immediate kill on those type of threats.
The ideal engagement would be something like a close (about 600m) shot from a stationary platform against a stationary target with accurate range data fired off a zeroed t&e with the tactical surprise. Followed by an immediate repositioning while your wingman does the same thing and the 7.62 gunners suppress any dismounts who escaped.
Start changing variables and things get iffy rather quickly.
One of the disadvantages of the vehicle platforms in the mid-90s was a lack of armor and optics for the gunner.
With the exception of the AAAV, the mounts mainly consisted of a pintle or tripod using either the Mk64 (hard; more common) or Mk93 (soft; less common) mounts. Both mounts could be used with a t&e; freegunning could be problematic since there was no tracer to correct with and the time of flight was so long. The Mk93 was more complex to install and maintain because it was buffered, but gave better results for accuracy during sustained fire. Also, the Mk64 required adapter plates to step down from Mk19 to .50 cal (one more thing to misplace in the connex!). Either way, the gunner was exposed from at least the navel up (like the 1st Ed. box art) with only their trusty PASGT vest to protect them from shrapnel, small arms to KPV fire, or the 3000m ranged 2A42 with HE ammo.
Optics wise, the TVS5 image intensifier (from the cover of the 1st ED US vehicle guide!) was the NVD for the Mk19, and once boresighted and zeroed it was… ok. Ideally you coordinated your fire with an ILLUM mission or a 203 grenadier shooting ILLUM. The trajectory of the Mk19 made laser aiming lights impracticable until the adjustable sight bracket was fielded in the latter part of the 90s along with the picatinny rail MWO on the feedtray cover (it came in about the time rail madness started, so if you use rails in your game, it’s there). If you didn’t have optics, you used the tangent or battle sights and burst on target adjustment (sensing rounds until on, then killing burst). It was quick, and accurate if you knew or could estimate range to target (deliberate engagement drill included dismounted observer with a laser range finder if time permitted). Whenever possible you tried to set up known ranges in your position (trp markers or just landmarks).
OTL, one of the issues common to the 203 and Mk19 was the dud rate of explosive and TPT munitions and the lack of MILES replication. The dud rate restricted use of explosive or TPT in training to hard targets baseline ranges or the occasional range with offset targets and dud areas designed into them. So no real use as a maneuver support weapon or in a live fire training with service ammo. There is a solid nose TP round, but as it’s almost impossible to sense and gives no effects it was likewise in limited use. Likewise with MILES; since there are no blanks or Hoffman type devices, the Mk19 was generally replaced with a .50 cal during force on force training. If it was retained, it was adjudicated with the O/Cs god gun, which was exceptionally unrealistic. Even ranges like White Sands, and Udari put the ixnay on maneuver live fire with the mk 19.
Hope this helps.