ChalkLine's Desiderata

[ChalkLine]

The following being a couple of years-long stream-of-consciousness posts on the Twilight 2000 Face Book page.

Please note that nearly all these posts refer to the First Edition timeline. I know a lot of the vehicles here are covered on Paul's site, most of what I'm posting is for colour and context.

[ChalkLine]

20 years ago I was working on a largish building site. It was pouring down raining one day so I made up a list of what would be salvaged there if the workers just never came back.
It was a large site; about eight five-story buildings:
- Mobile 25t crane, four-wheel drive, as ten-ton truck. This has four wheels and a crane only as structure, and is abysmally slow on the road.
- 3x Hoists, each hoist lifts a steel, 1m high, 'basket' about 3m², the hoist gantry is three sided and runs on an inbuilt generator. Each gantry section was 6m long. There is no 'floor' button on each level; an operator at the foot of the gantry controls it. Total gantry length would be about 60m but it wouldn't be safe up to that height!
- 8x Oxy Acetylene welding kits, usually about 60% full. There was a supply container (20') onsite for welding supplies.
- 18 wheeler and pup trailer, dumper.
- 2x Compressors (trailer size, mondo)
- First Aid demountable shed, well stocked
- 20x temporary power poles, steel, 6m high
- 100m power cable
- 2x mini refrigerators
- 4x civilian sedans
- 3x civilian utilities (pick ups)
- 2x civilian vans
- 1300m² form-boards, 16mm 12ply. We were making the structures out of concrete. This is sufficient to make an eight-story building with three lifts in one shot. Of course, it was spread over eight buildings.
- 3x bobcats and interchangeable tools
- Four wheel drive forklift, about 8t
- 100x pallets of concrete block bricks
- 13x 20' shipping containers
- 4x 40' shipping containers
- 2x backhoes
- 1x excavator
- 1x concrete pumping truck, the arm had a ten-story reach.
- 2x concrete trucks
- 7x demountable sheds, with sinks.
- 2x demountable toilet/shower blocks, filthy.
- 14x power-boards
- 8x garbage skips
- 870x star pickets (star droppers, steel stakes)
- 3000m x 3m (9m sections) Green plastic shade cloth
- 3000m x 3m (9m sections) steel 'cyclone' chain-link mesh
- 3x 25' cabin cruisers (I have no idea either)
- 35' yacht (ditto)
- 60x (2m x 3m) 'cyclone' chain-link mesh frames with 2" steel pipe frame.
- 10x 40m (40mm) Water hose (we were always pumping)
- 5t truck with extendable crane and bore for footings
- 5x 50m coils copper water pipe
- 20' container plumbing supplies
- 20' container paint supplies
- 20' container power tools and expendables
- 20' container electrical supplies
- 20' container safety supplies

Concrete and reinforcement steel was brought in as needed so the players would have to go look for that.

[ChalkLine]

If you're like me it always confused me that when you get a vehicle in T2k you don't get *any* of its equipment, not even a jack! 🙂
Anyway, here's a load plan someone gave me for a Bradley M3A2. I'm not sure of how accurate it is but it was given to me by someone with intimate experience with Brads.

M3A2 ODS Bradley CFV
Ammunition & Pyrotechnics
2 TOW 2A ATGMs ready loaded
100 rounds 25mm APDS-T M791 ready loaded
200 rounds 25mm HEI-T M792 ready loaded
800 rounds 7.62mm (4-1) ready loaded COAX
200 rounds 25mm APDS-T M791 stowed
400 rounds 25mm HEI-T M792 stowed
1 400 rounds 7.62mm (4-1) stowed
1 000 rounds 5.56mm stowed
2 M47 Dragon missiles
2 M18 Claymore mines
16 smoke grenades for vehicle launchers
4 illumination flares
4 coloured smoke grenades
4 incendiary grenades (for vehicle self-destruction only)
Other Expendables
330 litres of fuel in the fuel tank
5 20-litre plastic jerry cans of potable water (10 lts per man per day all uses)
Vehicle Equipment
3 Fire extinguishers (turret, driver & rear compartments) (Internal Halon system inoperable)
Flotation screen & supports
Flotation screen repair kit
Spare screen supports
2 Camouflage screens and poles
Tarpaulin
2 Track links
1 Track ficture
1 Track drift pin
Maintenance platform on the upper hull (this can be attached to the hull in front of the engine access panel, to give the crew a horizontal surface to stand and work on).
Tracked vehicle tools sufficient to undertake routine maintenance and perform simple tasks.
Shovel
Axe
Mattock
Sledge hammer
Crow bar
Heavy duty two cable
50 metres of razor wire concertina
1 5-litre can of motor oil
1 2-litre can of transmission fluid
1 2-litre can of grease
2 20-litre plastic jerry cans filled with non-potable water
Grease gun
Cable reel
Pintle
Panel marker
Traversing unit
Windshield kit
Driver’s thermal night viewer & spare lens
AND/VDR-2 tactical survey meter and vehicle radiac set
AN/PRS-7 or -11 mine detector
M256 chemical detector kit
M42 alarm detector
M43 alarm detector and battery
A decontamination apparatus is stored on the forward part of the turret shield,
AN/GRA-39 radio set
AT-784/PRC antenna
Spare radio antennas
TA-1/PT telephone set
TA-312/TP telephone set
First aid kit, contents limited to a selection of wound dressings, bandages, scissors and antiseptic
Hand crank generator M91
Mounted Water Ration Heater
Camp stove
Bucket
Dozen bungee cords
Lantern, powered by vehicle
Rope, 50 m
Sandbags, empty, 1 dozen
Battery charger
Commander’s Equipment
Issue mapcase
1:100 000 map of Poland, eastern Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Austria
1:50 000 map of western Poland
Prismatic compass
Protractor, ruler, pencils
Angle head torch & 2 D cell batteries
M22 7x50 binoculars
Prismatic compass
M238 flag set
Scout Equipment
M60 machine gun (temperamental - doesn’t like heat, cold, dirt or water, ie frequent malfunctions)
M60 spare barrel equipment bag including asbestos glove for barrel changing
M60 tripod
AN/PRC-77 radio and LC-2 cargo frame
M49 telescope & tripod
M22 7x50 binoculars
Prismatic compass
AN/PVS-7B night vision goggles (2 prs) (no batteries)
AN/PVS-4 night vision sight (no batteries)
Individual Equipment
1 MOPP suit including gloves per man stored under his seat
1 Personal weapon, set of LBE, rucksack and duffel bag per man

[ChalkLine]

When the warbirds get grounded the ground pounders probably breathe a sigh of relief right?
Almost.
The USSR still had its huge 2S4 240mm mortar, a beast throwing a massive shell the size of a middling air to ground dumb bomb and capable of doing the tasks that things like the JDARM do today. Bunker busters, the dreaded CHEM shell, vast HE rounds and cluster bombs, not to mention its tactical nuclear shell.
Put a few in your game today . . .

https://www.armyrecognition.com/imag...eprint_001.jpg

[ChalkLine]

The Wieliczka Salt Mine just east of Kraków

[ChalkLine]

Chemical Warfare

While the Rool-Of-Cool states the GM can use anything anywhere, T2k has always had a strong grounding in some realities about where or why things appear in the campaign. Chemical warfare, one of the most feared things that exist in the game, is not usually looked into simply because it is so feared. However, let's have look at why and where it's deployed.
Basically, chemical warfare is simply a tool in the military toolbox. Once approval has been granted for release the OPFOR or Allied commander will look at the battle-space and see if chemical weapons have the ability to act as a force multiplier and what the effects will be. They don't simply soak the battleground in chemicals.

Chemical weapons are one of a class that have effects on both sides, and as such aren't applicable to many situations. As many of the posters here have over the years have made accounts of the terrible conditions that chemical warfare countermeasures inflict on the combat personnel and their large negative effects on combat capability - especially combat endurance - it becomes obvious that chemicals have a fairly niche application.

As everyone here knows, there's essentially three sorts of of chemical weapon:
- Nerve Agents
- Blister Agents
- Choking Agents

Nerve Agents promise fast disabling of enemy forces but also heavily contaminate the battlefield. Thirty years after the end of the Cold War we can actually admit that the USSR did actually see the Poles as allies, and as such weren't in a big hurry to contaminate Poland wholesale for many practical reasons. Nerve agent release also limits the enemy from manoeuvring in the contaminated area as all nerve agents are very persistent and also have very damaging long-term contamination that may make the battleground impassable for years to come. As such important choke points and other strategic areas should never be attacked with nerve agents. Also areas that have water run-off towards strategic areas should also be avoided, especially if that run-off flows back into your own territory. Prevailing winds, which in the European plain blows mainly west, should be taken into account when looking at nerve agent deployment. This means Warsaw Pact deployment of nerve agents are more likely to blow into enemy territory than NATO deployments. However NATO long range deployments might be used to attack rear-areas without an accompanying ground attack. These attacks would be invariably area-denial in nature so players could expect them to be well-marked by Warsaw Pact forces by the time they got to them - assuming there was any local survivors.

Nerve agents, like biological and nuclear weapons, are the best way of limiting player movement into areas where the campaign simply doesn't go.

Blister Agents are less persistent in most cases, but this is relative. Stormwater runoff can become heavily contaminated and cause significant injuries on contact if the blister agent has had a heavy release. Blister agents re seen by militaries as more-easily countered and so have been kept in store alongside more effective nerve agents because friendly troops can manoeuvre through contaminated areas with less losses. Blister agents are used, like artillery, against set positions and less as area-denial. Blister agents are a serious threat to players and the GM should think long and hard on how blister agent attacks should be made on characters. I personally thing they should be encountered more as an NPC-on-NPC attack to allow the players to experience them but to be well prepared.
Blister agents are, in my opinion, at the upper limit of destructive power a GM should allow players. It should be noted that civilians are almost never protected against blister or nerve agents and collateral damage of this sort of release will be high in civilian populations, especially among the vulnerable.

Choking agents are commonly deployed by even very advanced governments on their own citizens. Choking agents have little persistence except in very high concentrations and rapidly degrade, but that doesn't mean that they're harmless. In Viet Nam the USA deployed choking agents as area denial in OPFOR tunnel complexes in concentrations that were lethal. However choking agents are easily countered if a group is prepared and make a good tactical complication in T2k combat. Choking agents are also far less restricted in use than nerve or blister agents and can be encountered far further down the command chain than the other agents that are usually restricted to the divisional level or release. They have a heavy effect when used by surprise on unaware or resting troops. Long term use on set positions can make those positions untenable, and both players and NPCs may resort to 'smoking out' well-entrenched units with these agents deployed over long periods.

Persistence.
The major aspect the players will encounter with chemical agents is their persistent nature and the contamination of the campaign area.
As noted above, water runoff is a prime area of contamination, as is the interior of areas not exposed to the weather. Some of the more persistent agents such as the nerve agent VX 'stick' to the underside of surfaces and can make contaminated areas instantly lethal for long and varying periods after deployment. The interior of structures used as shelter and defensive positions, abandoned vehicles and public structures can all be contaminated by chemical agents and the GM should give this some thought when designing a new area. Small spaces such as utility sheds that are rarely opened are especially prone to contamination. Another danger is the repair and use of utilities such as water and air services that may flush out contamination. To be fair a GM should have this happen to NPCs before inflicting it on players so the players can develop some survival skills regarding this aspect.

Anyone want to chime in?
How about storing chemical weapons and decontamination?

[ChalkLine]

Mortar Shells as Rockets

Usually an NPC thing, this is a concept for GMs to use so they can have artillery that doesn't automatically turn the PCs into a set of smoking boots.

These are mortar bombs repurposed as rockets for use in the simple tube MLRS. They don't have quite the range of the usual rocket nor do they have the same explosive power although they are pretty close. Usually I give clear numbers for things like this but in this case it's really what the GM needs for the scenario. The basic guidelines are:

- Longer range than a mortar but shorter range than the rulebook rocket

- Lower accuracy. This is the big one. These things swamp the area but the chances of fragmentation is lower due to the wider dispersion. This is to keep the game playable.

- Same damage as the mortar bomb placed in the craftshop-made rocket hull, mortar bombs must be a smaller calibre than the MLRS rulebook rocket munition.

- Non-trivial chance of 'loony bombs'. These are rockets that fly off in odd directions.

If the players start to become cavalier about these rockets remember that the crews of the MLRS might have issue rockets they keep in reserve that are accurate, powerful and long ranged. Never sneer at the GM.

Some MLRS suitable for this:
(incomplete list)

Soviet:
- BM-21 "Grad" (122mm)
- 9P138 "Grad-1" (122mm Short)
- BM-21V "Grad-V" (122mm)
- LPRS "Grad-P" (122mm Short)
- BM-14MM 2B2R (140mm)
- BM-14-17M 8U35M (140mm)
- RPU-14 towed 8U38 (140mm)

Czech:
- RM-70 (122mm)
- RM-70/85 (122mm)

Yugoslavia:
- M-63 "Plamen" (128mm)
- RAK-12 towed (128mm)
- M-77 "Oganj" (128mm)

USA:
- M91 towed (115mm) [This would require barrels to be manufactured to replace the VX rocket containers which function as a barrel]

[ChalkLine]

Ammunition Belt Loader.
Quickly loads loose rounds into the appropriate belts.
Wt: 5.0kg
Price: $10(V/V)

(These are usually in the box containing the complete weapon along with its tools, two spare barrels and so on)

Shown: 7.62x54mmR Belt Loader from the PKM on its storage box (image not in Juhlin forums)
There is a Swedish version that does M31 link belts so I'm assuming there are NATO versions

[ChalkLine]

FV101 Skorpion 30 (not a misspelling)

This is the FV101 Scorpion rearmed with the Soviet Shipunov 2A42 30mm automatic cannon.

The 2A42 is 100kg lighter than the FV101's standard L23A1 76mm gun and produces about half the recoil force: 5,100kg vs 16,500kg for the standard 76mm.

It is the standard weapon taken from wrecked BMP-2s:
"A stabilized 30 mm 2A42 autocannon with dual ammunition feeds, which provide a choice of 3UBR6 AP-T and 3UOR6 HE-T / 3UOF8 HE-I ammunition. The gun has a selectable rate of fire, either slow at 200 to 300 rounds per minute or fast at 550 rounds per minute. This gives a continuous fire time of 100–150 seconds (or only 55 seconds, depending on the rate of fire chosen) before running out of ammunition. The original stabilization provides reasonable accuracy up to a speed of about 35 kilometres per hour."

500 rounds are in a basket fixed to the floor of the turret basket. The weapon is infamous for the amount of fumes it puts into the turret and two high volume fans have been placed in the turret roof. Even so, firing the weapon at its full rate of fire often has the crew leaving their hatches open. Normally the weapon is only fired in short bursts.

[ChalkLine]

Death of a Division - the logistics story
So I've been rethinking Death of a Division using the rail lines as a supply line but going over it the scenario idea doesn't work as I wanted the PCs to play surviving corps-level logistics groups falling back down the rail.
However I thought I'd share with you where the original logstics rail lines went through to see if they can help in any way.
The Fifth starts its final journey in canton at Chojnice and I'm assuming that's where the initial rail-head is.
- Chojnice to Tuchola: Direct Rail
This is a simple trip. The convoy escorts and trains can go straight there.
- Tuchola to Torun: Rail through Dworzec Kolejowy "Wierzchucin", skirt Bydgoszcz on the north and the east.
This is to avoid crossing the Vistula which the rails don't anyway. While dangerous it's still not out of the ordinary.
- Torun to Krośniewice: Aleksandrów Kujawski, Włocławek, Ostrowy on Route 91. Nowy Ostrowy (8.1km by road, 5.6km to Krośniewice) is the railhead, the rail continues south. Coal station.
Here things start to come unstuck. The lines are very long and unprotected. The logistics guys would be voicing concerns big time by now. They've stopped short of Krośniewice at Nowa-Ostrowy (just outside Ostrowa) and captured a coal loading area which is ideal for a rail-head. While dodgy as for the length of the line it's a good set up.
However at that point the enemy gets across the Vistula at Torun and cuts the line. I'm assuming the convoy guards have massed at Włocławek awaiting orders. When Kutno, up to that time contested, is cut they get marooned.
- Nowy Ostrowy, Kutno, Łęczyca, Ozorków, Łódź.
The division can't get into Łódź and there's no falling back. At this point they have to leave the rail lines. All rail assets are blown in place to deny them to the enemy.

[ChalkLine]

Survival Trivia:
Running distilled water steam through a gas mask filter will remove benzine and toluene. Something the Russians worked out after the collapse of the Russian economy and rampant pollution.

[ChalkLine]

Communist 'Human Wave' Attacks.

It's often said that communist forces, especially Russian and Chinese commanders, use 'human wave assaults. This is entirely untrue and was even untrue during the Russian infantry actions after The Great War.

Frequently what is termed a human wave assault derives from two sources:

The first being Second World War accounts from Axis troops which the West accepted for political reasons. These commanders were keen to portray themselves as 'apolitical professional Prussians' rather Nazi accomplices. However Soviet troops of all nationalities were considered by the commanders as frankly inferior (or worse) and to have been beaten by them would admit losing to soldiers worse than their portayed scientific, cool soldiering. Thus the myth of the mindless wave of human meat assaults driven on by the NKVD 'barrage troops'. In historical fact the Axis used more barrage troops than did the Soviets and Soviet soldiers were simply sent back forward and not shot - unlike their commanders.

The second reason is from accounts of the actual troops. To them being massively outnumbered seems that the troops are endlessly pouring in, no matter how many they put down. This comes from an important concept in Eastern soldiering; you're more likely to be killed in a retreat where the enemy gets a free shot at you and then having to assault all over again than in pressing the attack. At the point of commitment the soldiers have it ingrained into them there's no turning back, the better-equipped troops have essentially endless munitions to pour onto you if you don't disrupt them. This does indeed look like fanaticism.

This doesn't mean that these attacks are stupid. People who have assumed this over the last century have paid dearly. For instance, here's an qualifier for The Battle of Kapyong during the latter Korean Civil War that is illustrative:

The PVA attacks had been launched quickly and aggressively, placing their light machine guns on the flank in support and attempting to close to attack the 3 RAR perimeter with grenades. Contrary to some contemporary western accounts, the PVA did not use human wave tactics. Rather, using a tactic known as 'one-point-two sides', they used massed forces and infiltration to achieve local numerical superiority and to penetrate the gaps between the forward companies, before attempting to envelop the 3 RAR while drawing their fire to the front, away from their threatened flanks. They would normally attempt to close with UN defensive positions using darkness or poor visibility to cover their movement and to counter US air superiority, before attacking using massed force, coordinated with close fire support. However, although normally well-planned and closely supported by machine-gun, mortar, and artillery fire, PVA attacks in Korea were often inflexible in execution once launched. This was mostly due to the lack of radio communications below battalion-level, with the PVA instead relying on whistle blasts, bugle calls, and runners for command and control, and although their 60 mm (2.4 in) and 81 mm (3.2 in) mortars had provided particularly effective indirect fire support, these problems were again evident during the fighting at Kapyong

What does this have to do with roleplaying?

Using mindless forward assaults rapidly becomes boring for most players, they like enemies they have to out-think. A fight where every players gets a perfect target picture of the enemy who only moves directly towards them would be considered dumb in a 1990s corridor-shooter video game. It's very same same.

Enemies that stop short and dig in, forcing you to attack them, enemies that suddenly swing off to the flank and out of sight, enemies that feign retreat, enemies that act like they value their own lives are all realistic, threatening enemies.

[ChalkLine]

Dams.

Europe has an estimated 150,000 dams that have exceeded their lifespans.

It is highly likely that these dams will fail without the excessive upkeep required for such old structures. In fact even the dams with plenty of life will fail anyway.

But these old dams will go first. Poland is dotted with old dams and these will fail during the campaign period causing unexpected hazards, population shifts and serious environmental problems.

Fallout likes dams. They are natural sediment-traps and all that washed-away fallout heads there. Whenever the dams fail they don't just inundate the downstream areas with filthy, disease-bearing water but the radiation problems will become acute. The players may find themselves very thirsty . . .

"Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink"

EDIT: Don't eat bottom feeder fish

[ChalkLine]

An article on the problem relating to Poland's bridges, very few of which can carry the weight of a western MBT

https://breakingdefense.com/2020/02/...ridge-problem/

[ChalkLine]

KPV ground carriage: 105 kg, $1,000 -/R
KPV ground tripod: 39kg, $400, -/R
Soviet 6T7 heavy tripod*: 16kg, $350, R/C
*Cannot mount DShK or DShKM

[ChalkLine]

Vehicle Mounts for Weapons.
These ubiquitous items are all considered 'V/V' availability.
Weight is usually minimal but is useful for scrounging, carrying that pedestal mount back up a gully is going to be tiring
Pedestal/Pintle Mount: 22kg, $400
Takes any size weapon from 5.56mm to 12.7mm by using adjustable sleeves Sleeves are held in box affixed to side of pedestal.
The MTPU KPV-T Pedestal Mount weighs 300kg is -/R and costs $1,000 w/o weapon
(Allows 360º firing arc when mounted in centre of cargo area.)
Firing Station Mount:
NLT/PLT equivalent: 6kg, $100
NMT/PMT equivalent: 7kg, $200
NHT/PHC equivalent: 10kg, $300
Double Mount: x2kg, x$2
Additional Mount: 13kg, $450
Takes any size weapon from 5.56mm to 12.7mm
(Allows 45º to 180º firing arc when on hatch or side of a cargo area etc. The Double Mount is a double position for two weapons however the weapons must feed from opposite sides. The Additional Mount is a smaller mount attached to either the ring or mount that mounts a weapon of smaller size than the main mount. Penalties for these heavy stations should be decided by the GM)
Catch Bag: 2kg, $20
Catches links and brass
Ammo belt can holders:
(Each holds 1 belt)
5.56mm 1.5kg, $5
7.62x39mm 1.8kg, $5
7.62mm 2.0kg, $5
12.7mm 3.0kg, $6
14.5mm 5.0kg, $10
30mm Grenade 6.0kg, $8
40mm Grenade 6.5kg, $8
(These are brackets and boxes for ammunition boxes that are affixed to either the inside or the outside of the vehicle. The can be made in multiples simply by modifying the values.
Gun Shields:
Found very useful after Vietnam and Afghanistan, these shields are widely available. They can be fitted to any mount including tripods. The PHC comes with a 45º shield standard.
45º Shield: 23kg, $1,200
(This light shield bends slightly around the weapon and protects mainly from the front)
90º Shield: 38kg, $1,800
(A better and more protective version of the 45º shield, this shield imparts a -1 to observation rolls)
180º Shield: 45kg, $2,500
(This shield wraps right around the weapon station and is gives a -2 to observation rolls and -2 to responding to unexpected fires from the flanks.)
360º Open Turret: 225kg, $5,000
(A heavy weapon station often mounting multiple weapons. This station often needs a spotter to find targets but makes the gunner unable to be targeted by direct fire, shooting at the gunner uses the vehicle tables. Due to the lack of transparent plates this station gets a -4 to observation. As it is hand-traversed it requires and -4 to react to targets at unexpected fire from a direction the weapon is not aiming at. The front section of the station is a 90º shield and there are armour plates protecting the sides and rear of the gunner. The gunner can use personal weapons over the top of the shields in which case they have half cover and brackets on the side shields are placed to accommodate the storage of those personal weapons. This mount can only mounted on a level hatch.)

EDIT: Gunshields are rated vs 7.62mm MG rounds

[ChalkLine]

T-55 Fender Tanks
These are the fuel tanks found on T-55s and were ubiquitous throughout the soviet army for carrying extra fuel. They carried 95 litres in a flat, easy to stow configuration that had carry-strap loops on all sides.

T-55 Fender Tank.
C/V 2.5kg empty, 79.0kg full. $5

[ChalkLine]

Stowage Upgrade
A comprehensive effort to wrap your vehicle in external stowage racks and stowage boxes
Benefit:
- Adds another 10% stowage per vehicle tonne.
- Acts as 'slat armour' for 30mm or 40mm grenades (your kit sacrifices itself to save your life)
Drawbacks:
- Costs 10% more fuel
- Makes some driver tasks more difficult by one level, GM choice (such as squeezing through gaps, fast turns etc)
Tasks:
Scrounge (Average) per tonne of vehicle. One period per task
Mechanic (Average) per tonne of vehicle. One period per task

Equipment Required:
- Two people
- Arc welder for steel vehicles, heavy drill for aluminium vehicles
- Basic tool kit

[ChalkLine]

Group Encounter #2: ‘Patrol’

What is a ‘patrol’?
I mean, that seems a dumb question but non-military people (such as myself) may not understand that a ‘patrol’ is a technical definition. A good one is:

‘A patrol is a detachment of ground forces sent out by a larger unit for the purpose of
gathering information or carrying out a destructive, harassing, or security mission.
Patrols vary in size, depending on the type, mission, and distance from the parent
unit. Most combat patrols are platoon-sized, reinforced with crew-served weapons.’
Note the important concepts:
- The Patrol is part of a larger unit.
- The Patrol has a set purpose.
- The Patrol is composed of sub-units with different tasks.
GMs creating a Patrol from Encounter #2 need to identify these qualities and detail them:
1) The Larger Unit
This unit does not pat the Patrol on the head and send them off into the wild blue yonder. They view the Patrol as a valuable asset and will only risk it if the mission is vital. Patrols will be supported somehow, be it by direct and indirect fires or by rapid reaction forces.
The patrol and its parent unit will maintain contact somehow even if they do not have electronic communications at hand. Common method are flare signals, recognition panels and/or other pre-timed signals. Patrols may have to check in with other elements of the parent unit, a patrol not arriving at a checkpoint will have the parent unit notified. Note that rapid reaction forces may get there too late to help their Patrol but will probably be able to work out what happened through the battle site. The GM should think this through and have the have the parent unit react with what information it has, adapting as the situation matures.
Obviously PCs not considering this may find themselves in hot water very quickly.
2) The Mission
The Patrol unless tasked to deal with the PCs has a job to do and a bunch of hillbilly stragglers is probably not it. This means the Patrol may not engage in combat if it jeopardises the mission.
There are essentially three types of encounter: ‘they see you, ‘ you see them’ and ‘you see each other’. If the players spot the patrol they may be able to divine what the mission of the patrol is, even just by the way it is moving or staying still.
In meeting engagements where the two groups stumble onto each other there may be an exchange of fire but this still does not mean the Patrol will press an attack if it is not in theirs and the mission’s interests. Having a Patrol bump into the PCs, fire off some shots from the scouts and fall back while firing off three flares really should scare the players.
Remember that as noted above the Patrol has methods of maintaining some contact no matter how slight with the parent unit. If they decide to not engage the players and avoid them they will probably notify their parent unit as soon as possible

3) Sub-Units
In nearly any conceivable situation the PCs will not know the location of the entire Patrol. The elements are kept separate so they cannot be taken out with an ambush. A Patrol officer usually has a designated manoeuvre unit for dealing with situations where the scouts discover something hostile and a heavy weapons unit for hitting the problem once the manoeuvre unit fixes the problem in place. Ideally the scouts should find the problem, if the Patrol engages the manouevre unit engages it and when the Patrol officer thinks he has a good idea of the problem’s dispositions he unmasks the heavy weapons of the support unit onto it.

Thinking on this we can use the following definition of Patrol Sub-Units:

Elements of Combat Patrols
Patrol Headquarters - this is the command group of the patrol. It is composed of the
patrol leader, and other support personnel essential to the patrol such as the radio
operator, Corpsman, and forward observer.
Assault Elements - engage the enemy at the objective.
Security Elements - secures the objective rally point, isolates the objective, and covers
the patrols return from the objective area.
Support Elements - provides supporting fires for the assault unit attack and covering fires
if required, for its withdrawal.
Elements of Reconnaissance Patrols
Patrol Headquarters - the command group of the patrol. It consists of the same personnel
as a combat patrol.
Recon Element - maintains surveillance over the objective.
Security Element - provides early warning, secures the objective rally point, and protects
the reconnaissance unit
Now, I’ve been quoting liberally from a document on patrolling here to hopefully whet your appetite. I recommend non-military GMs such as myself review it, it’s an easy read, to add some grit and reality to their encounters. It looks like Ivan isn’t a gaggle of guys smoking cigarettes anymore . . .

[ChalkLine]

Interactive Topographic Map of Poland

Make sure you seize those heights!

https://en-gb.topographic-map.com/ma...443%2C17.86171

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Polish P-3 Concrete Prefab Trench Reinforcement
From an earlier post

Having a hell of a time calculating this. Guesstimating the size and plugging it into a concrete calculator gives me about 200kg each which seems way off.
[Edit: Pre-cast concrete manholes of similar dimensions weigh between 15kg and 35kg. I'm just giving a number of 25kg as a round number)

Anyway:
Concrete Prefab Trench Reinforcement P-3 (Polish)
2.0mx0.5m(average)x0.15m, 25kg
Price $2 (C/V)

(Note: I also have some data on Soviet precast bunker sections SBK, PRU-3 & PRU-2 as well as their standard fittings. However I'll wait to update all this when I get images working on this forum)

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Slat Armour

I don't know if this is covered in any rules or house rules such as Paul Mulcahy's.

A vehicle must have at least 5mm of RHA-equivalent to mount slat armour effectively.
Vehicles mounting slat armour are no longer amphibious. It takes one hour per ton of slat armour to mount or dismount the slat armour package.
1) Slat Armour (as fitted standard or by divisional-level workshops)) usually weighs 15% of vehicle mass, extends 0.5m from the vehicle hull. This armour weight must be subtracted from the vehicle cargo weight (including external cargo weight).
2) Light Ad Hoc Slat Armour (LAHSA) weighs 10% of vehicle weight but is one level less effective (covered below)
3) Medium Ad Hoc Slat Armour (MAHSA) weighs 20% of vehicle weight and is as effective as pre-war slat armour (entry #1)
4) Heavy Ad Hoc Slat Armour (HAHSA) is an urban survival package made in the field that covers the entire surface of the vehicle above the belly. It weighs 30% of vehicle weight and also protects against top-attack. No pre-war slat armour protected against top-attack.
Slat Armour adds 500mm of armour vs HEAT rounds to areas protected by the hull. LAHSA provides 350mm of armour. Slat armour does not cover the rear of the vehicle unless it is HAHSA.
Slat armour increases the difficulty of drive rolls by one level unless the driver elects to disregard the slat armour's survival.
On a failure roll 1d6;
1-5 = usual fail result.
6-6 = slat armour in that sector of the vehicle is damaged.
On a fumble that sector is physically ripped off the vehicle or two adjoining sectors are damaged, GM's choice.
Damaged slat armour is scrunched against the vehicle side, dragging on the ground or similar. It provides no armour benefit on that side.
Slat armour usually covers the front and hull sides of the vehicle as well as all around the turret if any.
To work out sectors on the hull roll 1d10:
1-2 = Hull front.
3-6 = Left hull side
7-0 = Right hull side
To work out sectors on the turret roll 1d4:
1 = Front
2 = Right Side
3 = Left Side
4 = Rear
Most failed driving roll damages are only to the hull.

I should note that ad hoc armours are field expedients. The might be bed springs, chain link fences or similar scrounged material. They require a scrounge roll for each sector covered.

For every 10% a vehicles external cargo weight is exceeded subtract 10% from speed and fuel endurance. Reduce mobility by another level.
Each ton of slat armour requires a man/period to create with a minimum of one period per sector.

Repairing a sector of slat armour that survives a HEAT strike requires one period and a mechanical roll. The materials required require one scrounge roll.

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Communication Wire
WD-1/TT and WD-1A/TT have two twisted, individually insulated conductors and the WD-1A/TT has two insulated conductors bonded together. The conductors have the following characteristics:
• Four tinned-copper strands and three galvanized-steel strands.
• Inner insulation of polyethylene and outer nylon insulation jacket.
• Tensile strength of approximately 90kg/200 pounds (both conductors).
• Weighs 21kg/48 pounds per l,600m/1 mile.
WF-16/U has four copper-cadmium alloy standard insulated conductors in two pairs. One pair is olive drab; the other brown. The olive drab conductor has a ridge along the side for night identification. Conductors have the following
characteristics:
• Copper-cadmium alloy stranded.
• Tensile strength of 90kg/200 pounds.
• Weighs 29kg/62 pounds per 1,600m/1 mile.
• Four-wire, field wire.
Spiral-Four cable is used to provide four-wire transmission line for carrier communications. It also can be used for longdistance voice-frequency (VF) circuits.
WF-8/G has four stranded-copper conductors separately insulated with polyethylene and spiraled around a polyethylene core. One pair of the spiral-four cable is colored for identification. The spiraled conductors are covered by an inner jacket of polyethylene, carbon-cloth stabilizing tape, steel braid, and a thermoplastic outer jacket. The steel braid adds tensile strength to the cable, permitting the cable to be used in self-supported aerial cable lines. Telephone Cable WF-8/G is part of Cable Assembly CX-1065/G and Telephone Cable Assemblies CX-1606/G and CX-1512/U.
CX-11230 ()/G is inter-area coaxial cable. It provides a four-wire cable transmission medium for wideband PCM and time division multiplexing (TDM) carrier systems. Cable assembly CX-11230 ()/G has two twisted coaxial tubes jacketed in lowdensity polyethylene. The tubes are protected by mylar tape and a medium-density polyethylene jacket. The two tubes terminate in a universal connector at each end. A copper-clad steel braid strength member is part of the cable assembly.
The cable is sturdy enough for both ground and aerial use.
CX-4566A/G is a twenty-six pair cable that has a stranded conductor with 26 pairs of color coded wires. It provides cable distribution for local telephone lines and circuits, interconnects communication shelters, and is used in conjunction with distribution boxes and cable stub CX-4760/U. It terminates in a universal connector at each end. The cable is sturdy enough for both ground and aerial use. It is supplied in 76m/250-foot lengths on Metal Cable Reel RC-435/U. Other lengths and the related connectors and inserts U-185B/G, U-186A/G, U-187A/G and MX-3227/U are all produced by Associated Industries.
Reel DR-5 is a metal spool-type container used to store, transport, lay, or recover field wire. It will hold 4,000m/2.5miles of field wire and can be mounted on Reeling Machine RL-207/G, or Reel Unit RL-31-.
Reel RL-159/U is a metal spool-type container used to store, transport, lay, or recover field wire. It will hold 1,600m/1 mile of field wire and can be mounted on Reeling Machine RL-207/G, Reel Unit RL-31-E, Reeling Machine RL-172/G, or Axle RL-27().
Spool DR-8 is a metal container used to lay or recover field wire. It will hold .4 kilometer (1/4-mile) of field wire and can be mounted on Reel Unit RL-39 (component of Reel Equipment CE-11).
Reel DR-15-B is a metal spool-type container used to store, transport, lay, or recover Field Cable. It holds .4 kilometer (1/4-mile) of cable and can be mounted on Reel Unit RL-31-E or Reeling Machine RL-207/G.
Reel RL-435/U is a lightweight cable reel used to store, transport, and install a 30.5m/100-foot length of Field Cable CX-11230/G.
It can be mounted on Reel Unit RL-31-E or Reeling Machine RL-207/G.
Wire Dispenser MX-306/G is a cylindrical canvas and tape container that holds approximately 800m/0.5-mile of Wire WD-1/TT or WD-1A/TT. The wire of two or more dispensers may be prespliced in tandem when it is necessary to lay a
wire line of more than 800m/0.5-mile without stopping to splice. The dispenser has many useful features.
Axle RL-27-B is used to lay and recover field wire. The axle is a machined-steel bar 0.75m/2.5 feet long used for mounting wire reels. The axle has two knurled handles, one removable for mounting Wire Reel RL-159/U on the axle. The axle has roller bearings and is equipped with a removable crank for re-winding wire. The axle can be carried by two individuals or placed on some improvised mounting.
Reel Unit RL-31-E is a light-weight, portable, folding A-frame of steel tubing used for paying out and recovering field wire and field cable. The reel unit features:
• Brake unit for controlling speed of the reels during payout of the wire.
• Crank for reeling in wire on reels.
• Carrying strap for carrying the reel unit litter style.
• Divided axle when two reels are mounted on the reel unit. This axle allows either reel to operate independently. (When the divided axle is used, two cranks and two brakes are necessary for operation. They are issued with the equipment.)
The reel unit can carry a single Reel DR-5 or DR-15-B, or two Wire Reels RL-159/U. Reel Unit RL-31-E can be mounted on ground or vehicle. A special vehicular installation kit is available.
Reel Equipment CE-11 is a lightweight portable unit designed to be carried by one person. It consists of Reel Unit RL-39 and a sound-powered telephone handset with case and carrying strap. Reel Unit RL-39 mounts Spool DR-8 having a
capacity of 400m/.25-mile or Field Wire WD-1/TT or WD-1A/TT (Spool DR-8 not included as a component). When Telephone Set TA-1/PT is used, it is carried on the belt.
Reel Unit RL-39 is a chest-type reel having an axle with carrying handles, carrying straps, and a crank for rewinding. Reel Unit RL-39 mounts Spool DR-8-A, which has a capacity of 400m/.25-mile of Field Wire WD-1/TT or WD-1A/TT (wire not included as a component). Lines may be laid with this equipment either by handcarrying the reel or by strapping it to the back. To recover telephone wire, the wireman snaps the carrying handles to the carrying straps and rotates the reel with the crank and axle. This reel is normally used to lay short local circuits, up to 400m/.25-mile over difficult terrain, or in a forward combat area.
Wire Pike MC-123 has a two section pole, joined by metal fittings. The top section terminates in a hook, fitted with a roller.
This hand tool is used by wireman to lay or recover wire from a truck. During wire laying, it is used to place the layed-out filed wire along the side of the road. For wire recovery, it is used to provide an even feed and guide for the wire to the reeling machine

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Travel (T2K 2.2):
Drivers should roll the appropriate skill for their vehicle once per period with the task difficulty based on the terrain.
Nice neat roads, graded and equal to pre-war conditions are an Easy Task.
The usual deteriorated roads with slight battle damage are a simple Average Task.
Straight out cross country is a Difficult Task, as is heavily battle-damaged or ruined roads.
Ruins are a Formidable Task.
Tracked vehicles reduce the task difficulty by one level.
If a Catastrophic Failure is rolled, roll on the following table:
01 - Blown Tire or Shed Track
02 - Blown Tire or Shed Track
03 - Blown Tire or Shed Track
04 - Blown Tire or Shed Track
05 - Blown Tire or Shed Track
06 - Ditched
07 - Ditched
08 - Ditched
09 - Seriously Ditched
10 - Seriously Ditched
Blown Tire or Shed Track
- The players must spend one hour and a mechanical roll (Easy) to replace the wheel or track. Double time if one player for wheeled and quadruple time for one player if tracked.
Ditched
- The vehicle has gone off the road and into a hazard. The players can self extract using the same times as above.
Seriously Ditched.
- The vehicle is in dire straights and cannot self-extract from the hazard. Another vehicle of equal weight or clever engineering is required to extract the vehicle. This can be a whole scenario.
No matter what outcome the Catastrophic Failure gives the GM should immediately roll for an encounter.

The GM is open to varying the nature of the outcome and adding twists and environmental hazards.

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Players often have horses and horses aren't meat-scooters, they are thinking things with personalities. Here's some personalities to give them:
(This is not a 'roll on table')
Horse Personality Table
- Hydrophobic. Hates water. One level harder to cross water. Can detect flash-floods by smell with 100% accuracy.
- Ornery. Plain mean, this horse often attempts bite or kick attacks at anyone nearby. Constantly watching you out of the side of its eyes. Bites your feet in the stirrups. Can kill unwary stable-hands.
- Loves to Roll. When near patches of sand or shallow water this horse attempts to roll without warning.
- Greedy. Incredibly focused on food. The horse pushes other horses away to get at their food which causes fights. Can overeat itself to death. Is prone to wind-sucking.
- Wood-Chewer. Chews on wood nearby, destructive. Ambles off occasionally to pursue this vice.
- Skittish. Jumps in fear at everything. Thinks branches are snakes. Shies at a blowing leaf. Infuriating. Shies when trying to jump. May give alarm of an unknown stealthy approach.
- Bolter. This horse suddenly starts galloping for no reason. Highly dangerous for inexperienced riders. Ride roll or be thrown. Horse raises head so it does not have to respond to bit.
- Placid. Big, dumb and lovable. Likes to sook and get hugs. Not frightened of anything apart from very high level threats. Likely to return to a fallen rider.
- Nosy. Always interested in what you're doing. Pokes big head through windows, looks into your knapsack, wanders off to look at stuff.
- Jaunty Gait. High falutin' step, a pleasure to ride if a bit tiring.
- Lazy. Fat old pig. Lies down if left alone. Needs to be urged to do anything. Ambles along slowly. Occasionally just stops dead in its tracks and needs a few minutes to be got going again.
- Animal Friend. Has one other type of herd beast it is inseparable from. Will cry out and fret if separated, possibly hurting itself by trying to get over fences to its friend. When with little friend horse is defensive and will fight threats if friend, but not rider, is threatened. Little friend has its own personality to be determined by GM. ('friend' tend to be goats)
- Devoted. A mixed blessing. It will defend a fallen rider against anyone or anything including friends trying to help. Tends to follow rider around getting in the way.
- Brainless. Dumb as a box of hammers. Can't work out how to get through gates or over rocks. Tends to stand still and gaze at the world in wonder.

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Scenario Idea:
The PCs are advancing through unknown territory when they encounter an honest-to-goodness carrier pigeon carrying the message "2nd platoon, Echo Company, 2/1 Marines under attack at grid 51.732403, 18.484480. DO NOT EAT PIGEON"

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The justly famous T2K campaign overview Going Home has the famous Last Train to Clarkesville section where US and Polish train buffs use an old steam locomotive.
This is entirely unnecessary. The US Army MOS 65A and 65B all included steam locomotive trades and these personnel were trained in WarPact steam locomotive use.
Similarly all WarPact countries stockpiled steam locomotives, no need for one to be in a museum, and trained specialist troops to use them. Trains weren't just left out in the weather but rather were kept up to date in maintenance and ready for operation. Purposefully they were not updated to include any electronic equipment.

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Hard Tack
Essentially extremely dry hard bread, hard tack is a block of nutrients. It must be kept very dry but if done so hard tack can last a decade without changing the taste.
All that is needed is flour, a small amount of salt and some water.
The dough is made very dry and thick. Biscuit-shapes about three inches across are then formed pierced with many holes to allow every bit of moisture to escape. This is then baked very slowly at a low heat in an oven, easily made out of cleaned steel drums, for two periods (eight hours). These ovens can be used for storage when cleaned afterwards.
The amount processed is up to the GM. Really players should be able to convert all 'wild food' taken from fields into 'domestic food' using this method in a few days maximum. This can be done while tending stills at no extra fatigue cost for example. In fact apart from the dough making and unpacking of the ovens players could even sleep through the process.
Softened hard tack tastes no different to unleavened bread and is often used as thickener in stews and chowders. It is prone to contamination by insects but these are easily removed by various means, they add only a tiny amount of protein and taste bitterish.

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(I've had to miss a ton of data on equipment due to the difficulty of linking or posting images, I'll see what I can do about that in the future)