Drozd/ERA

[Ronin]

Ive been searching for rules for ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) and things like the Drozd system. Anyone got any sources or maybe house rules?

[pmulcahy11b]

Go to my site (www.pmulcahy.com) and look particularly under Russian Tanks. I think I did a decent job with systems like Drozd and Arena.

As for ERA, they're in the v2 and V2.2 rules, as well as in the V1 Soviet Vehicle Guide if you need a v1 version of ERA. You might also go to my site, look on the PDF downloads page, and (hope you have a high-speed connection) download Wapahani's (TR's) site. He had some good rules on more modern ERA systems.

[Schone23666]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

Go to my site (www.pmulcahy.com) and look particularly under Russian Tanks. I think I did a decent job with systems like Drozd and Arena.

As for ERA, they're in the v2 and V2.2 rules, as well as in the V1 Soviet Vehicle Guide if you need a v1 version of ERA. You might also go to my site, look on the PDF downloads page, and (hope you have a high-speed connection) download Wapahani's (TR's) site. He had some good rules on more modern ERA systems.

Paul, did I fail to mention you've got one of the most useful info sites for the casual reader out on the Web other than Jane's? And we all know how damned pricey Jane's subscriptions can be...well, for me anyway at the moment.

I've always wondered a bit about ERA though. It seems that it can cause some unfortunate issues for infantry if they happen to be working in close proximity with tanks when those ERA panels blow off...

Also I read of one tactic that guerillas used in Chechnya to defeat tanks utilizing ERA: Have a team with two RPG gunners tasked to take out a vehicle with ERA. The first gunner uses his RPG to blow off one or two ERA panels, and the second RPG gunner uses his RPG to hit the same area where the ERA panels were. It takes some time and good coordination, not to mention skill, and getting within a fair distance of the vehicles (which unfortunatley isnt' hard in urban terrain) but unfortunately for the Russians, it seemed to work rather well.

[Ronin]

I have and use the 2.0 version. Couldnt find it. I dont suppose you have a page reference? Oh, and I will check out your site. Today is a long boring day here at work. Lots of time on my hands.

[Ronin]

Ok, I've poured through the main book (2.0) and my supplements (American, NATO,Soviet) I cant find any refference to ERA. Let alone Drozd. I've been told TNE Fusion and Steel, has the rules. But I'm not looking to buy a new book for another game (compatible or not). Can anyone point me in the correct direction?

[Legbreaker]

This from the V2.2 BYB page 216:

Reactive Armour Blocks: Reactive armour blocks are special explosive charges fitted to the outside of an AFV for additional amour protection. These blocks detonate when hit by a round larger than 35mm in diameter and the explosion is directed outwards interfering with HEAT type warheads on rockets, missiles and grenades. Reactive armour has no effect on kinetic energy penetrators (those rounds with AP).
Reactive armour blocks may be applied to the turret front and sides, and the hull front of any AFV which as the appropriate attachment lugs installed. Installing these lugs takes welding equipment and 1 manhour per unit of armour. Reactive armour adds 80 to the AV of the protected face. Some vehicles come with attachment lugs already installed (the vehicle card will say if this is the case).
Each unit covers one tenth of an armour face, and is destroyed when activated. The number of units destroyed on any given face is the D10 roll to hit an unprotected part of the armour face.

[Vespers War]

I'm probably going to put together a blog post some time in the next few weeks to summarize all the ERA systems I've been able to find information for. To add one more to the list, and one that's relevant in any of the Twilight War timelines, there's France's BRENUS. This was introduced by 1992 for the AMX-30, although only about half of France's tanks were fitted with it (the others had some modifications done so it could quickly be added if needed). Amazingly, Nexter was still advertising it in their 2018 catalog, with kits available for the AMX-30, M48, M60, T-72, M113, BMP-3, and CV90. It's a fairly light ERA, adding 80 to AV vs HEAT and 20 to AV vs KE.

The big one I'm still having trouble finding any solid information on is ARAT, both the M19 ARAT-1 and M32 ARAT-2. Numbers are classified, which makes sense, but I can't even find guesses.

[Vespers War]

Well, it's almost six months later and I haven't done that blog post, but I did find out about the existence of two more systems. In an article about Ukraine's Kevlar-e prototype, which is a 2S1 Gvozdika modified into an IFV carrying 6 infantry and equipped with an uncrewed 30mm Shturm turret, there was mention of Raketka ERA and Shershen APS. As best as I can tell, those are versions of Nizh and Zaslin modified for use on lightly-armored vehicles. Looking them up in English is a bit of an exercise, since Raketka is rocket and there's a Shershen ATGM from Belarus.

[Raellus]

An interesting visual detail that Ref's might want to include is the appearance of "digital/pixelated" ("patchwork" might be more apropos for the late 1990s) camouflage resulting from the use of ERA blocks from different batches.

[Raellus]

Here's an ex-Canadian Leopard II MBT fitted with Soviet-era Kontakt ERA. It makes sense that this practice would also be seen in the Twilight War.

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[Ursus Maior]

A beauty.