ChalkLine's Desiderata

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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/

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 . . .

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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)