The Russians have invaded the Ukraine. We know that much. The Ukraine defense forces are fighting back. Rather well it seems. And the Javelin fucking rocks. Thats about all the for sure facts I'd bet money on right now.
Now, for some other things that I'd feel confident to bet your money on:
- The Russian's still don't quite grock logistics. Their MLR is a nightmare. A buddy of mine is a Transpo guy and I think this is giving him Forest Whitaker eye. It is said that me most import things to go through the artic convoy's in WWII were Dodge trucks and 55 gallon drums of gasoline. Doesn't look like much has changed.
- Russian Frontal Aviation is good. But kinda like a cocain high, those early successes are a fleeting thing.
- The Ukraine guys are doing hella good at shaping the narrative to help them. Even if the fucking Army Times seems to enjoy squashing hope. I'd hate to read what the modern Army Times would have said after Kasserine Pass or Midway.
- Let me reiterate how fucking awesome the Javelin is. It's fun to poke fun at the Militaruy Industrial Conflict but Raytheon knocked this one the fuck out. Just like the Javelin has been to a whole lot of Russian tanks. HEY OOOO
- Ukraine is trading space for time. And it looks they're doing it well. At this point; they just have to not loose.
- Conscript Armies are about worthless for anything other than shooting at other conscript Armies. Oh, and turning you're home front against you. Sorry Vlad. We learned that after Vietnam.
- In regards to the above post; much of the vaunted simplicity of Russian hardware goes back to the fact that the only professional part of their military, outside of some of the Airborne and SOF guys, are the officers. And most of those guys aren't technically proficient. Captain Ivan isn't going to dirty his hands working on a T-90. PFC Sergei will for 12 months until it time to go home and harvest wheat. Which means that tank is redlined.
- Let's clarify something. The A-Team is highly entertaining show that garnered really the only success for the Mini-14. Outside of bank robbers and white separatists. The B-Team is a great little bar in Statesboro that has good hot wings and cheap beer on Tuesday. If we want to call different tiers of Russian forces anything, let's rip a page out of "Red Storm Rising" and call them Category A, Cat B, and Cat C formations.
- And the whole have a rifle at home similar to what the Army uses doesn't seem like such a paranoid delusion now, does it Karen?
- The world has come full circle. The same guys that preached about how it took five Sherman tanks to knock out one Tiger are now simping for the Russian armored force about how the Armata has yet to be deployed. It's like the Weeraboo and Slavbois have became one big ball of anti western armored doctrine hate. Funny that. And, frankly, let's WWIII broke out in 1947. The M-4A3E8 would have eaten T-34/85s for breakfast. Where the M-26 would have left a lot of brand new West Point armor guys disappointed that they really didn't get to fight a true tank war like their older brothers did with Patton. Yeah, I said it. Don't @ me.
- And this looks like another war where the Mosin will fight against it self and loose.
I wish the guys and girls on the Ukraine the very best. Yes, this is another war for oil. And the Ukraine has some corruption in it's government. But at the end of the day, they were invaded by their larger, meaner neighbor. And I don't cotton to that.
And I also wish the best for PFC Igor and his conscripts buddies. They were sent to fight on foreign soil by a batshit crazy dictator who was mad the USSR dissolved before he could sit at the big desk.
And that represents the true horror of war. The guys who wind up fighting have no say in the beginning or end of it but just die in it.
"...bigger, meaner neighbor..."?
ReplyDeleteAbout equally mean, and the littler one's been beating up the bigger one's even littler cousins, and kinda pointing weapons in the bigger's general direction for some time. Big men have to be patient, but it does run out. And I'm no fan of Russia or Bald Vlad; I'm just less a fan of Ukraine.
--Tennessee Budd
I didn't see the Russians publicly disarming thier entire nuclear arsenal in 94
DeleteAnd don't recall the Ukraine CID executing Polish Officers and Cadets
And lest I can remember when did the Ukraine execute an organized faminie against, well, anybody?
But. I'm totally stealing Bald Vlad. Love it
DeleteYep, it seems like the worse thing to happen to Russian AFVs is the Russians.
ReplyDeleteIn Korea, the M4A3E8 did engage T34/85 and did well. The M26 did not do well in Korean hills.
ReplyDeleteThe whole "Easy 8 better than a t34-85" argument isn't even academic. Yes, the Easy 8 would eat a T34-85 for lunch. Wanna know how I know? Because they frickin DID in Korea. I know, I know, the argument is that the Nork Tankers were shit tier and it was the operator, not the equipment. I disagree with that. Honestly, they had more combat experience than the American Tankers going up against them. Maybe training was that much better, I could buy that, but really, am I supposed to believe that SSGT Igor in 1946 was really THAT much better trained than a NORK tanker? I mean, everything in Soviet Russia was expendable. The tank AND the crew. Otherwise, why not make it actually possible to get out of the tank if you had to, real quick?
ReplyDelete