Russia's War Against Ukraine

[Uberhaus]

This is the sort of stuff I find fascinating.
Turns out that with everything else going wrong for the Russians that their Comms might be beyond help.  Bodes very poorly for them in getting their crap together.  Advantage Ukraine if this keeps up
https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/russian-comms-ukraine-world-hertz

Forbes has an article on how the lack of security of BaoFeng radios can be exploited.  https://www.forbes.com/sites/craighooper/2022/03/01/shaken-russian-army-conscripts-make-perfect-targets-for-morale-crushing-operations/?sh=53e9357951f8

Putin appears to have sent many rank-and-file Russian soldiers into battle with cheap, dime-store Baofeng radios. With a little "help," these flimsy, unencrypted civilian communicators can become educational nodes—transforming conscript radios into a friendly voice, offering basic Russian soldiers trusted information from kindly fellow Slavs. Mobile ground stations can be brought in and even specialized "Information Operations" platforms like the secretive U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command EC-130J Commando Solo aircraft can be employed beyond the Ukrainian border to provide detailed information to crumbling Russian units. Rather than provide instructions from far-off Russian officers, these radios can tell hungry Russian conscripts how Putin betrayed the Russian Army and every single soldier in it.

[ArizonaTank]

Some interesting thoughts on the impact on the war for wargame design.

https://rockymountainnavy.com/2022/03/09/wargame-wednesday-wheres-my-supply/

[Gusington]

Wow all the crazy sh*t happens in this thread while I am literally sleeping.

Anyway, hearkening back a few pages, I thought I was hallucinating again or woke up in 1920 when I saw footage of a Russian armored train last night.

Incredible.

[Sir Slash]

Thanks to everyone for the info on RPG's/ Panzerfausts. So, will this war prove, or dis-prove, the idea that the Main Battle Tank is obsolete like we've been hearing for, what, 20+ years?

[MengJiao]

Some interesting thoughts on the impact on the war for wargame design.

https://rockymountainnavy.com/2022/03/09/wargame-wednesday-wheres-my-supply/

  Surely not taking cities is a problem for your road net.  I'm going to go play naval games for a while.  And in honor of the Ukrainians, I'm giving the Virginia class SSNs some extra-stealthy options and
reducing the options for Chinese kilos and Yuans and Soougs (only a 50% chance of being "Still" and only if they didn't cavitate in the turn before).  So there!  Crappy commie and ex-commie regimes!

[Uberhaus]

Thanks to everyone for the info on RPG's/ Panzerfausts. So, will this war prove, or dis-prove, the idea that the Main Battle Tank is obsolete like we've been hearing for, what, 20+ years?

A MBT can survive on today's battlefield with good modern armour like Chobham which has layers of ceramic armour to absorb a HEAT jet and a depleted uranium armour to defeat kinetic strikes.  The Russian Kornet ATGM is a powerful threat and has destroyed MBTs but a good active protective system can defeat missiles.  Also a good kevlar spall liner can protect even ifv against catastrophic damage from small HEAT warheads.

[Gusington]

Jesus...this is probably the absolute worst time for this to happen:

India Accidentally Fires Missile Into Pakistan  :o

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-60711653

[Uberhaus]

Jesus...this is probably the absolute worst time for this to happen:

India Accidentally Fires Missile Into Pakistan  :o

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-60711653

Pakistan will raise a stink about it, but I'm doubtful they will escalate it.  I thought the two countries would go to war over Kashmir two years ago, but so far nothing.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-50233281

btw both countries are abstaining from votes to condemn Russia's invasion at the UN.  India is dependent on Russia for arms, including finishing delivery of S-400 systems.  I believe Pakistan wants to increase trade with Russia.

[SirAndrewD]

Wow all the crazy sh*t happens in this thread while I am literally sleeping.

At least it didn't happen while you were figuratively sleeping.   :P

[Gusington]

Not sure if that would be better or worse. Probably worse.

[Jarhead0331]

Regarding the possibility of chemical and/or biological weapons in Ukraine that could lead to escalation, watch this video. Russell Brand is hardly a Fox News watching neo-con.

This has relevance to the extent those weapons may exist in the warzone and the evidence seems to warrant some actual concern, rather than casting it off as some kind of a conspiracy theory.

[MengJiao]

Regarding the possibility of chemical and/or biological weapons in Ukraine that could lead to escalation, watch this video. Russell Brand is hardly a Fox News watching neo-con.

This has relevance to the extent those weapons may exist in the warzone and the evidence seems to warrant some actual concern, rather than casting it off as some kind of a conspiracy theory.

  Didn't the official US briefing suggest concern?  Didn't that somehow trigger a lot of misunderstandings?  As I understand it there are some labs and it would be nice if the Russians didn't mess
with them.  I suspect on the scale of likely consequences, whatever happens with the labs is going to be pretty minor compared to a few more days or weeks or months of
warfare and economic chaos.

[Jarhead0331]

I suspect on the scale of likely consequences, whatever happens with the labs is going to be pretty minor compared to a few more days or weeks or months of
warfare and economic chaos.

...and you're basing this opinion on what, exactly? The use of chemical and/or biological weapons, which are considered weapons of mass destruction, in theater would represent a tremendous escalation of the conflict.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Regarding the possibility of chemical and/or biological weapons in Ukraine that could lead to escalation, watch this video. Russell Brand is hardly a Fox News watching neo-con.

This has relevance to the extent those weapons may exist in the warzone and the evidence seems to warrant some actual concern, rather than casting it off as some kind of a conspiracy theory.

God I wish he'd put on a normal shirt...just once.

[MengJiao]

I suspect on the scale of likely consequences, whatever happens with the labs is going to be pretty minor compared to a few more days or weeks or months of
warfare and economic chaos.

...and you're basing this opinion on what, exactly? The use of chemical and/or biological weapons, which are considered weapons of mass destruction, in theater would represent a tremendous escalation of the conflict.

   I'm basing it on my doubts that there are any weaponized agents at all in any of the labs.  You can have all kinds of things in labs that should not be messed with, but that's
completely different from any kind of systematically weaponized agents or delivery devices.  Also I think the conflict (or rather the complete destruction of Ukraine) is going to
escalate all on its own -- most likely with no chemical or biological weapons being used at all.  I think we are looking at a war that is not going to be stopped until Ukraine is
more or less completely destroyed.  If some diseases get sucked into the mix they are going to be barely noticible compared to endless missiles and artillery.