#Tank Gunner Experience

[joyswonderland1108]

“How on earth is JK hanging up on Tae somehow Jimin's fault?”

JK hangs up on Tae → Tae looks mildly annoyed → Jimin breathes in the same time zone → suddenly it's his masterplan all along 😭 “He manipulated Jungkook with his smirk” girl be serious.

I— You know what? Nevermind. Never. Mind. I've seen the circus and I don’t need front row seats today. These people will see Jungkook unplug the sun and blame the lack of sunlight on Jimin’s aura or something. “He’s too radiant and Jungkook couldn’t take it 🥺” — girl what.

BUT ANYWAY. How are we doing today, fam? How are we feeling? Because Echo just dropped.

And if you’re not listening to it like your life depends on it… what are you doing??? Rent is due, and so is your streaming effort.

Here are two playlists I’m using to stream — because we support our kings with views AND taste. Hopefully they help you too.

Now let’s talk about Jin’s live. Or as I like to call it: The Groupchat Leak None of Us Knew We Needed. Because excuse me, what was THAT? 193 comments from the members???

I swear they either:

Accidentally dropped the groupchat into the public zone,

Are now testing a new social experiment called “Parasocial Group Messaging,”

Or they simply forgot we weren’t supposed to be there.

Honestly? Not complaining. Inject every chaotic interaction directly into my bloodstream. Jin saying “get out of my comments” while simultaneously being soft with them?? Peak hyung behavior. I just know he texted the actual groupchat later like, “Next time use KakaoTalk LIKE NORMAL HUMAN BEINGS.”

Now onto the part of the regularly scheduled program where we collectively slap some sense into the jobless haters: "Jikook are never together" “Where is the proof?” “Are you delusional?”

OH I DON’T KNOW. Maybe they listened to a whole song together? Not just any song. "Don't Say You Love Me". Like… really think about the emotional damage in that title and then imagine Jikook choosing that as their bonding soundtrack. I’m not okay, thanks for asking (I'm being delulu leave me alone!!)

And what’s Jungkook doing? Oh just… talking on the phone. And laughing. Right next to Jimin. As if they share one braincell and can’t operate it when they’re apart. So sorry for having eyes and ears and a functioning memory.

Let’s talk about the inside jokes. The bane of every Jikooker's existence. “It looks good on you.” “No, no, it looks good on you.”

✨STAAAAHP✨ I’m tired of being left out like a side character in a K-drama who gets five lines and a heartbreak arc. WHAT LOOKS GOOD ON WHO? IS THIS ABOUT CLOTHES OR SOMETHING ELSE? Give us the context, I’m begging. These two act like we were THERE for the original joke. Like we weren’t just trying to eat our snacks and mind our business before they decided to gaslight us with cryptic matching dialogue.

And THEN. Jungkook just decides that Hopeminkook can carry on the convo post-live like this was a planned coffee chat. Bro straight up ghosted but gave them permission to “go on.” 😂

Meanwhile, I can feel Jin’s soul leaving his body. You just know he hit the groupchat with: “Get. Out. Of. My. Comments.” And Hobi responded with 10 emojis and Jimin sent a picture of his elbow or something equally cursed.

But now, for the highlight of today’s unhinged lesson in Jikookology: DULPO and NETPO.

For the confused among us (it’s okay, you’re loved), let me educate you real quick:

In Korean, numbers go like this:

1 = 하나 (hana)

2 = 둘 (dul)

3 = 셋 (set)

4 = 넷 (net)

Let me explain based on what i know and what i understood :

In the South Korean military artillery units, soldiers are divided into tank/artillery crews, each given a number. And because Korean is a language of poetic chaos and nicknames, this turns into:

Jungkook, an artilleryman (포수 / posu), was assigned to tank crew number 2 → hence the name DULPO (둘포): "둘 (dul)" = two + "포 (po)" = artillery/gunner

Jimin? He was assigned to tank crew number 4, and naturally, his squad is NETPO (넷포): "넷 (net)" = four + "포 (po)" = artillery/gunner

Not just that — Jimin casually decided to let us know that He is the "ACE" of Netpo, and I’m sorry but ??? We now have ranks within nicknames?? You’re telling me this man is out there acing the military?? Can you imagine Jimin just glowing under camouflage paint and being the top gunner in his squad like it's the finale of a K-drama?

Now..

🕵️‍♂️ BTS Mafia Game Chaos (aka Jikook & Hobi being extra on the timeline)

It all starts with Jimin, just casually asking:

지민: 마피아 하실? “Are you going to play the mafia game?”

Enter Jungkook, 1 minute later, saying:

JK: 눈치게임 1 “Timing game 1”

(He’s referring to a Korean timing game called 눈치게임 (Noonchi Game) where everyone tries to say a number in sequence without overlapping someone else's number — like 1, 2, 3, etc. — but if two people say the same number, they lose.)

Then Hobi shows up and drops:

hobi: 즈2 = "2" in a playful/slangy way

Then Jimin says:

지민: 이 = "2" (again)

And finally Jungkook, being over it already, says:

JK: 아 중복 너무 많다 “Ah, there are too many overlaps” 😩

So basically, this was:

Jimin starting chaos with a mafia game suggestion

Jungkook turning it into a Noonchi Game

Everyone yelling "2" like chaotic toddlers

Jungkook realizing they’ve all failed the game instantly because of too many overlaps

TL;DR:

JK hangs up on Tae and that’s somehow Jimin’s fault (???)

Jin’s live was a groupchat simulation gone rogue

Jikook listened to an emotionally devastating song together and smiled through it like psychopaths

We got soft bickering, synchronized laughter, mysterious inside jokes, and now apparently, gaming lore to study

Jimin = Netpo ACE. JK = Dulpo Support Main (probably)

I need a nap

Anyway, stream Echo!!! And don't forget our boys only have about 3 weeks and 4 days left to be with us again!!!

[mychoombatheroomba]

Bloody Lessons

Between the Bones (Leon x GN! Reader) - Chapter 28

You were sure it wouldn't end with just the sparring match . . . and you were right.

(Cross-posted from Ao3)

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter Index

CW: Once again, assholes in the army and harassment (not targeting the Reader)

Even if Fort Benning was a new space for you, even if it was a completely different base with different people, some things stayed the same - unanimous in your experience on Army bases. 

That was that information spread fast. 

Again you were reminded of that first meeting with Leon, how word had spread that you’d been called in to fight his squad, and how you’d trounced him. Now, though, months later, you couldn’t help but smile as you heard whispers about Leon’s victory. “You the kid that knocked Taylor’s ass in the dirt?” some cadets would ask Leon, and you could only watch with pride as he nodded and received a respectful nod in response. “Good-'' was usually the response. “Asshole needs to learn to shut his mouth.” Not everyone was so pleased with the victory, though. The man Leon defeated - Taylor - was covered in bruises the next day, glowering at Leon and the rest of you from across the mess hall tables. He had a fair few sympathizers, it seemed, because the men sitting around him matched his expression, looking at your squad like they were hoping you’d all burst into flames. 

Fortunately, Leon had backup of his own. 

When the rest of your squad heard about it, they were all too eager to congratulate him. Alejandro had slapped him on the back at lunch when he confirmed it was true. “Nice going, kid,” he’d praised. “‘Bout time we showed these boys what’s what.” 

And after Taylor’s comments the night before, you all decided that it wasn’t enough to humiliate the man in hand to hand combat. It became an unspoken goal amongst the visiting STRATCOM recruits to beat the Fort Benning boys at their own game. 

So, when you were all paired up in fours and assigned to a tank, each and every one of you took to it with a determination. There was no incentive to perform well like the desire to win, even if the game was one of your own making. Few more so than your own group. You and Leon had tried hard not to smile at each other when you were grouped together, along with Williams and Alenko. 

You were grateful for each of them being paired with you. After the incident with Taylor, after the comments he’d made, Williams was particularly motivated to out-perform him and everyone else. Alenko was the most knowledgeable on how the tanks worked, having wanted to work with them before being recruited into STRATCOM. He often prattled off facts about the machines, about their history, how they ran. Things that proved both useful and amusing. And Leon . . . well, it went without saying why you were happy to be paired with Leon. The two of you worked well together; months of getting close resulted in you knowing how to communicate well with each other. 

What surprised you was that the same extended - to a lesser degree - to Williams and Alenko. It was a bit difficult at first, with the four of you being crammed into an unfamiliar machine, taught to operate it in a crash course. Finding a rhythm was a daunting task, but you eventually started to figure out where you were best suited.

The four of you alternated positions for the first few days. Gunner, loader, driver and commander. Each of you learning the ins and outs, coming to appreciate the danger and power of the tank you operated. And as the days went on, as you all traded responsibilities and lessons, you all found which positions suited you best. It didn’t surprise you when Leon excelled as the gunner. You’d known him to be a good shot with everything that had a trigger thus far, so seeing him taking to this quickly - though vastly different - was no surprise. And the first time he fired the giant weapon, the first time you all felt the force of it shake the tank and your very bones, each of you had a look of awe on your faces. 

Williams and Alenko were both good drivers, a touch more cautious than Leon was. Well, perhaps a great deal more cautious. The tank couldn’t go that fast, all things considered, but that didn’t stop you from fearing for the tank’s integrity a few times with Leon behind the controls. Williams and Alenko were more measured. Safer. 

And you . . . well, you honestly preferred just loading the rounds into the main gun. It wasn’t easy, per se, because the rounds were sixty pounds each and you had to be quick and careful, but it was a process you felt you could perform reliably. In another life, perhaps you would have liked to be the commander. You would have liked to be the one keeping an eye out, directing everyone else, telling the driver of dangers around you and the gunner where to aim. After all, you’d made Sergeant so young for a reason. You’d been on the track of being a leader, once. As it was now, though . . . you weren’t sure you were the best person for the job, so you often left it to Williams or Alenko. 

So, you kept your limited authority to the sparring sessions you and Leon held. Ones that, much to your surprise, proved to be more and more popular, not just among your fellow STRATCOM recruits, but those training at Fort Benning, too. Some just observed the brutal bouts, while others decided to try their luck and challenge one of you. 

Most of them ended up in the dirt just as Taylor had. Most of them were like him - assholes with something to prove. Some of them, though, were actually looking to learn. Asking for you and the others to help them improve. 

You wouldn’t say you were happy to oblige them, but you did it anyway. 

And once again, you found some pride in how Leon started giving feedback of his own, telling recruits that they were telegraphing their movements too much, or when they could have taken advantage of an opening . . . it was jarring to see him giving the notes you’d given him, not so long ago. More proof of how much he’d grown. How far he’d come. 

You wanted to get home. Back to your own base.

You wanted to pull him into the blind spot of the cameras and show him just how proud of him you were. You wanted to be with him . . . but you held off, because there were too many eyes here and Fort Benning was too unfamiliar. And with the way Taylor and his fellow idiots were watching Leon especially, waiting for him to slip up. For any of you to, really. He clearly hadn’t taken well to his pride being damaged, and he made it a problem for all of you. Easy to do, when you were all handed over to the recruits to work alongside them in the motor pool on tank maintenance. He and his fellows - the ones who seemed to have a problem with you and the others - hadn’t learned their lesson, it seemed, and went on making comments about your squad. 

It was weighing on each of your nerves, but you pressed on, doing your best to ignore him. 

Hard to do when every time you were all chewed out for making a mistake, Taylor was there, smiling smugly. “Told you all,” he would so often speak some variation of the words, “all those punches and kicks they’ve been teaching you? Won’t help you here.” 

For the most part, you would all roll your eyes and carry on. 

Until the day you watched Valeria’s group of four climb out of a tank, having just driven it in an exercise with enough skill to make Commander Cortez nod in approval. They were getting better, and with Valeria behind the controls of the tank, it was enough to make most people congratulate her. But then your group walked past Taylor, and you could see that spark of animosity in his eyes. Jealousy or just simple-mindedness, you didn’t know. 

All you knew is that you expected him to say something base and ignorant as Valeria walked past with her entourage. 

And he did just that . . . only he didn’t stop at words this time. 

“Well shit,” he said, “maybe you can handle a tank well. Maybe I should get you on my crew . . . see what else you can handle . . .” Valeria narrowed her eyes and looked up at him as he went on, and you could tell she was already forming one of her quick retorts, but it wasn’t delivered quite as fast as the hand that Taylor brought out. 

Then, even with the amused chuckles of Taylor’s friends, it felt like silence fell as Taylor smacked Valeria squarely on the ass. 

Your anger flared like it hadn’t in weeks, but Williams, who had been following a few paces behind Valeria, saw red. Taylor would have been smart not to antagonize Valeria, and smarter still not to do it in front of others. But of all the people he had to pull that shit in front of, Williams was the most foolish. He learned that quickly when the tall, broad-shouldered woman cracked her fist square into Taylor’s face, the force of her blow like a battering ram. 

You couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath of air as you saw a tooth get knocked clean out of that smart mouth of his. 

Everything after that happened fast. Taylor cried out in pain, holding his now bleeding mouth, realizing what he’d lost. And then he was swinging right back at Williams, what little decorum had been present in his sparring match with Leon now long gone. His attack was sloppy with his pain, though. Williams dodged it easily . . . not so for the second one, delivered by one of the men at Taylor’s side that caught her in the nose by surprise.  

Valeria answered that with a blow of her own, coming up to the man’s side and kneeing him hard in the gut.

And as it became clear that it was going to be more than just the two of them, you were moving. There it was again - that sense of unity. You, Leon, Alejandro, Alenko . . . your entire squad moved as one, and you saw genuine fear cross the eyes of the dozen or so Fort Benning recruits that backed Taylor up. Like they realized the wolves were closing in around them. 

Commander Cortez must have realized it too, because he was rushing over to you all quickly, shouting out a command. “Back the fuck off!” he ordered, and all but Valeria listened. She’d never been one for following rules she thought were bullshit. And she’d never been one to pull her punches. As she laid low the recruit who’d punched Williams, she rushed Taylor next, giving him no time to breathe. The man backed away quickly, running when faced with the consequences of his actions. 

Valeria likely would have knocked the rest of the teeth from his mouth, were it not for Alejandro grabbing her and holding her back. “Quieres a ver qué yo puedo hacer hijo de gran puta?! Vamos pinché cabrón!” she shouted, trying to break free of Alejandro’s grip. 

“Stand down! All of you!” Cortez roared. He went to stand between Valeria and Taylor - a brave notion - and finally it felt like the fuse on that particular stick of dynamite had been cut. 

Valeria still looked like she wanted to tear Taylor’s throat out, and Williams was even worse, but no one moved. Not with the Commander right there. Still, a big part of you wanted Valeria to just keep going. Especially when Cortez looked at both Williams and Valeria in disappointment, not just Taylor. “Get your asses to the infirmary, then we’ll have a talk. The rest of you are dismissed.” 

There was a moment of lingering tension, one where Taylor looked from Williams, to Valeria, Leon and then the rest of your squad. As those enraged eyes scanned the crowd, as he spat blood from a mouth that had one less tooth in it, you knew that this wasn’t over. 

⧫⧫⧫

Williams and Valeria had been given latrine duty for the next week as punishment for the fight. Leon heard that Taylor had been sent to sort munitions in the depot, and he couldn’t help but feel that the asshole had gotten off easy. 

As far as Williams was concerned, though, it was worth it. 

“Shoulda kept the tooth,” she chuckled that night in sparring, her nose swollen and bandaged. Didn’t stop her from showing up for practice though, and Leon had seen how proud that fact had made you. Even if you likely didn’t want to admit it. 

Alenko laughed, putting his training knife away. “Think that’s technically a war crime.” 

“Only if she gets caught,” Valeria pointed out. “A good performance like that deserves a trophy.” However pissed the woman had been at Taylor, Valeria had been all cinder-smiles and lingering glances towards Williams since the fight. Leon couldn’t help but think it was ironic, this soldier who had warned you and him not to be so obvious being just as transparent in her affections. And with Williams blushing every time Valeria looked her way . . . Leon was happy for them. Happy that, like him, they might have found some joy in all of this. He just couldn’t help but wonder if you and Alenko noticed what was very plain to him. 

You, he wasn’t sure about. If you noticed, you didn’t seem to care much. Alenko seemed more preoccupied thinking about Taylor. “Well, hopefully this will all incentivize him to back off,” the older soldier said, sounding thoroughly tired of Taylor’s bullshit. Leon couldn’t blame him there, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that the brief fight today had only made things worse. 

“He got his tooth knocked out,” you shook your head. “He’s not gonna let that go.” 

The others nodded, and for a moment, a solemn silence settled in. 

Then, with a slight smile, you shrugged. “Funny as hell, though.” A laugh almost escaped you as you said it, and Leon felt his heart squeeze, seeing you opening up even in such a small way. It was enough to put him in a good mood as the rest of you walked back to the barracks . . . but then three figures stepped in the group’s path, and that good mood soured instantly. 

Taylor stood in the middle, and Leon recognized the man Valeria had beaten as well. The third was another cadet who’d sparred with you a few days ago. One who’d glared at you from the ground, just as so many others had. All of them were stone-faced and tense. 

“We were just talking about you,” Valeria sneered, and got no immediate response as Taylor stared down Williams. Then, Leon found himself under that blistering gaze. “What?” Valeria went on, scoffing. “Don’t feel like giving us a smile?” 

“Fuck you, you bitch,” Taylor spat, and Leon got a good look of the empty spot in the line of teeth - second from the middle. It took away drastically from the man’s chiseled features, and it might have been funny to Leon if it weren’t for the very plain threat being laid before them. If it wasn’t for the other figures - the same dozen that had been by Taylor’s side earlier today - that soon stepped up from behind you all, flanking your little group. All men that you or Leon or another of your group had taken down in sparring. 

Leon glanced over at you, seeing your body tense. Taught as a bowstring. 

He knew what was about to happen. 

“You knocked out my fucking tooth,” Taylor spat at Williams, and the tall woman frowned, her hands clenching into fists. “Bet you won’t be so pretty with a few of yours missing.” 

“You’re really doing this?” Leon shook his head. It was late, but there would still likely be witnesses. He was the one starting this fight. He would take the blame for this.

It seemed that Taylor didn’t really care, though, because he just narrowed his eyes. Five against twelve, surrounded. The odds weren’t in your group’s favor. He must have weighed that against the risk and decided that your group’s pain was more important than whatever punishment he might receive. So, Leon already knew his answer before he gave it. “Damn fucking right we are.” 

Then the group moved in, all of the dozen Fort Benning recruits rushing in, closing around your group like the jaws of some beast. 

Leon was struck with a sense of familiarity. It wasn’t the first time he’d been surrounded, but it wasn’t Raccoon City that he thought of now. No, instead, he thought of the training yard back on home base. He thought of you, of standing back to back with you, facing down Valeria, Alejandro and Andersen against Krauser’s orders. Only now it wasn’t just the two of you against the world. Neither of you were alone, and that became abundantly clear as Williams, Alenko and Valeria fell into stances behind him. As you readied yourself at his side. It wasn’t how he imagined his first real fight alongside you going, but Krauser had often told you all that few people got to choose when and where a fight happened. All they could do was prepare as best they could. 

And now, Leon supposed, Krauser’s other teachings would be put to the test. 

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter Index

A/N: Shorter chapter in preparation for my favorite fight scene of the series so far 😁

[shadowron]

Archetype spins for Shadowrun (1st Edition)

It's happened to all of us.

Maybe your long-time home-brew PC ran out of Karma dice in the Renraku Arcology and the Red Samurai used them to test the iron sights on their SCK-100s.

Or maybe you're brand new to the game and don't want to spend five hours making a new character -- so you want to grab and go.

Except that... after a while, you don't want to play the same old lonely decker. But you still need a decker.

You can still play the archetype, and you don't even need to make any changes -- you just need a new spin.

Check below for some ideas.

Burned-Out Mage

Government Experiment

Corporate Assassin

Conspiracy Theorist

Decker

Computer Pirate

Go-Ganger

Graduate Student

Detective

FRT Sniper

Crisis Negotiator

Wrestler

Elven Decker

Tir Tairngire Spy

Elf Poser Ganger

AI Theorist

Former Company Man

Saboteur

Chauffeur

Gun-Fu Artist

Former Wage Mage

Therapist (Healer Orientation)

Hit-Mage (Fighter Orientation)

Face (Prowler Orientation)

Gang Member

Spotter

Ninja

Bike Racer

Merc

Navy Chopper Pilot

Military Police

Tank Gunner

Ork Mercenary

Cascade Ork Smuggler

Barbarian Go-Ganger

Garbage Man

Rigger

Drift Racer

Courier

Marine Pilot

Rocker

Jingle Writer

Chip Dealer

Social Media Personality

Shaman

Soldier (Wolf Totem, Fighter Orientation)

Information Broker (Snake Totem, Detector Orientation)

Con Man (Rat Totem, Deceiver Orientation)

EMT (Bear Totem, Healer Orientation)

Street Mage

Spy (Deceiver Orientation)

Gang Soldier (Fighter Orientation)

Consigliere (Detector Orientation)

Street Doc (Healer Orientation)

Street Samurai

Barrens Gladiator

Cosplayer

Personal Trainer

Street Shaman

Busker (Rat Shaman, Deceiver Orientation)

New Age Hippie (Snake Totem, Healer Orientation)

Gang Scout (Dog Totem, Detector Orientation)

Muscle (Coyote Totem, Fighter Orientation)

Tribesman

Vaquero 

Survivalist

Modern Pentathlete

[whencyclopedia]

Heinkel He 111

The Heinkel He 111 was a medium two-engined bomber plane used by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) during the Second World War (1939-45). Heinkel He 111s contributed significantly to such campaigns as the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain, and the London Blitz, but were increasingly replaced from 1941 by the more modern and faster Junkers Ju 88.

Early Designs

The He 111 was first imagined as a civil airliner for Lufthansa, but when the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, production turned more openly towards machines of war. The Treaty of Versailles after the First World War (1914-18) had strictly forbidden Germany from possessing a military air force, but the German leader Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) went ahead and formed several secret squadrons anyway. Another way around the restriction was to build civilian craft that could easily be converted into bombers; the He 111 fell into this latter category.

Designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter and based on their earlier He 70 model, the He 111 bomber was manufactured by Heinkel, an aviation company founded and run by Ernest Heinkel (1888-1958). Heinkel had extensive experience with military aircraft, having built planes for the German Navy and the Austro-Hungarian army in the First World War. After much debate between the German high command and Hitler, the Luftwaffe bomber command (Kampfwaffe) was obliged to adopt the position that bombers should primarily be used strategically to assist ground troops. This meant that unlike, say, the British Royal Air Force, the Luftwaffe concentrated not on heavy bombers but building squadrons of more versatile medium bombers. The He 111 was the result of this thinking, that is, an aircraft with multiple tactical uses, but one not capable of carrying very heavy bomb loads that could deliver a significant blow to ground targets. The He 111 was hampered, too, by its short range as the theatre of war expanded and Germany sought to bomb Britain.

The first He 111 prototype model was flown in February 1935 at the Heinkel works at Rostock-Marienehe (now Rostock). Design tweaks included shortening the wings and improving stability. At this stage, the aircraft were powered by BMW engines. By 1936, Lufthansa was flying a number of He 111s as airliners and transport planes. The aircraft achieved the title of 'the world's fastest passenger plane' when a top speed of 250 mph (402 km/h) was recorded.

Meanwhile, military versions were being built, which had a slightly longer nose and machine-gun armaments. The bomber version was not powerful enough for requirements, though, and the BMW engines were replaced with Daimler-Benz engines (later models replaced these again, this time with Junkers Jumos). By 1937, and thanks to a large ministerial order, Heinkel built a dedicated factory for He 111s at Oranienburg close to Berlin. Further developments followed such as increasing the fuel capacity and making the tanks self-sealing, increasing the armour protection, making a straighter wing so that factory production was more efficient, moving the forward gunner a little to the side to give the pilot better visibility, and giving more transparency to the cockpit area and nose section, a distinctive feature of the He 111.

Heinkel He 111s were first used in action by German forces participating in the Spanish Civil War (1936-9) in the Legion Condor units and then throughout the Second World War by the Luftwaffe. Other air forces which used He 111s included the Chinese, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovakian, Spanish, and Turkish.

Continue reading...

[fruityyamenrunner]

Serving as a 'combatant' in a modern war is referred to as 'fighting'. But of course the only people who fight in the most rigorous acceptance of that term are the infantry. A gunner does not fight. He merely shells and is shelled. He discharges a large metal cylinder, aiming it by means of a delicately-adjusted mechanism, to fall at a certain spot which he cannot see, in the hope that he may kill somebody he hopes is there. He himself suffers from the desire of the other, enemy, gunners, a long way away, to ^achieve the same object with respect to himself.

The gunner rarely if ever sees the enemy, except prisoners, when the infantry succeed in capturing some, and they are sent behind the Line, in small herds. The exception to this rule is the gunner-officer, who as an 'observer' sometimes sees the animal he is opposing in a free state—that is not in captivity. For instance I have seen Germans in their natural state, walking about behind their lines, and even popping about in their trenches. But that was only because I was an officer.

It is one of the tasks of an artillery officer to go up to observation-posts, as they are called ('O.Pip', for short). But I have never engaged in personal combat with a German in a trench or anywhere else. So I have: not 'fought' the Germans, except in the more abstract sense that I have been responsible for the dispatch of unlimited numbers of shells in their direction, and as a result of the explosion of these shells (when they were not duds) I may have done these foemen more injury than I ever could have done them, I am sure, with my strong right arm. \

In the old days of open battle, gunjners did on occasion come into personal contact with the enemy—never with the infantry, but sometimes with the cavalry. These cavalry must have been extremely unpleasant customers, prancing and plunging about upon excited horses and waving over their heads long shining knives that they called 'sabres', or armed with barbarous spears, like an intoxicated picador.

You may have read accounts of how a cavalry charge— say in the Indian Mutiny or in the campaigns against the Mahratta Princes—carried these impetuous horse-soldiers right amongst the guns, where the gun-crews were peaceably blazing away, as defenceless as civilians—never dreaming of any unorthodox disturbance, or anticipating strong-arm tactics on the part of the Nosey Parkers on horseback. How they 'cut down' the Sepoy gunners may have been represented to you—it probably was in your history-book—as a dashing and praiseworthy exploit.

My feeling about horses extends to those who sit on them. And whenever I read of the cavalry doing as above, I experience, I am bound to say, much fellow-feeling for the unfortunate gunners. Cavalry should not interfere with gunners in that way, is my feeling. And the exploits of Lake or of French are spoilt for me by these unseemly attacks upon unarmed Sepoy and Boer artillerymen: though on occasion the gunners have given these curvetting musical-riders a warmer welcome than they expected. The old-time ramrod was at times as good at jousting from the ground with, as the sabre was for 'cutting down' from up above.

Still, it was done, now and then, in the past—the mounted-arm did run amok among the artillery, having cut its way through the infantry. Apart from Tanks and of course the machine-guns of the air-arm (but this hardly applies at all in the war of 1914-18) the gunner has nothing to fear with regard to personal encounters with the enemy. He is a fighting-man only in name. The infantry do the common-or-garden fighting. They are the gladiators.

I have long shared Mr Wyndham Lewis' opinion that if I were to have the misfortune of being in a war, an artillery officer would be, if not the best, then the most natural position for me to occupy.

[vinylspinning]

Warfare: Pure Filth (1984)

When Warfare's debut full-length, Pure Filth, arrived 40 years ago, promising to blend the oft-divergent sounds and philosophies of metal and punk, the power trio from Newcastle upon Tyne, England, had yet to perform its first concert!

But band members Paul 'Evo' Evans (vocals, drums), Kelvin 'Gunner' Johnson (guitar), and David 'Falken' Taylor (bass) had at least gained some experience playing with punk bands like Major Accident, The Blood, and The Angelic Upstarts.

Moreover, despite their short time together, Warfare had also proven quite prolific in the studio, dropping two EPs -- Noise, Filth and Fury and Two Tribes -- into the first half of 1984, before turning their attention to this first full-length release.

Problem was: Warfare were joining a losing battle, as punks and head-bangers were still fighting, more often than, moshing together, and the once peace-bartering New Wave of British Heavy Metal had, for all intents and purposes, faded away.

So attempts to please both camps with token, evil-sounding titles like "Total Armageddon (Full Scale Attack)" and "Rabid Metal" or anarchic chants like "Breakout" and "Noise, Filth and Fury," weren't very convincing to either camps.

And what few listeners gave these tunes a chance were probably surprised to learn that Warfare basically sounded like a slightly slowed-down Motörhead or Tank (whose leader, Algy Ward, produced this LP) jamming with the screamer from Venom.

Indeed, Evo sounded almost exactly like the ubiquitous Cronos, but there were clearly no hard feelings between the Neat Records label mates, judging from the latter's guest appearance on the chaotic and predictably tasteless "Rose Petals Fall from Her Face."

At least Warfare's songs -- among them relative album "highlights" like "Dance of the Dead" and "Limit Crescendo" -- were a little more approachable than their black metal buddies', but they came in for the same critical bashing, nonetheless.

And yet, because Warfare carried themselves without airs or pretense, Pure Filth's proletarian simplicity and crude charms have aged better than you might expect, and its full-length follow-up, Metal Anarchy, showed marked improvement on all fronts.

Of course, Evo and company managed to cock it all up after that, but that's another blog ...

More Warfare: Metal Anarchy.

[skelegun]

I watched “Cross of Iron” (1977) directed by Sam Peckinpah last night. I highly recommend it to people who like historical films, and anti-war movies. Below will be some spoilers so if you don’t want those go watch the movie.

It’s set on the Eastern Front in 1943. The film starts with children singing in German while various black and white archive footage WWII plays. The protagonist is a German soldier named Steiner who is disillusioned with the war and with Germany. The central conflict is between him and his newly transferred in superior officer Stransky. Stransky is of Prussian aristocratic blood, and gave up a cushy posting in occupied Paris for the chance to win the Iron Cross. They instantly despise each other as their first interaction is Stransky ordering Steiner to execute a Soviet child soldier they took prisoner, which Steiner refuses to do. Steiner tells Stransky to do it himself if he wants to so badly, Stransky can’t bring himself to though.

Shortly after arriving, Stransky discovers that his adjutant Lt. Triebig is a gay, and in a relationship with a subordinate, and uses this as blackmail against him, threatening him and his boyfriend both with execution, telling them he will hang them together slowly. Soviets attack their position and in the chaos, Stransky cowers in his bunker, the child prisoner they took is gunned down in the crossfire, and Steiner is wounded.

Steiner wakes up in a hospital, and there is a really neat sequence where we experience his concussion through surreal editing. Steiner returns to the front and is given the rank of Sergeant. Stransky asks him to sign a document saying he witnessed Stransky lead the counterattack so that he may receive his Iron Cross. The document requires two officers to sign, and the blackmailed Triebig is the other.

When Steiner refuses to sign it he and Triebig are called before Colonel Brandt, Brandt basically confirms he knows that Stransky is a lying sack of shit, and if Steiner won’t sign the sign document he will launch an investigation would could lead to both Stransky and Triebig being punished. This causes Steiner to hesitate, and have a breakdown explaining to Brandt that he hates the war, he hates Germany, and he hates every officer even the more sympathetic ones like Brandt.

Shortly after this Soviets launch a massive offensive against the Germans, and Stransky receives the order to retreat. He orders Triebig to give the retreat order to Steiner’s platoon, but once Triebig starts to speak into the phone, Stransky cuts the phone line. Steiner and his men never receive the order and are soon engulfed in a massive Soviet attack. This sequence was spectacular, as real authentic WWII T-34 tanks were used. At one point in the battle Steiner and his men are forced to take shelter in a broken factory, which leads to an awesome scene where a T-34 drives right through the wall of the factory!

Steiner and his men are now trapped behind enemy lines. They desperately try to make it back to the German lines, at one pointing stumbling upon an unsuspecting all female Soviet brigade. Two of Steiner’s men try to take advantage of the captured Russian women and are killed. Steiner let’s the surviving women go but takes their uniforms. They use the ill-fitting uniforms to infiltrate the Soviet lines. He contacts the German command and informs them he survived and will be returning with some Russian POWs (his men in Russian uniforms). Stransky had assumed Steiner was dead, and without him to testify Brandt wouldn’t be able to prosecute him and Triebig. When Stransky learns though that Steiner survived and will be returning with a bunch of men in Soviet uniforms he suggests to Triebig that “accidents” happen in war and that he will trust Triebig to handle it.

As Steiner and his men approach the German lines disguised as surrending Soviet forces, Triebig orders a machine gunner to fire on them. The loader pleads with him not to, as they look like unarmed Soviet prisoners with their hands up being marched by a few German soldiers, but to no avail. Most of Steiner’s men are cut to ribbons. The Soviets begin bombarding the German position. Steiner reaches the German trench and Triebig tries to squirm out of responsibility, Steiner in a fit of rage guns him down. The Soviets start their massive assault at this time, and Colonel Brandt basically accepts his fate and prepares to go down in a blaze of glory.

Steiner finds Stransky, and tells him that Triebig failed. Stransky pretends to not know what he is talking about. Steiner threatens to kill him, but Stransky says that he is no coward. Steiner decides to show him “where the iron crosses grow” and hands him a gun. Stransky thinks about killing Steiner with the gun but decides against it and follows him into battle. Steiner starts to cackle like a madman as Stransky starts shooting at a Soviet child soldier before running out of ammo and desperately asking Steiner how to reload his gun. The film cuts to various black and white still images of war crimes as children sing and Steiner cackles.

It was a fantastic anti-war film. The action sequences were amazingly well shot, and the use of authentic WWII weaponry and vehicles were fantastic. Also I found the subplot about Triebig and his homosexuality interesting for a movie from 70s, yes he is an antagonist in the film but he is an unwilling one, who you see his gradual corruption at Stransky’s hands, it’s arguable that he didn’t cross any moral threshold until the end when he ordered the firing at the prisoners. Steiner even seemed sympathetic towards him to a certain point as evidenced by his reluctance to testify against Stransky when Brandt mentioned that it would also implicate Triebig.

My only real gripe with the movie is the ending, I felt it could have used more work. It just kind of ends abruptly. I read however that they had a much more spectacular ending planned but they ran out of both time and budget so they had to cobble something together last moment.

I highly recommend it. Apparently there is a sequel where Steiner returns, and this time is in France, and is plotting to kill Hitler or something, it’s by a different director and it got terrible reviews. It sounds really dumb and I probably won’t watch it, I kinda interpreted the ending of this one that Steiner accepted his fate and him and Stransky probably died off screen moments later. Having him survive and now be on the Western front seems like kinda of a cop out.

[bugbearsandbookends]

Let's go fight it out in Doggerland: looking at A War Transformed

Ever heard of Doggerland? It was a marshy land mass—a “land bridge”- connected prehistoric Britain and Europe for millennia until it was swallowed by rising tides. Even today, archaeologists, fishermen, and petroleum workers dredge up mammoth tusks, spearheads, and flint axes from this ancient world that was. I’ve been obsessed with Doggerland for years, so when I saw @ospreygames and Frederick Silburn-Slater’s wargame “A War Transformed: WW I on the Doggerland Front” I snapped it up at once. It’s a wargame and I don’t have any wargame pals, but after reading this I might have to make some. Anyway, here’s the gist: During WW I a mysterious comet named “Summerisle” (if you get the reference we’re friends) passed between the Earth and the moon, sending pieces of the latter slamming into the former and altering its orbit forever. The altered orbit causes ancient Doggerland to rise again, opening a new front in the war. That’s not all, though: The Old Gods of primeval Europe return, and with them magic and forgotten monsters. Now witches, cunning folk, and shamans mingle with machine gunners, dvine horrors match strengths with cannons, and tank treads crush mammoth bones half-buried in the fish-stinking, briny muck of what was once the sea floor. This is where folk horror meets the real horror of World War One, and the results are stupendous. I haven’t actually played yet—again no wargamer friends—but it’s a world I really want to experience. The rules seem moderately complex, but not impossibly so, just enough that you probably can’t get by with a quick skim. But forget the rules for a second and think about the creative opportunities. As you can imagine, this collision of pagan magic and mechanized warfare could make for incredible terrain and miniatures, and from what I’ve seen, players are kitbashing together all sorts of wild stuff: Menhirs, monsters, muddy trenches, marksmen, the possibilities are endless and I want in. (I just need to make those wargamer friends….)

[cyberbenb]

The flaws in Ukraine's new brigades and foreign training programs

Newly formed brigades within the Ukrainian military face critical challenges on the front lines. Poor management, lack of experience, and inadequate training have resulted in territorial losses, damaged equipment, and tragic casualties. NATO’s training methods often fail to align with the realities of modern warfare. Despite receiving advanced equipment and personnel, these brigades falter due to weak coordination and leadership.

These units lack a solid command and control “backbone.” Their core comprises reserve officers, officers from non-combat roles, and individuals promoted despite prior underperformance in combat positions.

One of the most striking examples is the 155th Mechanized Brigade. Despite receiving modern equipment, training in France, and near full staffing, the unit’s command lacked experience and an understanding of combat management, organization, and critical support elements, rendering it ineffective. Over 1,700 soldiers have gone AWOL (absent without leave).

These brigades are often redeployed to the front, far from their assigned sectors. After gaining some battlefield experience within “established” brigades, they are stripped of equipment, weapons, and personnel. I know of approximately 10 such brigades operating under these conditions.

Commanders are chosen by military leadership, and Western partners equip these units with advanced weaponry, including armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, and tanks. However, most soldiers lack the training to effectively operate this equipment in combat.

Instead, experienced specialists in the established brigades, who know how to operate such weapons, are temporarily assigned to infantry roles. Artillerymen, mechanics, anti-tank gunners, and drone operators are placed in infantry positions due to limited expertise elsewhere. New equipment, like Mk 19 grenade launchers and M2 Browning machine guns, replace older systems, like T-64 tanks and AGS-17 grenade launchers — but only temporarily.

In Europe, soldiers may learn basic skills like shooting rifles and throwing grenades, but this accounts for only 10-15% of what is needed to survive. To endure on the battlefield, an infantryman must know how to camouflage, maneuver, set up positions, counter drones, provide medical aid, conduct surveillance, report accurately, and coordinate with comrades. Trust in leadership, which ensures comprehensive planning and support, is paramount. Unfortunately, such vital training is often neglected abroad and exists in Ukraine only within seasoned units.

“In Europe, soldiers may learn basic skills like shooting rifles and throwing grenades, but this accounts for only 10-15% of what is needed to survive.”

For example, officers of the 155th Mechanized Brigade were unable to lead troops to positions near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast because their transport lacked a radio-electronic warfare system, leaving them unable to navigate safely. Driving unarmored vehicles to the front is perilous, and even military buses are unsafe just 10 kilometers from the front line.

An infantryman typically receives an assault rifle, four magazines, body armor, a helmet, a first aid kit, and a uniform. Yet, survival also requires radios, extra batteries, tablets, additional magazines, grenades, shovels, trench radio-electronic warfare systems, and drones like the Mavic. Volunteers and soldiers' families supply most of these essentials — everything except the grenades.

Photo for illustrative purposes: A recruit from the 108th Separate Mechanized Battalion "Da Vinci Wolves" trains to operate drones in central Ukraine on March 12, 2024. (Valentyna Polishchuk / Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

When a soldier joins a unit equipped with adequate resources and confident leadership, he will do everything to stay. Conversely, soldiers sent to positions immediately after European training or basic military training in Ukraine, without further preparation, often face fatal outcomes or abandon their posts.

Soldiers sent to positions immediately after European training or basic military training in Ukraine, without further preparation, often face fatal outcomes or abandon their posts.

Time that could have been spent on coordination, adaptation, and effective task distribution was squandered. This failure to prepare has resulted in poorly motivated, untrained soldiers, leading to operational setbacks and heavy casualties.

The realities of modern warfare show that foreign training, unless adapted to Ukrainian conditions and integrated with unit practices, is not only ineffective but dangerous. Ironically, our soldiers — mechanics, drivers, tankers, artillerymen, grenade launchers, and machine gunners — often teach NATO instructors how to operate the equipment provided. All we truly need from our partners is a proper maintenance manual.

Substantial reforms are urgently needed in Ukraine’s basic combat training. However, no reforms can succeed without commanders who earn the trust of soldiers and volunteers alike. The absence of this trust has led many soldiers to leave struggling brigades in favor of units with better leadership, taking advantage of laws decriminalizing initial desertion. Resources — both personnel and equipment — must be allocated to units that prioritize the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and deliver results.

Editor’s Note: This article was published by Ukrainska Pravda in Ukrainian on Jan. 10, 2025, and has been translated and republished by the Kyiv Independent with permission. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.

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Putin’s war economy is running on fumes as inflation and shortages surge

Russian President Vladimir Putin frequently boasts about the strength of his country’s economy, claiming that Western sanctions only made it stronger (while in the same breath demanding that they be lifted). In fact, “stagflation” — inflation combined with minimal growth — is coming to Russia. His w…

The Kyiv IndependentAnders Åslund

[govindhtech]

Void Crew And Towers Of Aghasba Accelerated By NVIDIA DLSS

Performance in the Towers of Aghasba and Void Crew is now being accelerated by NVIDIA DLSS.

In order to give GeForce RTX gamers the best possible PC experience, over 600 games and applications use RTX technologies, and new titles using NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Reflex, and sophisticated ray-traced effects are published or announced every week.

Void Crew, which supports DLSS Super Resolution, formally released this week. Towers of Aghasba with DLSS Super Resolution is currently accessible. Additionally, new hardware-accelerated ray-traced effects that fully use GeForce RTX Ray Tracing Cores have been introduced to War Thunder.

With DLSS Super Resolution, the Void Crew is now out

Void Crew is a cooperative roguelite for one to four players developed by Hutlihut Games and Focus Entertainment. You and your companions join METEM’s selected clone warriors and set off on a journey into the unknown. As a crew, you will assume the roles of Engineer, Scavenger, Pilot, or Gunner to confront the dangers that lie deep within METEM’s dominion. Your task? Restore order by resisting the enigmatic HOLLOW, an extraterrestrial power unlike any other and try not to freak out!

Void Crew has left Early Access, bringing with it a ton of new technical features and content. To enhance their space explorations, GeForce RTX players may now use DLSS Super Resolution to speed up performance.

War Thunder Ray Tracing & DLAA Update: Now Available

War Thunder by Gaijin Entertainment lets players control hundreds of realistic tanks, aircraft, battleships, and other ground vehicles in arcade and realistic modes. War Thunder included NVIDIA Reflex and DLSS Super Resolution since 2013.

Gaijin Entertainment has added support for a number of new hardware-accelerated ray tracing effects in War Thunder’s most recent version, which improves the realism of the game’s settings and vehicles. In order to guarantee that effects scale across a variety of PC setups, players may now activate options for ray-traced ambient occlusion, ray-traced opaque reflections, ray-traced transparent reflections, ray-traced water, and ray-traced shadows in-game. Each of these options has quality levels.

Because each GPU has dedicated Ray Tracing Cores that significantly speed up ray tracing workloads, GeForce RTX gamers will have the most performant experience when enabling War Thunder’s new ray-traced effects. Additionally, users of GeForce RTX may increase frame rates even more because DLSS Super Resolution was added back in 2021. On rigs where performance is already good, you may also activate DLAA for optimal graphical quality (choose DLSS with Native Quality to enable DLAA).

Additionally, the availability of Reflex, which lowers system latency and gives GeForce gamers an advantage in heart-pounding multiplayer games, allows GeForce users to make War Thunder gaming even more responsive.

Towers of Aghasba with DLSS Super Resolution Are Now Available

Dreamlit’s Towers of Aghasba is an open world full of strange individuals and magnificent animals. Create a flourishing island society in harmony with the environment by transforming desolate areas into thriving ecosystems and showing off your inventiveness. Bring your pals over to your ideal island to create, gather, and relax.

For an even speedier experience, GeForce RTX players may use DLSS Super Resolution to increase frame rates.

Towers of Aghasba Price

Towers of Aghasba is now available on PC through Steam and the PlayStation 5 for $29.99 in Early Access. Six explorable zones, three different ecosystem kinds, and three different town types to construct and embellish are just a few of the gameplay aspects available during the Early Access phase. In addition, players may repair the island’s ecosystems, explore a variety of terrains, and play cooperative multiplayer with up to three pals. After the Early Access term, which is anticipated to last between 12 and 18 months, ends, the creators want to raise the fee.

Head Back Soon For Even More RTX Games

More DLSS integrations for a wide variety of games are on the horizon. To view the whole list of more than 600 RTX-enhanced games and applications, and check back frequently for a preview of the upcoming DLSS and RTX titles.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[c45s-art-corner]

*A steady gale from the ocean kept the thick smoke from creeping too close and perverting the scent of the storm. My mentor at the time had this longing look on his face as he gazed out over the vast fields of wheat, staring off into the far distance as the smoke danced before us.

“Rain always clears the mind… cleansing the air of pollutants, cleansing the grime and blood that cakes the treads of our boots, the stains on armor… Rain always cleanses.

It brings back memories of a better time. A time when souls were pure and families could travel unabated, without fear for their children. A time when most never had to know the wail one makes from loss— the sounds a parent makes when finding their baby… a brother finding their sister…

The rain cleanses many things… but it will never cleanse tarnished souls. It will never be able to fill in the cracks and breaks of a soul who has to bear the burden of witness.”

As the fires burn in the distance, the fighting is drowned out by the frogs and bugs singing. I look up to my Commander as I tried to make sense of his words, hoping he would look down and see my confusion. Yet he continued to gaze off into the distance, and preach his inner thoughts...

“An individual has a choice when they hit this point, they can either surrender to the will of others or they can drag themselves out… friends, brothers, and sisters in arms aid each other— for we all wish to be cleansed once more…”

… I wish I had understood his words better in the moment, I wish I had recognized this as a cry for help. I lacked the experience or wisdom of others to even imagine my mentor faltering behind the persona he displayed… fearless, compassionate, and patriotic. In the end, SPC2 Bright chose to surrender and went quietly into that good night.

—

Page 177 from the memoir, Clipped Wings, by Master Gunner RET. Antonov Zespyr in regard to The Aragonite Tank ACE: “Basilisk 1”, Senior Specialist (SPC2) Andrew Bright (1st Armored Calvary, Aragonite Republic), during the Defense of The Second Isle (2006) against the Armed Federation of Jouqlin (Unification Wars 1996-2010).

[ultrajaphunter]

In a striking example of battlefield ingenuity and the enduring capability of older military hardware, an old Ukrainian T-64BV Main Battle Tank (MBT) accomplished a notable feat by destroying a modernized RuZZian T-72B3 tank. This incident has drawn attention to the T-64BV's continued relevance and effectiveness in modern warfare. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

The T-64BV, though older in design, can fire Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) rounds and AT-8 Songster missiles.

The APFSDS round is known for its high penetration capabilities, making it particularly effective against contemporary tank armor including ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor).

The T-64BV's success in this engagement can be largely attributed to the use of these rounds, which are designed to penetrate heavy armor, something the T-72B3, despite its modernizations, is still vulnerable to.

Another factor contributing to the T-64BV's success is its experienced crew. In tank warfare, the skill and experience of the crew play a significant role in the effectiveness of the vehicle.

Ukrainian tank crews have honed their skills in the ongoing conflict, combining their expertise with the T-64BV's capabilities to effectively engage and destroy more modern main battle tanks.

Furthermore, this incident highlights the dynamic nature of armored warfare, where technology and tactics continually evolve.

The destruction of a T-72B3 by an older T-64BV tank serves as a reminder that in warfare, it's not just the age or the advanced technology of the equipment that matters,

but also the strategy, tactics, and skill of the personnel operating it.

The Ukrainian forces' ability to use their existing arsenal effectively against more modern equipment is a testament to their adaptability and strategic acumen in the face of a technologically advanced adversary.

This engagement underscores the fact that in the complex chess game of armored warfare, older equipment when used effectively, can still yield surprising and significant results.

The T-64BV entered into service with the Ukrainian army in 1976. (Picture source Wikimedia)

The T-64BV, a main battle tank originally from the Soviet era, has been significantly enhanced over the years, incorporating advanced features in both its firepower and fire control system that ensure its continued relevance in modern warfare.

In terms of firepower, the T-64BV is equipped with a powerful 125mm smoothbore gun, capable of firing a variety of ammunition including Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS), High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT), and High-Explosive Fragmentation (HE-Frag) rounds.

The APFSDS rounds, in particular, are known for their high velocity and exceptional armor-piercing capabilities, making the T-64BV a formidable opponent against modern armored vehicles.

Alongside its primary armament, the tank also features secondary armaments, including a coaxial machine gun and a heavy machine gun mounted on the turret, which enhances its capability in engaging infantry and low-flying aircraft.

The fire control system of the T-64BV is a key aspect of its combat effectiveness. It includes a computerized IG43 fire-control system, which enhances targeting accuracy and engagement efficiency.

The tank is also equipped with thermal sights for both the tank commander and the gunner, specifically the TPN-1-TPV Ukrainian night sights.

These thermal sights significantly improve the tank's operational capability in low-light conditions, allowing for effective engagement of targets regardless of the time of day.

Additionally, the T-64BV features a two-axis stabilized IG42 laser rangefinder sight and a 1V517 tank ballistic computer. These systems work together to provide accurate range information and ballistic calculations, essential for precise targeting.

The tank's main gun is stabilized on two planes using a 2Eh26M armament stabilizer, allowing for accurate fire while on the move.

This capability is crucial in dynamic combat situations, where mobility and firing accuracy are key to survival and effectiveness on the battlefield.

The first RuZZian-made T-72B3 Main Battle Tank was delivered to the RuZZian army in 2010. (Picture source Vitaly Kuzmin)

The RuZZian T-72B3 is a modernized version of the classic T-72 main battle tank, representing a significant upgrade in terms of firepower, protection, and mobility.

This tank is equipped with a powerful 125mm 2A46M-5 smoothbore gun, capable of firing a range of ammunition including high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds.

The firepower is further enhanced with a coaxial 7.62mm PKTM machine gun and a 12.7mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun.

The T-72B3's main gun is complemented by an automatic loader, reducing crew requirements and increasing the rate of fire.

In terms of protection and technology, the T-72B3 features significant advancements.

It is equipped with Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armor (ERA), improving its resilience against anti-tank weapons.

The tank's mobility is boosted by a more powerful 840-1130 horsepower engine, depending on the variant, enabling better maneuverability and speed in diverse terrains.

The T-72B3 also includes modernized systems like the Sosna-U gunner sight, integrated thermal imaging, and an improved fire control system that enhances target acquisition and engagement accuracy.

These upgrades make the T-72B3 a formidable opponent on the modern battlefield, combining legacy design with contemporary military technology.

[jeanjauthor]

This worked very well due to several factors.

First, the Russians lost their highly trained tank crews in the first invasion wave several months back, so now they're using undertrained and inexperienced crews, who are much more prone to uncertainty and panic.

Second, the positioning was optimal. The Bradley is meant to support infantry against infantry, not go up against bigger and more heavily armed tanks, like their opponent was in this battle. The T-90 was not met head-on, where its armor is strongest, but instead was encountered from the rear, where its armor is lighter.

Third, while some claim the 25mm "machine gun" isn't super-strong, it still can hit quite hard. There is some question as to whether or not they were firing DUs, or depleted uranium rounds. (I am not certain how "depleted" they are, but presumably quite spent for the safety of the soldiers handling it.) But either way 25mm is basically an inch in diameter, and will dent armor even if its mass is not as dense as a DU round.

At the back of the tank tends to sit the engine, and a lot of delicate machinery. The weapon being fired has the capacity to fire 200 rounds a minute, with what appeared to be stabilization equipment, ensuring the weapon remains on target even if the rest of the tank moves (which it did).

Let that sink in. 200 rounds a minute, with targetting assistance.

That's three-and-a-third inch-thick rounds slamming into its target every single second.

We only see the tracer rounds in the video, which are spaced out every X number of rounds. (This helps the gunner / rifleman keep track of ammo depletion so they'll know when to grab a new magazine / load a new cannister, etc.)

The Bradley crew was in the best possible position to take on a T-90. At its rear, with a weapon that, while comparatively weak, could be used like a jackhammer to dig a hole through that rear armor plating.

Even so, they could have been inexperienced, unsure, unfamiliar with their equipment, or could have had a miscommunication. But they did not, and they were not. It is clear they worked well together, had good ideas on what to do, and were practiced enough with their equipment to pull it off.

And the Ukrainians are fighting desperately to keep their freedom and their homeland from being claimed by their former oppressors. (Please remember that Soviet Russia attempted cultural genocide on the language & culture of Ukraine, and came close to succeeding; they have held onto their language by incredible grit & determination, even if everyone had to learn "only" Russian for several decades, across multiple generations.) People who are determined to preserve their homes and their lives will have far stronger motivation to do so.

The Russians, on the other hand, are being told to invade after being told packs of lies...and they're slowly learning that those claims are lies. This disillusionment, when the illusion is destroyed by learning the truth, can be very disheartening. The gung-ho enthusiasts have been whittled away by hometurf dogged determination, leaving behind an ever-increasing percentage of people who don't want to be there.

Training and morale issues broke the Russians far faster than it would have the Ukrainians. If they had been able to re-orient themselves in the T-90 and fire their weapon at the Bradley, they would've most likely won. Of course, it is also possible they were out of ammunition for their turret, but if so, they should have returned to their base for reprovisioning. If they were in the middle of doing so with the T-90 when the Bradley came up behind them...then yeah, they were SOL.

A combination of several factors favored the Ukraininan Bradley crew and disfavored the Russian T-90.

But the most powerful factor in all of this was the Bradley crew seizing the good opportunity they had, hitting as hard and fast as possible from behind with coordination and training.

You cannot replace training, experience, and cooperation.

Since I just saw RT trying to sell the battle between the T-90M and the two Bradleys as a “win”, here’s some memes about it.

And Friendly Reminder that the 25mm chaingun was never meant to be used against tanks, that’s what the TOW missiles were for, and yet those crews successfully used it to completely clown on Russia’s most modern tank in actual service, the equivalent of a BMP-2 taking out an Abrams.

[argumate]

The Russian military’s policy of funneling new recruits into pre-existing units as individual-level replacements are continuing to create incohesive formations down to the team level. A Washington Post journalist reported that Ukrainian forces captured a Russian tank team near Mykolaiv with three soldiers from three different sources: a driver who was a mobilized prisoner with paratrooper experience in the Russian military, a commander from the Wagner Private Military Company, and a gunner who was a mobilized Ukrainian from Luhansk.

diversity win, these soldiers have no idea what they're doing!

[letrune]

Fallout 4 factions are flawed

Time for a gaming hot take: Fallout 4 is a fun, flawed game. It’s like a well-done plate with fries and sauce but someone forgot the main meal and you just got it in the last minute... Fallout 4′s main story is having potential but is simply lacking. Quick addon: a mod making it so that you are a random Wastelander or another Vault Dweller fixes the main issue of it, the “we got to save Shaun” part.

Now, let us check the sauce and side dishes, the factions. They are strange.

The Minutemen is your faction. They are just random wastelanders joining forces to defend themselves. They are lacking any proper story after their demise, and it is fine.

The Brotherhood of Steel is a mainstay of Fallout when you are lazy, you need to figure something out. So, making them a crusading feudalist army here to conquer the Commonwealth? Neat! I was expecting them to have a castle built out of bricks and such, but alas, it is fine without that. Their goal is to “cleanse the Commonwealth”. Okay, so... Wait, that’s it? We are done with them already? Awww man. I as expecting some complexity. Besides Arthur, I got no idea who is even there. It’s annoying, because I recall the woman who is confined in a power armour frame because of her legs, but... She is just a side character who may not even appear again?

The Railroad is a nice, deliberately flawed spy network with the single-minded goal of liberating synths. Neat! So, who are you guys? Oh, we got Desdemona! Tinkerer Tom! Neat, we got some characters I can even recall. Their missions must be mostly sneaky ones, right? Somewhat, but we can just kick the doors down! Lovely. Them being so single-minded makes some sense, but... I miss the idea of them having more side projects.

The Institute? They are made like they are a bunch of bad guy scientists. They got some leader who supposedly gives a goal, but... What? They make synths, okay, but... Why, if they are just staying hidden? Oh, maybe they simply LACK a goal and just mindlessly “experiment”, everyone doing their own, like a take on the Think Tank from New Vegas. So... So...? Guys? Nothing? Not even internal fights between small factions?

DLC factions have:

Far Harbor: DiMa’s refuge, the citizens of Far Harbor and the Children of Atom. They are fine, like it how they are interconnected. They have choices, but locked in a stalemate before you appear. Neat!

Nuka-World: traders are just... nobodies, sad to say. The gangs got plenty of character, and I like that they are ACTUALLY hating each other. Neato!

Automatron only has a more fancy team of raiders and the big bad, they are just a small excuse for a fight. I like them as they are.

Wait, hold up. The smaller factions with their ideas got enough fun! Why are the big factions all seemi... ooooooh, because they are BIG, and thus need more detail! The writers simply had no time, energy or details to make it work. It could be fixed with more content being put into them. For instance, the Minutemen could have more than just retaking the Castle, they could have their war with the Gunners (hello, mods!) and such!

However, I do like how ALL factions are morally gray. The BoS are neofeudalist conquerors with good intentions and a charismatic dangerous leader. The Railroad is helpful but hyperfocused. The Minutemen are just a bunch of citizens... And the Institute is pretty much a gang of people who could fit the bill on what a certain character said in New Vegas: they are not considering the effects of their experiments.

[mariacallous]

In an interview Thursday, Rear Admiral Vladimir Tsimlyansky, speaking as an official representative of the Russian Armed Forces, revealed more details about the country’s “partial mobilization” that was announced on September 21.

Here's a summary of what he said.

Russia’s mobilization will affect citizens with experience necessary to perform certain military tasks: “That refers, of course, to riflemen, tank operators, artillery gunners, drivers, and driver-mechanics.”

There’s no official order in which people are to be drafted, but priority will be given to people with the military skills that are most needed.

One of the main factors determining whether a person is drafted will be combat experience.

Conscription will affect rank-and-file soldiers up to 35 years old, junior officers up to 50 years old, and senior officers up to 55 years old.

Some jobs, such as medical workers, can be done by women who have the appropriate skills, but the need for those positions is minimal.

There are no quotas for how many people to conscript, but each subject of the Russian Federation has a separate target for how many troops to supply. These targets are based on “existing human mobilization reserves.”

Mobilized troops will receive the same status, payments, and social guarantees as contract soldiers.

Who won’t be mobilized:

Certain defense industry employees

People declared temporarily unfit to serve for health reasons

People responsible for providing constant care to family members or to people with certain disabilities

People with four or more dependent children under the age of 16

People whose mothers have four or more children under the age of 16 and who care for the children in place of their father

Retired veterans who have been removed from the draft registry

People who live outside of Russia and aren’t on the draft registry

On Russia's annual fall conscription:

The annual fall draft will take place as usual and will have no connection to the “special military operation.” All soldiers conscripted as part of the annual draft will perform their military service on Russian territory.

The mobilization will not affect full-time students.

This fall, 120,000 people will be drafted into the army as part of the annual fall draft. Even with the “special military operation” ongoing, this will fully meet the needs of Russia’s security forces.

Russian Defense Ministry Sergey Shoigu said earlier that the mobilization effort declared on September 20 will affect “300,000 reserve troops,” and will only apply to people who have already served and have military training and combat experience.

Vladimir Putin’s official mobilization decree includes a classified paragraph marked “for official use.” According to Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, the confidential section contains the number of soldiers to be mobilized. A source from the Putin administration told Novaya Gazeta Europe that the paragraph allows for up to one million people to be drafted, something the Kremlin denied.