Couple of noobish questions.

[Fubar]

I'm just starting my most up to date (2007) game of MBT and i noticed that a couple of the values in the info box have changed, i now see a stat called TI/GSR and after that it says CIWS Shots 1, what does that refer to?

Also i'm a bit of a fluff freak and it bugs me that i'm prolly buying unrealistic mixtures of units, is there a website that has OOB's covering the time periods that the WinSP games cover so i have more idea of what would make up a realistic formation.

Thanks in advance.

[retired from gaming]

For OObs get in touch with Shortreengage.

[Grumbler]

TI/GSR is a Thermal Imaging and range finding system. IIRC it also can relay GPS co-ordinates, which gives it a bonus when spotting for arty.
The CIWS is a counter missile system. It can either be something to screw up the guidance of an ATGM or a hard kill system that destroys the ATGM before it hits the target. IIRC, in game terms they are treated the same due to limitation in the source code. In the real world they are vastly different systems, with the hard kill system being lethal to troops nearby. The US Army is working on a hard kill system that is accurate enough to not be a mass slayer of supporting infantry. I think the Russians use something like a claymore that puts out a cloud of hard sharp things for the missile to run into. Unfortunately for any nearby troops, those things don't stop if they miss the ATGM, but keep on going. That is not healthy for the infantry supporting the MBT, so those infantry end up staying to far from the MBT to support it correctly.
What is needed is something like the CIWS the Navy uses on it's ships, only smaller. In say a .177 caliber. That's right, a pellet gun using electromagnetic acceleration to get the pellets moving at 5 Km's per sec. or so. Build it like a chain gun so it fires 6 to 12 thousand 'rounds' per second.
The NAVY built an E-M gun that would do the job only the killed the project because they couldn't get it to work on anything bigger then about 50mm. 2 inches is too small to get sailors worked up, so thy cancelled the project. It would be ideal for a light weight anti-tank gun that could be nounted on light tracks in place of a .50. It would be man portable, but the Hyoer missile that the Army spent a few billion on wasn't either.

It made me laugh to see the Army and the Navy spending billion on weapons that the other service could use bu they didn't need. A hyper missile is just the thing for an anti missile missile, while the E-M gun is better in the tank killer role. But, like the Army Navy feud over Aircraft engines in the 30's ( the Army wanted inline, the navy radial), neither side will pay attention to the other, just because they are the other.
I got carried away here. Sorry.

[Fubar]

LOL no worries there Gumbler it's nice to know the fluff behind the game, they sound like smart bits of kit if they can get them to work right.

Another question, when i was looking at my units available i saw some SEAD aircraft, know i'm guessing these aren't some gung-ho cloud seeders but anti-radar planes, whats the best way to use those guys? Do you just call for them and they hunt for active radar or is it still best to actually have a target first before calling them in?

Just a sudden thought but if you have a unit with active radar can it be turned off if you wish?

[Weasel]

Ya ever hear this one?

What do you call Russian infantry riding on tanks?






















Reactive armour!!

[Epoletov [SPR].]

CIWS rename ARENA (DROZD).

It is dangerous to infantry moving near to the tank.

[Grumbler]

Sead are very useful. They carry homing missiles that guide on enemy radar. The program will turn the radar they are targeting ( maybe ALL radars? I don't know for sure) off. I'm not sure if if is just for that turn, part of a turn or while the SEAD plane is making it's pass. I try to co-ordinate my SEAD passes with other air strikes or helio movement. Most of the time I don't see any flying telephone poles heading my way, but sometimes I do. I think it has something to do with the EW rating, but I don't really know.
Two things about SEAD. buy it BEFORE any other air strikes. Remember the program runs right down the list so if you have air strikes that were selected before the SEAD and they are in on the same turn, they will go first, which sorta negates having the SEAD planes.:hissy:
I will target an AD unit if I can, since most SEAD strikes carry either anti armor weapons or anti-personal weapons to drop on the AD while it's defenseless. As far as the ARM (A_nti R_adiation M_issile) goes, it doesn't need a target hex to work. Set your flight path ( not sure why that matters since this all takes place WAAAY off map) and pick a likly spot. The program takes care of the rest.
The manual that came with your CD has a detailed explanation that is better then I'm typing here.
When your enemy has SEAD, ALWAYS buy a radar unit. The game handles airstrikes by looking at the slot 1 and if that slot is empty, making a rally check to see if the aircraft stays for another turn or goes back to base (RTB).
If you have SEAD strikes and your opponent has no Radar units, the SEAD strike will not have to take that moral check to see if it RTB, since it never fires that slot 1 weapon. That means unlimited recon passes by an airplane with very good EW ratings. Good to do, but not good to have done to.:happy:

[shortreengage]

Ya ever hear this one?

What do you call Russian infantry riding on tanks?

Reactive armour!!

Sounds like an old Battletech tactic. Cheesy...

[shortreengage]

I'm just starting my most up to date (2007) game of MBT and i noticed that a couple of the values in the info box have changed, i now see a stat called TI/GSR and after that it says CIWS Shots 1, what does that refer to?

TI = thermal sights 40 hex vis in game(much more IRL >120hexes) Sees through smoke.

GSR = Ground Surveillance Radar. Sees 50+ hexes in game(much,much,much more IRL 100-200hexes) Sees through smoke. Not a fire control related device.

LRF = Laser Range Finder. Determines range. Part of fire control system as it reduces one of the variables in the firing solution.

GPS= Groud Positioning System. Determines own location. When combined with a LRF and the ability to determine azmith to the target it can give a very exact loctation to the artillery.

GPS+LRF+TI are key elements to any high end Forward Observer vehicle or team. Money.....

The rest of the slugs must use older systems and methods and are slower and less accurate.

CIWS= any of a number of anti missile systems. Mostly used by Russians and Chinese. Never used in battle.

VIRSS= Dual spectrum smoke. Blocks TI for a turn.

Also i'm a bit of a fluff freak and it bugs me that i'm prolly buying unrealistic mixtures of units, is there a website that has OOB's covering the time periods that the WinSP games cover so i have more idea of what would make up a realistic formation.

Which OOBs do you need? I posted US Battalion level OOBs for the cold war 1950-90. I have USSR in the early 70s(Up to Division almost done)
and some raw stuff like British TOE at the Regimental/Squadron level.

I'll get those Kuwaitis to you this weekend.

[Fubar]

Hi Paul

Many thanks for the info....

I just found those US OOB's you mentioned, thats just the sort of stuff i was after, any OOB's for the major nations would be very handy indeed.

I did have a good WW2 book on the OOB's of the Normandy campaign which i lent to a mate and who's missus promptly put said book into a charity box.

Last time i ever lent him anything.