Русский корабль - иди нахуй

[Gravy Train 974]

Passing by the shopping cart full of Russian Standard Vodka marked down for 50% within the entry of my local Spec's has been awkward.  Shit's been there for months.

[SL Xpress 7513]

1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

Russia is losing the ability to project power while at the same time having to increasingly rely on China to buy its main exports, and it has to rely on China for almost all imports now.  Definite Chinese advantage.  Russia being cut off from Europe proper will always help China.

I was thinking about the growing tensions between western countries and China. The more that becomes front and center, the more interesting that relationship becomes, in the ancient Chinese curse way of “may you live in interesting times.”

[SL Xpress 7513]

A glowing article regarding Ukrainians ability to master different aspects of the Patriot system while training in Fort Sill. Also some information regarding other Ukrainians who have been training in combined arms tactics. 

Not too surprising regarding the Ukrainians. These are combat veterans on their air defense systems hand picked to undergo the training. Still, it’s a fun article to read for Ukraine fan boys like me. Usually I’d cut and paste the article, but it’s too much of a pain in the butt on my phone, but here’s the link:

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/21/ukrainian-soliders-patriot-missile-training-oklahoma-00088166?cid=apn

[Scheiss Meister 8407]

Reading that article reminded me that a lot of people have trained to kill Russians at Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels over the last 80 or so years.  Hell, probably much longer than that.

[Mullet Free 40]

3 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Russia needs a good 3-to-1 or 4-to-1 ratio to take contested ground (maybe higher these days, what with drones changing the game, and Russia's problems with armor, etc.)

You’re saying that Russia needs 3-4x the men and weapons to take ground? Where are you getting those estimates from? 

[atomheartbevo 89649]

20 minutes ago, Mullet Free said:

You’re saying that Russia needs 3-4x the men and weapons to take ground? Where are you getting those estimates from? 

It's a very old rule of sorts: "The 3:1 rule of combat states that in order that for the attacker to win the battle, his forces should be at least three times the force of the defender. "

Of course that can go up or down depending on the attacker and defender, and the terrain, etc., but the basic premise is if you attack somebody by yourself in a foxhole, you are dead because their attention can be 100% focused on you. If you have 2 (or more) buddies, you can maneuver and flank and distract them and pin them down while somebody gets in close.

It could be higher for the Russians, because the Ukrainians have prepared positions, artillery coverage, missiles for vehicles and aircraft, the front lines under constant surveillance (drones, etc.), and the Russians don't seem to have the armored vehicles needed to get their guys in close, at least in any numbers.  And if the Russians try and build up a group of vehicles, they run the risk of the hitting HIMARS O'Clock.  And Russians don't have air superiority - they try flying in an SU-25 for CAS and it's going down.

3:1 feels like it has to be a minimum for the Russians.  Oh, and the Russian troops don't seem to have the training and leadership needed to actually maneuver and competently take an entrenched position.

[Gatorubet 30211]

3 hours ago, SL Xpress said:

 

A lot of ramifications for this. This war is certainly sealing the fate of Russia in all kinds of ways. I'm curious if it ends up being the advantage for China it seems to be in the short run. I guess it depends on the Western response. 

China sucking natural resources out of Eastern Russia for the next decade be like:

[RPM 26318]

9 hours ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

Russia looks like they'll be reduced to 3 things that will keep them relevant: land mass, nukes, and natural resources. 

 

8 hours ago, Parliament said:

And cabbage

and potato

[KYHorn 17029]

Those sweet USVs might be back in action

 

 

[JesusSweatDuck 17781]

 

 

 

[Captainant 27655]

58 minutes ago, KYHorn said:

Those sweet USVs might be back in action

 

 

It's pretty incredible how much Ukraine has accomplished in this conflict with drones. In the sea or the air, Ukraine has used drones to great defensive effect

[DigglerontheHoof 21186]

30 minutes ago, JesusSweatDuck said:

 

 

 

AKA Cannon Coffin

[BamaATL 16593]

 

[The Dog 44020]

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by The Dog

[BamaATL 16593]

Sums it all up - Plain murderers

 

[MagicSoccerSpray 1732]

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by MagicSoccerSpray

[YGIFS 19450]

Something tells me if I'm ever in a bind with true evil.  And my choices of ally are Kishida and a Colorado Cunt.  I'm going with Kishida.  Just a hunch.  

[Brisketexan 105095]

54 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

Something tells me if I'm ever in a bind with true evil.  And my choices of ally are Kishida and a Colorado Cunt.  I'm going with Kishida.  Just a hunch.  

To be fair, the Colorado Cunts finished fourth in their division last year, so don't write them off just yet.  They could still be a playoff team. 

[Bevo 13576]

54 minutes ago, YGIFS said:

Something tells me if I'm ever in a bind with true evil.  And my choices of ally are Kishida and a Colorado Cunt.  I'm going with Kishida.  Just a hunch.  

I don't understand. Something tells me you were at a Mississippi crossroad and sold your soul for a Canadian Cooch.

[Brisketexan 105095]

8 minutes ago, Bevo said:

I don't understand. Something tells me you were at a Mississippi crossroad and sold your soul for a Canadian Cooch.

No, no.  "Canadian Cooch" was Gordon Lightfoot's little known first album.  More of a bootleg, really.

[Bevo 13576]

6 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

No, no.  "Canadian Cooch" was Gordon Lightfoot's little known first album.  More of a bootleg, really.

Sounds familiar. I think I was in Santa Fe and heard a song on it called Lamy Kitchi-Gami.

[atomheartbevo 89649]

[SquishMitten 10403]

20 hours ago, SL Xpress said:

I guess my biggest issue is I haven't seen a single place along the entire front where Ukraine has managed to push back against the Russians once they take some territory. I can only assume that's on purpose, but from the point of view of an observer, I sure would like it better if I saw more effective Ukraine counter attacks on the advancing Russian forces. I think for many of us on this thread and around the world, a lot of our hopes are being invested in the upcoming Ukrainian counter offensive they've been preparing for now for quite some time. A lot rides on its success, frankly. 

I think that assumption is spot on. Presumably, they take less losses defending than attacking. If our other assumption is correct - that they're holding Bakhmut as long as possible while they train and equip - then taking a near purely defensive position is likely the best strategy. Shit situation for the guys on the ground, but sometimes  sacrifices have to be made in war.

[Parliament 14255]

We didn't bail on Bastogne.

[AUS-97HORN 11757]

6 minutes ago, Parliament said:

We didn't bail on Bastogne.

we also pierced German defenses and hard relieved the encirclement of Bastogne (with or without Patton's help) 8 days after they were first under attack

[MillerEP 30454]

 

[MillerEP 30454]

 

[MillerEP 30454]

 

[MillerEP 30454]

 

[MillerEP 30454]

 

[SL Xpress 7513]

Not trying to get into cloak room, but this is important in terms of US support for Ukraine. Republican Michael McCaul is the head of the Foreign Affairs committee, and he's been very public that we need to do more to help Ukraine. McCaul represents an odd district that runs from west Houston to Austin. 

 

[bolverk 29665]

1 hour ago, MillerEP said:

I watched this one yesterday and highly recommend it. The husband was nearly mortally wounded and thrown into a ditch by Russian soldiers, but the wife got away because a Ukrainian drone with the message "Follow Me" taped to it led her out of there. From the above video, it looks like most of it was captured on film.

[SL Xpress 7513]

UK Defense Intelligence saying Russia may have lost momentum in Bakhmut, with several Russian MoD units reallocated elsewhere.

 

[MillerEP 30454]

 

[atomheartbevo 89649]

22 minutes ago, SL Xpress said:

Not trying to get into cloak room, but this is important in terms of US support for Ukraine. Republican Michael McCaul is the head of the Foreign Affairs committee, and he's been very public that we need to do more to help Ukraine. McCaul represents an odd district that runs from west Houston to Austin. 

Yeah, he's been calling for training Ukrainian pilots and prepping F-16s for a transfer, among other things (he wants more vehicles being sent over).

There's a defense contractor or two (Oshkosh vehicles I think) in his district, but this goes beyond one or two contractors - he's been very vocal about it.

[Scheiss Meister 8407]

1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

Yeah, he's been calling for training Ukrainian pilots and prepping F-16s for a transfer, among other things (he wants more vehicles being sent over).

There's a defense contractor or two (Oshkosh vehicles I think) in his district, but this goes beyond one or two contractors - he's been very vocal about it.

McCaul has been a pleasant surprise to me on Ukraine, so far.  I hope that he sustains that.

[BamaATL 16593]

 

[BamaATL 16593]

Here comes the shitmobile

 

[MissingInAction 25038]

Full metal jacketed Nato rounds would probably go straight through those antiques.

[atomheartbevo 89649]

8 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

Full metal jacketed Nato rounds would probably go straight through those antiques.

Bradleys will tear them apart.

[atomheartbevo 89649]

 

[SL Xpress 7513]

3 hours ago, bolverk said:

I watched this one yesterday and highly recommend it. The husband was nearly mortally wounded and thrown into a ditch by Russian soldiers, but the wife got away because a Ukrainian drone with the message "Follow Me" taped to it led her out of there. From the above video, it looks like most of it was captured on film.

It's been one of the key pieces of video in the ICC hearings. Listening to the husband talk about how he got back to Ukraine held territory was very moving. 

[SL Xpress 7513]

6 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

 

Russian generals say they just haven't run enough vehicles through those minefields yet. They're going to be cleared out in no time.

[SmokeyTheBear 5562]

Ruskies never lose, they just run out of tanks. 

[atomheartbevo 89649]

2 minutes ago, SmokeyTheBear said:

Ruskies never lose, they just run out of tanks. 

We laughed at them as we scrapped our Stuarts, Shermans, and Pattons, and they kept their T-34s in storage, but who is laughing now?

And T-34s can destroy Ukrainian mines just as well as a T-72 or even a T-14.

Edited March 22, 2023 by atomheartbevo

[utee94 15811]

2 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

We laughed at them as we scrapped our Stuarts, Shermans, and Pattons, and they kept their T-34s in storage, but who is laughing now?

And T-34s can destroy Ukrainian mines just as well as a T-72 or even a T-14.

Oh yeah?  Just wait 'til they bust out their T-16s and bullseye every 2m target along the entire battlefront. Especially those in the trenches...

 

[Superhero 8828]

38 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

We laughed at them as we scrapped our Stuarts, Shermans, and Pattons, and they kept their T-34s in storage, but who is laughing now?

And T-34s can destroy Ukrainian mines just as well as a T-72 or even a T-14.

A T-34 will bat 0.00 against a modern tank, but it can still defeat a squad of UKA soldiers without anti-tank weapons.

 

[Chad Fuck 17670]

A T-34 will bat 0.00 against a modern tank, but it can still defeat a squad of UKA soldiers without anti-tank weapons.
 

They have some they keep for parades and such. I’m sure these are some of those.

Besides, they still haven’t made it through their T-54/55s.

[Parliament 14255]

How did they ever keep those T34 engines from siezing up?

[Scheiss Meister 8407]

I could be wrong, but that trainload of T-34s looked shopped to me.  I mean, they would be grapes on the battlefield, and I'd love for the Russkies to send them up as cannon fodder and mine clearing vehicles, but that would be scraping through the bottom of the barrel and into the dirt.