MODERN ONLY THREAD

sultanbev · Post by **sultanbev** » Mon Aug 04, 2014 10:11 pm

The 7th probably has 3 Tank Battalions with Merkava IV, whether it is 3 tank companies each of 11 tanks (3x 3 + 2x CHQ) or a rumoured 14 (3x4 + 2 CHQ) is, well, anyone's guess.

The Brigade will also have a Heavy Infantry Battalion in Namers, 3 Companies each of 3 platoons each 4x HAPC. HQ vehicles are probably Zeldas.

I suspect the Brigade has the usual brigade support assets:
Recce Company (Zeldas, 1 platoon of tanks)
Engineer Company (Puma HAPC)
Artillery Battalion (M109)
Anti-tank Company?
and for major war, attached AA Battery/Company.

For the 7th Brigade, being an elite unit, it will have the latest kit, so it's Merkava IV and Namers will have Trophy ADS, and Mini-Spike ATGW for the dismounts. The tank platoons will have integrated fire control system for their 60mm mortars, a system that allows one tank to control the fire of the 60mm mortars of all the tanks in the platoon.

In practice, especially in close terrtain, it is thought that the IDF form mini-companies, of half-companies, of 7 vehicles, eg:
1/2-CHQ: 1 tank, 2 platoons@ 3x tanks OR
1/2 CHQ: 1 tank, 1 platoon: 3 tanks; 1 platoon: 3x Mech squads in APC/HAPC OR
1/2 CHQ: 1x Mech Inf PHQ; 1 platoon: 3 tanks; 1 platoon: 3 Mech squads, in APC/HAPC

Mark

kfeltenberger · Post by **kfeltenberger** » Mon Aug 04, 2014 11:41 pm

Thanks Mark!

The first step is building the basic battalions and then all the support units. I wish GHQ made all the different vehicles as I hate mixing brands due to scale and quality issues.

sultanbev · Post by **sultanbev** » Tue Aug 05, 2014 2:50 am

Interestingly, I saw some ABC news footage today of a US reporter embedded with the IDF Barak Armoured Brigade (188th?), and their heavy infantry battalion were in Achzarits. The footage showed the inside of the vehicle:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/vid ... t-24781611

You get some idea of how thick the rear armour is, never mind the front!
There is another video to go with but can't find it just now. Also goes to show they haven't built enough Namers yet to go round.

(And please, no political ripostes, we all have views, this is posted purely for TOE/technical reference)

Mark

rdenman62 · Post by **rdenman62** » Tue Aug 05, 2014 3:05 am

Been working on a US Army Heavy Brigade Combat Team in 1 to 1 scale. Almost done except for the bdge support battalion. Also working on russian tank division in 1 to 1 scale and that is about 3/4 complete. Also have a small iraq/Arab tank bn and inf bn....

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:48 pm

rdenman62
I like your Hvy BCT, what do you have? what is your TO&E? With what vehicles?
Please share the same info with your Russian division and your Iraqi Tank and infantry btn, please....
What about the trucks, logistics, arty, AA, and other support elements?

Waddell · Post by **Waddell** » Tue Aug 05, 2014 8:15 pm

Per Wikipedia the Israeli 7th Armored Brigade had the following:

Units
71st Battalion was in the 1948 Latrun Battles
72nd Battalion was in the 1948 Latrun Battles
73rd Battalion was in the 1948 Latrun Battles
75th "Romach"/"Lance" Armor Battalion (Merkava Mk.2)
77th "Oz"/"Courage" Armor Battalion (Merkava Mk.2)
79th Battalion was in the 1948 Operation Hiram
82nd "Gaash"/"Rage" Armor Battalion (Merkava Mk.2)
603th "Lahav"/"Blade" Armored Engineer Battalion
Sayeret 7 - 356th Reconnaissance Company
Palhik 7 - 353rd "Hanit/Spear" Communications Company

The article does not say if all or which battalions were present at any given time. Hope this helps!

rdenman62 · Post by **rdenman62** » Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:53 pm

Chrisswim my HBCT is based on FKSM 71-8
May 2011 version....it's an excellent TOE for that. It's full
pictures to show you exactly the type of vehicle it calls for.
As for the Russian tank division it is based on the TOE found
on various sites and some guess work. Iraq/Arab bn is based on
their organization in 2003 during the iraq war. As most Arab states
are based on the old soviet organizational structure the units I have are more
"generic" than exact copies. I have equipment from t55 to t90, btr50 to
Bmp3 and btr80 artillery from d30 to the new Russian sp model.
Trucks from other mfg to all the ghq models. I scratch built some stuff also.
With the equipment I have it allows me to pretty much create any foe that
I want. My next investment is probably gonna be some Chinese formations

rdenman62 · Post by **rdenman62** » Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:39 am

The US equipment is what is currently fielded in today's
HBCT..... M1A2 SEP M2A3 Bradley's up armored hummvee
M109A6....M1068(actually M577 upgraded) ..... You should really check
Out FKSM 71-8 may 2011 version. I know that there are other FKSM
Also..... I think once you see them you'll be impressed

rdenman62 · Post by **rdenman62** » Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:45 am

Also if you or any one else is doing a HBCT in any scale
really whether 1-1 or 1-5 current changes are taking effect.
Artillery bn are going back to 3x6 instead of currently 2x8 and
each BCT will gain an engineer bn and an extra combat bn

rdenman62 · Post by **rdenman62** » Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:51 am

Sorry I meant an engineer company and an additional
combined arms battalion

sultanbev · Post by **sultanbev** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 8:00 pm

For those that love the GHQ TOS-1 model, it is now being delivered to Iraq
http://gurkhan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/1 ... ttacks!%29

This is part of a large order including Mil-28, Sa-22, Mil-35, Su-25:
http://www.defensenews.com/article/2014 ... apons-Iraq

and Azerbaijan have taken another 6 on top of the 3/12/18(?) delivered a couple of years ago:

http://www.armyrecognition.com/august_2 ... 08144.html

The article fails to mention the BMO-T heavy APC on T-72 hull delivered to Azerbaijan.

Mark

rdenman62 · Post by **rdenman62** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:09 am

Speaking of the TOS-1, does anyone know how they are distributed in Russian Army formations?

sultanbev · Post by **sultanbev** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:46 pm

As far as I have been able to find, also published in the MicroMark lists R249M and R265M:

They have 2 independent Flamethower Battalions( 457th and 860th), each with 1 company of 12x TOS-1 in 3 platoons. So about 24 in service, c2010. The same battalions also have 2 companies of assault engineers in MT-LB armed with RPO disposable FAE rockets, and another company in BMT-O heavy APC (the one on the T-72 hull).

I have seen a recent posting showing a few of their combat brigades now have an attached platoon of 3x TOS-1, presumably an independent platoon in the brigade engineer company. That was in 2012, although the same listing seemed to imply that the two above battalions had disappeared from the OOB. However, that website disappeared when the Crimea crisis kicked off in March 2014.

The small numbers of TOS-1/1A being issued and sold abroad suggests to me that the ammunition is very expensive and/or difficult to make, so you wouldn't want troops to be chucking it about with abandon, as you would get if you issued a platoon to each infantry or tank battalion, as most wargamers would

Mark

rdenman62 · Post by **rdenman62** » Wed Aug 13, 2014 6:47 am

Thanks for the reply

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:20 am