M1931 (B-4/M) 203 mm howitzer

[DRG]

If anyone has any hard info on when the Russians stopped using the M1931 B-4(M) 203 mm howitzer let me know please. I've been running into nothing but dead ends or questionable information for this gun

*** I found further info that indicates these guns were in service up to the introduction of the Pion. If anybody has better info please let us know

Don

[badger45]

As far as I know, they were operational in the 80s. Despite their age they were able to fire nuclear projectiles, had new wheeled chassis (fitted in middle fifties) and the numbers of newer 2S7 systems remained too low to fill operational demands and organizational structure of former USSR. This opinion is supported by the fact, that they are listed as treaty limited equipment under CFE in 1992. In a book about Moldovian conflict (published 2004) there is record about B-4M howitzers being in arms depot in Moldovia, that was evacuated by the time of conflict. I guess, the rest of them is scattered in similar locations, not in active units. The more so, that current treaty limited equipment allows to field just the modern pieces (2S7 and 2S4) to fulfill the needs of High Command. So it seems, they were never actually retired, but moved to reserve only as a result of treaty and Yeltzin's arms reductions.

Cheers,

Badger45

[badger45]

This blog - http://jacqueline-devereaux.blogspot...1_archive.html - lists B-4M in service as of 2008. However, looking at the total number of weapons, it is clear, it speaks about equipment distributed to units no matter how they are manned, i.e. including mobilization reserves. The same number of B-4M is also listed in Oxford military balance for 2004-2005.

Sorry for double post, cannot find EDIT button

[DRG]

Originally Posted by badger45

This blog - http://jacqueline-devereaux.blogspot...1_archive.html - lists B-4M in service as of 2008. However, looking at the total number of weapons, it is clear, it speaks about equipment distributed to units no matter how they are manned, i.e. including mobilization reserves. The same number of B-4M is also listed in Oxford military balance for 2004-2005.

Interesting conundrum.

From a Game POV ( as O/M units ) the B-4's are more expensive becasue the crew for a B-4 is much larger than the 2s7/2s7m's so if I keep the B-4's in service once the 2s7/2s7m's are available they are marginally more expensive ( becasue it will be harder to kill them with CB ) but the much better range of the 2s7/2s7m's reduces the number of guns able to CB them quite a bit so I really cannot see a use for them after the 2s7/2s7m's show up

All things considered I think I'll take them OOS in 1980

One interesting point is NOBODY has even mentioned they were missing even though they are a significant weapon but I get reports the AK47 should be AK-47 . The only reason I started looking into it was becasue of the complaint the 180mm gun was never in service so I started looking for what else was available and found that in the WW2 OOB's and started digging

Originally Posted by badger45

Sorry for double post, cannot find EDIT button

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> RIGHT HERE

[Suhiir]

As a guess I'd say they're probably handled much the way the USMC tends to handle a lot of equipment (105mm howitzers for example).
Stored in depots just-in-case.
So while technically still available, short of WW III or an unusual situation you'd never see them in the field.