Polish OOB 5.5

[Pibwl]

It's time to start suggestions on the Polish OOB.

Main sources for AFVs:
- J. Magnuski: "Wozy bojowe LWP 1943-1983" (AFVs of the Polish People's Army)
- article J. Kajetanowicz: "Polskie wojska pancerne i zmechanizowane w latach 1955-1990" in Poligon nr.3/2010 (Polish armoured and mechanized weapons 1955-1990)
- article J. Kajetanowicz: "Prace nad rozwojem sprzętu pancernego w Polsce - przegląd lat 1955-1990" in Poligon nr.5/2010 (Works upon AFV development in Poland)

001 PT-76 - commissioned from 1958 (now: 1/56) [Poligon 5/2010] - needs date change in formation #08. Standard ammo load included 10 AP, 5 sabot and 5 Heat instead of 10AP, 10 Heat [Russian Tekhnika i vooruzhenie 9/2008]

019 PT-76B - variant B was bought in 1962 (now: 1/77) [Poligon 5/2010]. Should be used until 1975 (now: 12/96), then replaced with new variant with DShK and improved vision. Ammo load as above.

702 Marynarka PT-76 - should be named just PT-76B. This name makes no sense (literally "Navy PT-76"), for no Polish amphibian tanks were used by the Navy - landing units belonged to the Army. It should be Polish-modified variant with added DShK AAMG and vision=15-20, used from 1972 (now 1/75) [Poligon 5/2010]. Withdrawn by 1992 (now: 12/96). Machine gun should be #64 PKT instead of #62 SGMT (introduced in PT-76B since 1967 - though it's actually worse weapon in the game...). Icon should be ordinary green 2680, as color photos confirm, not grey.

Weight of PT-76s actually was 14 t (10). I know, that some tanks in the game have exact weight, some not, but I'll try to point out differences from real weight, especially, that same tanks in the OOB happen to have different weights. It might be ignored, if it's considered not important.


002 T-34/85 (Med.tank) - early T-34/85s definitely didn't use Heat rounds - should be replaced with 5 Sabot (in fact, according to quoted Russian source, standard load was 36 HE, 14 AP, 5 sabot - which does not seem practical in tank game). Weight should be 32t (22), like in Russian oob and unit #11.

011 T-34/85 M1 (Obs.tank) - better way of writing is "T-34/85M1" - in fact it could be named just "T-34/85M", because M1 and M2 were only project codes (often found in books, though), and a designation was just M [Poligon 5/2010]. Crew of M variant should be 4.

(I don't know if it fired BK-2/BK-2M Heat rounds, but this is their only chance...)

650 T-34/85 M1 (Obs.tank) - as above. It is doubful, if it fired earlier Heat ammunition, before BK-2. I suggest to arm it as #653 below, with no Heat.

653 T-34/85 M1 (Med.tank) - in fact, M1 modification was introduced only in 1960 (now 1/51). It could be renamed just "T-34/85" and became a tank with slightly improved post-war ammunition of "367" series (see thread http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=48212 ). Then, it should have crew 5(4), RF 3 (2) and ROF 7(6), like unit #002 (there's no reason for lower RF and ROF in this unit)

I suggest to arm it with #230 85mm D44 Gun 69 with no Heat, or #231 modified as below.

By the way: weapon #231 85mm D44 ATG could have increased Sabot penetration. Now it is identical as 85mm ZiS S-53 (AP 12, Sabot 16), while according to that Russian page http://vadimvswar.narod.ru/ALL_OUT/T...O/SuPTO034.htm , max penetration of APCR BR-367P was 210@500m (AP was similar - 119mm). Even older APCR BR-365P pierced 180@100m.

013 T-34/76 M1943 - better name is just T-34/76 (designation M1943 is used only in modern books, wasn't used in service and is redundant, since we have only one T-34/76). Weight should be some 28t (21)

Special variants:

250 T-34/85 PT54 - Speed of T-34 with mine roller was stated in Soviet sources only at 25 km/h [Poligon (Russian) 2/2002]. Possibly ammo should be redistributed to more balanced load, like a standard tank, or is there some rule concerning rollers? Anyway, early T-34/85 didn't use Heat. Weight should be 32 - plus 8t of roller.

Lowering speed should concern all tanks with heavy rollers PT-34 (5 ton), PT-54 (8 ton), KMT-5 (7 ton). KMT-4 and 6 were just blades.

251 T-34/76 PT34 - weight 28t + 8 (21), speed as above.

413 PT-34 - I can't see a difference (but a wrong LBM of T-34/85) from #251 T-34/76 PT34, and it seems redundant. Besides, PT-34 was not a proper name for a vehicle, only for a roller.

418 T-34/76 BTU - weight should be some 30 with dozer (21)

419 T-34/85 PT34 - I think there's no reason why it couldn't be used from 1946 (now: 1/50). Notes on ammo and speed like unit 250, but weight - some 32+5 t (22).

766 T-34/85 BTU - weight should be some 33 with dozer (22). No Heat ammo on early tanks.

Michal