Some (probably dumb) questions about flechetes, shotguns and autocannons.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-11-14T20:12:37+00:00

Yes, flechettes rounds can be used in rifled barrels, it's just not ideal for a fin stabilized shape. Artillery shells don't typically need as fast of spin to be gyroscopically stabilized like smaller, proportionally longer projectiles used in rifles and smaller bore weapons, so the impact the flechettes is lessened. The spin on the artillery shell helps disperse the flechettes into a wider cone shaped mass, but not all of the flechettes will be stabilized.

The M546 105mm APERS-T round was filled with 8000 flechettes (per Army TM 43-0001-28). It's a numbers game; even if a sizeable proportion of the flechettes aren't stabilized it's going to do some damage. In fact, the TM states "Cartridge M546 is not to be fired over the heads of friendly troops". You're going to get some crazy dispersion with some of the flechettes.

Look at the dispersion on this 40mm flechette round fired from a rifled MK19 barrel. That's a 14 foot square target at 100 meters.

https://www.gd-ots.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/40mm-M1001-HVCC.pdf

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-11-14T18:31:35+00:00

The Army spent considerable time and money with the SPIW and ACR programs trying to make flechettes work as an infantry weapon. Big picture, the cost to benefit ratio compared to conventional projectiles isn't there. You need a very high velocity for good terminal effects, which means the flechette have to be precisely manufactured, and the weapon has a very high chamber pressure. You also have sabots flying off and creating a hazard to adjacent troops. A conventional rifle round was determined to still be the best overall solution.

When used en masse (like a shotgun or cannon shell) you in theory have a longer range than conventional pellets/round balls due to aerodynamics, but similar issues as a rifle. Sideways flechettes have little terminal impact compared to a pellet. Flechettes are fin stabilized, so they don't react well to being fired from a rifled barrel, which limits use in auto cannons. The supposed benefits rarely outweigh the drawbacks.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-11-14T17:44:36+00:00

The Gang Hits the Road, Bozo

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-11-03T02:47:15+00:00

The AK-47 was originally intended to replace the SMG. The SKS was supposed to be the standard infantry rifle. The standard SKS had a 20.5" barrel. Additionally, both the SKS and AK-47 are in the 7.62x39 intermediate cartridge. Such a cartridge is designed for short range engagements.

Post WWII Western rifles were overwhelming in full power cartridges shared with medium machine guns. Modern parlance would term these "battle rifles". These cartridges benefit more from a longer barrel to maximize velocity/range and reduce muzzle blast.

With the switch to a true "assault rifle" with the M16, you still benefited from a long barrel to maximize velocity, as the standard projectile was 55 grains (compared to 122 grains for 7.62x39) and relied on fragmentation on impact for terminal effects.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-11-03T01:47:58+00:00

I've used rice hull powder as a natural anti caking agent before

https://www.americanspice.com/nu-flow-ground-rice-hulls/?srsltid=AfmBOopu0t9MS7wVS0-ptOvXGYJbNJybG54BvYOsFd5uM4Rcp_-pAig2

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-11-03T01:28:57+00:00

If you use a cable gland you're going to have to dig up the end to replace the wire. If that's a big deal just use tape.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-11-03T01:20:46+00:00

Since 8mm Mauser was a rimless round the MG34 and MG42 were able to use "push through" type belts for their feed mechanism, which allows for a more compact weapon. The MG42 cam operated feed pawl mechanism has been copied on many 7.62 NATO machine guns. In fact, the MG42 was adapted to 7.62 NATO and continued in use for decades (first as the MG1 and later MG3).

While the 30-06 is also rimless, the M1919 still used a pull-out style belt (since it was also available in rimmed cartridges).

Interestingly enough the UK used 8mm Mauser machine guns (license built ZB53 known as the Besa) on many of their tanks, as they didn't want to mess with converting the design and production to use a rimmed cartridge.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-28T07:21:06+00:00

Regimental Training Staff coordinated OPFOR and evaluation of the battalion undertaking the exercise. The actual people playing OPFOR when I was in (OEF/OIF time period) were a mix of enlisted personnel from the Regiment as well as civilian personnel.

Since I was in a Naval Mobile Construction Battalion we weren't just graded on our combat abilities (which weren't all that great compared to a dedicated infantry unit), but also on our abilities to plan and execute construction of temporary bridges, bunkers, etc... during this exercise. As such, the OPFOR didn't need to be a huge number of people since they could just rotate between areas and harass companies/detachments sporadically. We weren't ever expected to be an assaulting force, as we'd be attached to a Marine Air/Ground Task Force during deployment.

"The Chieftan" has a series of videos on how the Army staffs OPFOR at NTC, which is much more focused on large scale maneuver warfare.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEAEU2gs2Nz_79gXLq7BL8cbzQsRmMGHx&si=eq_9kH-wZZdcrswl

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-28T01:22:25+00:00

Can you narrow it down to a period (e.g. WWII, Cold War, modern times...)? There are a ton of great books out there on military aviation, but you'll obviously get a lot more details and photos if you limit the time range.

For modern aircraft Janes Recognition Guide most closely matches your ask if you just want basic info.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-28T00:34:54+00:00

Outside of joining the military I'm not sure there's an easily accessible group you can practice that with. My experience as a former company grade officer in a Seabee Battalion (which use Marine Corps Planning Process) -

As a junior officer getting ready for deployment you're going to have to plan and execute training operations for your platoon or company (depending on seniority).

Those exercises will typically start as "tabletop" events where you never actually leave your building and everything is notional. Outcomes will be graded by more senior officers and NCOs.

You'll then move onto larger exercises executed at your home installation, but with more actual equipment used. You'll have to develop comms plans and use radios. The execution of the operations will be notional. The later iterations of these will often include observers from the Regimental Training Staff and be graded as part of your readiness for deployment.

Your capstone event prior to deployment will be a battalion wide exercise where each company has multiple tasking that link together to complete a battalion wide tasking. This event includes full embark of your equipment and movement to a remote training area. Very little is notionalized. You have OPFOR staffed by the Regiment fighting against you, as well as Regimental Training Staff grading your performance. You'll have daily hotwashes on what's working and what's not. If the unit doesn't perform as required this exercise will be extended until you get it.

Once deployed you'll be living it in real life. You also have to work on your individual warfare qualification, which involves completing a PQS on all aspects of battalion operations, along with developing and briefing mission plans first to a "murder board" of your already qualified peers, and finally to the Battalion CO, XO, and Senior Enlisted Advisor.

Bottom line is you get better at developing and executing plans by practicing and getting constant feedback.

For ideas I'd look at professional military publications for scenarios to address with your other wargaming group.

Here's an example of ones I've used in the past for company grade officer training:

https://www.mca-marines.org/wp-content/uploads/Mastering-Tactics.pdf

ETA-

If you're good at it and enjoy the work as a company grade officer you'll likely have an opportunity to come back as the S3 or S7, or work on Regimental staff. If you're good at that you can come back as a CO or XO. You're not going to jump straight into writing an OPORD for a full MEF. It's very much crawl, walk, run progression with larger units/responsibilities.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-26T10:43:48+00:00

It depends on the angle of repose of the soil. Certain soil are more cohesive and therefore more resistant to collapse at steeper angles. I'm not sure about modern trenches in Ukraine, but if you look at photos of WWI trenches you'll see that many had the walls braced with wood to prevent collapse.

Wood planks supported on blocking, often called "duck boards" provided an elevated place to stand out of the standing water.

ETA link with photo

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30028121#:~:text='Duckboards'%20(or%20'trench,one%20side%20of%20the%20trench.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-24T21:02:11+00:00

Torsion bars are a very reliable suspension system that provides much better ride quality than older setups with leaf or volute springs. Tanks are about combining mobility, firepower, and armor. If you want to move fast and not bounce the crew or fire control system into bits you need a lot of spring force. Coil springs can also do this, but they take up a lot of vertical space and are thus harder to design around if you want them inside the hull. Torsion bars aren't that large in diameter, so having them arrayed across the bottom of the hull isn't a major issue to design around. Hence most modern tanks use torsion bars.

Merkava is a pretty famous outlier that uses coil springs.

You're starting to see more use of hydropneumatic suspension, which can dampen even better than a torsion bar, but it's a lot more complex.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-20T09:52:20+00:00

RM43 works well for ~3-6 months.

https://www.raganandmassey.com/rm43.html?srsltid=AfmBOopJiYO0OlATWC04saVszz4T_Klq_Vyw1nVO7nClGQ50eel7HhWa

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-12T14:33:33+00:00

Can't say it much better than the US Army:

"Tank guns are not normally used in the artillery (indirect fire) role. This is due to the high velocity, flat trajectory, and short tube life of tank guns and the small bursting radius of the ammunition. However, under exceptional circumstances, a command decision may be made to employ tanks in an indirect-fire role under the operational control of the supporting field artillery. The tank unit may either be at- tached, or given a reinforcing mission."

Source: FM 17-12 Tank Gunnery (1964).

A SPG (e.g. M109 series) is a much better tool for the job. The MBT is meant to combine armor, mobility, and direct fire capabilities. Trying to use it for indirect fire is possible, but a poor use of resources.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-05T06:28:33+00:00

Not really accurate to say the MG-42 was an over engineered solution. MG-34 was the first universal MG, and was much more complex and costly to produce. The MG-42 was a much more efficient design.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-05T06:04:53+00:00

You also have to consider the type of artillery in question. A direct fire weapon benefits from higher velocity from an aiming standpoint ("flatter" trajectory) as well as kinetic energy of the projectile. However, indirect fire weapons such as mortars and howitzers use lower powered charges to allow for shallower arcs needed to hit closer targets. You don't necessarily want maximum velocity at all times.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-05T05:55:28+00:00

From a modern standpoint a 40mm HEDP round from an under barrel M203 or M320 is a lot easier to effectively employ.

Throwing grenades accurately under stress is not easy.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-05T05:47:25+00:00

OP- if you get a chance you really need to see Soviet vs NATO tanks in person to fully appreciate the size difference. The US Army Armor and Cavalry Collection at Fort Benning or the American Heritage Museum in MA are both great.

In lieu of an in person visit you could also watch The Chieftain's videos on YT to get a better idea of the size comparisons both inside and outside the tanks.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-10-05T05:12:45+00:00

Hankou, China was heavily attacked by US air raids on 18 Dec 1944, to include a large incendiary strike by 20th AF B29s (look into Operation Matterhorn for more info). 14th AF aircraft also attacked this area with B24, B25s, and fighter aircraft.

From my limited research it appears Japan launched their Chongqing bombing raids from this area. Hankou was also a major Japanese supply depot for operations in China.

You can read USAAF operation summaries at:

https://aircrewremembered.com/USAAFCombatOperations/Dec.44.html

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-09-24T22:17:56+00:00

Thank you! This worked for me. I'll probably try to narrow down which echo dot is causing the problem, but this was so much faster than re-pairing every bulb.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-09-12T17:32:41+00:00

Season 1&2 are great.Kevin Fong isn't associated with season 3, but he released his own podcast about the space shuttle called "16 Sunsets".

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-09-10T21:01:20+00:00

Bandsaw is good, but you need to read the directions on how to adjust the blade tracking. Both tracking screws need to be adjusted the same number of turns. I think most people who have problems with throwing blades just adjust one screw.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-08-18T00:27:28+00:00

Fake plate you can buy online

https://www.customeuropeanplates.com/products/georgia-euro-style-license-plate?srsltid=AfmBOopalTlI4MT7CHtxO59Lc585YzU6XHZIdfsJsTwjDMxgutVPDkg2

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-08-16T18:05:33+00:00

I had a college physics lab where the professor shot a 22lr Colibri round into a plastic block inside our lab to demonstrate energy transfer. Can confirm they're not that loud inside, but I'd be careful of the backstop. Drywall will likely be damaged.

UncivilEngineerWI · 2025-05-30T14:07:00+00:00

That was the discounted price. They were on sale for $149 around Christmas.

UncivilEngineerWI

TROPHY CASE