tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post520699732809327895..comments2024-03-15T05:39:01.295-04:00Comments on Tank Archives: Artillery EffectivenessPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09622237223229485503noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-18836333044445278022019-05-19T14:54:52.915-04:002019-05-19T14:54:52.915-04:00I think these reports reinforce the point that tow...I think these reports reinforce the point that towed artillery pieces are quite hard to destroy.<br /><br />British operational research suggested that the destruction of a gun requires either a direct hit, or a medium shell in the gun pit. The main cause of loss was damage to the recuperator, so guns with the recuperator below the barrel were slightly less vulnerable than those with the recuperator above.John D Salthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16723056591368370863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-4309479963886990462016-10-01T10:45:29.568-04:002016-10-01T10:45:29.568-04:00According to german unit war diaries, the counter ...According to german unit war diaries, the counter battery fire on the morning of July, 5th was ineffective.<br />Very few units make mention of it, partly because the timing of the barrage meant that several units had not yet reached their deploymental areas. 292 ID´s diary mentions the counter battery fire which continued for two hours without causing significant losses. The only delay created by the barrage was in the area of the IIIrd PzKorps when the barrage destroyed a bridge and delayed the construction of a suitable replacement.<br />critical masshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02366274198749901618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-9652923386938532732015-12-10T19:09:03.961-05:002015-12-10T19:09:03.961-05:00Known and plotted targets, I think. It's kind ...Known and plotted targets, I think. It's kind of the point of the article that there's a major difference between shelling positions revealed by prior reconnaissance, and the kind of map-grid saturation bombardement used against previously unknown batteries located by the usual counterbattery methods (sound ranging and flash spotting AFAIK).<br /><br />You can pretty much eyeball the maps to tell which is which really. :3<br /><br />Anyways the point of counterbattery fire isn't destroying the enemy artillery (though casualties are a boonus), but to hamper their operations as much as possible so they're that much less a PITA for your own guys. (Which is why mustard gas was popular for the purpose in WW1 - between having to wear masks and the blistering effects the crews', particularly the loaders', jobs became onerous indeed.) Obviously the more shells that land in the immediate proximity of the gun pits the greater the chance of direct hits and fragmentation casualties and the more time the crews need to spend hunkering down.Kellomieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04915110653443066212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-66875439852252136932015-12-10T03:04:21.407-05:002015-12-10T03:04:21.407-05:00Well, the ones of July 5 are in all likelyhood aga...Well, the ones of July 5 are in all likelyhood against fortified targets. <br />That is why so well directed hit spreads do so little damage.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-86747641579047893982015-12-09T21:47:35.791-05:002015-12-09T21:47:35.791-05:00None of the ones dated specifically to July 5th gi...None of the ones dated specifically to July 5th give casualty estimates mind you. Whether photorecon or later ground assesment of the scene it's certainly entirely plausible the German batteries had by that time vacated the shelled positions in question and taken whatever losses they sustained with them.Kellomieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04915110653443066212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-3890792625060514922015-12-09T15:17:24.871-05:002015-12-09T15:17:24.871-05:00Maybe with analysis of aerial photography immediat...Maybe with analysis of aerial photography immediately afterward. That's going to be the only way on July 5th. The Soviets aren't going to claim that ground for at least another week. Many more salvos could be directed to those batteries and they could move. Even with that the number with casualties on the ground is a guess.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-58382256881289703192015-12-09T14:07:44.849-05:002015-12-09T14:07:44.849-05:00Not that far, these barrages are meant to go off r...Not that far, these barrages are meant to go off right before an offensive starts. Assuming your offensive is successful, you can walk right up to your target and inspect the battlefield. The sizes of the craters allow you to determine what kind of shell landed there.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09622237223229485503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-5268000862172255502015-12-09T14:01:12.680-05:002015-12-09T14:01:12.680-05:00How did they determine where each shell landed and...How did they determine where each shell landed and damage when the targets are far behind the lines?<br />Also, amazing is the lines draw to the center of their intended targets.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com