Out of Mothballs: Obsolescent Weaponry on the T2k Battlefield

[Olefin]

FYI example of how old guns might get into a T2K game

Bermuda Regiment in 1996 still had large stocks of Sterling submachine guns and Lee Enfield No. 4, Mk 1 rifles as well as two 25 pounder guns and several SBML 2-inch mortars dating from WW2. They even had some old Greener military shotguns.

Have a feeling a lot of current and ex-British possessions have much the same story as to old weapons still stored away

[Matt Wiser]

People may want to check this site out:

https://wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com/

It highlights use of WW II-era equipment (aircraft, tanks, small arms, artillery, etc.) well after the end of the war. One example: Su-100s still being used in the Yemen War. Another: The huge arsenal found after the Grenada Invasion, and some of that was WW-II vintage. RDF Sourcebook users: Iran was still using Shermans and M-36 Tank Destroyers in the Iran-Iraq War (Some were found in Iraq after OIF), and still uses the M1 105-mm howitzer and the 155-mm M1 as well. Not to mention that StG-44s were found by U.S. and British Forces in Iraq (and some of the Syrian rebels also use 'em).

[Olefin]

People may want to check this site out:

https://wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com/

It highlights use of WW II-era equipment (aircraft, tanks, small arms, artillery, etc.) well after the end of the war. One example: Su-100s still being used in the Yemen War. Another: The huge arsenal found after the Grenada Invasion, and some of that was WW-II vintage. RDF Sourcebook users: Iran was still using Shermans and M-36 Tank Destroyers in the Iran-Iraq War (Some were found in Iraq after OIF), and still uses the M1 105-mm howitzer and the 155-mm M1 as well. Not to mention that StG-44s were found by U.S. and British Forces in Iraq (and some of the Syrian rebels also use 'em).

Great site Matt - and I would add that for those using the East Africa Kenya Sourcebook you would find a lot of older weapons in Africa - not just what the 1st US Volunteer Mech Infantry Battalion brought with them. Africa is basically awash in older British, Soviet, Chinese, American and French equipment. Uganda would still be operating old Sherman tanks and there were T-34's in multiple African countries

[micromachine]

Love the ww2afterww2 site. Great info and the weapons from ww2 still are soldiering on in the modern era. The ROCN update program on the Gearing class is particulary interesting to me.

[rcaf_777]

Carrier Pigeons

[raketenjagdpanzer]

I have over the last year or so gotten very addicted to auto recovery/restoration channels on Youtube. Vice Grip Garage, Thunderhead 289, Dylan McCool, and Junkyard Digs...and so many others. I'm not much of a gearhead but watching their channels now when they do a "drive it out of its grave" video, the basics that they go through, I can predict what the issue is that's stopping a given vehicle from starting and usually get it right, based on prior recoveries they've done.

The one that got me really hooked was Thunderhead, Dylan (for at least 1 episode, I think) and Junkyard recovered and got a Ford F150 truck that had been parked since 1989 or thereabouts, just sitting, not moving, on an abandoned farm. The truck itself was from the early 1970s. With about 8 hours of work, with a tool kit, some automatic transmission fluid, and a scavenged radiator, improvised radiator hose, and scavenged starter coil, they got it to drive out of its grave. It's utterly flat tires held air; they drove it a couple of miles (one up, one back) before calling it a victory. But it ran, idled, etc.

The point of all of this is that aside from the Abrams, AFVs generally use similar versions of the same engine you'll find in most heavy trucks/equipment. If a couple of guys can in the space of a day with limited tools get a vehicle moving, I would wager that a team of motivated mechanics with proper equipment could get long parked and "abandoned" AFVs working and running, no problem. Would they be factory perfect Hell no! But, take the M113 for instance; the US has tens of thousands of them still in inventory. Their engine is the same as used in many buses and other "commercial" applications. I think the idea of "Hey can we get those M47s running again is really damn cool. It's why in my "Florida JMC" idea, the Joint Military Command has a single M60 pulled from a display in front of a VFW up in north Central Florida. Now, sure, the main gun breach is cut, but still, it's mobile armored firepower against enemies who don't have any.

Just wanted to share that.

[Brit]

Carrier Pigeons

Of course!

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/top-tips-for-managing-your-carrier-pigeons

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=LKhdJd1Nu74

[kato13]

Of course!

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/top-tips-for-managing-your-carrier-pigeons

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=LKhdJd1Nu74

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Electronics_Type_Designation_System

I remember reading in the Harpoon rules that "Pigeon" had the "B" designation for Type of equipment which was later deprecated to allow use for communication security. However the coast guard used an experimental system where pigeons were trained to see orange in the water (life vests) and peck in the direction they saw it. I was always hoping they would get a letter back.

[kato13]

Drone and UAV discussion moved here

https://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.phpt=6176

[Olefin]

Drone and UAV discussion moved here
https://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.phpt=6176

thank you Kato!

[Olefin]

Another older vehicle you would find is if you go adventuring in the Dominican Republic - they operated the Landsverk L-60 tank until 2012. They actually had seen combat during the US intervention in the 60's including one of the few tank on tank battles ever in the Western Hemisphere when one got stupid and tried to take on an M48 Patton tank.

[Olefin]

FYI an interesting sidelight - Morpac Industries, Inc. in Burnaby, BC builds equipment that uses old Sherman tank chassis, suspensions, road wheels and tracks.

They have a huge source of tracks in stock, including ones that would fit Sherman tanks, as well as rubber road wheels for military-type carriers with long wearing steel rims. They also manufacture tracks as well.

Have to look at the Vancouver nuke strike but if they are out of the blast effects you could see them being a very desirable resource for the Canadian, US and Soviet forces in the area. Could be a good adventure idea for people using the Pacific Northwest module

[Brit]

I have seen Punt Guns in museums in The UK and seemingly in T2K: R/- (in The UK). However 'just' a pipe and...

"In the United Kingdom, a 1995 survey showed fewer than 50 active punt guns still in use. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 limits punt guns in England and Wales, and in Scotland, to a bore diameter of 1.75 inches (44 mm) (1 1/8-pounder). Since Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 there has been a punt gun salute every Coronation and Jubilee over Cowbit Wash in Cowbit, Lincolnshire, England. During the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, 21 punt gun rounds were fired separately, followed by the guns all being fired simultaneously".

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punt_gun

It is 'remembered' from an old White Dwarf magazine Call of Cuthulu scenario but they said that Boyes anti-tank rifles could be bought / owned on a shotgun licence as they are smooth bore and thus 'OK' under English & Welsh Law. (The mag would date back to the 80's). Buyer Beware!

[Vespers War]

I have seen Punt Guns in museums in The UK and seemingly in T2K: R/- (in The UK). However 'just' a pipe and...

"In the United Kingdom, a 1995 survey showed fewer than 50 active punt guns still in use. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 limits punt guns in England and Wales, and in Scotland, to a bore diameter of 1.75 inches (44 mm) (1 1/8-pounder). Since Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 there has been a punt gun salute every Coronation and Jubilee over Cowbit Wash in Cowbit, Lincolnshire, England. During the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, 21 punt gun rounds were fired separately, followed by the guns all being fired simultaneously".

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punt_gun

It is 'remembered' from an old White Dwarf magazine Call of Cuthulu scenario but they said that Boyes anti-tank rifles could be bought / owned on a shotgun licence as they are smooth bore and thus 'OK' under English & Welsh Law. (The mag would date back to the 80's). Buyer Beware!

Over in the Best That Never Was thread, I did up a French punt gun a couple of months ago. Unlike most, it is feasible to shoulder-fire as it's "only" six and a half kilos.

[Brit]

Not really 'out of mothballs' but... maybe similar vessels about

"The Paraguayan Navy's Humait!-class river gunboats may well be regarded as ancient by most modern standards, but their longevity pales into insignificance when compared to that Navy's Capit!n Cabral (ex-Triunfo, ex-Adolfo Riquelme), which was first launched in 1907!".

http://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2018/04/an-even-older-paraguayan-river-gunboat.html

http://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2018/04/paraguayan-river-gunboats.html