Re: Change the way ERA/Advanced ERA functions.
Most of the Soviet tanks have turret front of ~46 till 88/89 when the uparmoured ones arrive. Those are a little bit of a problem to the 87 model 120mm gun.
However, most of the tank fleet will be the older models that the 87 gun can defeat frontally till 2750 metres.
After that then the USA replies with the '91 model and then the '94 model rounds, whereas the Russian steel armour remains about 66 for front turret.
'91 model defeats level 66 armour at 1350m (assured) and 1950 on occasion.
'94 model will do level 66 at 2500m assured, and 3000m if it has its ducks in a row.
Also, during that period the initially somewhat thin armour (especially anti-KE) of the M1 was addressed by the various up-armour packages e.g. the HA model in '89 where the KE turret front leaps from 45 to 67. Which the 125-88 of your Russian target needs to get to 600m to reliably defeat (1100m if it is really favoured by the Gods).
In '91 there is the TOW team with the 2A model top-attack ATGM, and in ~'96 it becomes general issue, and the javelin arrives as well.
So there is a small window in the late 80s when some Russian tanks need you to wait till 1KM to kill reliably, later fixed by technology, both gun and protection.
IF you only intend to engage them head on of course....
Plan A) Engage the enemy armour from their flanks. It worked in WW2, it still works today. Even the '87 model 120mm will reliably go through class 30 armour at 5000m, which is typical side armour for 2020 soviet turrets (hull being about 15). Hitting at 2500-3000m is not difficult with modern MBT.
Plan B) If you insist on taking them head-on, wait behind a wood or ridge, or drop smoke in front off them to emerge out of (they do not have TI, you do), and engage at 1000m or even less.
Plan C) use an integrated anti-armour approach, with a matrix of AT weapons including missiles, helos, air, arty engaging from multiple angles and with multiple anti-armour ammo types. Strip away all the targets you can easily engage ASAP (BMP, BTR + contents) so your grunts can close for the kill as well.
ERA is not something for the enemy to rely on to defeat solid shot, and each hit reduces the ERA tile count for that face. It is rather better against HEAT weaponry, but it still is reduced per hit, and is not a 100% guarantee of defeating the round. Also, enhanced HEAT weaponry (multi charge and top attack) is rather effective against it. Multiple ERA tiles on a face give no more protection than one does - they just last longer before being exhausted by incoming hits. It only really needs one to fail to defeat the HEAT weapon to make them moot.
If really worried by ERA, then let Ivan pass you by and then shoot him up the a*ss since there is usually none fitted there.
Cheers
Andy
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