Units used in the LZ_X-ray battle

[Pyros]

David,

what is the Rate of Fire of a Hog [48 Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets (FFARs)]

IMO, It should be able to fire in one turn all 48 rockets(unless receives suppression from return fire or moves).

Anyway, for the battle we may use a UH-1B with FFARs in all four weapons slots and a total FFARs of 48 (also we have to see if the rate of fire is good to simulate that all shot can be fired in one turn, 5 minutes)

Questions:

1. How long it took for a ARA to shoot 24 Rockets (1st salvo)?

2. What was the combat/cruise speed of that chopper?

3. How long did it take to re-supply all the 48 rocket slots for one Helicopter (important for ammo depot simulation)

4. How much time it required to fly to the nearest Resupply airbase or camp?

5. What was the nearest re-supply base for the ARAs (PleiMe) ?

cheers,
Pyros
p.s Also the UH-1D should have no mounting weapons for this battle (should be removed); see other post.

[Listy]

Questions:

1. How long it took for a ARA to shoot 24 Rockets (1st salvo)?

After an hour on google and other search engines I got this:
System - M3 armament sub-system.
"The rockets may be fired in single pairs or in ripples of 2, 3, 4, 6, or 24 pairs at the rate of 6 pairs per second."

2. What was the combat/cruise speed of that chopper?

Unknown, but seems to be close enougth to the huey.

3. How long did it take to re-supply all the 48 rocket slots for one Helicopter (important for ammo depot simulation)

Dunno. How long does it take to re-load a 2.75" rocket tube?

4. How much time it required to fly to the nearest Resupply airbase or camp?

5. What was the nearest re-supply base for the ARAs (PleiMe) ?

I'd guess it was An Khe. As the ARA had to be re-fueled every third trip. Which fits with the UH-1 refueling. So I'd Guess, An Khe, 13 mins away.


Other Stuff I've found:

MG platoon D co, 9x M60's, Comanded by: Sgt Warren Adams.

[Pyros]

David nice research,

More questions:

1. Historical Platoon model (type and ammo levels)?
What was the typical equipment and ammo load of a US, NVA and VC platoon during this battle (for instance there were AT sections that fired LAW against anthills, how many of them, what about M-79 and HMGs) ?

2. Suggestions about experience & morale values for US, NVA and VC forces?

3. How many ARA and Gunship participated in the battle of LZ X-ray (each phase)?

Thanks David,
Pyros

[Listy]

1. Historical Platoon model (type and ammo levels)?
What was the typical equipment and ammo load of a US, NVA and VC platoon during this battle (for instance there were AT sections that fired LAW against anthills, how many of them, what about M-79 and HMGs) ?

I belive each squad had an M60, and an M79.
I DO know that each squad was issued with an M72.

2. Suggestions about experience & morale values for US, NVA and VC forces?

Urk, someone else can catch this one. however for this game I think the US would have Very good morale so they can keep on fighting, even when suppressed and their leaders are down.

3. How many ARA and Gunship participated in the battle of LZ X-ray (each phase)?
7 I belive, 6 from the battery (look in the other thread), and the Comander's ship. That battery flew for the whole time of the battle.

[Pyros]

What about this modification for the simulation of ARAs?

For the ARA Helicopters, I propose a modified UH-1B SS-11, with weapons configurations 4 slots of 4 x 2.75in FFAR, correct ammo to simulate a load of 48 rockets and a slightly modified Fire control, Range finder and Rate of Fire (in order to simulate better the lethality of the ARAs).

[Listy]

Pyros said:
What about this modification for the simulation of ARAs?

For the ARA Helicopters, I propose a modified UH-1B SS-11, with weapons configurations 4 slots of 4 x 2.75in FFAR, correct ammo to simulate a load of 48 rockets and a slightly modified Fire control, Range finder and Rate of Fire (in order to simulate better the lethality of the ARAs).

I used a UH-1 gunship, with the above (the correct ammo load out is 3).

[Pyros]

The difference between the 2x 2.75in FFAR and 2x 2.75in FFAR is just the valye HE Kill from 15 (for 2x) to 20 (for 4x). So it may be better to use 4 slots of 2x 2.75in FFAR with 6 ammo each.

But again, since this will be a modification and the scope is to achieve the historical lethality of the ARA units... we could make accept a model of 4 slots of 4 x 2.75in FFAR with 6 ammo.
This should be decided from playtesting and the it is a way to strenghten the efficiency of the FFAR by modeling that the 4x 2.75in FFAR is only firing 1 tube per shot

Concerning the Gunship model for modification if we adopt the UH-1B gunship will use the wrong sounds for the weapon slots 1 & 2 (MG), on the other hand the UH-1B SS-11 is using "rocket sounds".

The latest test that I conduct is with modified Hogs against Regional NVA units on clear terrain.
My goal is to achieve a good model of ARA from a firing distance of 3-4 Hexes 150-200 meters.
So far a unit with control & range finder set to a value of 30 has as a result that it will inflict 1-2 casualties from a distance of 3-4 hexes (stabilize 5-10).
Also, I have set the ammo to 12 (in order to simulate that each shot is one tube).