Ossetian War Scenario - Info + Help Request

[Snipey]

I thought I'd just give a quick example of how I do research for the ORBAT. For now, I'll just focus on tanks, which was a popular theme early on in the war. As I was watching the war on interfax.ru, (.ru had more info than interfax.com), and they separated facts from their own opinions, as well as Googling massively, I found the tank numbers ranging from 120 to 1,200 for Russia, (now we know it's 150) and from 30 to 400 for Georgia, (now we know it's 180).

At one point in time, some intelligence officers disgusted by the mass media coverage on both sides, (no one is actually sure if it was 1 or 100, as they disguised IPs and stuff (I'm not a techie,) when they posted). What did they post? Georgia's entire ORBAT. This was instantaneously copied by numerous people wanting to know the truth, including yours truly. I quickly referenced the number of tanks presented in the ORBAT, 210 (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th infantry regiments with 150 total, 30 apiece, and the joint tank battalion, 60 tanks. The 5th's tanks were incomplete, and the 5th's tanks did not participate in the war.

This was cross-referenced with the initial number of tanks left by the USSR in Georgia, (31 T-72s), roughly 30 of which were later upgrade by Israelis to T-72 SIM-I. The purchases, (thank you Jane's Magazine,) were 70 from the Czech Republic and 90 from Ukraine. (After the war, Georgia bought more tanks from Ukraine; these shouldn't be mixed it with the ones used in the war.)

So that's 191 tanks. Georgia also had at least 40 T-55s, out of which at least 10-20 were used. A third match can be seen by the massive destruction of Georgian tanks, and Georgia's ability to rebuild them to 4 tank batallion.

The Russians did not make a big secret out of which units fought. They listed the 503rd, 693rd and 135th, the latter recently added to the 58th Army, as participants; Russian newspapers praised the performance of the 141st separate tank battalion, (under 58th, but with no regimental oversight). Each had roughly 30 tanks, T-72, with the 131st having 30 T-72BMs, and with less beauracracy, they maintained their tanks better.

Ossetia had 15 tanks, 10 T-55s, (used for ambushing Georgian T-72s trying to take over Tskhinvali,) and 5 T-72s, which merged with the Russian tanks. The Russians also pointed out that 29 T-62s from the 70th Brigade of the 42nd Division took part.

In order to quell panic, "On Noes, Ze Russians Are Coming to Atlanta with 1,200 tanks!", US satellite data report was released, stating that 150 Russo-Osetian tanks fought. Later the report was pulled from the web. Damn, I should've ctrl-alt-prntscrned it. Yes, CNN's coverage of the war actually caused massive panic in Tbilisi. In the confusion, some of the reporters, doing false reporteing were shot at. Whoopsie. Ahh the unintended effects of bull****ting, aren't they hilarious?

The Russians initially claimed only introducing 120 tanks. However, the US Satellite imagery included Ossetian tanks. Keep in mind that Ossetian tanks were only hidden on the eve of the war, and kept at base prior to that. So the number of tanks became 135-150. And then my math skills kicked in. 150/135 - 15 (Ossetian tanks) = 135/120 - 29 (T-69s) = 106/91 - 30 (T-72BMs) = 76/61 for three Russian Battalions, which have 90 tanks total. While Russian maintance isn't 100%, stating that 1/3rd of all Russian tanks are unprepared would be simply true. Now the 150 number may not be superbly accurate, it might have very well been 148 or 152, but the 150 figure is definetely closer to the truth than 135, or any other number of tanks that we've heard.

I hope this clears up how I do the research, so that you can see if I made any errors, they were unintentional, and most likely the result of posting after partying, or a full day of research/work, which ironically leave me in the same condition. "No Officer, I'm not drunk, I had a final in the morning though."