IDF OOB project.

[gingertanker]

Merkavas 1 and 2

Now, pat has done a lot of work on this. In general the Merkavas in the OOB are p. good representations of reality. However I do have some things I think need changing. The biggest issue is that info is confusing and contradicting as all of these tanks are still in active service(aside from the mk1 which is only in reserve service).

Units 055 and 056 Merkava Mk 1 start date for 055 should be 9/79. Also, I don't see the need for two units- suggest to delete 056 and extend date on 055. The difference is only the gun, and since the start date is late 79, I see no issue with having weapon 27(105mm M68 78) as what the Mk 1 starts with. Ammo load out for original Merkava Mk 1 was 62(not 60). This was changed later on.

Unit 057 Merkava Mk 1 As mentioned the ammo load for the main gun was later reduced to 54, and should be done in this later unit. This was done to add storage space for the 60mm mortar ammo.

Unit 630 Merkava Mk 1 This is the obsolete tank unit for reserve companies. Date should be extended to 2014(future is currently unsure). Main gun ammo reduce to 54. In reality some of these received TI, but this is not an issue, because at the point of getting TI, along with other improvements over the years, they are basically Merkava Mk2b.

Units 058 Merkava Mk 2 Should have TI(lol one got missed huh?). Ammo load should be 54 for main.

Unit 059 and 060 Merkava Mk2b I think in the name of uniformity with earlier tank variants, should be Renamed Merkava Mk2B. Ammo load should be 54. FCS should be 38(or what ever you guys choose to give the tanks with Nahal Oz- as you recall, the Magach 6M, Magach 7, Shot Brak Or and the Merk 2b all have the same system- superior to the one in Merk 1 but inferior to the one in Magach 6B Gal). 060 dates need to be extended to 2014(current status- will possibly be replaced by Mk 4 this year).

Unit 631 Merkava Mk2b- this should have a start date around 1988 as well.

An interesting Merkava variant that isn't in the game is Merkava Mk2B Kasag/Batash/Dalet. This is the Mk2b with applique passive and NERA(non explosive reactive armor) suit.

This package can be seen in the pics on this thread:
http://www.fresh.co.il/vBulletin/sho...d.php?t=156008

*Naturally I have no idea what kind of armor values this justifies(classified), but certainly an increase of 15-20% is warranted for the turret sides. Probably a major hike in turret top protection. A moderate increase in hull front and sides.
*The added weight is hardly offset by the engine tweaking(the tanks managed 1,000 horses after some modifications, but not all tanks received these modifications) so these tanks are even slower than the already lazy Mk2B.
*The load out for these tanks should be high on HE and HEAT rather than AP, as they are rotated between units serving in Gaza and Lebanon.
*This probably would need an icon, the turret shape is quite different as you can see in the pics.
*Does not need an obsolete unit, start date should be 9/1997 and end date 2014 for now.
*As for naming, the most common term used by tankers was Merkava 2B KASAG(Kav Sagol=Purple Line: a reference to the border with Lebanon). However the terms Merkava 2B Batash and Merkava Mk2D (Dalet) are also correct, the first being used sometimes by tankers and the second being the official designation of the tank.


This tank would be specifically relevant to Lebanon and Gaza scenarios in the late 1990s to today.

[gingertanker]

Merkava 3

My knowledge on these is more limited. However I do have some ideas as to changes that should be made.

Unit 061, 062, 063 Merkava Mk3 Three units with the only difference being radio and ammo load out. 061 has 91 radio and 062+063 have 92. 062 and 063 differ only by their ammo loads. In any case all ammo loads are wrong. the correct number is 46 for the main gun and not 50. I suggest keeping 062 and 063 and getting rid of 061. Date for these should be 5/1990-1/1997(When 188th, the only standing MK3 brigade was converted to BAZ).
Theoretically the FCS should be lowered to match what I suggested for the Merk 2b and others. However this is not a very good idea in my eyes, as the Mk3 did use the same computer as Mk2b, but had far better turret controls and optics allowing better hits(especially on the move and long range).


Unit 632 Merkava Mk 3 ammo for main should be reduced to 46. Dates should be changed to start 1992-3 and end 2020.

Units 064, 065 Merkava Mk3 Baz as mentioned, ammo load should be reduced to 54. The armor should be the same as units 061-063, for reasons mentioned below. Icon should be like 061-063, for reasons mentioned below.

This is where this gets a little complicated. The best I could figure is that there are 3 different Baz sub-variants:
*Mk3 Baz is just the Mk3 with Baz(hence my reservations about the armor rates and icons for 064 and 065)
*Mk3 Baz KASAG is MK3 Baz with applique armor(like the Mk2B KASAG previously described here).
*Mk 3D Baz- better base armor,applique armor.

I am not sure what should be done, as this will consume alot of unit space. If I have to recommend any action, its the addition of only the Mk3D Baz. The armor used for it is similar to the Mk4 armor(in materials), and it is a significant variant(currently 1/3rd of the standing tank fleet).

My suggestion on how to add the Mk3D Baz:
*Simply copy the CURRENT 064/065 units. They have the correct icon and upped armor compared to the vanilla Mk3.
*Make the changes to 064-065 as i suggested, making them a true representation of the original Mk3 Baz.
*As all current standing Mk3 units have Mk3Ds, the split in dates should probably be-
Mk3 Baz from 1997 to 2002 and Mk3D from 2001 to 2020.

It's a mess I know

To make things worse we need an obsolete tank unit for 064+065 Mk3 Baz(but not for Mk3D, those are all in standing units AFAIK) with dates 1999-2020. I think we should probably skip the different ammo loads considering the already horrid expense in unit space.

Unit 066 Merkava 3 Lahat Honestly I still can't find any open source proof this is in service. Non the less ammo load should be reduced further 40 for the main gun to make room for 6 LAHAT missiles in their cases.

I originally planned to do the Mk4 in this post as well but I feel like I went down the rabbit hole.

[DRG]

Originally Posted by gingertanker

merkava 3


units 064, 065 merkava mk3 baz as mentioned, ammo load should be reduced to 54. .

54 ???

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Don,
At your convenience but, how much of Amit's work here were you able to incorporate into the last patch? Or maybe better what didn't get done if easier to answer. We had been on the PM side until about mid winter or just before. Turned out we would follow the same/similar career path after our military careers. Anyway the MEGACH SPIKE NLOS got me thinking about his work here and I would like to see any loose ends addressed if I can help make that happen.
Thank You.

Regards,
Pat

[gingertanker]

So...I join in the question...How much of this has been done already? A quick check showed me that at least some has. Just wondering if to move forward along the OOB or not, now that I am back?

[gingertanker]

ill just start by reading through the last questions here and seeing to them.

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by gingertanker

ill just start by reading through the last questions here and seeing to them.

In the Artillery Corps, in either of the several battalions, which one of them are towed field guns? I have not found a battalion fielding any piece other than self-propelled guns in the publicly available sources.

Yet, the Israel OOB: obat04, has several towed pieces, most prominent is the 155mm.

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