Japanese tanks

[CaptLuke]

10 hours ago, KV7 said:

Two tank platoons or sections is probably optimal for urban warfare. Any more and you will often struggle to find any way to keep them in contact and able to see anything.

For the infantry platoons it might also be that an entire two section platoon now fits in one C-2 sortie.  The two section platoon both economizes on sorties and helps with unit integrity during transport.

IIRC the UK Commando organization was influenced by the same idea: the sizing was such that a section (platoon) had two squads and filled one Landing Craft Assault (LCA).

The Japanese organization has the same 5 maneuver companies, each of two platoons, each of two squads organization that the 1945 UK Commando did.

Edited April 10, 2021 by CaptLuke

[KV7]

For infantry formations that are restricted in size by transports you can always get a triangular formation though by using smaller squads. e.g 3 * 7 rather than 2 * 11 or 3*8 instead of 2*12.

I think this is likely better, - you can have the HQ in a support squad, and then have two assault/rifle  squads. For special forces you probably want an integral sniper too, and the support squad can have some stuff you usually don't see at the company level, if the unit is expected to operate independently. 

[CaptLuke]

8 hours ago, KV7 said:

For infantry formations that are restricted in size by transports you can always get a triangular formation though by using smaller squads. e.g 3 * 7 rather than 2 * 11 or 3*8 instead of 2*12.

I think this is likely better, - you can have the HQ in a support squad, and then have two assault/rifle  squads. For special forces you probably want an integral sniper too, and the support squad can have some stuff you usually don't see at the company level, if the unit is expected to operate independently. 

The Japanese are in a little more constricted space than the Commandos were since they have two layers of transport: they are moving APCs in a C-2.  Your approach is reasonable, but there is a tradeoff to having one squad split across two APC instead of one APC = one squad.

[bojan]

23 hours ago, KV7 said:

Two tank platoons or sections is probably optimal for urban warfare. Any more and you will often struggle to find any way to keep them in contact and able to see anything.

Three. One scans left, one right, one forward. Depending if TC is placed left or right, left one or right one will be 1st lead tank, then some distance back 2nd on the opposing side of street, then 3rd behind those two one covering front and rears of the two tank in the front.

That is in probably every army's manual.

Edited April 10, 2021 by bojan

[KV7]

12 hours ago, CaptLuke said:

The Japanese are in a little more constricted space than the Commandos were since they have two layers of transport: they are moving APCs in a C-2.  Your approach is reasonable, but there is a tradeoff to having one squad split across two APC instead of one APC = one squad.

Gotcha. In that case it makes total sense. I was thinking more in terms of transport where the whole formation is in one vehicle, e.g Mi-17 or similar.

[Adam Peter]

Japan's Sherman Hunter, the Chi-Ri | Cursed by Design

[JasonJ]

On 6/6/2021 at 2:38 AM, Adam Peter said:

Japan's Sherman Hunter, the Chi-Ri | Cursed by Design

Not so bad. Would prefer catchy phrases like "Sherman Hunter" or "Japanese panther" were not used though. Some little errors such as "Chi-Ri II" in the video was really just "design proposal 2" though, not an actual name of a finished tank like with Tiger 2 or Challenger 2.

[Tim Sielbeck]

 

[futon]

Saw that one recently. It'll be interesting to see how they get it running. Maybe they'll pull some fenders and other parts like with the muffle off from other Ha-Go ruins. Pretty sure the numbers on the side hull are indeed not Japanese numbers as I can't recall ever seeing roman letters used on any of their tanks. 

[Maro.kyo]

Japanese APS research prototype from ATLA's Reiwa 4 (2022) promotion video. (I've set the youtube embedded link to start at the point when the prototype is shown at 5:14)

[futon]

On 11/29/2022 at 2:19 PM, futon said:

Saw that one recently. It'll be interesting to see how they get it running. Maybe they'll pull some fenders and other parts like with the muffle off from other Ha-Go ruins. Pretty sure the numbers on the side hull are indeed not Japanese numbers as I can't recall ever seeing roman letters used on any of their tanks. 

Correction to myself, roman letters have been used on some. The one in the video though, still unsure.

[futon]

New tracked APC.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a48a8334f868482bf1ebe289476cab0745f035cb?page=1