Re: Mines

--- kaladorn@magma.ca wrote:

> I was under the impression the main function of a
> minefield included:
> 
> 1) self defense of a position (defensive minefield
> around a firebase)

Protective minefield, more or less.

> 2) channelizing the enemy (denying him access to
> some route, forcing 
> him to take another more favourable one which you
> want him to take)

Turn or block tactical minefields.

> 3) breaking up reinforcements (FASCAM or arty
> scatterable minefield 
> deployed behind the enemy) or withdrawals

OK. . . 

> 4) Toe-poppers (small plastic leaf looking mines
> that injure rather 
> than kill) seem to exist to cause a drain on the
> support 
> infrastructure by creating casualties and long term
> care victims 
> rather than killing

Don't exist.  There are no Russian scatmines that are
leaf, toy, butterfly, or other 'harmless' shape. 
That's a military Urban Legend.

You left out the Fix and Disrupt.  These are intended
to hold the enemy in place and force him to commit
breach assets prematurely, in coordination with a fire
sack to kill him with direct and indirect fire.
 
> Anyone know much about scatterable mines? Are they
> easier to sweep or 
> breach (a field)? Can they be swept with FAE/Arty
> etc?

Much harder to breach, and no, a LOT of them cannot be
swept with FAE or Artillery.  In fact, I wouldn't let
artillery sweep the mines of the 23rd century.	Most
of them will have anti-shock devices.  

See: http://angola.npaid.org/mine_italy_vs_1.6.htm for
an example.
 
> I believe also that if you have the time, you
> install anti-tamper 
> gear on some of your mines to encourage people not
> to try to sweep 
> your minefield. 

Anti-handling devices.	You can do this seperately
(mousetraps, fer instance) but a lot of modern mines
have built-in AHDs and ADDs.

John

__________________________________________________
Yahoo! - We Remember
9-11: A tribute to the more than 3,000 lives lost
http://dir.remember.yahoo.com/tribute