Re: REALITY CHECK TIME!

At 11:44 AM -0500 7/16/02, DAWGFACE47@webtv.net wrote:
>is there anyone here on this list, that really believes, rules or no
>rules, that if an APC or IFV sucks up a  serious hit (serious-not
>catastropic), that the grunts in the back ARE NOT GONNA KNOW ABOUT
>IT???????????????????

If it's a major impact and has penetrated the crew compartment, I 
don't see the crew let alone the passengers staying inside. If it was 
a glancing hit, then the crew is going to stay and fight no?

>as i recall it, there is this IMPACT,	and NOISE,  a noise soo loud
some
>survivors say they never heard it,  followed by everything inside the
>vehicle that is movable flying through the air. . . .
>
>then, in the ear-crushing silence, there is the smell of explosives
(and
>if you are unlucky!) fire and smoke boiling into the comparment . . . .

My ferret would be an example. Any shot inside the vehicle and I'm 
out. I have 1 Military radio between me and the thick sheet metal gas 
tank. Between the engine and me and the radio is that gas tank. No 
firewall or nothing. I'm outta there fast if there's been rounds 
inside and the engine has been hit hard. "FIRE IN THE VEHICLE!" will 
get me out too!

Though by the same token, I have had minor problems and fire in it 
without panicing. Having a 24vold battery cable intermittently touch 
a propshaft and wear through thus catching the insulation on fire was 
a bit worrysome but not a huge deal.

>everyman heads for the nearest exit, and LEAVES, with the unijured
>dragging the injured out of the  vehicle.
>
>none of this "After you, ALPHONSE, my good fellow! But of course, my
>dear GASTOGNE!"

Granted lots of screaming and yelling I'm sure. However, in the case 
of tanks there are more than a few accounts of the commander's 
headless body dropping back down inside tanks that were struck with 
glancing shots from RPGs and the crew continued to fight their 
vehicle with bits of the Sgt dripping around inside the vehicle.

>
>of course if it is a catastrophic, or a nasty burn through with hot
>gases and molten metal spraying into the compartment, you are dead,
>dead, dead  and not going anywhere  . . . .

Depends on the vehicle and the shot. There are enough accounts of AP 
rounds going through a vehicle and shooting away parts of 
things/people inside and the vehicle crew sticking around and then 
driving it back to cover.

>if an APC/IFV	 is hit by large bore MG, there was  stunning noise, and
>sometimes, flying paint off the interior hull as BULGES FORMED on the
>inside, a result of bullets hitting the outside hull and sticking into
>it!
>
>if you are close enough, the bullets slice right through the hull and
>ricichet around inside the comparment making a mess out of the
occupants
>(crew and squaddies), possibly starting fires and causing explosions .
>
>in any of the	above circumstances, i do believe the crew and squaddies
>would know their APC/IFV was hit.

I don't think them knowing that they were hit is at question. Their 
response is.

The question I guess goes down to training and context. An ACAV unit 
that is ambushed has to put as much fire on the ambush as possible to 
survive (just like infantry in an ambush). Suppressing the enemy is 
the first priority. If the crew can continue firing and putting 
Beehive and MG fire into the ambush then they'll be better off. If 
they bail out because the commander and his cupola was shot away 
they'll be less than useless. d

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