War for Dummies #1: Use Tracks--NOT Trucks for Resupply Thus Saith the German Army

[redreaper2020]

an M3 is a perfectly fine supply vehicle, available in large quantities, and has similar operating characteristics to a truck. It uses banded track, and with a different engine and maybe a different suspension (torsion bar or even truck-style leaf spring) it'd be a great munition hauler. Why the israelis used it for 50 years.

[dynmicpara]

@redreaper2020 No, more like a track than a truck. Wheels in front need to go and open top covered. Americans need to stop being lazy cheapskates and do war correctly; in this case be fully tracked and armored to enable non-linear resupply.

[redreaper2020]

@dynmicpara I'd use a -113 as an artillery tractor, maybe resupplying directly AT the front if my tank can't leave it for some reason, but an M3 is less expensive, not used for combat anymore, and works well as a GP truck. Also an M3 is easier for an untrained truck driver to drive. Besides, its tracks last much longer--until they upgrade 113s with rubber tracks with longer lives, it's at a disavantage. If you're far from a depot, that' s a big deal.

[dynmicpara]

@redreaper2020 Less expensive to refurb non-working M3 half-tracks than already functional M113 Gavins in storage? Doubtful. T130/T150 steel track has 10, 000 mile life expectancy. Soucy band tracks are sturdier than the old WW2 half-track ban tracks. One has to rate newer Israeli segmented or single-piece M3 band tracks the same. Have you ever driven a M113A3 Gavin? Has steering wheel just like a car. Easy to drive.

[redreaper2020]

@dynmicpara idk. they have a new 113 prototype with rubber tracks and a diesel-electric drivetrain.

Actually drove a gavin once. Well-built vehicle, the one I was using was civ. use, cut away actually to be used as a truck in rough terrain. Yes, has the steering T-bar, but it still doesn't quite drive like a truck...not the greatest fuel mileage though (but this is ALL military vehicles).

[ihateforigners]

What show was that

[KryptoniteTearDrop]

i hate germans but i must admit,they do know how to do battle

[BlacktailFA]

You'd think that with all the attention payed to armored Cargo Tracks for Self-Propelled Artillery vehicles --- like the M992 FAASV --- that someone would have put 2 and 2 together and made armored Cargo Tracks to supply all the OTHER AFVs on the battlefield.

But I digress.