The Mess

[heydaralon]

Russian SSN, SSGN and SSBN, are titanium double hulled, so they can actually ram you.

Jesus. The idea of getting rammed by a submarine underwater sounds terrifying for both parties.

Not if you have titanium double hulls, Ivan can do it on purpose.

Only he has the titanium double hulls, that's his specialty.

So he can crush a NATO sub like a beer can, and sail away after.

Do you think that has ever happened, and our gov't has covered it up? Also, why don't NATO subs have titanium double hulls? Is there a downside? Like, it slows the sub down or makes it easier to detect?

[Smitty-48]

Jesus. The idea of getting rammed by a submarine underwater sounds terrifying for both parties.

Not if you have titanium double hulls, Ivan can do it on purpose.

Only he has the titanium double hulls, that's his specialty.

So he can crush a NATO sub like a beer can, and sail away after.

Do you think that has ever happened, and our gov't has covered it up? Also, why don't NATO subs have titanium double hulls? Is there a downside? Like, it slows the sub down or makes it easier to detect?

It's something that Ivan keeps in his back pocket for war.

Ivan is not cocky.

Ivan is not like Americans.

Ivan knows that thermonuclear war is real.

So he's not actually that aggressive.

If Ivan is going to start a war, it will be on his terms, asymmetrical.

The titanium double hull requires a special welding method which only the Soviets mastered.

It's extremely labour intensive and expensive. This is a big reason why the Soviets went broke.

[heydaralon]

I remember like a year or two ago you mentioned that the Russian Army of today is not like the Russian army of WW2. You said that aside from Spetsnaz and some other elite forces, the Russian army is made up of unenthusiastic conscripts who are pretty much only going to fiercely fight a defensive war, and would not be too keen on an offensive invasion. After the events in Ukraine, do you still feel that way? Has this given them an ego boost and infused them with a hearty dose of jingosim?

[Smitty-48]

I remember like a year or two ago you mentioned that the Russian Army of today is not like the Russian army of WW2. You said that aside from Spetsnaz and some other elite forces, the Russian army is made up of unenthusiastic conscripts who are pretty much only going to fiercely fight a defensive war, and would not be too keen on an offensive invasion. After the events in Ukraine, do you still feel that way? Has this given them an ego boost and infused them with a hearty dose of jingosim?

Essentially. But in terms of offensive, Ivan is not going to use that many troops, because he's not driving on Paris anymore. He just wants his empire back, so he can do that without the Red Army.

[heydaralon]

I remember like a year or two ago you mentioned that the Russian Army of today is not like the Russian army of WW2. You said that aside from Spetsnaz and some other elite forces, the Russian army is made up of unenthusiastic conscripts who are pretty much only going to fiercely fight a defensive war, and would not be too keen on an offensive invasion. After the events in Ukraine, do you still feel that way? Has this given them an ego boost and infused them with a hearty dose of jingosim?

Essentially. But in terms of offensive, Ivan is not going to use that many troops, because he's not driving on Paris anymore. He just wants his empire back, so he can do that without the Red Army.

Pound for pound, in terms of training and quality, do you consider the Polish army to be the best in Europe atm? Leaving out nukes.

[Smitty-48]

I remember like a year or two ago you mentioned that the Russian Army of today is not like the Russian army of WW2. You said that aside from Spetsnaz and some other elite forces, the Russian army is made up of unenthusiastic conscripts who are pretty much only going to fiercely fight a defensive war, and would not be too keen on an offensive invasion. After the events in Ukraine, do you still feel that way? Has this given them an ego boost and infused them with a hearty dose of jingosim?

Essentially. But in terms of offensive, Ivan is not going to use that many troops, because he's not driving on Paris anymore. He just wants his empire back, so he can do that without the Red Army.

Pound for pound, in terms of training and quality, do you consider the Polish army to be the best in Europe atm? Leaving out nukes.

The best in terms of highly motivated and resolved to fight Ivan right on the Suwalki Gap.

Otherwise they are NATO STANAG.

Polish Special Forces however are Tier One, equivalent to the British.

[heydaralon]

I have heard that Chechens are pretty intense fighters, and among the best in the world on an individual level. Do you think that is true?

[Smitty-48]

Based on terrain, should Ivan determine that he needs to establish a buffer zone, I would estimate that it run from Kaliningrad through Belarus, then split Ukraine in half by way of the Dnepr.

Could also go into the Balkans by way of Odessa, Moldova and Serbia.

Also into the South Caucuses.

He then has the defensible interior lines forcing NATO to spread its forces over a huge front.

The Suwalki Gap at the Polish frontier, is where the red line is, so the Poles are the tip of the spear.

[Smitty-48]

I have heard that Chechens are pretty intense fighters, and among the best in the world on an individual level. Do you think that is true?

They are definitely Spartans, but they are not stalwart allies.

They are Frenemies to Ivan, they will join him so long as it serves their interests, but he has to be wary of them going rogue at any time.

[Montegriffo]

I have heard that Chechens are pretty intense fighters, and among the best in the world on an individual level. Do you think that is true?

Nah, that would be Millwall fans.