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Subject: Design A Technical
AThousandYoung    4/2/2011 10:24:32 PM
Suppose conventional military forces were unavailable but you had to do battle. In today's world, that means technicals i.e. trucks with crew served weapons mounted on them. Yes, like good old Car Wars! What kind of technical would you use?
 
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WarNerd       4/9/2011 2:45:05 AM

Sticking to pick-up trucks for focus' sake..

Main use: A mobile fire support unit, a rear-shooting MG-nest. 3 - 4 men. Gunner, gunner aide, driver and driver aide.

I would either weld additional metal plates or fix sandbags to the back of the truck; both to support the back window and thus the driver section and also the prone machine gunner in the rear.

So all added armor protection in the rear to minimize added weight and complexity. The prone firing position for the (general purpose, rifle caliber) MG-shooter in the back, firing through a hole in the back hatch. The vehicle is now able to take direct small-arms hits from the rear with both the gunner and driver safe. Some considerations on protecting tires and fuel tank.

Gunner and gunner aide firing prone in the back, driver always behind the wheel ready to go and the possible fourth guy in a knee position in front of the truck. The fourth guy is there to give eyes to the sides and for additional situation awareness to spot flanking attempts and such.
Overly specialized.

It has an extremely limited traverse.  Firing through a small hole in the back hatch will require the gunner to shift from side to side, limiting the arc to say 10o left and 30o right.  The gun cannot elevate to engage target on second floor and above, including roof tops and walls, except at long ranges, so it is almost worthless in complex terrain.  And the ergometrics are awful.

Better design -- Eliminate the slot, have the gunner and sit-up, and hook the bipod over the tailgate.  He is a little more vulnerable, but has infinitely better situational awareness

As we haven't cramped the back section with a fixed gun installation there is still one 50cm x 200cm slot for either supplies or one wounded guy, all while remaining operational.
If that slot is to the left of the gun you just blocked traverse to the right.
I would fix some kind of low-tech signaling system from the gunner's aide to the driver; four strings inside a tube each signaling, if pulled, actions like "reverse", "forward", "forward like hell" and "stop".
What about conveying more complex information, like "Look out for the pothole!"?  Will the driver be looking at the indicator, or scanning the area for concealed enemies?  Besides, the usual signal for "forward like hell" will be the 4th guy who is providing security leaping in the passenger side door yelling "GO! GO! GO!"

Better design -- Hit the back of the cab or bang on the roof to get the drivers attention, then use hand signals in the rear view mirror or yelling through the cab window works better.
 
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Mikko    @WarNerd   4/9/2011 6:01:30 AM
Just criticism towards my faulty design. The traverse issues indeed are there, but so is utmost simplicity.
 
In addition to simplicity, the other word for my design's defense comes from where it is optimally used: You are probably firing at concentrated pockets of resistance from distances between 200 - 500 meters. I wouldn't go near enemy infantry with an open top and soft sides. See, whenever I would be needing a lot of traverse then I would already be in a situation where the vehicle had to be armored far better on all sides. So the limited traverse wouldn't matter all that much.

But you are right nevertheless, quite limited is my concept. 
 
M
 
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AThousandYoung       4/22/2011 2:56:16 PM
The fighters in Misrata have put together this beauty.  It's an APC, not a gun-truck, but it looks like it has firing ports.
 
 
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AThousandYoung       4/27/2011 2:43:29 PM
 
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