abhishekgoel wrote:
Now consider the scenario of hostilities between them in 1960s and in 2012.
in 1960s
Nation A: sends a 50 tanks and an infantry division to capture some post of Nation B. (cost of each tank @20 lakhs each comes to 10 crores todays price it will 500 crores ignoring logistics cost.
Nation B: come to know about it when the tanks are within the few kilometres of Border by seeing the dust columns and would try to rush in their own tanks(cost again 500 crores ignoring logistics cost. ) if near by or try to stop there advance by asking infantry to lay mines. If logistics permit deployment of tanks a tank battle will ensue otherwise infantry will be most probably routed tanks would have a free run
Nation A: wins the post objective achieved. Great tank victory. OR
Nation B: defends successfully as there tanks division moves in fast:Great tank victory.
assumptions as per your post:
- Nation B will detect enemy Tank movement within few Km of Border by seeing dust column and would try:
A) Try and rush own Tanks
- Time taken to mobilize its own Tanks would be couple of Hours even if they are within 50km of Border and within that time Nation A's Tank column will rout the infantry and would lay a trap for enemy Tanks (both tactically and strategically Nation A would have won if they dont #$%! up the maneuvers and their recee was correct.
- Now imagine if this thing was at night more surprise for Nation B as tank column will not be detected and lesser time to respond.
B ) Ask infantry to lay mines
- They have to be super lucky to predict the exact path of attack to achieve a total defeat of Nation A
- Mines can be taken care of even in 60' era.
In 2012 and beyond.
Due various gadgets tank price have increased 10 times at 50 crores a piece. so cost is 2500 crores for 50 tanks.
Nation A: sends a 50 tanks and an infantry division to capture some post of Nation B. cost ignoring logistics is 2500 crores.
Nation B. Due to saltellite imagery comes to know of the tank movement within hours the tank moved. They marked out an area where it will cross, the border. They remove there units from there. As soon as the tank column enters their territory. One of the following action is undertaken.
a) A cruise missile with sub kiloton nuclear bomb is detonated: cost 100 crore for missile and 500 crore for bomb. Nation A loss of > 2500 and a heavy loss of Man. Nation B wins
b) A heavy bomber with a high intensity bombs. something a litter smaller than MOB, FOB. cost 1000 crore for bombs. Nation A loss of < 2500 (some tanks might survive and a loss of Man but less than above. Nation B wins
c) A squarden of aircrafts to bomb a to destroy tanks. cost 1500 crore for bombs. Nation A loss of < 2500 (some tanks might survive and a loss of Man much . Nation B wins
d) If they want to play battle tanks lets send the tanks and infantry. Depends on who had better planning strategy.
e) do nothing. cost zero outcome loss nation A wins
Now there can be infinite number of other possibilities and people can construct better scenarios than me. But this is what is on the top of my mind I have simplified it(may be over simplified it) for easy understanding.
Again your Assumptions:
A) use of sub kiloton nuclear bomb on its own territory ?
- One has to be mad to use it in first place and secondly use it on own territory, have you assumed the loss suffered by Nation B itself and its own Army because of such a device.
B )A heavy bomber with high intensity bombs for 50 Tanks and 1 Infantry division?
- Not much damage as Divisions AA columns would surely have a field day for the lone bomber
- Plus probability of damage to more that 10% of Tanks even if no AA asset is available is not possible as 50 Tanks would be spread across minimum a large area around 7-10km and one plane cannot target all assets and even in a worst case scenario only the Tanks which have a direct hit or have a explosion in a radius of 15 meters would suffer. A direct hit would kill a tank and others would just do some damage not enough.
C) Nation B sends 15-18 aircraft's and you assume that they will kill the Tanks. Well first they have to over come:
- Divisional AA assets ( shoulder launch AA missile, Mounted AA missiles e.g SA8, Tangushka, Igla, Akash SAM)
- As soon as enemy aircrafts take off they will be detected and will be intercepted.
D) Send in Tanks to take out tanks and assume Nation B will win how:
- Nation B only know the area towards which Tanks are headed cannot pinpoint the area of attack for detecting tank movement. So some element of surprise is still with Nation A.
- Time to mobilize their own columns will be again 4-6 hrs minimum by that time battle will be over.
you have simplified things toooo much and your assumptions are just for sake of putting a argument and hardly realistic.