FReeper TREADHEAD PING
The ONLY reason the Leopard IIs are "proven embarrassingly vulnerable in combat" is because the crews manning them dont know how to properly use the miraculous tool at their disposal.
Rather than using them in a combined arms force alongside mutually supporting infantry, they were deployed to the rear as long-range fire-support weapons while Turkish-allied Syrian militias stiffened with Turkish special forces led the assaults. Isolated on exposed firing positions without adequate nearby infantry to form a good defensive perimeter, the Turkish Leopards were vulnerable to ambushes.
Surprised the Turks are making these mistakes. They had a reputation of the being one of the most professional armies after Israel in the Middle East. Perhaps Erdogan's purge of the army and promotion of officers based on loyalty not talent has caused the army to deteriorate.
I learned, playing Command and Conquer Generals, how important infantry is to protecting my tanks. Snipers are even better. :)
You could be quite correct there. I used to compare them to the Shah’s military before 1979...the Shah was doing all he could to drag the muslims there kicking and screaming into the 20th century before we stabbed him in the back.
The ONLY reason the Leopard IIs are "proven embarrassingly vulnerable in combat" is because the crews manning them dont know how to properly use the miraculous tool at their disposal.
Me too. I would have thought they would have absorbed some NATO doctrine but I guess they think they know better.
And what does that say about Turkish tactics? By mixing their SF with militia, and not bringing up tanks to support, they do not want their FLOT discovered.
That means they do not have adequate counter-measures for enemy air, to include drones.
Kurds have Javelins.
It’s fire and forget and pops up to hit the tank from the top.