The first of the mines is the basic disc-shaped anti-tank mine. This mine is triggered by the weight of a vehicle driving over it - light vehicles such as civilian cars will not set one off, but heavier vehicles like MRAPs or large trucks will, while tanks, APCs, and IFVs will definitely trigger them.
The anti-tank mine is designed to target the more weakly armored underbelly of a vehicle - either by puncturing into the crew compartment and killing the crew, or via destroying the mobility of the vehicle by destroying wheels or tracks. When emplaced, an anti-tank mine is mostly buried into the ground, leaving only a small amount of it visible to the watchful eye. |
Next is the SLAM mine. These mines are smaller than the disc mine and do their damage in a different manner - instead of being below a vehicle and exploding upwards, a SLAM is placed on the side of a road or similar and oriented towards it. When a vehicle passes, the mine detonates, sending an explosively formed projectile that can cut through thick armor. SLAM mines are designed to take out a vehicle’s mobility - they’ll shred tires and damage tracks, but generally won’t prove catastrophic to an armored vehicle like an MRAP or higher. Their range of triggering is short, requiring them to be emplaced directly beside where enemy vehicles are expected to pass. When triggered, a SLAM's detonation will provide an all-around lethal blast at four meters, while the lethal cone in the direction it is pointed is more than fifteen meters.
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Pros
• Fastest underwater transportation method
• Sensors allow viewing of LZs from safe distances and with high magnification, plus thermal, NVG, laser ranging, and designation. • Good navigation systems • Can get very close to shore undetected • Saves diver stamina |
Cons
• Must ‘park’ SDV and return to it,
which can be difficult in low-light or murky water conditions • Despite the SDVs size, there is no capacity for additional cargo to be carried. • Easier to detect via sonar if used recklessly |
Pros
• Extremely rapid and flexible deployment
• Very hard for the enemy to identify a drop site • The mere presence of a helo does not tell the enemy that a water insertion is being initiated |
Cons
• Depending on environmental conditions and the area of operations, it may be too obvious. Best done at night.
• Enemy AA can prevent this possibility entirely |
Pros
• Usage of civilian boats allows for covert insertions close to enemy shores without arousing suspicion
• High mobility to choose an insertion point • Mobile and flexible pickup options should the plan change during execution |
Cons
• Risk of being intercepted by coastal
watercraft patrols and ‘made’ before the insertion can happen • Usage of a boat can put the enemy in an elevated state of awareness even if they don’t see the insertion occur |
Pros
• HALO + controlled parachutes can make
for very quiet insertions • HAHO can be used, but is more difficult • SDVs can be dropped with the divers, speeding up their transit to shore |
Cons
• Without an SDV, swim times tend to be long, since you don’t want to be drifting in a parachute in easy view of the enemy
• Restricted to low-visibility or night conditions • Requires alternate extraction methods |