#Ammunition Factory Explosion

[agbpaints]

Oh the Hellspawn. Another 'mech brought to us by FASA Interactive which was later ported back into the construction rules of Classic Battletech, basically all of the discussion I've found online about the HSN-xx is largely negative, and while I don't necessarily disagree with a lot of the criticism I do think it's a design worth taking a look at.

In the late 3050s the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns determined that their aging fleet of Dervish fast fire support mechs was due for a replacement, having served since the times of the Star League and grown quite obsolete in the intervening centuries. General Motors won the contract to produce the new 'mech in 3060 with their Hellspawn concept, a design that promised to excede the capabilities of the existing DV marks significantly as both a lightweight fire support unit and an interdictor to handle light mechs and C3 spotters used by the Combine. The first 'mechs walked off of the line on Talcott in 3062 into the looming clusterfuck of the FedCom Civil War.

The initial HSN-7D that GM produced on Talcott sets a strong design language regrettably followed by the majority of Hellspawn variants. Weighing 45 tons, the 7D is scaffolded with a GM M-type endosteel chassis and powered by an in-house produced 270 XL fusion engine with 6 jump jets mounted between the side torsos. Dalban provided the electronics system, including an Guardian ECM suite to allow the HSN to add e-war missions to its repertoire. The offensive payload is actually pretty impressive for its weight class- the HSN-7D is armed with a pair of LRM-10s split between the right arm and left torso and supplied by 2 tons of ammunition, supported by three medium pulse lasers mounted on the arms and torso.

Of course, this level of mobility and weaponry comes at a cost- the original production Hellspawn only mounts 6.5 tons of armor. This is less than 70% of the total possible belt and dangerously close to Hellbringer levels of protection. All three torsos can be breached by a gauss rifle slug immediately. GM also neglected th mount CASE on their design, making the already fragile mech highly susceptible to total loss from ammo explosions in the field.

Reactions in the field from AFFS units were... poor. It was immediately apparent that the brass had handed GM the deal without actually considering what was being proposed to them. The Hellspawn's added interdiction capabilities did not offset the 'mech's abysmal protection and the fiddly engine and electronics suites required constant maintenance and parts to keep operational. The 15 year old Dervish 7D was generally favored by pilots and quartermasters- the standard fusion engine meant replacement parts were less expensive and the thicker armor and CASE-protected ammunition bays meant that mechwarriors were less likely to come to understand the workings of their ride's ejector seats personally.

In the face of their product's poor reputation, GM did no soul searching in the following years and instead chose to double down. Introduced in 3068, the HSN-8E did nothing to alter the mech's survivability, instead opting to exchange the arm-mounted pulse lasers for ER models in order to add Artemis firce control systems to the missile launchers. This nominally improves the 'mech's long range damage but in the leadup to the e-war spaked battlefields of the Jihad spending two tons on a 'mech with questionable armor to improve its direct fire capabilities is questionable. The same year GM also released the 9F, a worse than useless refit that removes the ECM suite, a laser, both of the LRM racks, and a half ton of armor (bringing us to 63% belt capacity) in exchange for a pair of MRM-20s. Again, *these are factory refit options from GM*. Someone at the Talcott plant must've been a plant by LOKI because I have no explanation for the AFFS deciding to take delivery of this shit except for a Lyran spy ring.

Luckily worse fortunes for the Inner Sphere led to better mechs. The Talcott plant was bombed by the Blakists during the early stages of the Jihad and presumably one of the casualties in that tragedy was the original design team for the Hellspawn. Shame. When production resumed in 3076, GM introduced a new variant that finally addressed the concerns of the original HSN models, the 10G. One jump jet and the ECM suite have been removed, the LRM launchers have been replaced by a pair of MML-7 variable missile launch systems fed by 3 tons of ammunition and the torso laser has been replaced by a light PPC. While CASE is still absent, light ferro-fibrous armor has been mounted and total protection has been increased to 7.5 tons--this gauss-proofs the torsos and brings the total belt to 83% protection. This is the variant I'm personally most familiar with and I find it a pleasant design to use: the long range damage is similar to the original 7D model but the short range potential throw weight of the MMLs and pulse lasers is brutal and the 3rd ton of ammo allows the 10G to mount inferno munitions alongside standard SRMs and LRMs, making it a general menace to heat hogs and conventional forces.

The final production variant is the 10SR, which focuses on developing the Hellspawn's role as a fast scout. The missiles have been removed completely in favor of paired ER medium lasers and light PPCs in the arms, a light active probe and TAG artillery designator have been added to support the ECM suite, the standard jump jets have been replaced with 8 improved models, and the armor belt has been increased to 9 tons. The 10SR is an incredibly slippery forward scout, combining the durability of a medium mech with the air mobility of a Spider

Overall, discussion focuses on the pre-3070 designs of the Hellspawn, which is understandable given the aversion many Battletech players have to the Jihad and Dark Ages, but a shame because it overlooks a very nice little chassis. With the proliferation of mixed tech designs a "modern" 315x variant of the HSN could likely do some very interesting stuff with the Chassis, possibly flipping the script and mounting clan ER lasers as the long range weapons while turning the missiles into a close-up compliment. If nothing else I hope more people do decide to pick up the 10G- it's a legitimately fanrastic little bodyguard and bully and I've thoroughly enjoyed running it.

[apricops]

Victoria 3 thought of the day:

Like a lot of strategy games, Vicky 3 has a tech tree. Three of them, in fact: Production, Military, and Society. In a lot of strategy games, it's a solid strategy to 'rush' certain military techs to get early access to more powerful units. That's something that is possible in Vicky 3 as well, but has a very different definition of 'possible.'

Many nations, for example, start off with "Line Infantry" units, representing Napoleonic-era tactics of massed infantry in tight formation firing in unison with smoothbore firearms.

When you research the 'General Staff' military technology, you can upgrade Line Infantry to Skirmish Infantry - the latter representing the military tactics of the American Slaveholders Rebellion (also known as the American Civil War) of firing from cover in looser formations with more accurate, longer-ranged rifled firearms, aided by more officers to order these looser arrangements and communicate with high command to make sure those orders are following overall strategic goals.

Except Skirmish Infantry need 'munitions' - which here refers to assembled cartridge ammunition as opposed to dumping five things down the barrel of your gun before you can fire. To build a munitions factory, you need to research the 'Percussion Cap' technology, and since munitions factories take explosives as an input, you also need to research the production technology 'Improved Agriculture' (which represents a variety of chemical discoveries, such as fulminates which were used as primers for early percussion cap firearms).

You also need to actually build an explosives factory and a munitions factory to produce these things for your new Skirmish Infantry, which for a smaller nation could represent several years of construction work. Attempting to rush the next military 'upgrade' could in fact be putting the cart before the horse as you wait several years for technology to catch up, then wait for your industrial production to catch up to those new technologies.

These various roadblocks to 'upgrading' military units in Victoria 3 use gameplay mechanics to express a simple but coherent point regarding military tactics in the Victorian era: changes in military tactics were the result of a constellation of advancements in chemistry, engineering, etc. which allowed weapons to do things they simply could not do before. It might be an 'obvious' lesson to people more familiar with the era (think about the common narrative of World War I - "old-fashioned generals struggling to adapt to a world with machine guns and long-ranged artillery") but I think it's really cool how Vicky 3 can express this point entirely through its mechanics.

[tomorrowusa]

Ukrainian drones blew up a large Russian arms depot west of Moscow. The blast was large enough to have been detected by earthquake sensors.

A Ukrainian drone attack on a large Russian weapons depot caused a blast that was picked up by earthquake monitoring stations, in one of the biggest strikes on Moscow’s military arsenal since the war began. Pro-Russian military bloggers said Ukraine struck an arsenal for the storage of missiles, ammunition and explosives in Toropets, a historic town more than 300 miles north of Ukraine and about 230 miles west of Moscow. Videos and images on social media showed a huge ball of flame rising high into the night sky and detonations thundering across a lake, in a region not far from the border with Belarus. The strike was part of a broader Ukrainian drone campaign targeting Russian oil refineries, power plants, airfields and military factories, and highlights Kyiv’s enhanced long-range drone capabilities. Earthquake monitoring stations registered what sensors thought was a minor earthquake in the area.

The blast was so big that in the first couple of seconds it appears to be during daytime.

The Kyiv Independent has additional details.

Arms depot in Russia's Tver Oblast built to withstand nuclear explosion heavily damaged by Ukrainian drones

Back in 2018, the Russian Defense Ministry bragged that this facility would be prepared to withstand even a nuclear explosion. Six years later, the claim was proven to be false. According to the SBU, the arsenal stored ballistic missiles, including Iskanders, anti-aircraft missiles, artillery ammunition, and KAB guided bombs. The attack "literally wiped off the face of the earth a large warehouse of the main missile and artillery department of the Russian Defense Ministry," the SBU source said. The construction of the arsenal, controlled by the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate, began in 2015 in the town of Toropets, located 480 kilometers north of Ukraine. The construction was part of a 2012 government program set to improve Russia's storage of missiles, ammunition, and explosives. According to Russia's Defense Ministry, the program, worth 90 billion rubles (nearly $980 million), called for 13 modern arms depots to be built. [ ... ] Yet the source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent that a "very powerful detonation" occurred, and the affected area was 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) wide. NASA satellites also recorded a surge in thermal activity in Tver Oblast, where the 107th arsenal of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate is located. "The arsenal seems to have been built correctly, with bunkered storage facilities that can hold up to 240 tons of ammunition each," Serhiy Zgurets, military expert and CEO of the Ukrainian media Defense Express, told the Kyiv Independent.

As Joe Biden might put it, this is "a big fucking deal". Months worth of ammunition, missiles, and other ordnance which was waiting to be used against Ukrainians has been eliminated.

In total, about 30,000 tons of ammunition were stored in the arsenal in Toropets, which could have been enough to conduct attacks for months, according to the expert. Russia most likely stored 122 mm Grad ammunition, 82 mm mines, and missiles for Buk medium-range surface-to-air missile systems, among other munitions, according to Zgurets.

Ukraine apparently destroyed 30,000 tons (i.e. 30 kilotons) of ammo. For comparison, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima was the equivalent of 15 kilotons.

Ukrainians are intelligent and resourceful. They are now building drones which cannot be jammed by electronic warfare. They may have used those to get to Toropets.

And it seems a bit weird that Russia would build a gigantic arsenal just 4.51 km (less than 3 miles) from downtown Toropets – a scenic town and local administrative center.

So Ukraine has now penetrated and destroyed an impenetrable arms depot. Previously, Ukraine has stopped unstoppable Kinzhal Russian missiles. This war is unwinnable for Russia but the country continues to humiliate itself with its unmistakable military ineptitude.

[nerdknowledgepool]

What's mine is mine and what's yours is mine.

Yautja Mine Launcher

Wondrous Item, Artifact

Yautja hunters know that the hunt is more than simply feral predation. Laying in wait can be as effective, if not more so…

Mine Factory: When you find this launcher, which can be worn like a gauntlet, it has 2 Yautja Mines loaded into a hidden ammunition bay. The mines in the ammunition bay are inert until armed using the launcher. When you complete a long rest, this device will generate 2 new mines which will automatically feed into the ammunition bay. The Yautja Mine Launcher will not hold more than 2 mines at any given time.

Explosive Ordinance: As an action, you may launch a Yautja Mine at a flat surface within 60 feet, where it will stick, arm itself, and begin cloaking. A cloaking mine is imperceptible without 19 Passive Perception or a DC 16 Perception or Investigation check. If a creature enters the space within 10 feet of the mine, it detonates. When the mine detonates, creatures within 20 feet must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity Saving Throw or take 3d6 Fire Damage.

Factory Overload: If you’re also attuned to the Yautja Hunter’s Bio-Helmet [Posted on 06/06/2024] the Yautja Mine launcher’s ammunition bay capacity increases to 3 mines, and it will generate 3 mines when you complete a long rest. Additionally, you may choose to integrate shrapnel into the devices before launching them. Shrapnel mines deal Piercing Damage instead of Fire Damage.

[zombiecicada]

World Building: Crux Demonbeast Sanctuary

The Crux Factory is located on a small planet within the eastern parent of the Southern Region of space. The smallest planet of a multiple gas giant solar system, Crux is covered in a dense yellow atmosphere and covered in methane oceans. The only habitable spots on Crux being a number of small climatized domes dotting the surface on the few patches of land. From space and without proper equipment, it would simply look like a completely uninhabitable world.

However, during the height of the war, it was an Nightmare Enterprises claimed planet that housed multiple factories, utilizing the nitrogen and ammonium compounds from the atmosphere and methane from the oceans to make various explosives, fuel, ammo and other weapons and ammunition for the war. It was also the site of two laboratories, which created the sasuke demonbeasts to use in order to staff the factory with free labour.

Crux was managed by manager and scientist Dr Ayelech Sanus, who was in the process of training her son Majang Sanus to be her successor.

Crux met its end after the escape of one of the sasuke workers, who managed to get off the planet and went to the GSA, offering information in return for the freedom of his people and the destruction of the factories. Determined to change the tide of the war by removing NME’s main access to ammunition and fuel (after all, your enemies can’t fly ships and can’t shoot at you nearly as much if they have a sudden shortage of fuel or bullets) the GSA agreed and launched a nuclear attack on Crux, deteriorating within the interiors of the domes and destroying the factories and structures within.

Reports say there was no NME survivors that did not catch wind evacuate beforehand. However what most didn’t know, and would never learn was that there was on survivor, Majang.

Majang spent a lot of time trapped within the fallout bunkers his mother had locked him into. The radiation from the attack changed him overtime, giving him his unusual appearance.

Eventually he did manage to get out, and emerged into a destroyed world. The mountain that they had been mining had collapsed in the blast, burying several of the buildings, including the one he was in. It took a lot of digging and rigging old drilling equipment but little by little he made his way to other buildings, including the communications center. After several attempts to restore some kind of power to the equipment he was able to turn on the logs and was greeted with the records stating he was dead and Crux had been destroyed.

He spent a couple days pondering what to do with himself, obviously going back to NME and declaring he was in fact not dead was an option. He explored more of the ruins and built more tunnels to other buildings, eventually reaching Alpha Containment. It dawned on him that Ayelech had never let him in here before, and that’s one thing about being dead on paper he would find time and time again, you can do whatever you want. And he went inside and explored the various containment chambers, and to his surprise he found another survivor. Only, the survivor wasn’t a person, but a massive, massive demonbeast.

A massive building sized chained creature, eyes blinded. Demonbeasts did not need to eat, they did not need sleep, they would not die without either. This creature, a creature known as a riftwrath, a powerful demonbeast of the wrath type demonbeast line, had been left to rot.

Majang started to speak with the monster, or rather it would speak by taking control of him to use his body to make words. Which, albeit very unsettling at first, was something Majang got used to. The two struck a very unlikely bond, the creature was named Rodger by Majang, and Rodger shared his stories of the cruelty and suffering he had endured at the hands of NME. Now Majang has been raised by NME his entire life, he was born into the company, his mother taught him everything he knew and that included the belief that NME was doing the right thing and that demonbeasts were simply just tools to be used.

But Rodger frankly shattered that view.

Majang, after a couple more weeks of thinking, finally got the idea of what he wanted to do with his newfound freedom. He wouldn’t be going back to NME, he’d rebuild this place. But instead of a factory, it was going to be a sanctuary. Rodger agreed to be his right hand monster in the operation, and with Majang’s permission used Majang’s body to see the world to open up rifts to other planets so Majang could leave.

Over the next several years Majang and Rodger fixed up Crux, Majang rebuilt as much as he could and got much of the equipment back online. He turned it into a true demonbeast sanctuary for him to care for monsters, treat them of injury sustained from war and lab testing, and humanly study them to better understand them. As the war raged on he dodged both NME and the star warriors, capturing demonbeasts to take back to the sanctuary to spare them from the war and experimentation or death at the hands of the rebel forces.

The location of the planet is still kept secret and Majang has lived there as the only non demonbeast for a long time now, his ability to interact with people having greatly diminished. He’d still be kind to others if he met them, and would even offer them to stay at Crux if they needed a place to run and hide, providing they wouldn’t hurt his monsters.

He’s content to continue doing this for the rest of his life, expanding and bettering his sanctuary, and furthering his understanding of the monsters who call it home.

[at-liberty-news]

Major Order Status: Days 31 + 32

After a brutal and efficient blitz campaign to retake Vernen Wells, Helldivers have saved the lives of 4311 citizens trapped in Super Citizen Anne's Hospital for Very Sick Children, including very many very sick children. Despite SEAF intelligence indicating that Terminid and Automaton numbers would drop across the board, this was one of the hardest-fought battles yet, and enemy forces now swarm across the surface of every planet they contest.

The children saved are now being transported to another hospital, Super Citizen Mary's Hospital for Tragically Ill Youths, where their care has been crowdfunded by many citizens inspired by the Helldivers' victory. Even though Super Earth goes out of its way to wage war with every other faction it can find, it forces its citizens to bear the weight. Additionally, many children have reportedly signed an MOD Form 11, a form that indicates an adolescent's desire to enlist when they become of age. Here's hoping this war doesn't last that long.

After securing Vernen Wells, High Command noticed the Automatons on Marfark had begun transporting the explosive materials necessary to create the MD-17 Anti-Tank mines off-world. With less than 24 estimated hours to stop them, more than half of all deployed Helldivers across the galaxy dived onto Marfark's surface in an endless barrage, desperate to secure it in due time. Despite the Diver's herculean efforts, the bots managed to move the majority of the cache away from the planet to some new, unknown location.

High Command has internally marked the entire major order as a failure, disregarding the thousands of lives saved. Lacking the necessary resources, Super Earth is shuttering all MD-17 Anti-Tank Mine factories and reassigning all workers to new, equally dangerous jobs.

Despite how much territory must still be reclaimed from the bots, High Command is already shifting focus back to the Terminids with a new major order. Unveiling the "Hive Breaker" drill, a nuclear device based on the designs of the tectonic drills used to destroy Meridia, Helldivers are to deploy them on every planet in the Mirin and Draco sectors. The device can supposedly strike at the heart of a planet's hives, killing millions of larvae before they can grow into the dangerous warriors we see on the surface. Officials hope it will be the last time these sectors must be taken, citing the toll on troopers and ammunition it costs to keep the bugs at bay and how desperately this space is needed.

That's all we have for you right now, but we still have plenty in the works, and we should have a more detailed report on how the Hive Breaker functions within the coming days! 

[mariacallous]

Ukraine said on Oct. 20 that it attacked Russia's "largest explosives plant" and an airfield overnight, the latest in a series of long-range drone attacks in the rear to slowly grind down the bigger foe's powerful war machine from afar.  

A source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent that the drones targeted the large state-owned Sverdlov Plant in the city of Dzerzhinsk in the Nizhny Novgorod region, some 900 kilometers deep into Russia.

The plant has been under sanctions by the U.S. and the EU since 2023, over what the U.S. State Department says is its work "acquiring goods in support of Russia's war effort." The factory produces explosives, industrial chemicals, detonators and ammunition, the U.S. said in a press release when the sanctions were announced.

The source told the Kyiv Independent that the plant produces aviation and artillery shells, aviation bombs, and warheads that help Russia continue waging its war against Ukraine.

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported later in the day that Ukraine had also struck the Lipetsk-2 airfield in the Lipetsk region, locatedover 400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. This attack targeted ammunition depots, fuel storage facilities and aircraft on an airfield known to be home to Russian Su-34, Su-35 and MiG-31 aircraft, it added.

The operations were carried out in cooperation between the SBU, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), and the Special Operations Forces, the SBU source said.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the report.

Outmanned and outgunned on the battlefield Ukraine has turned to homemade drones to try to exhaust Russian combat capabilities as much as possible from afar, targeting Russian military-industrial complex facilities, airbases or oil refineries.

While Ukraine regularly claims attacks deep into Russia, it is difficult to verify the authenticity of the reports and the scale of the damage inflicted.

"The SBU worked on strengthening the sanctions against the Sverdlov plant," the SBU source told the Kyiv Independent.

"We added drones to the economic sanctions, which give an instant effect. Work on reducing the enemy's military capabilities will continue."

Earlier in October, another Ukrainian drone strike set ablaze a Russian weapons depot storing North Korean ammunition in Bryansk Oblast, Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Oct. 9.

In September, Estonian Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Defense Forces Intelligence Center, said Ukraine's drone strike on the arms depot in Russia's Tver Oblast destroyed two to three months' worth of munitions.

[is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not]

Atlas II AS7-D-HTb 'Aumakua'

(note: the above propaganda piece/dramatization of the Battle of Coromodir, produced in 3035, depicts a standard Atlas in place of the 'Mech's true status as an Atlas II. Broad details such as the original weapons loadout and the Aurigan Royal Guards paintjob are accurate, however.)

Mass: 100 tons Chassis: Foundation Type 10X-C Power Plant: Vlar 300 XL Cruising Speed: 32.4 kph Maximum Speed: 54 kph Jump Jets: Army Comm Class 5 Jump Capacity: 0 meters Armor: StarSlab/2L Ferro-Lamellor with CASE II Armament: 1 LRM 20 (w/ Artemis V FCS) 1 LAC/20 1 Streak SRM 6 2 Medium Pulse Laser 2 ER Large Laser Manufacturer: Defiance Industries,Hegemony Research and Development Department, Weapons Division Primary Factory: Hesperus II,New Earth Communication System: Army Corporation Type 29K Targeting & Tracking System: Unknown Introduction Year: 3153 Tech Rating/Availability: F/X-X-X-X Cost: 32,988,000 C-bills

Deployment Its origins unknown, the only known example of the AS7-D-HT was found inside Castle Nautilus, an SLDF Outpost Fortress found on the world of Artru in the Aurigan Reach (located thanks to coordinates recovered by Fursona's Fusiliers onboard the now-ACS Dobrev), and used by Kamea Arano during her final defeat of the Aurigan Directorate - by the end of the campaign it had come to be referred by the name "Aumakua". This seemingly custom variant retained the bulk of the standard model's weapon loadout save swapping the LB-X-10 for a mammoth Autocannon/20 for enhanced short-range combat.

In the century and a quarter since its initial discovery, the 'Mech has been rebuilt and further modified multiple times, as the Aurigan military strove to keep up with modern technological developments; by 3153, the 'Mech mounts an experimental Light Autocannon/20 firing caseless ammunition (loaned by the Federated Suns, and capable of replicating the enhanced rate of fire of an Ultra Autocannon - while being much lighter and less bulky), along with Clan variants of (or upgrades to) all the original configurations' weaponry - the LRM 20 coupled to an Artemis V fire control system, and the original SRM 6 swapped for a Streak SRM 6.

The redesigned 'mech also mounts Clan double heat sinks - 14 of which provide extensive heat dissipation to the design; these are further backed up by a combat computer for heat management and a RISC Emergency Coolant System (likely obtained through Fusiliers connections with the Republic and indeed RISC itself). Covering the 'mech are 22 tons of Ferro-Lamellor armor - ensuring that the enemy will struggle to deal damage, and if the enemy does breach the outer layers of armor, they will find the Clan-spec XL engine and gyro have both been further armored. Finally, the 'mech has been mounted with CASE II to protect against ammunition explosions, and the head of the 'Mech has been armored extensively - in addition to full Ferro-Lamellor armor coverage, further internal armoring was applied to the entire head assembly - including the sensors and life support, as well as the added cargo space (used to expand the internal amenities available to the High Lord/Lady - leading to the 'Mech's unofficial nickname of "the Royal RV") and the remote drone command console operated by a Royal Guard MechWarrior (who is additionally trained in close protection). Lastly, an extremely (some have gone so far as to say "excessively") armored cowl has been draped over the head, with multiple redundant layers of armor in all directions, but especially heavy in the rear and side directions. This ensures that the leader of the Aurigan Coalition has little to fear from their enemies.

[Detected uploaded file: AS7-D-HTb_Aumakua_TRO.txt]

[Access file?] [Y / N]

Type: Atlas II Technology Base: Mixed (Unofficial) Tonnage: 100 Battle Value: 2,629

Equipment Mass Internal Structure Composite 5 Engine (Armored) 300 XL 9.5 Walking MP: 3 Running MP: 5 Jumping MP: 0 Double Heat Sink 14 [28] 4 Compact Gyro (Armored) 4.5 Small Cockpit (Armored) 2 Armor Factor (Ferro-Lamellor) 307 22 Internal Structure Armor Value Head 3 9 Center Torso 31 47 Center Torso (rear) 15 R/L Torso 21 32 R/L Torso (rear) 10 R/L Arm 17 34 R/L Leg 21 42

Right Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand Left Arm Actuators: Shoulder, Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Heat Tonnage Cargo (0.5 tons) (Armored) CT 1 - 0.5 RISC Emergency Coolant System CT 1 - 2.0 2 Medium Pulse Laser CT 2 4 4.0 CASE II RT 1 - 0.5 LRM 20 Artemis V-capable Ammo (12) RT 2 - 2.0 2 Double Heat Sink RT 4 - 2.0 Caseless LAC/20 Ammo (30) RT 3 - 3.0 2 ER Large Laser LA 2 12 8.0 Artemis V FCS LT 2 - 1.5 CASE II LT 1 - 0.5 Streak SRM 6 LT 2 4 3.0 Streak SRM 6 Ammo (15) LT 1 - 1.0 LRM 20 LT 4 6 5.0 Armored Cowl (Armored) HD 1 - 1.0 Remote Drone Command Console (Armored) HD 1 - 2.0 LAC/20 RA 6 7 9.0

Features the following design quirks: Accurate Weapon (all), Battle Computer, Battle Fists, Combat Computer, Cowl, Distracting, Easy to Pilot, Extended Torso Twist, Improved Communications, Improved Cooling Jacket (all), Improved Life Support, Improved Sensors, Multi-Trac, Protected Actuators, Rumble Seat, Searchlight, Variable Range Targeting

[dzthenerd490]

Space Marine Chapter: Angels Encarmine

Description: Created by the Blood Angels but mixed with the DNA of the Night Lords, hailing from the Ark Ship known as the Crimson Rift. Considered a Forbidden Chapter and entrusted to fight in crusades that are expected to last months or even years before completion. They specialize in brutal and bloody warfare that require overwhelming destruction and unyielding endurance. They are a testament to the resilience that can be found in the DNA of the Blood Angels and are considered a living manifestation of that aspect as a result. When forming strike teams or even large armies of Space Marines the Angels Encarmine are always the main strength.

Even the Skaven tremble in fear at the sight of an Angel Encarmine due to their unyielding rampages and ever-growing strength from fallen foes. Every Space Marine Chapter hones the craft of warfare and death but none leave a bloodier mess and more terror in the hearts of their enemies than the Angels Encarmine.

Unique Trait: “Valor’s Thirst” is an extremely useful unique trait that the Angels Encarmine inherited when their DNA Factory was made but also a dangerous one. “Valor’s Thirst” allows an Angel Encarmine to grow stronger as they drink blood and heal faster as well. So long as they have access to blood they will be able to keep going and fight even stronger after every kill. However the Angels Encarmine were not free of the “Black Rage” curse as it has given a great price to the utilization of “Valor’s Thirst”

Should an Angel Encarmine drink too much blood or drink it all too quickly they will start to go insane and filled with never ending blood lust that goes on for longer the more they drink. They will start going mad with the desire to kill and destroy more, even harming their brother and sister Space Marines. They will no longer see reason and laugh at everything even their own bodies getting torn up and they will forget their mission and do anything and everything to prove their strength and power.

Arsenal:

Black Blood Blade Wings - Like all Chapters born from the Blood Angels the Angels Encarmine are born with wings. These wings have been blighted by the genetic DNA of the Night Lords being added to their DNA factory. They are now blackened wings but with feathers that are long and blade-like. Furthermore the Angel Encarmine can pull them off and have them extend to be sword-like weapons. They can also shoot out the feathers on command for the blade feathers to act as razor sharp projectiles. Naturally the wings overall are stronger than even Ceramite making them natural shields to the Angels Encarmine.

Bolter Rifle - Modified version of the original Bolter Gun made to be able to hold 50 canisters of God Blood with a total of 1,000 bolt shots that can easily make up for its lack of power and ammunition modes. Possesses Incendiary, Cryo, Explosive, Electric, and Armor Piercing ammunition frequency modes. Though also possesses unique Necrosis Rot, and Rage Virus frequencies, the former causing any organic foe to rot and the other infecting organic enemies with an extremely infectious virus turning all who are exposed to the bullet and infected blood into zombies fueled by pure rage.

Pure Blood Holy Mace - A holy weapon constructed for the Angels Encarmine. A devastating mace of great weight ensuring all who are hit by it will become grounded up flesh in mere seconds. The mace contains a mechanism that allows the icosagon to spin around shredding anything that gets too close into a fleshy mess. Better yet when the Angels Encarmine recites “Holy Mace, drink your fill” The holy weapon will be able to drain blood from any wound ensuring even the most robust and durable enemies will eventually fall. The holy weapon is able to drain blood even from the smallest wound, further ensuring death is inevitable. Furthermore should the Angel Encarmine desire they can have this blood inserted into their body directly satisfying their “Valor’s Thirst” and doing so this way nullifies the negative effects to a certain extent.

Blessed Blood Holy Sword - A secondary holy weapon, the Angels Encarmine are one of the few Chapters that own more than one holy weapon. The Holy sword has a long and vicious blade that maintains its sharpness by drinking the blood of its victims. Best of all it has a passive ability that nullifies the negative effects of “Valor’s Thirst” though only to a certain extent. Should a battle ever get too tough for an Angel Encarmine they can recite “Holy Sword, make my enemies bleed” and soon all fresh blood in the area can be bended by the Angel Encarmine through the sword. The Angel Encarmine can have them form into tiny blades, large guard blades, shields, or even from around the holy sword making it into a larger sword.

Deity of Worship: The Angel Encarmine worship Sanguinius of Blood and Divinity while ignoring their minor roots from Konrad of Crime and Scum. Because Konrad is a fallen god they despise him and instead take more pride in being descendants of Sanguinius even though he is known as a cursed God. However this does not deny that they are one of the more extreme and ruthless of the Blood Angels Chapters due to their relation to the Night Lords.

Additionally, like many chapters that have been blighted in one way or another by the “Black Rage” they are withheld from the truth of the curse and thus never find out until it is too late. As such they will always worship Sanguinius blindly but this might accidently lead to a change in faith once they find out the truth.

Recruitment: Because they are a Nomad Chapter they must go to Imperial Worlds to recruit new members. However this is why they are considered a Forbidden Chapter, it is because they do not recruit from worlds in Sanguinius’s doman or that worship his religion. They instead invade other worlds and have the churches surrender their worst and most disobedient orphans. Should the churches refuse due to a difference in gods worshiped, an Angel Encarmine is to “demonstrate” a bit of strength to make the Church more compliant. Once the orphans are surrendered the process can begin, it is believed this vile aspect of the Angels Encarmine is a result of their Night Lord blood.

Once the right amount of orphans have been delivered to the Crimson Rift, they will be considered applicants and will be forced to drink a crimson poison. This poison will cause random cellular growth into the body, it can improve the density or size of muscles, the strength of bones, the neuron density of the brain, or it can cause tumor growths and lead to a painful death. Those that survive will have specialized weights strapped to their bodies, they will then be forced to do all sorts of tasks around the Ark Ship. Both simple chores as well as heavy labor and will do so for at least a month all while they are forced to drink the poison every week to ensure it stays in their bodies. If they can continue to survive and remain loyal in that time they will be released from the weights.

However, they are not done, each surviving applicant will be placed in a separate arena and forced to face a captured and disoriented Skaven. The Skaven will be doped with drugs that will blur its vision and cloud its already questionable train of thought while increasing its aggression. The applicant will be given a simple chainsaw sword and forced to fight the Skaven in order to survive. Those that managed to live and kill the Skaven will be rewarded with the antidote to the drug and a blessed feast in honor of Sanguinius. After they have eaten, they will rest which will be the perfect time to place them into the rebirthing pods within the DNA Factory on the ship. Once the process is complete, they will be newly born and completely loyal Angel Encarmine ready to start their first mission.

Caution Regarding Chaos:

Khorne of Sacrifice and War - High Risk, the Angels Encarmine are berserkers and naturally as a result when they hear Khornes call they are more than tempted to head his will as well as his offers. He is a god who understands berserkers and their growing bloodlust, the Angels Encarmine have little to refute someone like that when they start to lose their minds the more they use “Valor’s Thirst”

Tzeentch of Corrupting Knowledge and Magic - Immune, Tzeentch knows all but nothing he says can sway the hearts or minds of an Angel Encarmine, it's all just boring nonsense to them.

Nurgle of Disease and Decay - Immune, His daemons are seen as target practice at best, Nurgle can do nothing to sway their minds.

Slaanesh of Pleasure and Pain - Immune, Slaanesh’s services do not peak the interest of an Angel Encarmine, hearing his call does nothing to them.

Malice of Anarchy and Vengeance - High Risk, as berserkers an Angel Encarmine can be very prideful and petty desiring revenge from even the smallest of transgressions. Furthermore, as they lose their minds from overuse of “Valor’s Thirst” they will be enticed by Malice’s plans and gifts through anarchy and easily fall to his will as a result.

.

Warhammer 40K Retold Hub

WH40KR: Space Marines Hub

[awesome-casuallyfamouscollector]

Mushroom cloud fills sky as Putin's 'bomb-proof' depot EXPLODES in devastating Ukraine drone strike [in Toropec]

A [huge- 30000 tons] RUSSIAN ammunition depot exploded in a huge mushroom fireball after a massive Ukrainian kamikaze strike [in Toropec]. Dramatic footage showed the scale of the blasts in one the biggest strikes of the war so far - with thick black smoke pouring into the sky in Toropets and nearby villages.

P.S. Warning: Some viewers may find this content awesome!!! Kremlin propagandists and useful idiots are shocked that they can no longer hide this huge fiasco of the Kremlin....The explosion is too big, loud and clearly visible from all sides...even from space!

For the successful defense of Ukraine, it is important to transfer active hostilities deep into Russian territory by destroying their strategic facilities with massive, clearly visible strikes....legitimate targets are the factories, villas and residences of Putin's closest associates and business partners

[sunder-the-gold]

I don't understand Laterano's exile policy for the Infected

While there are some issues on which I'll defend Laterano, or at least argue that people should consider their perspective, I can't defend them on this one.

Laterano has no apparent reason to be ignorant to how hard it is for the Infected to infect others.

The only knowledge their government seems to suppress is anything related to the nature of The Law as a machine (which no one but the pope seems to know anyway), and anything related to their origins as Sarkaz (which I can't remember if even the pope suspected), and possibly the full details of what a Fallen Sankta is.

With freedom of information exceeded only by the Durin, with internal security and societal trust matched only by the Durin, with a lack of monetary corruption, with all the wealth they have, and with a survival-based incentive to stay ahead of the academic curve on Terra, Laterano MUST have one of the best primary and secondary education systems on Terra.

And Terra's medical science has already determined there is little to no risk for the Infected spreading Oripathy until their corpses disintegrate.

Additionally, building and maintaining public facilities and services to accommodate for the death and impending explosions of the Infected should be extremely easy for the well-oiled bureaucratic machine of the Lateran state.

[Guiding Ahead] actually showed us how efficient they are at handling the untimely death of a total social recluse. Handling the corpse of a monitored Infected should be simple in comparison, especially given the level of cooperation Lateran citizens show with their civil servants.

The moral absurdity of the exile is only slightly mitigated by the fact that the exiles remain full legal citizens, with the government checking in on them to make sure they're not being oppressed wherever they've made their home away from home. But paying to monitor and protect citizens in exile should be just as expensive as accommodating them at home; probably more so.

Laws

There are three kinds of laws in Laterano:

"The Law" itself. The secret machine that enforces its own unspoken, unwritten dictates.

The law chosen by the state, which the majority of the people accept without revolt.

And the law that the people demand the government enforce.

The Sarkaz ban could easily be either the second or the third. The highest levels of the original state wanted to keep any Sarkaz from accidentally revealing the true origins of the Sankta, but the modern people also hate and fear the Sarkaz.

But I don't see why the Infected ban would be either.

The People

The Sankta do not fear feeling the emotions of other Sankta suffering from injury and disease; they maintain public hospitals. They have funeral homes and mourning practices.

Also, Laterans show no discomfort at all with authorized, scheduled explosions. They regularly blow up public property with Originium for fun. Controlling for the explosions of the dead Infected would be far less fun, but no less safe.

The continued existence of their civilization depends on the mining, refining, and consumption of Originium. Everything from maintaining Laterano's mobility as a nomadic city, to fueling their factories, to serving as the accelerant for their explosives and the ammunition of their precious Guardian Guns.

Even with the world's best safety practices and protections for miners and gunsmiths, accidents happen. That's how Arene became Infected and exiled -- his parents either made a lapse in their safety practices or something completely unexpected happened in the course of an experiment.

The Secret

We have at least two Infected Sankta at Rhodes Island -- Adnachiel and Arene.

Neither one of them show any sign of Sarkaz heritage because of their Oripathy. They haven't Fallen, they retain full halo-empathy, they could use Guardian Guns if they asked Executor to conduct the test for them, they haven't grown horns or tails...

And on top of that, Ambriel shows absolutely no signs of discomfort in their presence. But then, she joined Rhodes Island in the first place, and no Sankta would do that if they were afraid of Oripathy.

The Law

The Pope suggests that if the Law has a goal or agenda, it is to ensure the survival of the Sankta.

Could the Law be the reason that the government exiles the Infected? Perhaps it sees their proximity as too much of a threat?

But the Law apparently does nothing to punish or discourage the Sankta from accepting Liberi as fellow citizens.

(I doubt the Law is actively refusing to transform Liberi into Sankta. Because if the Law truly wanted to ensure the survival of the Sankta, there would be few better ways to do that than to transform as many willing converts as possible into Sankta, or at least to allow non-Sankta to have Sankta children.)

We know that Sankta can become Infected in Laterano without an immediate response from the Law. Arene did not Fall. Though it is possible that the earliest generations of Sankta noticed that Infected Sankta who remained too close to the Law would eventually Fall.

[workersolidarity]

[video from just some of the results from yesterday's massive combined drone and missile strikes across Ukraine]

🇷🇺⚔️🇺🇦 🚨

💥AFTER ONE OF THE LARGEST MISSILE AND DRONE STRIKES OF THE UKRAINE WAR, MORE DRONES FLY IN THE SOUTH OF UKRAINE💥

Drones are in the air in the South of Ukraine, with Russian Geraniums flying "along the border of Odesa and Mykolaiv" the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is reporting on their official Telegram channel.

This comes after last night, when the Russian Armed Forces launched one of the largest collective missile and drone strikes since the beginning of Russia's Special Military Operation in Ukraine, launched Feb. 24th, 2022.

According to Ukrainian media, at least 158 combined-munition strikes targeted nearly every major city in Ukraine, covering from the west, to the east, to the south of the country.

"Preliminary reports indicate that last night the enemy used 158 means of air attack against Ukraine: missiles of various types and attack UAVs," the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerie Zaluzhny was quoted as saying.

"The assets and personnel of the Air Force, in cooperation with units of the Defence Forces of Ukraine, destroyed 27 Shahed-136/131 attack UAVs and 87 Kh-101/Kh-555/Kh-55 cruise missiles."

Ukrainian authorities are known for greatly exaggerating the number of Russian missiles and drones it shoots down with Western-supplied air defenses, however, the reality often proves differently as, despite Martial Law (declared on the day the SMO began) and a ban on videotaping strikes (in place since May 2022) videos of burning Ukrainian ammo depots and missile factories pop up by the dozens online only minutes after strikes are announced.

"The largest air attack ever has occurred. On 29 December, 114 out of 158 aerial targets were downed. Thanks to everyone for their combat efforts! Many lives have been saved! We will retaliate! We will prevail!" Mykola Oleshchuk, one of Ukraine's top Generals said of yesterday's strikes.

However, with explosions being reported across the country last night, claims of shooting down large numbers of drones, missiles, and even the hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, become a bit hard to swallow.

Earlier, the Russian Armed Forces said tonight's strikes targeted the Malyshev military plants in Kharkov and Artyom in Kiev, as well as the port and air defense crews in Odessa.

In addition to these, Russian Forces targeted an ammunition depot near Odessa, as well as concentrations of foreign mercenaries in Lviv, in addition to the Yavorovsky training center in the Lviv region, according to the coordinator of the Nikolaev underground, Sergei Lebedev told reporters with Ria Novosti, citing data from comrades in Ukraine.

Previously, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that 50 group strikes and one massive strike was carried out in a single week using a combination of missiles and drones.

#source1

#source2

#source3

#videosource

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[petergwaelod]

Leopold II- worse than Hitler?

While reigning as the autocratic ruler of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908, King Leopold II of Belgium may have killed as many as 15 million people. How did The Congo become Belgian?

Ivory to the Victorians was like plastic is to us. Their houses would have so much; piano keys, false teeth, knife handles etc. So King Leopold at last could see how to make money from the African interior. He always wanted to have a colony like the British or the Dutch and he was interested in geography and the only blank space on the map was Congo. Making money was his only goal. He used diplomacy, violence, and propaganda to exploit and oppress African people. When the Congo ivory began to fail he turned to rubber, a new industry which began when John Boyd Dunlop (5 February 1840 – 23 October 1921) opened the first factory, the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company, in Belfast. The Congo became the world’s largest rubber plantation.

In 1876 Leopold II of Belgium hosted the Brussels Geographic Conference, inviting famous explorers, philanthropists, and members of geographic societies to stir up interest in a "humanitarian" endeavour for Europeans in central Africa to "improve" and "civilize" the lives of the indigenous peoples.  He used explorer Henry Morton Stanley to help him lay claim to the Congo, an area now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While exploring the Congo for Leopold, Stanley set up treaties with the local chiefs and with native leaders. In essence, the documents gave over all rights of their respective pieces of land and labour in perpetuity to Leopold- 450 documents marked with an x. With Stanley's help, Leopold was able to claim a great area along the Congo River, and military posts were established. On 29 May 1885, after the closure of the Berlin Conference, the king announced that he planned to name his possessions "the Congo Free State", an appellation which was not yet used at the Berlin Conference and which officially replaced "International Association of the Congo" on 1 August 1885. The Free State was privately controlled by Leopold from Brussels; he never visited it. Leopold extracted a fortune from the Congo, initially by the collection of ivory, and after a rise in the price of rubber in the 1890s, by forced labour from the people to harvest and process rubber. He ran the Congo using the mercenary Force Publique for his personal enrichment. 

As a young official at the shipping company Elder Dempster, Liverpool shipping firm, E. D. Morel observed a fortune being made in the export of Congo rubber and the shipping in of guns and manacles. The knowledge that the Elder Dempster ships leaving Belgium for the Congo regularly carried guns, chains, ordnance and explosives, and articles which were remote from trade purposes, while ships arriving from the colony came back full of valuable products such as raw rubber and ivory, led him to the conclusion that Belgian King Leopold II's policy was exploitative and a type of slavery. Morel, the main activist in the movement to expose the abuses of Leopold in his private colony, first realized the discrepancy in value trade goods being sent to the Congo while working for Dempster. As much as 80 per cent of the goods being shipped to the Congo on Dempster ships were ammunition and other weapons. From this shipping information Morel deduced the extremely aggressive tactics being used by Leopold.

Morel’s campaign finally succeeded and Leopold and his vicious trade was stopped. In 1908 the Belgian Parliament reluctantly annexed the state as a colony belonging to Belgium after international pressure.

[boinkingbattlemechs]

Hunchback

The Hunchback is a respected and feared Reunification War-era street fighter that has been in production since its introduction in 2572. Built for urban combat and close range brawling, this BattleMech has the heavy armor and weaponry to stand up against any foe in the dense cover of a city environment. Its heavy armament does come at a cost: in terms of maneuverability and heat dissipation the Hunchback is merely average, while the lack of long-range weapons means the Hunchback is little more than a slow moving target in the open. In an attack, the slow speed of the Hunchback forces it to participate as part of the second wave, exploiting any weaknesses in the enemy's armor after they've been softened up.

The Hunchback was originally designed and produced by Komiyaba/Nissan General Industries and sold throughout the Inner Sphere and Periphery, often fielded as part of medium and assault lances. The company was destroyed in the Succession Wars, but the Hunchback continued to remain popular, especially in the arsenals of House Kurita and House Liao where it fit the dueling nature and all-or-nothing combat styles of the two Successor States. At some point in the Star League era, Diplass Technologies began producing Hunchbacks at their facilities on Winter. Eventually Kali Yama Weapons Industries bought the rights to the Hunchback and restarted production at their factory on Kalidasa to supply House Marik with large numbers of the 'Mech.

Dwindling stockpiles of spare parts and personal preference led many owners to remove the Hunchback's large signature autocannon and typically install smaller weapons in larger numbers in its stead, resulting in a variety of variants collectively known as "Swayback'" because of the significant change to the 'Mech's configuration and torso structure.

The rediscovery of lost technology in the years prior to the Clan Invasion inspired a number of old designs to be upgraded, the Hunchback included. Under contract from the Free Worlds League Military, Kali Yama engineers designed the HBK-5M variant, which sought to improve upon the original while still maintaining the "soul" of the machine. While the new variant included several improvements, mostly involving extra protection against ammunition explosions and overheating, to the chagrin of many MechWarriors this came at the cost of reduced ammunition for the autocannon. Their objections ignored, production began in 3046, and the new variant came into widespread use throughout the FWLM until Operation Guerrero, when this drawback was responsible for the failure of several advances. After this, Kali Yama finally produced a new variant, the HBK-6M, which addressed this concern. In the years since, Norse-Storm BattleMechs opened a refit line to produce new Hunchback variants and the 'Mech saw use on both sides in the Jihad.

The primary weapon on the Hunchback is a Tomodzuru AC/20 which can strip one and a quarter tons of armor off an enemy 'Mech in a single blow. Mounted prominently in the machine's right torso, it is fed by two tons of ammo carried in the left torso. This weapon is paired with two Ichiba 2000 medium lasers, one in either arm, and a Diverse Optics Type 10 small laser mounted in the Mech's head. All of the weapons carried by the Hunchback, along with its two heavy battlefists, make it a devastating opponent at close range. Sadly, with a cruising speed of 43.2 km/h, it takes slightly longer to get in range.

10 tons of Starshield standard armor is comparable to the amount carried by many heavy 'Mechs, but unfortunately this has also caused many a MechWarrior to consider the Hunchback an even match for these behemoths. In truth, the 'Mech does not have the endurance for a straight-up slugging match with many heavier 'Mechs, and when the armor is breached an opponent's next shot is likely to knock out the autocannon or set off the ammunition. Likewise, firing the autocannon produces a tremendous amount of heat which, if not carefully managed, can force the Hunchback to shut down despite its 13 single heat sinks.

When Kali Yama restarted production of the HBK-4G they replaced some of the components used in the original design. Instead of the Komiyaba Type VIII chassis, these newer 'Mechs use a Crucis Type V chassis while the Tomodzuru autocannon and Ichiba medium lasers were replaced with Kali Yama Big Bore and Hellion-V models. Both the communication and targeting-tracking systems were also replaced with an Omicron 4002 Networking Channel and TRSS Eagle Eye respectively.

[cyberbenb]

Ukrainian drone strike reportedly targets gunpowder factory in Russia's Tambov Oblast

A Ukrainian drone strike targeted a Russian gunpowder factory in the village of Kuzmino-Gat in Tambov Oblast overnight on Jan. 16, local Telegram channels and a Ukrainian official claimed.

Eyewitnesses in the nearby city of Kotovsk heard the sound of a drone engine as it was passing over their houses, presumably heading to the factory, the Shot Telegram channel reported.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces downed 27 Ukrainian drones over various regions overnight, including three in Tambov Oblast. The same night, a Russian oil depot in Voronezh Oblast reportedly caught fire as a result of the drone attack.

Russian authorities said there were no casualties as a result of the attack in Tambov Oblast and that the roof of a house was damaged by drone debris. It is not immediately clear whether the plant suffered any damage due to the attack.

The Kuzmino-Gat gunpowder factory is “one of the key facilities of the Russian military-industrial complex involved in the war against Ukraine,” said Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the counter-disinformation department at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

“The gunpowder produced here is used for various types of small arms, artillery, and rocket launchers.” The plant also produces colloxylin, which is used to manufacture explosives and other products, Kovalenko added.

Kuzmino-Gat lies roughly 450 kilometers (280 miles) east of the Russia-Ukraine border.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify all the claims.

The news comes amid Ukraine’s escalating drone campaign targeting Russian military and industrial facilities in the rear.

Kyiv launched one of its most massive long-range attacks on Jan. 14, successfully striking refineries, chemical plants, and ammunition depots, including a distillery in Novaya Lyada in Tambov Oblast.

The Kuzmino-Gat gunpowder factory was previously struck by Ukrainian drones in July 2024, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent at the time.

Ukraine targets Russia’s industrial plants, ammunition depots in ‘massive’ strike overnight

Chemical plants, refineries, the Engels airbase, and other facilities in Russia were successfully targeted, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy