[Goose]

https://twitter.com/bfichter/status/1638...bVTC5DVNgw

Surely we are scraping the bottom of the barrel here. These tanks are 70 years old!
Maybe it’s the same strategy as sending waves of all but unarmed men into Bakhmut, just trying to smoke out Ukranian defenses?

BC

The T-54/T-55s still have their fuel cells on the outside and thin armor, right? Comparatively slow rate of fire?

The T-55s do indeed have a fuel tank on the outside. However, one has to consider what has been going on in Ukraine armor-wise. There basically haven't been any big tank against tank battles. The large number of Russian tanks destroyed has been accomplished via ATGMs and/or indirect fire. Russia undoubtedly intends to use these tanks as mobile artillery. They probably have quite a stock of obsolete 100 mm ammunition that doesn't fit anything else, especially their "modern" tank's 125 mm smoothbore guns. In Ukraine, at least so far, tanks are often used as indirect fire weapons. Not what they are primarily designed for, but it does "work", especially when you have nothing else. This isn't stupid on their part.

Many points about the T55s can be true. 

1. Using them is the best option for Russia at the moment, and they can still provide value in terms of indirect fire and/or direct fire infantry support, even if survivability will be poor.

In an indirect fire role, survivability will be on a par with other, more modern Russian tanks. These tanks do not have to, nor expect to, survive a frontal hit by a NATO 120 mm AP sabot. An ATGM will kill them for sure. It will kill a T-72 just as well. It is wise to remember that the Leopard I was not designed to survive such conditions either.

2. The fact that Russia needs to dig into stocks of T55s shows the war effort is going poorly and supply of more modern equipment is running low.

True. It also indicates Russia does not expect any free-wheeling tank advances (at least on their side) any time soon. One also has to question how many of these tanks are "runners". Things that old often break down of their own accord pretty easily.

[Goose]

https://twitter.com/bfichter/status/1638...bVTC5DVNgw

Surely we are scraping the bottom of the barrel here. These tanks are 70 years old!
Maybe it’s the same strategy as sending waves of all but unarmed men into Bakhmut, just trying to smoke out Ukranian defenses?

BC

The T-54/T-55s still have their fuel cells on the outside and thin armor, right? Comparatively slow rate of fire?

The T-55s do indeed have a fuel tank on the outside. However, one has to consider what has been going on in Ukraine armor-wise. There basically haven't been any big tank against tank battles. The large number of Russian tanks destroyed has been accomplished via ATGMs and/or indirect fire. Russia undoubtedly intends to use these tanks as mobile artillery. They probably have quite a stock of obsolete 100 mm ammunition that doesn't fit anything else, especially their "modern" tank's 125 mm smoothbore guns. In Ukraine, at least so far, tanks are often used as indirect fire weapons. Not what they are primarily designed for, but it does "work", especially when you have nothing else. This isn't stupid on their part.

Many points about the T55s can be true. 

1. Using them is the best option for Russia at the moment, and they can still provide value in terms of indirect fire and/or direct fire infantry support, even if survivability will be poor.

In an indirect fire role, survivability will be on a par with other, more modern Russian tanks. These tanks do not have to, nor expect to, survive a frontal hit by a NATO 120 mm AP sabot. An ATGM will kill them for sure. It will kill a T-72 just as well. It is wise to remember that the Leopard I was not designed to survive such conditions either.

2. The fact that Russia needs to dig into stocks of T55s shows the war effort is going poorly and supply of more modern equipment is running low.

True. It also indicates Russia does not expect any free-wheeling tank advances (at least on their side) any time soon. One also has to question how many of these tanks are "runners". Things that old often break down of their own accord pretty easily.