Turtle Tanks, "Cope Cages" & Modified Vehicles in Ukraine - Purpose, Evolution & Effectiveness

When you fight a war against a backdrop of shortages, emerging threats and Slavic ingenuity, perhaps it's not surprising that you end up with a bunch of systems being used that aren't exactly factory standard.
One of the first images of the Russian invasion were tanks equipped with add-on overhead cages, but in 2024 the most extreme examples of anti-drone protection now include vehicles with entire structures built over them to provide near all round protection.
In this episode, I look at vehicle modification in Ukraine, examine some of the main classes of modification and ad-hoc vehicles we've seen and ask why they exist, and what sort of military value they might have.
Patreon: / perunau
Relevant Reading/sourcing (incomplete due to late release):
CBO - Technical Challenges of the U.S. Army’s Ground Combat Vehicle Program
apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA591...
Special thanks to the Armourer's bench for their work tracking individual turtle tanks in Ukraine
/ @thearmourersbench
Likewise thanks to Chris at Task and Purpose for discussing modifications for vehicles in the US Army
www.youtube.com/ @Taskandpurpose
Julien Potin - Finabel - Understanding Cope Cages: From Origins to Standardisation
finabel.org/understanding-cop....
As a throwback - RUSI comment on cages in 2022
www.rusi.org/news-and-comment...
Attribution of Ukrainian MT-LB 100mm modifications to a unit level effort
www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/20...
Russia showing off drone cage options at Army 2023
www.twz.com/cope-cages-go-mai...
Reporting on various modified or ad-hoc vehicles
www.kyivpost.com/analysis/22054
en.topwar.ru/212469-specopera...
www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3...
www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe...
www.businessinsider.com/video...
www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe...
www.economist.com/science-and...
www.rferl.org/a/makeshift-arm...
Israeli tanks with cope cages
www.telegraph.co.uk/world-new...
www.popularmechanics.com/mili...
www.twz.com/israeli-merkava-t...
Kazakh army showing off a tank with a cope cage
• #QazaqArmyNews с 11 по...
The image of the Libyan Humvee
taskandpurpose.com/news/libya...
Drone hunting teams:
www.economist.com/1843/2024/0...
Drone cages around buildings:
www.reuters.com/world/europe/...
ERA meme
/ ukrainian_explosive_re...
Caveats & Comments:
All normal caveats and comments apply. In particular - I would like to note as always that this material has been created for entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive examination of the topic in question and should not be relied upon to inform financial or other similar decisions.
Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Opening Words
00:00:50 - What Am I Talking About?
00:01:25 - Modifications & Motives
00:16:48 - Protection
00:19:21 - Spaced Armour & Cope Cages
00:33:06 - Other Adopters?
00:40:51 - Extreme Evolutions
00:48:14 - Protection - Reactive Armour
00:54:46 - Protection - Improvised
01:01:45 - Channel Update

[@PerunAU]

A few addenda here with a late pinned comment. Since this video was produced there has been even more footage of turtle tanks / assault sheds come out, so I doubt we've seen the last of them. I've also started breaking down the 2024 imagery for tanks and IFVs more closely (despite the risks of smaller sample sizes) and my rough read is that Russian usage rates are higher now than before, but I'll provide an update once I can say that with more confidence. Finally, I have some updates I might be able to give on the IDF usage of these kinds of add-ons, but didn't want to distract the video. I'll look for a chance to speak to those in future.

[@moonbaer01]

Enjoyed every one of the 111 slides. Thanks 😊

[@bob1yt]

Are you planning on making an episode on how the industry in Eastern European countries is manufacturing ammunition and other equipment for Ukraine?

[@silenterection]

AI voice sucks

[@danielgreen6302]

Prayer Armour: Has A particularly D&D Feel to It, which of course it is. But being a US Veteran I seriously understand.

[@BlutoandCo]

​@@silenterectionso does your mum

[@ZeAshTonz]

Born too late for the golden age of tanks. Born too early for the age of mechs and lasers. Born just in time for the golden age of assault sheds, cope cages, and mobile battle houses.

[@ArKritz84]

Aka blyatmobiles.

[@zzygyy]

DIY anti Drone warfare.

[@richardarriaga6271]

You don't want mechs. You want robot cazadors.

[@pax6833]

The thing about these assault sheds is that they should be sitting ducks for Ukrainian tanks. So where are those?

[@yoloswaggins1579]

And killer amazon quadcopters.

[@richdobbs6595]

"Emotional Support Armor". Perun certainly has a way with words!

[@thomastheisman1751]

Kinda like Mechanical Frog's emotional support small pulse lasers.

[@Oppen1945]

Sounds like something the Chieftain would say.

[@condotiero860]

im ded, im so ded. that killed me so hard. im cackling like a hyena

[@nexusyang4832]

*plot armor has been added to your inventory*

[@frankbarnwell____]

Margaret Thatcher's bra? She was the iron lady.

[@Helga-of-Skadi]

"Organic Carbon Plating" is the best way to describe attaching wood to a vehicle for protection.

[@lynndonharnell422]

But what's its carbon footprint. Let's wait with bated breath for the latest ev version of the challenger.

[@richardarriaga6271]

​@@lynndonharnell422Use bamboo

[@joewiddup9753]

Carbohydrate foam

[@saladdressing2781]

I like the term "Fibrous Carbon plates"

[@arthas640]

​@@saladdressing2781that sounds like something the Putin fanboys would say. They keep comparing this to what the US did for a short time during the invasion of Iraq for DIY mine resistance even though the US only did it short term, they used better DIY armor like lining APCs/IFVs floors with Kevlar armor, and that the US rather quickly adapted whereas Russia is going in the opposite direction and bringing in older and more outdated equipment rather then making/buying newer stuff.

[@tannermcnabb4836]

"and it doesnt take a particularly high IQ drone operator to get suspicious when they start seeing a bunch of bushes doing 20 kmh down a road" 🤣 Great deadpan delivery

[@DamnFeds]

"Nobody's here but us trees!" "Mean, green and unseen!" "Replanting!" -Mirage Tank, RA2

[@Zack_Wester]

To be fair a drone operator spotter have a greater chance to miss a bush going 20 kmh down a road then a tank doing the same. heck who was it that designed there tanks heat signature around the fact that we can´t hide it so we will just make the heat signature not have a tank shape. (mote at the earliest day when heat vision cameras had a resolution of next to none but now whit the extra resolution crew that spot something can now report seeing a tank and model. before it was no heat signature detected or blob of some shape/form.... shot at it we see later if we shot at a tank or a water boiler in a shed kind of deal. heck a person wearing none camouflage have successfully stayed hidden just be not been human shaped from someone looking for a human. Think looking like a log (why the log mostly not tree collor we don't know). is it foolproof absolutely not but if the scout is scanning areas looking for tanks and men, and there is a shed thats not been there before... ods are you will get away.

[@elijahsnow3119]

Just remember kids; Red Ones go Faster

[@hestan723]

And purple is stealthy

[@wizzzer1337]

WAAAARRGGHHHH!

[@DanielWW2]

But the blue ones, those are lucky.

[@joseaca1010]

'ERE WE GO! 'ERE WE GO! WAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!!

[@krissteel4074]

On a long enough timeline Everyfink gets orky!

[@alexst845]

Take a shot every time Perun says “All else being equal” challenge

[@RG001100]

Note the caveats.

[@Garthritis]

but its only 9:30 here lol

[@Vellzi]

CETERIS PARABIS

[@dx-ek4vr]

You’d quickly destroy your liver, even if you drank the weakest alcohol there is

[@Brettmlyons]

All else being dead.

[@MM22966]

16:00 "Why can't we just stick it on the back of a truck...?" And a million BAE, LockMart, and General Dynamics contractors cried out in horror.

[@JWQweqOPDH]

Why would they worry when they can just charge the same price for the weapons kit as they used to for the whole vehicle? What's the government going to do, not buy them? That would "destroy jobs" and that's not allowed.

[@MM22966]

@@JWQweqOPDH While that is sometimes true, it isn't always. Sometimes the military does look at the price tag and what the weapon system does and says "no thanks". Sometimes Congress gets sticker shock. Maybe a war or threat of war was going on and then ended, so suddenly there isn't a need for it, or a need for different weapons. Maybe a Presidential admin comes in, takes a fresh look, and says, "nope". A classic case of all of this was the US Army Crusader SPH program from the early 2000's. It was a very heavy, very sophisticated 155mm mobile artillery piece comparable to the German PanzerHaube 2000. Long range and high rate of fire. It also promised to be ridiculously expensive, and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld (who was a good friend to the MIC in most ways) looked at the kinds of wars the US would be fighting after 9/11, and said, "Nope, we're going to buy something cheaper and lighter". He was right, but it is a shame now, because that gun would be perfect for the kinds of fighting we see in Ukraine.

[@Lizardo451]

The "Technical" originated from NGOs working in Africa where they didn't have a budget line item for Mad Max Military vehicles, so the costs were listed under the "technical" column.

[@justsaying4303]

technical grants and i think it was in Somalia, don't quote me on it.

[@Lizardo451]

@@justsaying4303 Yes, it was Somalia, but not limited to.

[@johnbaker1256]

From "we are not mercenaries, we're just providing technical support"

[@user-xh2yg4uv9q]

No, most revolutionary and insurgent groups from the 1960's onward created technical vehicles by putting a gun on whatever vehicle they had. Heck, in WW2 they would put .50 cals on the back of a jeep.

[@Lizardo451]

@@user-xh2yg4uv9q yes, but the term originated with the NGOs.

[@damonedrington3453]

Me as a kid: “Ugh, a 5 minute power point? I hate this class!” Me as an adult: “An hour long series of PowerPoints from Perun? LETS GO!”

[@Shenaldrac]

It helps when the subject is something you're interested in rather than a thing you don't care about but are being forced to watch.

[@qlum]

Always loved a good bit of story telling as a kid, ultimately memes aside that's what Perun is good at. Some teachers at highschool were also pretty good at keeping the class hooked, others not so much.

[@Scriptedviolince]

Why yes, I too enjoy a weekly lesson on defense logistics procurement concepts. For real, it's fascinating how much these powerpoints have changed the way I look at a lot of logistics concepts.

[@tulsatrash]

It helps that Perun has a much better humor and relevant information perinute rate than most school teachers.

[@gmw3083]

It helps you maintain your biases. School was just to build foundations for those biases. The system won. You are part of it now. But you must maintain and charge the battery yourself. The system just drains it. That's what you signed up for...

[@Warui88]

"Cope cages" sounds like something a fulfilment worker at Amazon would have to deal with.

[@Mbeluba]

Wagie wagie, get in cagie Come on now and don't be lazy

[@FarrelClement]

NEET is comfy NEET is cool NEET is free from work and school

[@easonyeung2779]

An alternative to the Amazon therapy box (read: confessional booth), I suppose.

[@OakInch]

It is the cages they keep Ukr supporters in so they can't get access to any information.

[@GizzyDillespee]

Protester: But I though the whole COUNTRY was supposed to be a freedom cage! Cop: Go on, get in the freedom cage!!!

[@christopherconard2831]

You overlook the point of turtle tanks/assault sheds. If 95% of armor is destroyed while away from their bunker, then it can be assumed that bringing the bunker with you decreases your chances being hit drops. Gamer Logic.

[@arostwocents]

Not got to the bit on turtle tanks yet but the comments seem like he is saying they don't work, when combat footage has shown them to be a genius addition with a tiny loss rate compared to non turtle tanks, often participating in multiple assaults into a front line one after another

[@amhuman5138]

@@arostwocents Against FPV Drones. Problem: Ukraine is getting things that aren't FPV drones now

[@SrCoxas]

@@amhuman5138 but that's the point, up until now simple FPVs were enough to hold a russian armored assault, know you need to burn expensive, foreign and not-as-available rockets to defend your lines

[@Taskandpurpose]

thanks for the shout out Perun, great rundown as always. Learned a ton in this one. It's true, we ghetto rigged our Strykers. They looked like something out of "pimp my ride" by the end of the tour with all kinds of bullet resistant glass and sniper nets welded onto the top. the modifcations we're seeing in Ukraine look like they're putting that to shame though

[@Heavysscreams]

Peak content creator crossover

[@thedharan196]

We did the same hood rat stuff in 07 but also added water jugs strapped to the bird cages. Shit was wild back then lol

[@icarusfan3343]

On the sandbags, some tank commanders reported that they were aware that it wasn't a lot of protection, but the sandbags did muffle the sound of small arms pinging against the hull, letting the crew maintain better communication with each other and helping to steady the nerves of the tank crew.

[@demomanchaos]

I'd argue they also disrupt the body lines of the tank, giving it a degree of camo.

[@ConanTroutmann]

​@@demomanchaos No doubt. Even if not initially intentional, it would've been a noted benefit pretty quickly

[@DanielDracohun]

Didnt they made AP ammo less likely to deflect/bounce off and thus decrasing armor effectivnes?

[@nikolaideianov5092]

​@@DanielDracohun yep But its a sherman its not like its got a lot of armor anyways

[@everettputerbaugh3996]

The Germans referred to Lend Lease tanks as Tommy Cookers and the Brits as Ronson Lighters for a reason. They had little armor and AP rounds did not go all the way through, just through one side and bounced around. The sand bags could also be off loaded and used in fixed positions.

[@eddiethatch5060]

“All the way to stuff that looks like it was welded together on a workbench 200 years after the apocalypse”😂😂

[@jpoeng]

[@ColdNavigator]

Einstein was wrong, WW3 not WW4 would be fought with sticks and stones.

[@dpelpal]

@@ColdNavigator Given the fact that russia mobilized their entire country and can't take even 10% of of the second poorest country in Europe, I don't think they'd fare well in a "world war". Other than the entire world laughing at the russian army lol

[@danielmartin7838]

People keep referencing MadMax in global media, I see a greater likeness to the Orks from Warhammer 40k

[@sti_xy1]

russia in a nutshell

[@anderson3510]

I was never a tank driver. My military service was in the electronic warfare community so I’ve never had the stress and anxiety of constantly worrying about something fast, pointy, and explosive entering my office. That said it’s wild to me how being in a giant armored vehicle makes the crew anxious but then zip-tying a fucking patio onto the top of that alleviates that anxiety.

[@ejthenobody]

The human brain is weird as hell.

[@Sparkle-Father]

I met an Iraq War 3 vet many years ago in college. His squad only had a HUMVEE. He told me about how their welder was the 3nd most important peice of equipment they had. They used it to weld on extra armor and do ad-hoc modifications. The 2nd and 3rd most important had to be the window air conditioner they bought at a market, and a generator to power the thing. They would seal up a room in a house to get some relief from the heat.

[@thechaospope]

@43:44 "Assault Shed" is just making me giggle at the absurdity that is the turtle tank. Thank you Perun, I really needed this.

[@fiendish9474]

I prefer Mobile Barn or Combat RV/trailer

[@timh6845]

Bob Semple smiles down from heaven

[@ulooqulg]

I bet The Ukranians in those trench aint laughing.

[@arostwocents]

Why is it funny when it's proved to be incredibly effective? It's a fantastic design

[@buffewo6386]

"Emotional Support Armor." You are a wordsmith of legendary skill, Sir.

[@mickkelly6389]

Quality of life features (step)

[@uzivatel56]

It might be a nod to "emotional support sturmgewehr". It would run nicely along the "OMG the tank is on fire test"

[@RipOffProductionsLLC]

I mean, "General Butt Naked" managed to be relitively successful giving his troops the placebo of witchdoctor magic armor, admittedly this doubled as a psychological weapon upon their enemies when they saw their enemies charging at them nude, but still... Also there were drugs involved...

[@condotiero860]

commissioned officer: it doesnt work! infantry: armor is armor

[@SidIcarus]

Cool kids use acronyms. ....ESA

[@Distantshoreman]

My understanding of the term "technical" came at the start of the conflict in Somalia in 93ish. Journalists reporting on the crisis were not allowed to expense body guards or other protection supports. There solution was to hire guys with anti aircraft guns on their toyota and refer to them as Technical Advisors when submitting their expenses. Since shortened to just technical.

[@tallsamjones1489]

The term “Teenage Mutant Turtle Tanks” is masterful. Every part of the phrase is potent and accurate. A lexical invention that perfectly sums up a unique historical phenomenon with an expert humorous slam dunk.

[@user-jp7tw3sd3x]

I second that!

[@rogerwood5228]

I find it peculiar that World of Tanks Blitz featured a TMNT theme this past month. What did they know? Lol

[@sunbro1944]

TMNT-72

[@EEWombat]

"Applique carbon armour" *chef's kiss

[@niravelniflheim1858]

I'll remember this literally every time I see wood cladding on ANYTHING, including houses. 😂

[@oscaranderson5719]

“hey we need to make this zero-budget project sound good to management” “say no more”

[@ZontarDow]

The fact future textbooks will mention Cope Cages and Seethe Tanks amuses me.

[@furinick]

Tbh it probably will just maybe show a pic saying improvised armour

[@ZontarDow]

@@furinick As was mentioned in the video, it's already used in academic and military documents as a term.

[@richardarriaga6271]

The Flame Wars of the future will be fought with Seethe Tanks and Cope Cages

[@furinick]

@ZontarDow yeah i need to confess that i look at the comments while starting the vid out :(

[@sage5296]

that, along with stuff like classified military documents being leaked in a place called thug shaker central among other things lmao

[@garryhale4224]

"Enough dakka isn't a thing" This is why we come here. Classic mix of obscure culture references and 'in jokes ' Keep it up mate

[@arthurm4726]

This has to be the fourth or fifth video where Perun acknowledges that Canadian military procurement is bar none the ‘gold’ (lead?) standard for incompetence in the western world. I know several months back when he did a video on procurement he implied Germany was the ‘champion’ for inefficiency and wastage, but I assume that after he did some deeper research he learned that few if any countries can hold a candle to Canada’s sheer futility in this area. Well done!

[@Taschenrechner1337]

I was wondering about that too!

[@darrelgustafson2507]

Canada: We pretty much suck at buying army stuff.

[@thearpox7873]

"So just to avoid any danger of doubt here, let me make this clear: Adding explosive reactive armor to your soft skinned truck is *probably* a bad idea." So you're telling me there's a chance? /s Perun just can't help himself.

[@lukatomas9465]

Well, kontakt 1 should be able to stop small arms fire so it can be a very inneficient way of making your soft skinned viechle bulletproof.

[@paulsilagi4783]

Good old words of estimative probability. Will most likely not fail you.

[@TheMouseMasterYT]

Especially on the windshield!

[@markmitchell457]

Oh no, the windshield is definitely better.

[@thijshagenbeek8853]

This episode will cause your average tech-priest or Magos a catastrophic heart attack.

[@vdate]

Provided they've not yet replaced theirs, anyway.

[@christiandauz3742]

The Dark Mechanicum can always use Chaos to boost the performance of their weapons Imagine if some of their Chaos Knights have just as much firepower as Loyalist Titans!

[@danielmartin7838]

The heathen Orks didn’t even use oil or incense

[@richardarriaga6271]

​@@christiandauz3742Daemon engines are an advantage for Chaos

[@mercenarygundam1487]

​@@vdate We call it a system Brick/Crash

[@Zeknif1]

What I’ve been surprised by with the Blyatmobiles has been that there hasn’t been an attempt yet to do away with the turret entirely and have it replaced with an improvised casemate arrangement, either to increase protection, or increase internal volume to allow inclusion of additional equipment, like say a compliment of drones and associated control equipment to compensate for the poor direct visibility.

[@Appletank8]

Su-122: And where has this taken you? Back to me.

[@socialcredit4435]

It’s much tougher to “field modify” up a casemate assault gun. For all its vulnerabilities, a T-72 built in a Ural plant is going to provide much better protection than Babushka’s rusty corrugated metal shed. If we do see casemates make a comeback, I would expect them to be purpose built.

[@oldphart-zc3jz]

Too much work for a vehicle likely chosen for having a shot-out bore since its combat life will be measured in weeks if it does well. Russian tradition regarding casualties hasn't changed for centuries (the famous 1800s Economist article is hilariously insightful). Russia is not the USSR and doesn't have Ukraine to make things for it. Giving expendable troops placebos is cheap as scrap steel.

[@MaeLSTRoM1997]

1:02:14 "The first [arctic] video getting a somewhat COLDER reception than normal" That just rolled out so effortlessly I almost missed it. I can't even tell if it was intentional

[@DISCOPORCH]

I actually laughed out loud when I saw the ERA in front of the windshield of the truck😂, can’t make this stuff up.

[@andrewharrison8436]

Nothing cracks a winshield like the recoil from the ERA. Just need the slo mo guys to do a video of the crack propogation.

[@TheGaymo]

If you put it in the dash or steering wheel it is called a Takata

[@iainawatson]

Australians have an instinctive respect for the "Chuck 'er In The Ute" doctrine of armoured warfare.

[@adamkilby2273]

*flicks strap* she ain't going anywhere

[@The_ZeroLine]

I think guys’ love of just building cool stuff might cover about the “why?” of about 50% of these technicals.

[@frankus54]

You've got a ute with a 50 Cal? Luxury!

[@Calbeck]

Ultimately, everything comes back around to the genius of Bob Semple. -:)

[@loneranger515]

Really well done episode! I'm very pro-Ukraine, but I appreciate a well balanced report that shows that the Russians aren't idiots. Adaptability is an important skill in warfare and both sides show a great capacity for it.

[@tristanridley1601]

If we blind ourselves to Russian advantages, we will be overconfident and surprised when they win. A balanced, truthful view is the best to motivate us (our leaders) to send Ukraine what they need to win. Plus, you know... the truth. Of course, that doesn't mean Russia is never a joke. :D

[@changingform250]

ERA window protection says genius level is not universal.

[@theaureliasys6362]

Huh. The technical sure has evolved since I saw it last time. They grow up so fast.

[@chugachuga9242]

They still look just like their parents though.

[@youeatmytaco1374]

@@chugachuga9242 There needs to be more generations before the offspring start to look different

[@Peptuck]

Back in my day the technical just needed to drive over another destroyed vehicle to get the machinegun upgraded to a recoilless rifle.

[@oohhboy-funhouse]

@@Peptuck We have seen a battle bus in Syria. Russian troops did get the foot ware upgrade in Ukraine. Thankfully, no SCUD storms.

[@JosephKano]

The Toyota Hilux should be a contender for the title of Ultimate Warrior Vehicle of the last three decades. What battlefield role did it not fulfil?

[@VoidAspect]

Perun PowerPoints are my cope cage for life

[@hendrikvanleeuwen9110]

They sure are an exercise in cope.

[@dandrummond9154]

I hear you saying that tree trunks stapled to the front of a garbage truck for armor could happen to anybody, but it feels like something the guy who solves military problems with vodka would come up with.

[@alaeriia01]

It's definitely got that _smekalka_ vibe.

[@knoll9812]

Popular in Finland ww2. However there was semi camouflage. Secondary purpose was getting out of mud holes

[@kamakazi339]

Sucks to hear the arctic episode had a bit of a cold launch. I thought it was really cool

[@polkka7797]

I always thought the “cope cage” name came from the fact they were made to counter top attack javelins, but failed at that goal. It’s only recently the fpv threat has seen them be useful. Which is ironic nowadays with every side using some

[@GraemeHein]

Yeah it was a very Spring 22 name referencing their effectiveness vs Javelin. Come summer 23 and prevalence of drone dropped grenades and fpvs they make more sense.

[@TheRezro]

First. They were used already in the Syria. And not against FPV drones who typically fly under those. But only against drop out ammo. What is usually not used against active unites anyway.

[@dx-ek4vr]

Russian propaganda really did themselves no favors on those roof screens by exaggerating their effectiveness...

[@craftpaint1644]

Cope cages were invented by the Russians when terrorists used drones to drop hand grenades on the open hatches of Tanks in Syria.

[@electricspeedkiller8950]

@@dx-ek4vr Russian propaganda is for smooth brains. Not a single adequate person thinks they're effective against Javelins. They're effective against RPGs, that's why they were there in the first place. New Russian soldiers didn't get this memo however so voila, cages on half the tanks. And Russian and Western smooth brains arguing over a fucking cage flooded the internet, like the video's creator. It's not even only Russians that are using it anymore. Might as well talk about the barn, it's more effective anyway and it at least looks insane.

[@j.f.fisher5318]

Re ERA windshield: It's not just 1/4 kg of explosives. It's two steel plates with 1/4 kg of explosives sandwitched in between. The back plate is intended to absorb and reflect the detonation a bit to enhance the movement of the front plate away from the detonation. But if the ERA is on the other side of your windshield, and a lot of those blocks appear to be facing directly away from the driver and co-driver, so the back plate is facing directly toward them... let's just say I don't want to see pictures of the interior after one of those blocks gets detonated.

[@frankus54]

Sounds as practical as a nuclear hand grenade or Viking helmets with the horns on the inside. .

[@mnxs]

​@@frankus54or Viking helmets with horns at all, really. (They didn't, in fact, have horns. It's a historical myth. Turns out horns are kind of in the way of not having your helmet knocked off.)

[@frankus54]

@@mnxs But they look great on an axe swinging Hollywood fake Viking.

[@emperorzerg8303]

4:32 is all the time it took to get a "more dakka" joke. Perun certainly knows his audience and I'm here for it. Never change Perun.

[@glennchartrand5411]

During WWII some American tanks tasked with clearing machine gun nests carried sandbags on the front to muffle the sound of the bullets hitting the hull so the crew could still communicate. They would also carry spare sections of tracks on the front if they were supposed to cross a lot of terrain that was hard on the tracks. They also welded bulldozer type attachment to the front to clear brush .

[@MrMarttivainaa]

42:11 It looks like a barn they were hiding the tank in was too small for the tank and got stuck. "Xaxaxa teknik" said Igor.

[@sora3]

I still call it a shitbarn though. Extra points if you know.

[@CARBONHAWK1]

Still plowing Ukrops back

[@rootathell]

@@sora3 FV4005 has bigger gun

[@suntiger745]

To be fair, when you're on the sharp end of lots of lead, shaped charges and air-dropped explosives of various kind being fired and/or dropped at you, emotional support armor is quite important. Preferably combined with actual armor of course.

[@jjfonacier]

Assault Shed, potentially a new addition to Jane’s Defense Weekly magazine!😂

[@ville_delta2563]

For anyone confused on the Philippines part on why exactly we would put wood on our vehicles (Particularly Simba, Commando, and M113) is because during the Battle of Marawi ISIS fighters (and really most extremists groups) uses RPG-2's which relies on contact so things likes cardboard, plastic, wood, and shit would have be put on them and as far as I know. Work effectively well

[@marrs1013]

If you look at pictures of WW1 British tanks, they often came with these cope cages to stop handgranades thrown on top of the tank near unsuppressed enemy infantry. It just coming bact to fashion.

[@TheRezro]

RPG cage is nothing new. The joke was that Russians claimed that they work against Javelin.

[@jrd33]

German armoured cars in WW2 had folding mesh screens over their open turrets to stop hand-grenades too.

[@MattiasAllring]

Refresh, refresh, refresh….FINALLY this weeks Perun report is out!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@kierenalvarez]

"Stop it, Get some help" meme 🤣

[@Somnationalist]

STOP this nonsense ❤ Perun is a man, a dad with his wife at home, so he don't associates with gays, morally dead!!!

[@Sarge-at-Large]

People often talk about how the Russian army still follows a top-down, Soviet style command system that heavily relies on the top brass to make all of the decisions in which the common troops don’t act on their own individual ambitions. I would argue that the widespread usage and adaption of so many different types of these “turtle tanks” strongly counters this notion; the common troops / engineers seem to be designing them themselves. As this video pointedly states, these modified vehicles certainly are not being designed or produced en masse

[@OdyTypeR]

The TEMU joke at 8:33 hit differently when I got a TEMU ad at the 10 minute mark 😂

[@robcanisto8635]

I died and was reborn again when he actually said "more dakka"

[@howtoappearincompletely9739]

I think he said "enough dakka".

[@zylaaeria2627]

I died with the laughter restraint on that first image of the turtle tank.

[@anonyshinki]

What I expected of modern Russian military: Apocalypse Tanks, Kirov Airships, and Tesla Coils. What I got:

[@Maartzy1891]

LOL XD afurmatief !!!

[@_kalia]

They misheard you and built post-apocalypse tanks instead

[@TheRezro]

@@_kalia I mean. Did you see PT-91? Wait... aren't Poles also using Airship radars?

[@giorgiuk5912]

It's only a special military operation so no Apocalypse needed.

[@dpelpal]

@@giorgiuk5912 It's now turned into a "special military embarrassment"

[@andrewreynolds4949]

“Assault Sheds” is amazing

[@vedranb87]

56:30 Step 1: Protect the windshield Step 2: stick your naked head out of the side window so you can see where you're driving

[@poetpinch1396]

OMG, it's only 6:30 there and I am already rolling on the floor. When I saw the title, I felt "this is going to be fun". YES, THIS IS. I CAN BARELY BREATHE !

[@jeffreysmith6910]

He said “dakka”. That earns my like! 4:30

[@MeeesterBond17]

Dis videeyo iz pleazin' to th' ears of Gork 'n' Mork. 💚

[@toastermon2272]

I was hoping for the "APC at home" episode. Right on time!

[@juliuszkocinski7478]

I love how restraint Perun is with jumping to conclusions and I really wish more people conveyed info similarily

[@herptek]

MT-LB was supposed to tow things. Depending on exact criteria of definition, it is basically a tracked armoured tractor to begin with. It just turned out to be a platform versatile and plentifull enough to varrant being the testbed for a wide variedy of Mad Max style solutions.

[@AKK5I]

T-14 Armata best stealth tank in the world, never been spotted in battle))

[@mindaugasstankus5943]

Advancement in stealth tech so good, can't be spotted even in parades...

[@gae_wead_dad_6914]

I like these tongue-in-cheek comments making fun of Russian absurd claims on their battlefield "performance" They've been "winning" so hard that they'll soon be in Japan according to their comments.

[@tingleblade4274]

So far Armata is a technological reserve for the future, not a combat tank. It's too complicated for vestoid

[@dwarow2508]

Just like the T84 and Challenger 3))

[@dwarow2508]

@@gae_wead_dad_6914 What absurd claims exactly? Apparantly the west has been "winning" so hard that they'll soon be in Siberia according to their comments.

[@bruceh9780]

Only Perun can deliver a line like 'Applique carbon armor' with a straight tone and get away with it. It's a fucking rolling log cabin!

[@jdelark6428]

It's a serious topic, with real world experiences and real world hurt and casualties. But the teenage kid in me is loving seeing these homegrown 'mods'.

[@trainmanroysmodelrailroadh7686]

The ONLY KZbinr who can make this stuff like sound like a stand up comedy routine!

[@moonbaer01]

I just want to say that I would love to see further episodes on the Arctic. Sad to hear that it wasn't so warmly received. I do hope you will still at least make 1 or 2 additions to the series and maybe establish more topic series. In any case all the best and stay frosty :)

[@idioluh5838]

Absolutely. Arctica vid was extremely cool, there are definitely people who wants more cool arctica vids.

[@mikhailv67tv]

I’m going to watch it now

[@JR-gp2zk]

Great video as usual. I also want to thank you Perun for upgrading my PowerPoint presentation game at work. I hate public speaking, and I need to do a PowerPoint presentation at work twice a year. These videos helped me with pacing, to be more relaxed, and discussing serious topics, while throwing in some humor here and there.

[@timahrndt2496]

As a retired Armor officer you have to remember one of the greatest sayings...If it is stupid, and it works...it ain't stupid.

[@billjones8950]

Also the time period things are produce make it stupid or not. The maus tank was totally stupid. But I wouldn’t be surprised if we see tanks that make the maus tank look like a kids toy soon. Vehicles so large they require an anti ship missiles to destroy. But also so valuable you need a fleet of them to protect eachother like a naval fleet. With the ability to house and deploy massive infantry forces

[@1302someguy]

Late 2004 in Iraq was the peak of anti IED innovation on HMMWVs with all kinds of slap on armor welded on. Then the factory built kits started showing up and other than the ballistic glass I trusted our home built and battle tested mods more.

[@knoll9812]

A procurement scandal. USA spending billions for a vehicle that was shown to be inadequate when in an actual wR

[@ZeAshTonz]

“Emotional support armor.” I’m forever keeping this wonderful phrase.

[@Markfr0mCanada]

The battle shed seems to be a case where the drone operators have won simply by existing. The mere threat of them has caused the enemy to overreact to the point of being ineffective, and the operator can simply hit something else. Also I really want my favorite Ork 3D sculptors to make me an Ork Battle Shed now!

[@mythbuster6126]

you must have studied orwellian logic

[@fuckoff4705]

Me when i read orwell (pls don't ask me what his point was)​@@mythbuster6126

[@CB-vt3mx]

In some sense, yes. But overall, no. Let's call it an exaggerated response by an army that is operating generations of tanks designed for an army that can expend materiel AND personnel without seriously degrading overall capability. Russia is no longer in that position. They are learning the hard way why Western armies added millions of dollars in crew survivability features they were wasted luxuries in the 80s and 90s. It seems to me that it will be years before Russian higher level leadership catches up to their new reality of limited materiel AND limited manpower.

[@dwarow2508]

Ineffective? Tell that the defenders of Krasnogorovka getting smoked by those things lmfao

[@dwarow2508]

@@CB-vt3mx Only that the west is now learning the hard way why wasting millions into crew surviveability was a bad idea and not worth at all. Russia is certainly still in the position to expend materiel AND personell without degrading overall capability. The west is not. The current battlefield is proving this.

[@SRFriso94]

On the cope cages, they were probably a reaction to the results of the first Chechen War, where Russia decided it was a good idea to drive tanks into an urban environment. The result was obvious: insurgents with RPG's on every multi-story building taking easy potshots at the relatively lightly armored tops of tanks. So the cope cage appeared, to at least give a slightly better chance against that specific scenario, where at least the tradeoff of making the tank more visible doesn't exist - a tank on Main Street stands out, cope cage or no. Israel is doing the exact same thing now, though query whether they actually consider driving tanks into Gaza a good idea. But the same rules apply, Gaza is densely populated, built up, and visibility vs. protection is not a close call there.

[@theprogressivecynic2407]

Yeah, but the difference in Gaza is that the Merkava is a monster of a tank and the only one they lost was killed by a 4 story building filled with explosives dropping on it. APS + EW + heavy armor + air support has rendered the IDF tank virtually untouchable, even with the urban issues.

[@LucasSantos-si4nd]

28:29 "Ancient Shitbox" Fucking loving the wordplay

[@nodirips_8537]

The GRADNICAL at 11:58 is the reason I keep returning to this channel every Sunday!

[@sofnsad]

Where do i buy one in Aust?

[@antonnurwald5700]

Mom: you don't need this, we have plenty of Himars at home. At home:

[@daiakunin]

In order to better protect my home computer from internet based threats I've decided to install kontack-1 bricks on the desktop case.

[@James-qi3tb]

Thought I would drop in a note that I enjoyed this video a lot... but also throw in a note that I enjoyed the arctic video last week as well. It didn't get a cold reception with me.

[@Scottagram]

every perun video jumpscares me because the audio starts within a millisecond of pressing the video

[@dpelpal]

That's the way EVERY youtube video should start. It should be required.

[@chezmoi42]

Tactical one-upmanship.

[@velvetmagnetta3074]

I know!!! And my Bluetooth speaker doesn't kick in until the third word at that. Perun needs a 3 second Swooooosh! sound in the beginning or something as a slight - very slight - intro.

[@some_random_wallaby]

@@velvetmagnetta3074 If so, it must come with a briefly flashed photo of an emu with a gaping maw.

[@velvetmagnetta3074]

@@some_random_wallaby - Well, of course! The Emu goes without saying 😉

[@Scottagram]

I loved the arctic video, sad to see it didn't pop off like the other topics.

[@markmitchell457]

Love the ERA on the windshield! "Hey Bubba, he has ERA on the windshield, hold my MRE"

[@davidschneider172]

"Emotional support armour". Gold.

[@HitandRyan]

The wooden Contakt-2x4 baffles me. You are asking for fires and splinter wounds straight out of the Age of Sail.

[@bthsr7113]

I hope they keep it up. The more they learn, the worse it gets for Ukraine.

[@yeroc4638]

All right! A "Shitty technicals" Perun upload. Best slide show ever!

[@meanmanturbo]

35:35 applique carbon armor was the best words for logs I have heard in a long time

[@nekomakhea9440]

52:56 I'm half expecting the next image to be someone mounting Kontact-1 directly to their forehead with double-sided tape, with "↓I'm With Stoopid↓" stenciled onto the Kontact-1

[@patrickazzarella6729]

watching a drone slinky underneath a cope cage to go into a hatch was so impressive. Also there is a picture of a destroyed T-55 with a Cope Cage with a munition stuck in the cage

[@mammyaondiciple3570]

Oh look gradnicals are basically just the katusha rocket system returned from the past

[@fuckoff4705]

The grad already was that lol

[@christineshotton824]

28:14 I believe you meant to say "Oh bugger, the tank's on fire." 😁

[@KarltheKrazyone]

I just had to deliver 8hr of PP death in a class. Perun is my, admittedly unachievable target, but goal none the less. Mad presentation skills.

[@eustatic3832]

"Emotional Support Armor" is very good

[@LukeBunyip]

16:22 "It's a Bushmaster Jim, but not as we know it..." 35:33 Is it protection, or a pasta sauce?

[@azizyahaya2174]

I don't get why people are so surprised. "Hillbilly armour" dates all the way back to World War 2 but the most number of instances were seen during the Vietnam war when GIs would weld additional steel plates or attach plywood boards to the side of their APCs to ablate the effects of anti-tank mines and RPGs

[@TonyChan-eh3nz]

There is a difference between adding some armour, and turning a tank into a shed

[@jameslalumandier9797]

During WWII when the allies began to struggle in its efforts to "breakout" from the coast in the Bocage region of France due to the defense friendly hedgerows, an enterprising US soldier welded pointed angle iron to the front of some Sherman tanks. This field modification allowed the tank to break through the thick underbrush of the hedgerows and helped significantly to pushing the Germans from their entrenched positions leading to the eventual allied breakout. Sometimes, these do work but mant times they reduce the designed purpose of the object being modified.

[@someguynamedsomething9612]

'carbon armour' - looks at the logs.

[@etrecklefrancois2792]

The casual digs at canadian procurement never gets old. Cheers!

[@NaillLookingforaHammer]

"Assault Shed" is brilliant and will no doubt enter Aussie Army vernacular.

[@seanhoward5162]

As old top gear demonstrated, the Toyota based systems ARE indestructible.

[@cpeteman1]

Love me some Perun Sundays

[@kalkuttadrop6371]

The Turtle Tank is basically the modern equivalent of the WW2 tank destroyer. To the point the draft wikipedia article calls it a Tank Destroyer en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draft:Turtle_Tank_Destroyer_(T-72/T-90_Variant)

[@michitakadouglas4130]

It would be more accurate to call it an assault gun. This thing would not be good for hunting tanks.

[@calebmauer1751]

That makes no sense, it doesn't destroy tanks. It's not meant to. They carry electronic warfare and hide it from drones. A tank would destroy one of these things easily because it couldn't even shoot back unless they were for some reason right in front of it.

[@playedout148]

Battle barn.

[@radovankral5524]

I'd like to add that, while there might be some ZU-23-2s and 2B9 mounted on MT-LB out of necessity recently, most of these were produced en masse from factory by Soviets and are common in ex-USSR armies. Same with Ural/KamAZ/GAZ and ZUs or BTR-ZD, which too were mostly Soviet factory produced.

[@Mjmd36]

Suggestion for a conglomerate episode where you go back to things you've said "check this space" or things that just need a quick update vs a full episode on. Love the content.

[@capitalinventor4823]

For the Turtle Tanks I nominate the alternate name Battle Barns because they seem to be as maneuverable as a barn and, especially in the first photo, look like one too.