"Soviet Bronegruppa tactics?" Topic

Can anyone enlighten me on when the Soviets developed their bronegruppa tactics in Afghan? Specifically, would it have been before or after 1985? I know they changed their Operational level practice to the 'Standing start' Operation Manoeuvre Group' around 1985, so it seems possible given they would have been in Afghanistan for 6 years by then?

(By Bronegruppa I mean the policy, when on the defensive, of mustering their empty MICVs together as a mobile reserve of firepower, leaving the motor riflemen to fight on foot, dug in, at company or battalion level)

Thanks in advance on any knowledge out there, or educated guesses!

Iirc it is covered in "When the Bear went over the Mountain", but I've no idea if or when it transferred to GSFG practice. You could maybe treat it as a tactic only available to cat 1 and maybe cat 2 divisions.

A trawl for Allen Curtis posts from a few years back may turn something up, we discussed it extensively then.

"Bear went over the Mountain" certainly has it before 85. The editors often point out differences in practices between Afghanistan and Europe.

If have an interest in the period certainly would recommend you getting a copy. Gives an excellent onsite into Russian Military practice at that time.

It is available for free as a PDF, I can't recall where I got mine unfortunately. Maybe Project Gutenberg?

Find a link here
link

Thanks guys will give it a squiz!

Soviet Bronegruppa appeared in the soviet press at least before 1987 as the SASO article on non linear engagements shows the IFV from a dismounted coy acting on a separate axis. As to whether at the larger size it derived from the smaller afgansty bronegruppa or whether the afgansty had to go smaller from a larger concept being developed due to sickness isn't understood

See if you can find any of the old OPFOR manuals. I had plenty of them when I was in an MI BN as the S4. We had some on tactics as well as vehicle ID.
A number of old publications will have articles on the tactics which were written between the 1960s and 1980s.

Another source would be Army manuals of the era. There was always a section on the THREAT. My written project when I was in the Advanced Quartermaster School was to write that section for a new set of manuals that they were working on.