Notes: This Russian 122mm self-propelled howitzer was first seen in a parade in Poland in 1974, and for that reason, is often called the M1974 in the West. The Russian designation is SO-122, but it more commonly known to its crews as the Gvozdika (Carnation). It is the modified hull of an MT-LB (the ACRV), topped with a large, low turret armed with a 122mm D-30 howitzer. In this role, the gun is useful for direct as well as indirect fire. It can be made amphibious with very little preparation (less than 2 minutes), and the suspension can be raised and lowered according to the terrain and tactical situation. Normal tracks are 400mm wide, but 670mm-wide ones can be fitted if travel must be done over deep snow, sand, or swampy terrain. There is a driver’s hatch on the front deck, and commander and loader’s hatches on the turret deck. A weapons mount is sometimes placed by the commander’s hatch, but this is rare. There is a large door in the rear of the hull to resupply the vehicle with ammunition.

Notes: This vehicle was introduced at about the same time as the 2S1, first appearing to the West in 1973, and thus often known to NATO as the M1973. It is based on the heavier chassis of the same type as used on the SA-4 Ganef SAM system, but has six rather than seven roadwheels. The driver’s and engine compartment are at the front of the hull, with a large turret in the rear. There is one hatch on the left turret deck for the commander, with a weapon mount. In the rear of the hull are two small hatches through which ammunition may be passed; they are not designed for personnel, but with some squeezing, it can be done. On the right side of the turret a large hatch through which the turret crew normally enters the vehicle.

Notes: This 152mm self-propelled howitzer has been in Russian service since 1972. It looks very much like a smaller version of the SO-203. The vehicle uses a mounted version of the 2A36 towed artillery piece. The howitzer is mounted in an open position on the rear deck of the vehicle; when firing, a spade is lowered in the rear to brace the vehicle. When traveling, the vehicle commander is seated in a raised superstructure behind the driver, and has a cupola with a machinegun and a white light/IR spotlight. The engine is to the right of the driver. The other crewmembers are seated in the rear of the vehicle when traveling and have a ramp in the rear face. When the weapon is in action, the gunner sits to the left of the gun, with a shield to his front only. This vehicle is known as the Telak 91 in Finnish service.

Notes: This is the heaviest self-propelled howitzer employed by the Russian Army. It is normally a front-level asset, used for heavy bombardment of fortified positions and heavy enemy troop concentrations, and to support large attacks. When the crew is operating the howitzer, it does not have any protection from attack, and there is no Kevlar shield set as there is on the similar US M-107 and M-110 self-propelled howitzers. The Pion is normally followed around by a variety of command and resupply vehicles; most of these are heavy trucks or vehicles based on the MT-LB, PTS-M or PTS-2, or AT-T. A light machinegun and a SAM launcher are issued with the vehicle, but are not actually mounted on the vehicle.

Twilight 2000 Notes: Though the 2S7 is capable of firing nuclear weapons, and there were a few recorded incidents of this being done during the Twilight War, Russian commanders were either loathe doing that (as some of the thermal, radiation, and fallout effects could engulf the gun position) or did not have many of them.

Merc 2000 Notes: The size and expense of operating the Pion meant that it was rarely used.

Notes: This replacement for the SO-152 was first seen in 1989 in Russia. There are no known exports of this vehicle. The 2S19 chassis is based upon tank parts, primarily the T-72 and T-80. The 2S19 has a considerable increase in mobility over the SO-152.

The driver sits in the front left, with the large turret in the center of the vehicle. There is a dozer blade in front of the vehicle, which can be used to clear obstacles and brace the vehicle when firing the howitzer. The gunner is on the left side of the turret and the commander on the right. The commander has machinegun mount by his hatch that may be aimed and fired from within the vehicle. The howitzer has a long gun barrel that allows for extra range, and has a fume extractor and automatic loader. The 2S19 also has a 16kW auxiliary power unit that allows the vehicle's radios and gun mechanisms to be powered without running the engine. The 2S19 can lay a smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into its exhaust.