New "Free" book called "Armor in Battle"

[Kevin Kenneally]

All,

The US Army Center of Military History has a new book in pdf available for download for "FREE".

It is the 75th Anniversary of the US Army Armor Branch and it is available here:

http://www.history.army.mil/news/2016/160800a_armorInBattle.html

Thanks for listening

Kevin

 

[Proff3RTR]

Cool,

Downloaded and added to the V-Library.

Nice one Kevin.

 

[Eagle4ty]

Thanks for heads up Kev!:toast:

 

[Matt Book]

Anyone create an M2A4 counter with 5 X .30 cal MG's, 1 x .50 Cal MG, like on page 70 in the download? One for the missing counter series? Is it in the new Yanks?

Look at the pic on page 70, looks like it had a RMG.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

A BOOK!!!!!!!!! BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kev - you are a GOD amongst men.

 

[Kevin Kenneally]

A BOOK!!!!!!!!! BEST DAY EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kev - you are a GOD amongst men.

Jack,

I am just a "Minion" of this ASL World....

If you've seen the movie, the "lead" Minion is named..... "Kevin"....

Bob is just one of his side-kicks...

 

[Tooz]

Kevin--thanks for the heads up!

 

[Paul M. Weir]

Anyone create an M2A4 counter with 5 X .30 cal MG's, 1 x .50 Cal MG, like on page 70 in the download? One for the missing counter series? Is it in the new Yanks?

Look at the pic on page 70, looks like it had a RMG.

I had a look at page 70, both the 70th PDF page and the printed page # 70 and those around. All I saw were a mix of M2/M2A1 mediums and the various M1 and M2 light tanks.

The M2 light series, until the M2A4 only had MG. A .50" and a .30" each in their own 1 man turret (like some Vickers 6 tonners, M-26 m1931/32 and 7TPdw) and a .30" BMG as well as the capability to fit an AA .30" on a pintle attached to a turret rear. None of those early M2 lights had the fixed sponson MGs that the M2A4 and M3 had. Armour was low, something like 25mm max. The related Combat Car series were renamed the M1 light tank series and were almost identical except that the turret .50" and .30" were together in a single turret. Under US legislation US tanks were limited to the infantry and the tanks that the cavalry got were named Combat Cars to get around that piece of internal army territorial idiocy.

So for the pre war US light tanks:
M2A4. In ASL. Armament 37mm M5/M6 AT (37LL) gun, 2 fixed sponson MG, 1 BMG, 1 CMG and 1 AAMG, all .30" for a total of 5 .30" MG. 2 man turret (2MT).
Other M2 and the M1 (ex-Combat Car), Armament 1 x .50" and 1 x .30" in turret(s), 1 .30" BMG and AAMG. Armour lighter than M2A4. M1 series used a 1 x 2MT, the M2-M2A3 used 2 x 1MT.

The M2 medium series consisted of the M2 and M2A1.

The M2A1 used vertical turret armour to give a bit more turret space and allow better entry/exit from the turret, than the M2, as well as the usual detail improvements. The 2MT turret had a 37mm M5/M6 AT gun and a CMG. The hull had 2 fixed BMG, 4 trainable corner sponson MG and up to 2 AA MG could be mounted beside and fired from hatches on the hull top (just above the hull side hatches). That's a total of 8-9 .30" MG! The problem is that the trainable hull MG (and AAMG) only had 2 gunners. So each hull MGer could fire only one of either the front left (or right) sponson corner MG or the rear left (right) sponson corner MG or the left (right) AA MG at any one time. Like the later M3 Lee/Grant the fixed pair of BMG were fired by the driver. One of the unusual features is that the rear corners of the hull were fitted with deflector plates. When passing over a trench the hull MGer could use his rear sponson corner MG and fire at his side rear deflector plate and hopefully bring death to the inhabitants of the trench.

The philosophy of the M2 medium was that of an infantry assault tank. Though having a very decent gun and armour for a 1940 tank, it clearly was a doctrinal dead end and was practically obsolescent at introduction. The hull layout, engine and suspension were further developed and used in the M3 Lee/Grant and M4 Sherman series while the MGness was abandoned. It also appears that the deflector plate idea was regarded as useless, no surprise there.

So what would a M2 medium look like in ASL? I would have to dig around for more accurate armour values but here is my 1st attempt.
M2: 13 MP, ST 37LL [1], 4 FP CMG, 2 FP (with white dot behind) BMG, 2 x 2 AAMG (1 L & 1 R), 2 x 2 side BMG (1 L & 1 R), AF (6)/[3]. The side BMG can each fire an a 180° arc on each side. If CE then instead of firing a single side BMG, an AAMG may be fired, again with the same side arc. Though each side had 3 MG (2 corner & an AA), only one could be fired at a time, but between them could cover both front and rear of each side.
M2A1: As M2 except 13 MP, AF 6/3.

Yeah, I know that both hull gunners could migrate to the same side and fire 2 left (or right) corner MG or that side's AA and one of the side's corner MG, but let's try and not make things too complicated, can we? :laugh:

Of course if this was a Japanese anime film all the side hull and AA MG would each be manned by Dwarves (Scottish of course) with Billy Connolly as a 10-2 AL.

 

[Matt Book]

I had a look at page 70, both the 70th PDF page and the printed page # 70 and those around. All I saw were a mix of M2/M2A1 mediums and the various M1 and M2 light tanks.

Sorry Paul, it's page 70 on the .pdf listing for me, but it's page 63 in the book listing-top picture of the page. That looks like a Rear/Side BMG quadrant

 

[Paul M. Weir]

Sorry Paul, it's page 70 on the .pdf listing for me, but it's page 63 in the book listing-top picture of the page. That looks like a Rear/Side BMG quadrant

OK, got that, official book page 63 and it's 70 by the PDF on my downloaded copy as well.

That's a M2 medium tank. The M2A1 had vertical side armour on it's turret, indeed the medium M2A1 turret looks very like the light M2A4 or very early light M3 turrets minus the cupola. Another difference that can sometimes be found is that some, if not most, M2A1 have anti bullet splash strips on the sloped glacis plate, they look like horizontal steps to assist the driver in climbing up the front armour plate. The fact that the driver would use the hull side doors and his open-able visor plates, though bigger than other nations, would be a bit small for normal entry/exit, belies that purpose.

The bottom photo on book page 63 is a useful one. The driver fired BMG are the 2 protuberances on the lower part of the upper front plate/glacis, widely spaced and level with the top of the mudguards. They appear to have dust covers fitted, the covers secured with ties that reach back and up to the headlight guards. As you pointed out, 4 sponson MG, but the turret has a slightly earlier version of the 37LL that ASL's M2A4/M3/M5 light tanks have and a CMG. Not visible are the AA MG, they seem to have rarely been mounted except for posed photos. All MG are .30" M1919A4/A5 Brownings, no .50".

To see the difference between a M2 medium and a M2A1, look at book page 66 (Acrobat page 73). The top photo shows a mass of tanks and the front, bottom of the photo, rank have, from left to right, a M2, a M2A1, M2, M2A1, M2, M2A1 and either a M2 and M2A1 (only partially visible). The M2A1s have the bigger and unsloped sided turrets and 3 anti-splash strips on the glacis.

While Yanks (1 & 2) have 5 x M2A4 lights, I'm fairly certain that no M2/M2A1 mediums are or will be included any MMP product, unless MMP produce a Very, Very, Very Rare Vehicle Pack , obviously many years after the tentatively hinted Rare Vehicle Pack. As far as I know, no M2/M2A1 left CONUS, though there is a photo somewhere of a M2/M2A1 hull fitted with a M3 Grant turret, presumably for demonstration purposes to satisfy the British Purchasing Commission's curiosity when visiting the factory.

So unless you are talking hypothetical scenarios like a Japanese, possibly with Mexican help, invasion of California, the M2/M2A1 medium is out .

 

[Matt Book]

OK, got that, official book page 63 and it's 70 by the PDF on my downloaded copy as well.

That's a M2 medium tank. The M2A1 had vertical side armour on it's turret, indeed the medium M2A1 turret looks very like the light M2A4 or very early light M3 turrets minus the cupola. Another difference that can sometimes be found is that some, if not most, M2A1 have anti bullet splash strips on the sloped glacis plate, they look like horizontal steps to assist the driver in climbing up the front armour plate. The fact that the driver would use the hull side doors and his open-able visor plates, though bigger than other nations, would be a bit small for normal entry/exit, belies that purpose.

The bottom photo on book page 63 is a useful one. The driver fired BMG are the 2 protuberances on the lower part of the upper front plate/glacis, widely spaced and level with the top of the mudguards. They appear to have dust covers fitted, the covers secured with ties that reach back and up to the headlight guards. As you pointed out, 4 sponson MG, but the turret has a slightly earlier version of the 37LL that ASL's M2A4/M3/M5 light tanks have and a CMG. Not visible are the AA MG, they seem to have rarely been mounted except for posed photos. All MG are .30" M1919A4/A5 Brownings, no .50".

To see the difference between a M2 medium and a M2A1, look at book page 66 (Acrobat page 73). The top photo shows a mass of tanks and the front, bottom of the photo, rank have, from left to right, a M2, a M2A1, M2, M2A1, M2, M2A1 and either a M2 and M2A1 (only partially visible). The M2A1s have the bigger and unsloped sided turrets and 3 anti-splash strips on the glacis.

While Yanks (1 & 2) have 5 x M2A4 lights, I'm fairly certain that no M2/M2A1 mediums are or will be included any MMP product, unless MMP produce a Very, Very, Very Rare Vehicle Pack , obviously many years after the tentatively hinted Rare Vehicle Pack. As far as I know, no M2/M2A1 left CONUS, though there is a photo somewhere of a M2/M2A1 hull fitted with a M3 Grant turret, presumably for demonstration purposes to satisfy the British Purchasing Commission's curiosity when visiting the factory.

So unless you are talking hypothetical scenarios like a Japanese, possibly with Mexican help, invasion of California, the M2/M2A1 medium is out .

Ahhhhh, I thought the tank in page 63 was an M2A4, not a M2 medium. They look just like each other.

 

[HansK]

Thanks for the tip, Kevin!

(could not rep you...)

 

[Paul M. Weir]

Thanks for the tip, Kevin!

(could not rep you...)

Already done a few days ago.