Real basic tank question

Johnny Canuck

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I'm pretty new to tanks, and don't know how to drive them very well.

I'm in a situation where I need to go down a street, and there's an enemy MMC in my way. I tried to shoot my CMG, but no luck. (Right now, I've got 3 tanks wanting to get by a baddie).

What are my options when I'm near enemy MMC with my tank(s), and I want to get past him, and there's building on both sides?

Rule #'s would help lots.

Thanks.
 

Jazz

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atuline said:
I'm pretty new to tanks, and don't know how to drive them very well.

I'm in a situation where I need to go down a street, and there's an enemy MMC in my way. I tried to shoot my CMG, but no luck. (Right now, I've got 3 tanks wanting to get by a baddie).

What are my options when I'm near enemy MMC with my tank(s), and I want to get past him, and there's building on both sides?

Rule #'s would help lots.

Thanks.
How many MMC? What kind of MMC (elite? 1st line? concscripts?) What are the chances of passing the PATTC?

What will be the DRMs for the Street Fighting attack? For a motion closed top vehicle, with functioning MGs, with a lone squad attacking you get a base CCV of 5 and DRMs of +2 (motion) -1 (ambush) for a net required DR of 4, after passing the PATTC. The odds do nothing but get worse for HS and SMC. How lucky do you feel?

Of course, a lot of this changes against late war Germans (PF, ATMM, studly leaders, etc...)...which is why you have to ask...:

How many tanks? ( I guess it's 3?) How many can you afford to lose? The most he's gonna get is one tank/defending unit (Squads, HS, leaders). Of course, you don't want to lose any, but the cold hard calculus of combat and ASL says that you only need to get enough through to achieve the objective. It is after all, only cardboard.... The more tanks the scenario designer gives you, the more they expect you to lose in achieving your objectives.

Street fighting is kinda like PF... they don't often kill tanks unless you get careless (PF TH at 1 hex range vs motion vehicle=6, =4 at 2 hex range). The threat is more important than the actual combat effect usually is. Unless of course, you do get careless.....and it can be a very fine line between bold and rash/careless...but that is not something that can be taught in a message to a Forum....
 

Robin Reeve

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Besides these excellent tactical questions, note that you can roll a vehicle through a hex containing Infantry at normal cost - i. e. without OVR...
Of course, as jazz underlines, it is often at some risk.
But flesh in itself can't stop steel...
 

Johnny Canuck

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Sorry gents, at this point, I'm less concerned with good tactics than I am with basic rules.

For instance, I didn't know I could go in the MMC's hex, so I just stopped and fired and went to the next unit (again not knowing my basic options, and playing PBEM).

After some rummaging, I've now re-re-read D2.1 and am wondering in what instances there would be additional cost to move into enemy occupied hexes. Is that hexes occupied by enemy vehicles, or what?

I also assume that if my first vehicle gets toasted (blaze or no blaze), the 2nd one can go around it for an extra cost of 1MP.

Re: Jazz's questions

- I've got 3 Russian T70's lined up wanting to pass a german 6-5-8.
- I know OF street fighting, but that's about it.
- It's September 12, 1944 (ASL7 - Dash for the Bridge)
- I can afford to lose them all, as I'm trying to learn, not trying to win.
- I've already been careless, sometimes on purpose, so I can learn basic game mechanics.
 

Anonymous

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+1 MP per vehicle in hex (doubled if using road movement)
You cannot - if I remind well - enter a hex containing a vehicle you coudn't kill with a hypothetical TK DR of 5.
 

Brian W

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Anonymous said:
You cannot - if I remind well - enter a hex containing a vehicle you coudn't kill with a hypothetical TK DR of 5.
You can enter the hex, but you cannot remain in the hex (nor try ESB in the hex as well).
 

Pitman

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It's easier if it's not German or Japanese (because of Panzerfausts and Tank Hunter Heroes, respectively). Then you can simply move through the hex (they can try for ccv, but their chances of success are poor) or try an overrun, if you can spare the movement (which is better, because you can damage them and because they can't ccv unless they survive).

Same goes vs German/Japanese, but it is riskier. Of course, if you have three tanks, you are almost guaranteed to get one of them through.
 

Treadhead

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Hi, Andrew.

I love tanks. I know that many players do not prefer AFV, but I have been a treadhead for a long time.

Since your object is to learn the rules by doing, then I would attempt to OVR the 6-5-8 with the first T-70.

First, move the T-70 up and hope to survive a PF check. The good news is that he only gets one successful check. See D13.3 for the gory details.

If you manage to survive that, calculate your OVR FP and declare an OVR attack as you enter the hex. Don't forget to apply the FFMO –1 because he is in the road. These particulars are in D7.1.

After the OVR attack, he has the opportunity to attack you with Reaction Fire. If he hasn't fired that PF yet, he could try to blast you with it using Non-CC Reaction Fire. Most likely he will attempt to use CC Reaction Fire. Just remember, the OVR is resolved first if he uses Reaction Fire. For the MMC options, check out D7.2, (and don’t forget the last sentence of D7.1).

By the way, the 6-5-8 in the road Location does not qualify for Street Fighting. In this situation, only units attacking from one of the adjacent buildings would qualify for Street Fighting versus an AFV. It's one of the first requirements found in A11.8.

If your tank has survived all that, I would keep it moving on its merry way. Then turn to your next T-70 and contemplate the situation. If that 6-5-8 is still there, then repeat as necessary.

This could get messy, but just take your time. Did I mention to read D7.2? Real slowly...

Just remember that enemy units are no prohibition to your T-70. You could simply drive straight through his hex without attacking and hope for the best. When you enter a hex containing enemy units, the normal terrain and stacking rules apply, i.e. A5.11 for Infantry and D2.14 for vehicles.

If your first T-70 has become wrecked, it would cost one extra MP to enter the hex (D2.14). If it was blazing, it would cost two MP (one each for the wreck and the smoke; B25.141). Yep, blazing wreck stuff is buried in B25.14, so check it out if you need to.

Well, I suppose that has given you a lot to chew on. Run that exercise about five or six times, and you'd get pretty good at OVR and Reaction Fire, I reckon.

Give me a good old fashioned tank shoot-out any day. Then we can talk some tactics...

Regards,
Bruce Bakken
 

Johnny Canuck

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OK, much thanks folks! It looks like I need to re-read:


PAATC - A11.6
Street fighting - A11.8
Vehicle movement - D2.1, D2.14
OVR - D7
PF Check - C13.3
Reaction Fire - D7.2
Wreck/Smoke - B25.14, B25.141

Of course, I've already read most of these a few times in one form or another. Now I've got something to apply them to, so it might finally start sinking in a bit.

I've also got to get a better understanding of the use of my cmg as well as the TH and TK issues with the guns and ATT/ITT.
 
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