FlakFront - I must not understand the 88

[RandomAwayTeamMember]

I'm relatively new to CMAK. I've had some success in the few scenarios I have played and I've read the manual. 

I think the 88 is a neat weapon - I've 3d printed several for my own miniature gaming use. So I thought FlakFront looked like a fun scenario. I honestly could not have been more irritated after 30 turns. 

Here is what I did: I brought in the reinforcement guns as fast as possible so that they were about 1000m behind the central ridge. I then ran the two halftracks with infantry onto that ridge and hid them in the rocks by the central flag. I figured I would need spotters for the guns. 

Here is the neat part - it turns out that the M5 Stuart is far more effective at long-range combat that the fearsome 88. I lost 6 guns at 1500m to the Stuarts. Yep - 1500m. Meanwhile, my 88's never got higher than a 3% chance to hit.

I had 13 hits on a Lee, but I didn't even scratch it. Seriously, the game is on pause right now and that Lee is still alive. It's all very odd because every time you read about the Desert War or any other theater, the 88 was always more highly regarded than the Stuart and the Lee. 

Anyway, 30 turns later and I'm that much older, the 88 is now inaccurate, and also it can't even dent a tank that is built about as well as a soup can. 

[JoMac]

On ‎7‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 10:38 PM, RandomAwayTeamMember said:

I'm relatively new to CMAK. I've had some success in the few scenarios I have played and I've read the manual. 

I think the 88 is a neat weapon - I've 3d printed several for my own miniature gaming use. So I thought FlakFront looked like a fun scenario. I honestly could not have been more irritated after 30 turns. 

Here is what I did: I brought in the reinforcement guns as fast as possible so that they were about 1000m behind the central ridge. I then ran the two halftracks with infantry onto that ridge and hid them in the rocks by the central flag. I figured I would need spotters for the guns. 

Here is the neat part - it turns out that the M5 Stuart is far more effective at long-range combat that the fearsome 88. I lost 6 guns at 1500m to the Stuarts. Yep - 1500m. Meanwhile, my 88's never got higher than a 3% chance to hit.

I had 13 hits on a Lee, but I didn't even scratch it. Seriously, the game is on pause right now and that Lee is still alive. It's all very odd because every time you read about the Desert War or any other theater, the 88 was always more highly regarded than the Stuart and the Lee. 

Anyway, 30 turns later and I'm that much older, the 88 is now inaccurate, and also it can't even dent a tank that is built about as well as a soup can. 

I don't understand why you needed to use the Inf as Spotters...Doesn't matter in CMx1 much.

I'm still surprised that your 88's with LOS to those Tanks couldn't Hit (with at least 50% hit per shot), and Penetrate the Stuarts 100% of time, and the M3 Lee about 50% at that range...The Stuarts should be missing with most shots, and Lee (using 75mm Gun) probably around 25% if stationary.  

[Sgt.Squarehead]

On ‎27‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 3:38 AM, RandomAwayTeamMember said:

I had 13 hits on a Lee, but I didn't even scratch it. Seriously, the game is on pause right now and that Lee is still alive. It's all very odd because every time you read about the Desert War or any other theater, the 88 was always more highly regarded than the Stuart and the Lee. 

I'd be willing to bet that if you hit ceasefire you would find that Lee is actually as dead as a Dodo (save your game first though). 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Sgt.Squarehead

[Erwin]

IIRC the games are bodged when it comes to long range combat like you describe.  Ahistorical inaccuracy of the 88mm in CM is just one example.  Have you tried making the 88mm Crack or Elite?  Maybe they will perform better.  I tried designing a CMAK scenario with an 8Km x 4Km map just so that one could try "historical" desert combat with 2K+ LOS. 

Got discouraged due to the work effort but also cos I started hearing issues like what you have described.  But let us know how Elite and Crack 88's do.

[General Jack Ripper]

I personally played FlakFront way back when I first bought CMAK, and I beat it easily without losing a single gun.
Just deploy your 88's slightly on the reverse slope of the ridge, so the gun barrel can see over it, but the base of the gun is behind terrain, and the enemy can only kill your gun with a direct hit. When you're deploying them from their prime movers, reverse the vehicle almost in position, then issue a move order to the gun on the exact spot you want it to setup.
The gun can be moved by it's crew, only so long as it doesn't stop, upon which it becomes immobile.

Most gun casualties are caused by HE hitting the ground next to the gun and killing the crew. If you neutralize that ability, your guns can fire all day without hindrance.