What Is That Armored Car Anti-Personal Ammo Called?

[Col Deadmarsh]

My opponent just used his Allied armor car to attack my infantry with some devastating grape shot that looks like it could light up the night sky. What the hell is that stuff?

 

 

[Vergeltungswaffe]

Sounds like canister rounds.

[chuckdyke]

46 minutes ago, Vergeltungswaffe said:

Sounds like canister rounds.

I agree especially if it comes from the M8 scouting vehicle.

[danfrodo]

yeah, german troops laughing at antiquated Stuart tank 37mm gun.  Then it fires canister.  No more laughing.

[A Canadian Cat]

10 hours ago, danfrodo said:

No more laughing.

Mostly because there are no survivors.

[Halmbarte]

On 7/17/2022 at 6:17 PM, Col Deadmarsh said:

My opponent just used his Allied armor car to attack my infantry with some devastating grape shot that looks like it could light up the night sky. What the hell is that stuff?

 

 

It's pretty much grape shot stuffed into a thin walled tin. 

Beehive was worse (worse to be on the receiving end of, that is). 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beehive_anti-personnel_round

H

[Vacillator]

Watch out for other such equipment as well, like Renault R35s (some if not all of the time).  The canister shot in the game is one of the scariest for infantry (IMO).

[womble]

If you're the one giving the Canister-equipped unit orders, I've found in the past that they have a tendency to let rip with the CAN at the first enemy infantry contact they see, so it may be a good idea to consider keeping them busy with Target Light orders so they don't waste the scarce shotgun shells.

[Brille]

It is pretty rare in my games that I see one of those get fired. So I tend to forget them very quick. But when they do get fired I almost freak out.

Last time it was in CMRT: A little T70 rumbled against my Panther David vs Goliath style. I was very amused by the looks of it. The little bugger then fired it's canister and turned the head of the commander, who was still looking out of his hatch,  into Swiss cheese. 

Panicked and shocked the driver hit the reverse only to drive its side right into the cross hair of a T34/85...well.... 

But in general it looks scarier than it is in my opinion. At least infantry in cover (forests, buildings) don't get that affected by it, though they are Instantly pinned or worse. 

I guess the most effective use is to hit infantry in the open, especially if they are on the move or at least standing or kneeling. 

[chuckdyke]

3 minutes ago, Brille said:

I guess the most effective use is to hit infantry in the open, especially if they are on the move or at least standing or kneeling. 

Inside houses you need to breach the wall with HE first followed by a canister. Not modelled in the game. 

Edited August 3, 2022 by chuckdyke

[A Canadian Cat]

7 hours ago, Brille said:

<snip>Panicked and shocked the driver hit the reverse only to drive its side right into the cross hair of a T34/85...well.... 

Nice story. Sorry about your tank

7 hours ago, Brille said:

I guess the most effective use is to hit infantry in the open, especially if they are on the move or at least standing or kneeling. 

Oh yeah in the open it is nasty. Actually for teams behind a low wall it's pretty effective too.

[user1000]

yeah 37mm gun underrated. Good for trucks, troops, light tanks and half tracks. And everything else if you sneak up behind it.

Edited August 10, 2022 by user1000

[Col Deadmarsh]

On 7/22/2022 at 2:44 AM, womble said:

If you're the one giving the Canister-equipped unit orders, I've found in the past that they have a tendency to let rip with the CAN at the first enemy infantry contact they see, so it may be a good idea to consider keeping them busy with Target Light orders so they don't waste the scarce shotgun shells.

So the cannister rounds are fired only by the computer?

And targeting light orders makes sure they only fire the MG?

 

 

[womble]

10 hours ago, Col Deadmarsh said:

So the cannister rounds are fired only by the computer?

And targeting light orders makes sure they only fire the MG?

Aye, like any ammo selection (other than smoke), what shell gets fired is down to the TacAI of the element, so the 37mm has AP, HE and CAN options, and will fire what "it thinks is best" in a given situation. My experience says that the algorithm doesn't draw the line at the right range for the "HE or CAN vs Infantry" choice, and will fire its CAN at ranges where it is ineffective.

So, yes, Target Light makes sure they only fire their MG "by default", and when I find the unit shooting at infantry, I'd cancel it if they're "close" (like "Shreck Range") and the CAN will be effective, or very far away when the AI will probably choose HE. If you're going into "close terrain", I'd even consider putting a short, circular TA on, so that it won't "plink" at distant targets (I don't think most CAN-equipped units in the WW2 title are good "plinkers" anyway  This may change in later time periods (I think some 120mm-plus MBT guns get such rounds...) under AI control, but will respond with gropo-shredding CAN if infantry threats appear.

[chuckdyke]

The BMP3 has three I was hoping for the light cannon to shoot the light HE in a building but the TacAI used the ABHE. We don't have much say in the matter.