Armor 101 (for newbies and vets alike)

[TankDawg]

Realize this should probably be on the tactics board, but no one ever seems to go there.

I wrote this to a friend last night and thought some on this board might appreciate it:

Like ASL, I sometimes learn more losing than winning. One of my other PBEM opponents (MAJ in Army) has taught me much. Your tactics have been sound, but I thought I might pass along some Armor tactics that have proved effective for me.

I am by no means an expert, but my handy FM 17-15 (The Tank Platoon), leading an M1A1 Platoon, numerous Armor Books and years of ASL have taught me a few things. Understand that I almost always play the Allies. However the US Army tactics I use have their genesis in German Armor doctrine.

1. Have a plan for what your armor is doing, and where it is going. In this game it is very tempting to have your Armor react, turn by turn, to the ‘threat of the moment.’ But when this occurs, you relinquish the initiative to your opponent. Mentally assign them a mission and try to stick with it. Of course you have to be flexible, but keep them focused on the mission regardless of the ebs and flows of the battle.

2. Overwatch is a must. That is, when moving 1 (or more) tanks, you must have other tank(s) covering their move. In our current game, I recommend sending the Mark IV’s out in front, with those nasty Jagdpanzer IV’s back one terrain feature covering their move. The Mark IV’s turrets are quick, allowing them a good chance in a sudden gun duel, while the Jagd can penetrate any allied armor from a distance.

3. Don’t send tanks in alone. Have infantry on their flanks, or if speed is crucial, have them ON the tank, ready to jump off and provide cover.

4. Understand what they can and can not penetrate. CM makes this simple. Check unit info screens. If your gun can penetrate 100mm of armor, and your opponents tank has 120mm of Armor, back off and fight another day. Hit em flanks. Or cross your fingers and hope for a lucky shot. (Heck a 20mm AA gun took out one of my Shermans once)

5. Check the ground conditions. If damp or wet, realize that you might bog, or worse, become immobile. This has killed me in a couple of games.

6. Stay ‘Open topped.” Much better for sighting and target acquisition. However, the minute an enemy sharpshooter or sniper appears, button EVERY vehicle up.

7. try to keep your tanks grouped. A minimum of 2, and in bigger games, the traditional 4 or 5 tank platoon working together is awesome.

Well, there you go. Would love others to chirp in with their thoughts and advice.

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Jeff Newell

TankDawg

[Ron]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>2. Overwatch is a must. That is, when moving 1 (or more) tanks, you must have other tank(s) covering their move. In our current game, I recommend sending the Mark IV’s out in front, with those nasty Jagdpanzer IV’s back one terrain feature covering their move. The Mark IV’s turrets are quick, allowing them a good chance in a sudden gun duel, while the Jagd can penetrate any allied armor from a distance.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree overwatch is a must but there is also the question of survivability. I would lead with the tougher AFV, in this case the Jagdpanzer IV. In a recent unnameable pbem game as an example, a Jagdpanzer IV leading 3 MkIVs of mine advanced on 3 Shermans. On contact the Shermans targetted the JgPzIV, scoring several riccochet hits. Meanwhile the MkIVs got into action unmolested and by the end of the turn there were 3 burning Shermans for no loss.

Ron

[TankDawg]

Hi Ron,

I was trying to keep it general here. But to counter your specific case - my 4 Shermans ran into a Jagd out front, followed by 4 Panzer IVs. The Shermans were close enough that he had to pivot, and I quickly killed it. Then the Panzer IVs met a similiar fate (I lost 1 Sherman).

Had the IV's faced me first, the Jagd would have picked us off, one by one.

The Jagd in this case is kind of like a Firefly. Put your 4 Shermans out front, and have the Firefly cover move.

Hopefully the spirit of my original post will not get lost in these specific happenstances.

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Jeff Newell

TankDawg

[Ron]

Yes there are the variables of terrain and flank security among others. In my example I had scouted the enemy already and advanced in a manner advantageous for my armour. Good points though.

[Mark IV]

I generally enjoyed your primer.

"However, the minute an enemy sharpshooter or sniper appears, button EVERY vehicle up."

If he actually appears, I would instead give him the arty-spotter treatment: target him with everything in sight. His sharpshooting days will be over...

I imagine you meant if one was suspected, or deduced from sound or TC casualties elsewhere.

[109 Gustav]

The German tactic in Russia was to make an "armored bell." They would put their heavy tanks at the top of the bell, medium ones with fast turrets on the flank, and light tanks in the center of the bell. The light tanks were cosidered essential for this tactic, because they could be used to flank or pursue a beaten enemy, who would be able to run faster than the heavy tanks.

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Well my skiff's a twenty dollar boat, And I hope to God she stays afloat.

But if somehow my skiff goes down, I'll freeze to death before I drown.

And pray my body will be found, Alaska salmon fishing, boys, Alaska salmon fishing.

-Commercial fishing in Kodiak, Alaska

[Guest machineman]

Thought this may be interesting:

From the Supreme Commander of the German Panzer-Armee Oberkommando 6 to the Commanders of all Panzer units:

10th of March, 1943

Fundamental order No. 14

10 rules for the employment of tanks.

1.The tank is a battle-decisive weapon. Hence it is only used in crucial points and suitable terrain.

2.The tank is not a solo fighter! The smallest unit is the platoon; for bigger tasks the company.

3.The tank is not an Infantry-Support-Gun. Its task is to break into and through the enemy for the infantry to follow.

4.The tank can clear and take posession of an area. But it can’t hold this area. This is the task of the infantry, supported by their heavy weapons, AT-guns and artillery.

5.The tank is not an artillery weapon, which encounters the enemy from a firing position for a long time. The tank fights versatile with short stops for firing.

6.The task of the infantry is to pin down the enemy weapons, to follow closely the tank-attack in order to take advantage of the weapons and the morale effect of the tank-attack.

7.The task of the artillery is to support the tank-attack with its fire, to pin down the enemy artillery and to follow the tank-attack in quick alternate bounds.

8.The task of the tank-destroyers is to follow closely the tank-attack in order to engage immediately when the fight of tank against tank starts.

9.The task of the engineers is – protected by tanks, infantry and artillery – to clear mine barriers and creating lanes through these minefields in order to get the tank-attack going again.

10.At night the tank is blind and deaf. Then it is the task of the infantry to protect the tanks with their weapons.

Quote taken from the website of Panzer Elite.

[Mr. Clark]

These are VERY helpful! Thanks guys!

[Freak]

Hey Machineman...

Great Great Great Post! Really good. I was wondering if you could give the url of that website? Sounds like an interesting place to be. Thanks.

[Joseph Porta]

Yeah, please post the URL...

[Old_Airman]

Good post. If you want a couple of books for reference I would suggest the following though one is not armor specific:

1. Handbook on German Military Forces (this is reprint of a War Department handbook published in 1945. You can get it a Barnes and Noble). Very good reference book that has diagrams of German doctrinal tank formations and phasing.

2. Armor Attacks by John Antal. A modern interactive exercise in small unit tactics. This book gives the reader a series of situations involving tanks at the platoon level. The reader is then asked to make a decision based on the situation. The reader then turns to another section based on his decision and sees the result in narrative form.

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We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.

Shakespeare (Henry V)

[Guest machineman]

Panzer Elite's website is at http://www.wingssimulations.com