GilaMonster Posted September 16, 2000 Share Posted September 16, 2000 I'm looking for opinions here from the more grognardious among us. I recently ran an M3A1 Scout Car up a road on Turn One with orders plotted to carry it well into and out of the enemy side of the map. The scout came upon at least one enemy platoon making a first turn dash towards the VL. The M2 began firing as the vehicle continued along the ordered path at "fast" speed. My opponent tells me that a dozen guys were taken out by the .50 cal by the end of the turn. This doesn't seem right to me for the following reasons: 1) The vehicle was moving fast over a rural dirt road and later off the road. (Bumpy?) 2) The enemy was running when first sighted. 3) Due to fog, general visibility was only two hundred meters. It seems to me that a gunner bouncing along a dirt road at 40+ mph who first sights running enemy infantry at less than 200 meters would not have a great deal of time to react to his discovery. He might get off a few bursts as the vehicle speeds along, but would his fire be accurate enough to incapacitate a dozen running men? Also worth noting is the fact that the casualties were not from just one target. In less than 30 seconds he fired on several enemy squads as new ones came into view and earlier contacts were lost from sight. The gunner went from target to target very quickly and with excellent accuracy while moving fast on a rural dirt road. Imagine what damage I could have done if I had sent two M3A1 Scouts up that road. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Smoker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbott Posted September 16, 2000 Share Posted September 16, 2000 Yes, take a look at the "Runnin and gunnin" thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Morgue Posted September 16, 2000 Share Posted September 16, 2000 A good machinegunner on a AFV can very effectively use his tracer rounds on the move. And a fifty cals round doesn't stop just because it killed someone. i see people on this board complaining about the fifty being to deadly all the time , just shows they don't know the fifty and what an half inch in diameter round can do. just a vets 2 cents worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kverdon Posted September 16, 2000 Share Posted September 16, 2000 In an OLD Avalon Hill General that discussed the design on Advanced Squad Leader, there was mention that the .50 got such a high Firepower rating because not only was it a very powerfull weapon (a nick can take your arm off) but the demoralizing effect of the large .50cal slugs ripping thru and destroying the cover you are in is pretty impressive. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Morgue Posted September 16, 2000 Share Posted September 16, 2000 Oh, i've seen one burst from a fifty (five to ten rounds) kill four and wound three , who were apporchiing in-line towards it, they were friendlies but casualities just the same. [This message has been edited by Sgt.Morgue (edited 09-16-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scott Clinton Posted September 16, 2000 Share Posted September 16, 2000 Sgt Morgue: If you are referring to the other thread...my beef has nothing to do with the inherent accuracy or potency of the M2. Quite the contrary, I think the HMG version in the game works fine and is modeled well. No, my beef is with the ability of men standing in an open mount firing and hitting men at 50-500m while the vehicle they are in is bouncing along cross-country at 30-40mph (irregardless of the targets posture and cover). Tracers or no, I find the rate of kill while vehicles are moving "FAST" hard to accept but I think I will stick to the other thread on this issue as having multiple threads on the same issue is too much, even for me. ------------------ Please note: The above is solely the opinion of 'The Grumbling Grognard' and reflects no one else's views but his own. [This message has been edited by Scott Clinton (edited 09-16-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gibsonm Posted September 16, 2000 Share Posted September 16, 2000 Scott, I'm not intimately familiar with the mount on the M3A1 but if its similar to the pulpit mount used on the Priest, M3 halftrack or DUKW. Then I'd say its pretty responsive. I've done a Battle Run in a TLC (Tracked Load Carrier) using a similar mount and once you get used to the rocking motion of the AFV I was easily able to engage "snap" targets (pop up tgts off the line of march at various ranges and directions) at ranges of 100m to 600m whilst on the move. Add to this the reflexes gained in combat, the beaten zone of the weapon, the effects of ricochets, the deadly effects of nicks and the urgency imposed by a real enemy I suspect the effects are pretty close to realistic (remember people running are very exposed). Even given that ride in a wheeled vehicle off road is normally much rougher than that of a tracked one, this is probably still accurate (the motion may well improve the coverage by adjusting the beaten zone). ------------------ Regards, Mark:-{) Anxiously awaiting the G4 PowerBook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Morgue Posted September 17, 2000 Share Posted September 17, 2000 Scott, i was refering to many past threads , where post had complained about the fifty being to deadly , at the time ,i hadn't read the "gun and run" thread. i was in a US Cavalry platoon in combat , that had 10 mounted fifty cals , and it does lots of damage , and can be fired effectively on the move. i'm just speaking from experience , and the fifty is a very effective weapon, and a good gunner can walk his tracers onto his target even on the move. And back to this thread and its damage, that 1/2 inch round pulls bone out of the exit wounds when it hits bone. There is no weapon on the battle field like the fifty , except for the 12.7mm which is a 51 cal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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