Sloped armour -> relative thickness

[s bakker]

I was rumbling though the books this weekend and tried to figure out how you could calculate the 'extra protection' sloped armour would give.

I think the formula is;

(1/cos (angle)) * thickness = realtive thickness

Thus for the front armour for the panther (80 mm at 55 degr.) that would mean:

(1/cos(55 degr.)) * 80mm = 139,5 mm

is this right ? And when a panther offsets it's front 30 degrees to an opponent would that would mean:

(1/cos (30 degr.)) * 139,5 mm = 161 mm ?

Just wondering ..........

Grtz S Bakker

[EScurlock]

That's the formula I always used. I think the game also takes into account the effect on effective thickness that being on unlevel terrain such as hills causes too.

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He who gets there the fastest with the mostest wins.

[Guest Babra]

I don't have a calculator handy (and I'll be goddamned if I can still do cosines in my head after all the liquor I done drunk).

But to test your theory, reverse the order of the operations. Do the 30 degree theta offset first, then the 55 based on the result as you did above. If you come up with the same answer, I'd say you had it right. If the answer is different, your reasoning is flawed (though logical).

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Floreat Jerboa !

[Guest Big Time Software]

Your formula is correct (trigonometrically) but it does not explain the full effect of sloped armor. Sloped armor is effectively "thicker" than the cosine rule indicates, because it also induces the incoming shell to ricochet and not impart its full kinetic energy against the armor plate. The degree to which this happens depends on many factors, including the ratio of the size of the shell to the (actual) thickness of the armor, armor hardness, and more. Combat Mission tracks it all!

Charles