Gunnery question...

[Guy w/gun]

I did a search and came up empty handed. Feel free to direct me to a post on the board if this has already been beat to death.

When a tank is targeting another tank, does the TacAI try to target areas it knows are weak spots? If so, are they using some historical protocol? Are tank crews familiar with different enemy AFV's and there weak points.

Basically, if a Firefly was in a head-to-head slugfest with a Tiger, would the gunner purposfully try to target, lets say, the turret as opposed to a front hull shot?

[Vergeltungswaffe]

No, as I understand it, the gunner's are doing what they're trained to do in the heat of combat, aim at the center of mass. Vehicle silhouette, hull down status, and all that good stuff will affect where the target gets hit, as well as good old luck (or bad old luck, lol).

[MadmaN]

yeah tanks arn't very accurate, theyre lucky to even hit it thier target at all. so aiming at the center would be about the best way to go.

[This message has been edited by MadmaN (edited 01-04-2001).]

[rexford]

Germans trained to aim at center of turret/hull meeting point, Americans usually aimed at center of mass but July '44 training manual change said to aim at weak areas.

Germans published booklets for gunners that identified weak areas, Panther and Tiger Fibel (bible) was given to tankers with enemy weak points identified.

Tiger I mantlet a real difficult target for 17 pounder, hull front is easier.

Problem is that tankers in combat may forget training and just try for hits, even if they bounce.

Germans were most effective at training crews to target weak areas like turret/hull meeting line. 37mm Pak crewman in one message recently said that they automatically fired at turret/hull line due to kills on even a heavy tank like KV-1, and they were trained to do it.

[Bullethead]

V-Weapon said:

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>No, as I understand it, the gunner's are doing what they're trained to do in the heat of combat, aim at the center of mass.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

rexford said:

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Germans were most effective at training crews to target weak areas like turret/hull meeting line. 37mm Pak crewman in one message recently said that they automatically fired at turret/hull line due to kills on even a heavy tank like KV-1, and they were trained to do it.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think Rexford has it right. Consider the following scenario: You're out squirrel hunting armed with a 20guage full of #6 shot. Then you meet an angry wild hog where there are no trees amenable to rapid climbing. Now compare this to crouching behind the tinfoil shield of a "doorknocker" while facing an enraged KV-1. I think in both cases you'd put your shot where it had the only chance of doing any good.

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-Bullethead

In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength, in water there is bacteria.

[Guest rune]

Well, depends on how much training the crew had. Consider the following true story:

At one point, CCB of 3rd Armored is to go into the attack. Like all units of the time, they are very short of crews. They take infantry train them for 3-4 hours and man 3 men to a Sherman Tank. The Sherman is supposed to have a crew of 5. Later that day, Mister Cooper find that 14 of the 17 are destroyed, almost all on the same road. If they even managed to get off a shot, what do you think these guys would aim at?

Unfortunately, this is typical. Yes, the manual said to aim at points, but the fact is, they just aimed and hoped they hit. If you haven't read Death Traps, I highly recommend you do.

Rune