MG firing in Armour Battle

[Chappie]

I have just completed a Pure Armour ME in Italy and my opponent made an observation.

I played as Axis against US Forces.

He observed that every time his M4A3s went to engagement my armour his crew opened up with a burst of MG fire prior to using their main armament.

This gave him the impression that this action gave a big signal to my crew as to their position. This allowed my crews to quickly identify the threat and get of the first shot with the main armament.

I tend to agree with his observation. I would have thought that a tank which identified an armour threat would cause the whole crew to focus on destroying such a treat with its main gun and not a MG.

Are we missing something here?

[flamingknives]

It sometimes buttons the target tank, which is pretty useful.

[JP Jones]

using the mg to get range fix???

[flamingknives]

Originally posted by JP Jones:

using the mg to get range fix???

While possible in real life, I'm not sure that CM models this.

[Redwolf]

It doesn't matter in CM, you don't tip the target off.

CM vehicles are pretty much always and instanty spotted when in LOS, with the possible exception of defending vehicles which didn''t move yet.

[Rabidbvr]

hello one and all...

I would say that i have found that most tanks with a coax will fire a burst prior to engagement i do find this strange as the path of the main gun shot will be dif than a burst from a .30 it may be to get the crew to button or hit any crew a bit slow to do this is a topic that would go on for a while i think but what the hell it looks great....

[flamingknives]

In real life, the spotting effect of the MG is not that it stirkes the same place as the main armament, but that the sight is often graduated for MG range. You spot the strikes from the MG and can calculate the range from that.

Some later tanks mount spotting MGs (Eg Centurions) that are ballistically matched to the main armament.

[MikeyD]

Tanks have been doing this from back in CMBO days. Since its always a short burst followed by the cannon firing it should be considered to be for aiming/ranging purposes. it of course has no 'real' effect on ranging in the game, its just represents a typical firing-from-the-hip sequence.

American tankers especially were known for being quick-draw specialists. I recall reading of a Brit AC commander involved in a friendly fire incident. He said the U.S. Sherman put two rounds into him before he had time to make a move! I can well imagine a tanker being surprised by a threat at under 600m(?), and as he quickly swings the turret around he starts laying down coax tracers. The moment the a mg round is seen to fall on the target "BOOM!" He let's got with the first round already in the breech. As the second round is loaded he watches for the fall of his quick first shot, then fires a properly corrrected shot this time. A hit!

[ May 10, 2004, 05:27 PM: Message edited by: MikeyD ]

[Michael Emrys]

Sometimes that first maingun shot would be HE if that was up the spout even though it might have little or no chance for a penetration. For one thing, that was the fastest way to unload the gun and prepare it for an AP round. Secondly, it rings the bell of the opposing crew and increases the pressure on them. If that will make them falter or hesitate for an instant, it was worth the shot.

Michael

[Oddball_E8]

but HE and AP usually have different ballistics right? so theres no point in using HE for spotting...

although it sure is the fastest way to unload...

[Joachim]

Sure. It won't work "Short with HE - aim higher with AP"

But as both ballistics are known, a good gunner might still use the point of impact to correct aim. E.g. if he was short but close with the slower HE round, he will make sure to depress the gun a certain amount for AP.

Gruß

Joachim