Hensworth Posted May 5, 2002 Share Posted May 5, 2002 It's been well documented that AT guns are dead almost as soon as they are spotted by an enemy tank. One or two HE rounds and the gun is history. Today for the first time ever I observed a Sherman refusing to fire HE at an AT gun. It was a fully functional tank, no casualties, lots of ammo. Range was about 300 to 400 m. It only fired its MG's. After repositioning to the other side of a building the tank re-acquired the gun as target but again would not fire HE at it. Finally I targeted it myself and ordered use of the main gun. Until now I would have assumed this almost impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zukkov Posted May 6, 2002 Share Posted May 6, 2002 bummer. after losing my prized 88 to a sherman this morning, i wish he had only used his mg. lol.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pak40 Posted May 6, 2002 Share Posted May 6, 2002 Originally posted by Sgt_Kelly: It's been well documented that AT guns are dead almost as soon as they are spotted by an enemy tank. One or two HE rounds and the gun is history. Today for the first time ever I observed a Sherman refusing to fire HE at an AT gun. It was a fully functional tank, no casualties, lots of ammo. Range was about 300 to 400 m. It only fired its MG's. After repositioning to the other side of a building the tank re-acquired the gun as target but again would not fire HE at it. Finally I targeted it myself and ordered use of the main gun. Until now I would have assumed this almost impossible.Did you, at any time in previous turns, give an order to the tank to target something and not use the main gun? If so, the command may have "stuck" until finally you gave it a direct order to use the gun. I have seen wierd occurances like this before but it's rare. I usually chalk it up to one of those rare unexplained occurances in war. Like maybe the gunner got dust in his eyes or maybe a HE shell that landed nearby gave the gunner a concussion. It kind of sucks that we have to make excuses like this but the fact is that these things happen in war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRUMLIN Posted May 7, 2002 Share Posted May 7, 2002 Well, you say that AT guns die like a bag, but I am playing a nice chap from Japan (I'm in London) in a scenario called 'too little..too late'. My AT has taken out 2 shermans, 5 halftracks, and two scoutcars. The trick? Positioning so that it is in woods on a downslope (so rounds eitehr sail over it or hit well in front), with infantry on either flank to protect it and some PIV popping up and down over on a far flank to distract the Amis. Having said that, I still expect to lose Grumlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted May 7, 2002 Share Posted May 7, 2002 Originally posted by Pak40: Did you, at any time in previous turns, give an order to the tank to target something and not use the main gun? If so, the command may have "stuck" until finally you gave it a direct order to use the gun.I once suspected a "sticky" don't-use-main-gun order, but at least in my following isolated tests it seems normal, that once the target is dropped and a new one is chosen, the main gun is being used again, for the same kind of target. As said in other threads, there is some sticky state in CMBO tanks that make it behave differently over extended periods of time, especially around their tendency to engage infantry with main guns, but I have never been able to track it down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thin Red Line Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 I agree with Redwolf, i've observed the same (i remember a Stuart not using its main gun during 2-3 turns. The problem solved itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CombinedArms Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 This has happened to me, too--most recently with a Sherm105 that wouldn't fire its main gun over several turns at various human and vehicle targets, including troops in buildings that I had specifically targeted. He even killed a Wespe with .50 cal. He was out of "c" rounds (had earlier killed a Stug with is only one) but an HE round might have killed the Wespe and he didn't fire one. I wonder if some kind of digital message about "no more c rounds" caused the stickiness. If so, it's a minor bug. Fortunately, this Sherm105 lived to tell the tale, but one isn't always so lucky. [ May 08, 2002, 11:58 AM: Message edited by: CombinedArms ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hensworth Posted May 8, 2002 Author Share Posted May 8, 2002 It couldn't have been a sticky 'don't use main gun' order because I never use that (if a target is not worth wasting HE shells on, I'd rather keep my tanks hidden, unless I can really afford the luxury). I know that tanks will sometimes fire MG's only when they perceive that it deals with the presented target with equal effectiveness as HE. But a target of the calibre of an AT gun merits even your last HE round, I should think. The trick with putting a gun or any other unit on a ridgeline to protect against direct fire is indeed a good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvio Manuel Posted May 8, 2002 Share Posted May 8, 2002 Originally posted by Sgt_Kelly: The trick with putting a gun or any other unit on a ridgeline to protect against direct fire is indeed a good one.I've never tried it, but supposedly that also works well with infantry on the very top edge of a ridgeline...enemy direct fire HE will either sail over their heads or miss low, especially "normal" tanks b/c they have faster, straighter shots than the slower, arcing Howitzer/support tanks. I must try it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaD JoKe Posted May 20, 2002 Share Posted May 20, 2002 Positioning so that it is in woods on a downslope (so rounds eitehr sail over it or hit well in front), with infantry on either flank to protect it and some PIV popping up and down over on a far flank to distract the Amis. I once did this (without that distraction) and my 50mm pak got 2 shermans, 2 halftracks and 2 armored cars. I placed the gun into slope behind trees so that it could fire from between two buildings and shot every one of them on the side (with Shermans, I got a sideturret shot every time). I have also noticed that very often, tanks do not fire at infantry. This often happens against AI, when human player has allready practically won the game (all enemy tanks are destroyed, the one major attack is stopped and many computer units have taken casualties or are low on morale). Even tanks with HE or mg rounds spare enemy infantry even if there are still plenty of them to shoot at. I used to think that tanks do not see the enemy infantry but that is not the case. I added infantry support near my tanks to improve spotting but did not achieve better results. I guess that my tankers got a little soft and spared those unlucky bastards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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