pad152 Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 What's with the rear machinegun? Was is tank designed by a political officer? Only the Russians would design a tank that could shoot while running away or was this used to shoot fellow Russians running away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauCoupDinkyDau Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 I always understood the rear MGs on certain Russian tanks to be used to deal with tank assaulting infantry that came up from behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 pad152, The idea was to keep unwelcome interlopers off the rear deck of the tank in particular and away from the tank's vulnerable rear and flanks in general. The rear MG gives the tank much needed close protection from enemy infantry, read "close assaults" in an area which can normally only be "scratched" by other tanks in the platoon or by supporting infantry. It can be used even when the tank's buttoned up. Anyone used to leaping unhindered onto the backs of T-26s or T-34s, Tellermine in hand, would find the unexpected encounter with an MG in the face a bit offputting at the least. Regards, John Kettler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSpkr Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 SPOILER ALERT!!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Speaking of the KV-1s, did anyone else find it pretty dang useless in the Citadel scenario? As the Germans, I usually capped the thing within 20 seconds of its appearance on the field; as the Soviets, it last about 40 seconds from its hull down position. I thought these things were ubertanks or somefink . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gryphon Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 The KV-1S was a lighter version of the standard KVs. This of course resulted in the vehicle being lighter armored but faster. Basically it's the wimp of the KV family. And by the time it was introduced (late 1942) the Germans were having a party with 50/L60 and 75/L43 - 75/L48 guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaBellum Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Originally posted by MrSpkr: SPOILER ALERT!!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Speaking of the KV-1s, did anyone else find it pretty dang useless in the Citadel scenario? As the Germans, I usually capped the thing within 20 seconds of its appearance on the field; as the Soviets, it last about 40 seconds from its hull down position. I thought these things were ubertanks or somefink . . .In the Kurskscenario I set up a nice ambush position with four AT guns and the two KVs. The KVs alone knocked out 3 PzIIIs and 2 PzIVs within 2 minutes. One of my KVs got a damaged gun, the other survived unscathed. I waited untill the main body of the german tanks (who had already suffered losses by AT guns, AT rifles and a lucky molotov cocktail hit) passed my KVs (hidden in the old river bed) and moved into the rear of the german tanks. These 7,6cm guns are not bad, two PzIV started burning right away. One PzIII exploded after the first hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warphead Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Wait for the full version. Play an early war scenario with a normal KV-1 against PzII and PzIII. The KV-1 is the total Übertank of the early years! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaBellum Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Oh yes... I still have nightmares about that KV I I faced at the preview party. You know you're in real trouble when your most formidable AT asset is a PzJg Ib... And the crew of my 150mm IG had to watch how a direct hit (HE) made a big bang but didn't even scratch the monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John D Salt Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 Originally posted by MrSpkr: SPOILER ALERT!!! . . . . . . . . . . Speaking of the KV-1s, did anyone else find it pretty dang useless in the Citadel scenario? Nope. Having bulldozed my way through the Sov defences for the loss of 1 Mk III and 1 Mk IV, I took the Russkies, and was not a little disappointed at what a pathetic little popgun the 45mm is, when executing massed fire into the flanks of Panzers at two or three hundred metres. At least the anti-tank rifle is so bedwettingly impuissant that tanks you have been shooting at for three or four turns don't take any notice of you. My first KV-1S got waxed by a PzIV at 1000m or so. Sezhant Batsanov in the other tank decided that there was no future in this, and so decided to fight from a flank. Emerging gently over a small hummuck on the Russian right as the Germans straggled over the last ridge before the riverbed, he plugged 2 Pz IVs and 3 Pz IIIs -- the last of these with HE rounds after all his AP had been expended. The 12 45mms between them managed an equivalent score for the loss of every gun; Batsanov survived the battle, and I should think ought to be in line for an Order of the Red Banner at least. All the best, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauCoupDinkyDau Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 The AT rifles are not totally worthless. I had an AI controlled AT rifle team force a crew of a Pz III to bail after about the fouth shot from a range of 15m. The fouth shot was the first penitration (side hit) and musta scared the crew to death! They were ignoring the rifle team at first, opting to spray a Maxim team about 25m away. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onodoken Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 slight PUCKER factor when I saw the 1st KV-1 over the hill, took out 1 PzIII but I quickly knocked it out with one of my PzIV (right flak shot). The KV series had a very high profile (specially the turret) thus making it easier to kill even from a hull down position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar Posted September 2, 2002 Share Posted September 2, 2002 In addition, the rear MG in the IS-2 can be detached and was often used by IS-2 crews as an extra forward firing MG by the commander (I think). This was especially done in urban environments. Later models of the IS-2 had the DShK 12.7mm MG attached topside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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