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25pdr Spotter + VT + cup of tea = casualties


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I have been experimenting with 25pdrs in direct and indirect fire roles. Firstly I designed a very simple scenario of Panzergrenadier battalion bumping into a deployed 8-gun 25pdr battery in Fog.

I have played this battle many times over and the effectiveness of VT is devastating. The Battery usually gets wiped out in first 6 turns, but the 25pdr VT FO single-handedly obliterates the Panzergrenadiers. I've watched the fall of shot closely, and have seen a single airburst take out 3 Halftracks and a platoon commader. Not a bad exchange rate! It also immobilises Panzer IV's very nicely.

So esteemed gentlemen I have the following questions:

1. What are your experiences with VT? (not only the 25pdr sort)

2. How do you think it is best employed?

BTW, I can e-mail my scenario to you if you want try it out.

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There is nothing better for cutting down troops in open ground. 155mm in particular is devastating, though it costs a lot.

Against troops in woods, you are better off with conventional arty, because you get treebursts, which are the same thing. Against troops in buildings, VT is all but useless. Big bore arty, such as 240mm, is the best, because one round will take out a house.

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But if somehow my skiff goes down, I'll freeze to death before I drown.

And pray my body will be found, Alaska salmon fishing, boys, Alaska salmon fishing.

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<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 109 Gustav:

Against troops in buildings, VT is all but useless.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> confused.gif Do you mean that a burst 20m above the roof is more effective than a direct hit?

I thought the opposite was true. (But then I've never tried using VT.)

Cheers

Olle

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Srategy is the art of avoiding a fair fight...

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Against troops with overhead cover, like log bunkers or buildings, the best was (and still is, more or less) regular tube artillery (not mortars) firing with "delay" fuses, to allow time for the round to penetrate before going off.

Against troops without overhead cover, in the open or in foxholes or trenches, the best is the VT, which will airburst over them.

In woods, the best is a quick fuse or a mortar (also quick), because it will go off on hitting the trees and airburst that way, while VT might explode too far above the tree-tops.

I don't know if that is the way CM models them, but that is the way it really works. The choices are to go off before the hit (VT), at the hit (quick), or after the hit (delay). While "at the hit" was the usual or standard setting, it was only the most effective against men in the woods.

The VT fuse was originally designed for anti-aircraft fire, to make it easier to hit a small, fast moving target. But it was soon found it could mimic the treeburst effect against men in the open or in foxholes, not in the woods.

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Yep VT = variable time. The shells have got a little radar in the nose that makes the shell detonate whhen they get close to the gound (ie. 20m)

May need to rephrase that... no radar in the nose there just a variable fuse set depending on adjustment for range, elevation, and windage.

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