Results 1 to 30 of 64

Thread: Anti-tank solution

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Coffee farmer extraordinaire Member spmetla's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Kona, Hawaii
    Posts
    3,015

    Default AW: Anti-tank solution

    So AT solutions should be put into several categories:
    Engineering:

    Anti-tank trenches: a deep and long trench that a tank cannot cross over.
    Anti-tank barriers: large vertical berms, or concrete barriers, metal barriers.
    Anti-tank pits: a giant hole blown into the ground by explosives, commonly used on important roadways such as intersections in order to restrict a tank's mobility.
    Felled trees on roadways (not as a wall but in an pattern of contiuous Vs) ie: >>>>>>>>>x
    Mines: AT mines to achieve a kill or mobility kill and AP mines to protect the AT mines from engineers as well as to restrict the ability of infantry to provide support to the tank

    Weaponry
    Indirect fire: Though mortars and artillery are unlikely to kill a tank the fire will usually cause a tank to 'button up' thereby reducing the crews' ability to see the enemy and friends. This also reduces the ability of infantry to support armor as they will try to find cover. Smoke can also be used to either force the tanks to go in blindly (no IR vision in WWII) or give cover for tank hunters to approach the tanks.
    Direct fire: Though early war guns were of low caliber (37mm 40mm) they were sufficient for knocking out the prevalent light tanks of the early war. Against more armored targets such as the Matildas, PzIII series and up, T-34s and KV-1s they proved ineffective unless they managed to knock out tracks. The later application of proper AT guns such as the use of 88mm AA guns by the Germans and 75mm or 76mm guns by all sides were able to kill at ranges greater or at least equal to the ranges at which a tank could engage the gun.
    AT rifles: Though largely ineffective at knocking out tanks, they could kill the crews within light tanks or the lightly armored or unarmored vehicles supporting them.
    AT Rockets: This would be Panzerfausts, Panzerschrecks, PIATs, Bazookas and so on. Though absent in the early war their development and improvement throughout the war gave the infantryman a weapon that could kill or disable tanks. Though their range and penetration was limited it allowed low level commanders to defend against armor. Also weapons such as the Panzerschrecks and Bazooka allowed infantry to set up tank hunter teams that would either seek out tanks to kill in the form of anti armor ambushes or to react to enemy tank attacks.
    Small explosives These would be the various attempts made at creating effective AT grenades, grenade bundles and stuff that would be used if and when the infantry were so bloody close to a tank.
    AT VehiclesThese would be the various tank killing bad boys that you guys have already discussed as well as other tanks.

    A good commander would consider all these element when planning against tanks. Think about the defense of Tobruk, the ability of the German tanks to pass over defensive lines was made mute by the ability of the defender to continue manning bypassed lines that would then attack the supporting infantry as well as engaging German armor from the rear(or so I remember reading about it as such).

    Though these aren't really unique they are the more commonplace ideas employed.
    Last edited by spmetla; 09-17-2008 at 04:59.

    "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?"
    -Abraham Lincoln


    Four stage strategy from Yes, Minister:
    Stage one we say nothing is going to happen.
    Stage two, we say something may be about to happen, but we should do nothing about it.
    Stage three, we say that maybe we should do something about it, but there's nothing we can do.
    Stage four, we say maybe there was something we could have done, but it's too late now.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO