New Explosives Class

[Cross]

You may have read about the new explosives class for SPWW2 ver4.0, but I was wondering if anyone had used them yet? Or how you plan to use them?

I was thinking I would limit there use at first, as I don't know how effective they are. I think I'll add 'max of 2 explosives per Engineer platoon purchased' to my preferences, for now.

Anyone have any thoughts about this?

But 52 points for the demolition charge and 77 points for the fougasse, people may prefer to buy an ATk gun or something.

This from the game guide:

1) There has been a new "explosives" class added to the game. In WW2 there are three types of units added to each OOB

Booby traps 12 points
These represent any type of anti personnel weapon typically built from small explosive charges or bundles of hand grenades. They
may occasionally damage an armoured vehicle or destroy a truck

Demolition Charges 52 points
A charge powerful enough to bring down a concrete / steel bridge but also used to bring down buildings on advancing troops in
defensive battles. They could also be used as "roadside bombs" or IED type weapons

Fougasse 77 points
Fougasse was typically a mixture of gasoline and oil with an explosive igniter. In Britain during WWII fougasse was usually a 40-
gallon drum dug into the roadside and camouflaged at a location such as a corner where vehicles would need to slow down. The
Russians first used 'Fougasse flame throwers' in the defences around Moscow in 1941 and in the defence at Stalingrad. They
were remote-controlled cans with nozzles designed to be embedded in the ground and set off from a distance and they were the
basis for a German copy that showed up in Italy. Those weapons were buried with a fixed direction discharge tube and integrated
with conventional landmines and barbed wire in defence works. Weapons of this type were widely used in the Korean and
Vietnam wars as well as other conflicts and are well known to combat engineers

NOTE 1: These units are set up as one per formation maximum to curb overuse. They cannot be moved so must be placed during the
deployment phase of the game.

NOTE 2:These explosive devises can self detonate when enemy units are nearby and, in the case of Demolition Charges and Fougasse can
be "command detonated" on the players turn who "owns" them, IF there is radio contact, by selecting the explosive charge then pressing "F"

[Imp]

Have not got round to using yet but think both demo & fougasse will be quite effective, both will at least suppress if miss.
My understanding available all meeting types placeable to half way line hence part of cost.
Occurs to me may be a problem here as if have vision could place as a forward scout abusing intent, as said not tried yet.
Still think major use is delay defend but a few in urban or cluttered terrain at choke points gives you something to think about.
For scenerios like blowing a bridge etc they will be great, get your force across in an orderly retreat :whis: & blow it.

[Thexder]

I've made a couple of quick tests with these new toys. Here's some observations (which would probably neeed more test rounds):

*All of the demolitions are less powerfull than expected against hard targets. Fougasse immobilized a tank but other forms just created some suppression.
*Soft targets were more vulnerable. Especially fougasse killed men within 2 hexes.
*Problems in blowing bridges. I tried several times with demolition charges and fougasses without effect:conf:.
*Booby traps have problems in detonation. They don't necessarily do so even though there's several units passing via the hex with BT.
*Problems in firing at the booby traps with infantry. It seems these can't be detonated from adjacent hex using direct fire. Didn't try z-fire. Also didn't try with fougasse, demolition charge.

All in all I'd say these are not worth the cost. I'd really like to see that bridge thing fixed. These things are ment to blow up bridges...


,
Thexder

[Imp]

Well dont they look nice, if you can find them very hard to spot & they cant see at all which is good.
Vs bridges probably about right using demo took down stone about 60% wood about 70% of the time. RL one charge would not cut it 3 placed charges to be sure sounds reasonable & there is never any quarantee in the demo game unless you are a real expert.

As Thexder said vs tanks little effect unless actualy hit it not the hex, even then think a mobilisation kill more likely unless light armour.
Vs infantry same can get away with just suppresion but hurts if hit can lose half a squad.
I would say then more effective than mines vs infantry less vs vehicles & anything reasonably armoured will probably survive. That to me sounds about right they are a detterent like mines but more expensive so that should keep them fairly rare. Did not think to load some passengers & see if they survived

[Thexder]

Vs bridges probably about right using demo took down stone about 60% wood about 70% of the time. RL one charge would not cut it 3 placed charges to be sure sounds reasonable & there is never any quarantee in the demo game unless you are a real expert.

I must've had a very poor luck!:chin: I tried 4-5 times with DC and fougasse without any effect on the bridge. Nice to hear this was likely to be only bad luck...Still I'd think twice before investing into these things, even as bridge-destroyers. There must always be at least two to be reasonably sure about the effect and then it's already 150pts. With that you can get 4-5 pioneer squads.

,
Thexder