Assault Halftracks [SPW 251/9]

[RNL Tiger]

I have bought a platoon of SPW 251/9 in a QB and I tried to get them to fire at enemy infantry ~500m away from a hill but they never fired a round. Is that because they are too far away? What is a better range and enemy to use them against?

[Der Kuenstler]

Were your own infantry nearby? They won't fire if friendly infantry may be injured by the blasts...usually within 20m or so...

[McIvan]

Probably a case where they didn't gave a good enough view to keep a main gun track. Quite often in games you will see a tank or whatever drop its targetting line on enemy infantry in the distance, even though its machinegun may give them a squirt from time to time.

Using the area fire is usually the better choice in those situations.

[RNL Tiger]

They had a clear view across the valley to a hill overlooking the flag in the valley. My infantry were near the flag but between 60-160m away from the enemy dependent on which group you look at.

I assumed that the SPW 251/9 thought the range was too far, that their gunfire would be ineffective and so they didn't engage. I know that 500m is hardly "assault" distance but I wanted to see what they did - I wasn't expecting "nothing"! :-)

[McIvan]

The effect of HE shells on infantry does not reduce with range, so that wouldn't be it.

[RNL Tiger]

POS suggested: "The 4x Stummels drove fast onto a hilltop and then stopped and did nothing for the rest of the turn, that's normal. No doubt they were looking round for targets and would probably have fired in a turn or two as soon as they spotted something. Or perhaps they saw infantry and didn't think it worthwhile wasting ammo to try a long range shot against a low-value target.

That's normal in CM because the AI does what it thinks is logical, so we often have to personally get in there and take command and kick units into getting their fingers out by reminding them there's a war to be fought. Next turn you could personally assign targets to the Stumms and hopefully they'll obey..:)"

[RNL Tiger]

OK so for the SPW 251/9 it is normal behaviour that at that range they look around and may decide not to fire. So what is the best range for them to engage the enemy and be out of normal infantry response ~250m. Or are these "assault" vehicles ones that like to get close and personal ~50-100m?

POS responded: "The 251/9 Stummel is armoured and therefore impenetrable by rifle/smg fire, so theoretically it could get to point-blank engagement range, but because it's open-topped with only a light gunshield the crew feel exposed and may decide to reverse or cower instead. Also, some HMG's can penetrate some light armour, another reason why crews feel fragile. Hey if you really want to try persuading them to plaster infantry, stand off at comfortable longish range and area-fire into the enemy position."

[herroberst]

Wondering if they are like machinegun HT's, at least Allied ones, that will not fire buttoned up. Playing a scenario Tarnopol and have the silly situation of HTs holding a bridge with Germans running around on it tossing grenades but the crews will not unbutton to fire.

Might be noted that open topped HTs are very vulnerable to mortar fire too.

[PoorOldSpike]

A mortar treeburst treats this halftrack to a hot shower of shrapnel..

[PoorOldSpike]

Here one of Toni Chmielowskis M-13's kills my fragile Bren carrier with a burst of MG fire..