Tips from the Frontline

[RNL Tiger]

Force Selection Revisited

So, I had made mistakes on purchasing the wrong tanks for the terrain. What would have been better? “I'd have chosen mostly Panzer IVH's, with maybe a couple of Tigers or Panthers or Hetzers thrown in (the Hetzers a tough little s.o.b. frontally) Or maybe I'd have plumped for an all-PzIVH force on a whim.. ”

Just looking through the German tank statistics recently I had selected the Pz IVG Late as a better choice than the Pz IVH with the H as the second choice for a medium tank - although I did not do any tests against opponent tanks. What makes you say Pz IVH? “I've just looked at the IV stats, and yes the G(late) has fractionally better armour and is 1 mph faster, but its price is an outrageous 273, (compared to the H's 158), so no way would I buy it at that price, it's just not worth it.. ALWAYS take prices into account (don't forget to use 'Standard Rarity'). Also I see there are 2 other IV models available at this period, the IVJ and the IVG(early), both are MORE expensive than the H but they have WORSE stats so don't even consider them.. (The G(early) has a weaker gun and the J has a slow turret). Battlefront only include them for historical sake but nobody in his right mind would buy them instead of the H.”

If it was earlier in the war what Panzer III would you choose? [I have Pz IIIM Late with the Pz IIIN Late as second at the moment without considering cost!]. Clearly I chose the Tiger in this QB, the question I have for you is in what circumstances would you choose either a Tiger or King Tiger platoon. I want to separate selection from throwing the odd Tiger into the mix. “If I knew the map was going to be wide open, I'd definitely buy a Tiger or King Tiger platoon because I know I'd be able to pick off his tanks at long range with unimpeded LOS … But in mixed hilly/ wooded terrain I'd buy mostly cheaper PzIVH's because Tigers/King Tigers are too big and lumbering to nimbly thread between clumps of trees and stuff.”

“As for PzIII's, they're obsolete by about mid-1942, the best one has a 50mm L/60 gun and 70mm armour (run your cursor over the buy list and note when it says 70mm armour) But in 1943 and onwards they're definitely only second fiddle to Panzer IV-longs”

“You might notice a small proportion of tanks are not the quality you bought, that's normal because the computer randomly mixes in a few other qualities. If you're lucky it'll have given you a crack or elite tank or two, or if you're unlucky it might give you a regular or green…”