Japanese Infantry Guns

[Jumbo]

Hi Ed,

In regards to this new M12 Direct Fire unit that was created and show cased in the Matrix edition. The intent in creating this new M12 unit was not as a replacement for the original one which still remains. But to allow this new M12 SP gun unit to be placed in some select and newly designed scenarios which would allow it to perform in a fashion that may replicate some of it's historical abilities. The thing that made the M12 SP Gun stand out so much and above all other allied SP Guns, Was it's abilty to reduce/destroy heavy German fortifications on a regular basis while attacking with direct fire. This is when even heavier American pieces like 240mm and 8 inch howitzers failed completely. History tells us that the M12 SP gun was the primary weapon system that reduced/destroyed German fortifications. It was of course a combined arm operation to reduce these German defenses. But it was the M12 that stood high above all other weapons systems in it's ability to do so.
Granted only 74 examples of this SP Gun saw combat in Europe. Writings will often mention that the Germans were terrified of it. And that was primarily or refering to when it was used in a direct fire mode. The greater hard attack values given to this new M12 SP gun are to enable it to better knock out units seeking refuge in pill boxes and bunkers. The soft attack values I recall are pretty much the same as the original M12 unit. Maximum attack range of this direct fire M12 unit is only 8 hexes. That is becouse all readings about the M12 being used in direct fire mentioned that 2000 meters was pretty much the maximum range that it would called to do. I do see that the direct fire M12 has been given a maximum strenth value of 4. This however does not prevent scenario designers from putting a few out there on the map with say a strenth value of only 2. This M12 unit is certainly no TD unit. Slow speed coupled with a very high firing cost (75 points) don't show that it will be. But if it's sitting in the right place and some German tank happens to be sitting where it's not safe to sit. Get a good die role and any German tank hit directly by this piece would and should be history. So folks should understand that there shouldn't be loads of these M12 murauding about the map. Just a few.

I will pass on some sources for you to look at Ed

Regards

Eric