Armour Effectiveness Modifier

[Dog Soldier]

I ran a quick test of the stock version of K43 CG 0705_01 The Battle of Kursk.

I attacked in successive assaults a single battalion of the Pzkw Vd Panthers (96 tanks). I used the Russian armor from the 1st Tank Army.
6th Tank Corps
3rd Mech Corps
31st Tank Corps
5th Guards Tank Corps
A combined total of ~734 tanks.

All these large Russian organizations assaulted once on their own. Both sides started at near zero fatigue and full strength with a few minor losses from vehicle breakdowns as I moved them towards each other. There were no penalties for using tanks from different organizations. Both sides kept their units in command.

The assault factors of the T-34cs is 14 to the Panthers at 18. Panther defense is 22 while the T34c has defense of 18. There is one unit of Churchill lend/lease tanks and some T-70 cannon fodder in these formations. The German Panthers are A morale and the Russians are C morale. No units involved were low fuel or low ammo.

I maximized the number of Russian tanks in each Corps assault to achieve as close to 160 tank maximum allowed. Extra tanks were brought up inside the two stacks in each attack to insure a good assault if a unit disrupted from defensive fire.

When the dust and smoke cleared, 176 Russian tanks were destroyed to 18 Panthers inflicting 150 fatigue on the Panther battalion. These numbers include defensive fire prior to the assaults.

This may seem bad for the Russians.
24% of the Russian forces committed were lost to inflict 19% losses on the Panthers. Fatigue to the Russian attackers was uneven. Of the 28 units committed...

21 were green fatigue (20-70)
4 were yellow fatigue (112 - 170)
3 were red fatigue (241 - 300 (broken))

This means 75% of the Russians forces are still green fatigue. Once units that disrupted are rallied, another attempt could be made.

I doubt any standoff shoot out would result so favorably for the Russians. Defensive fire from the Panther Bn was knocking out six and seven Russian tanks per shot.

The battle is like ants against an elephant. The elephant will kill many ants, but he can be eventually worn down. A tough proposition to be sure.

As most of you who have played the stock version of the K43 CG know, it might be a better Russian strategy to use swarms of Russian tanks to smash the Axis infantry and Pzkw III and IV units avoiding direct battle with the Tigers and Panthers. Let the numerous infantry, AT guns and air strikes wear these Axis monsters down before risking a tank to tank battle.

Dog Soldier