Question to Glenn S regarding AT units

[Dog Soldier]

The Alt set of fire / assault rules were created with the second title in the series, Normandy 44. They were not introduced "later".

It is not entirely true that the alt set of fire / assault rules are neutral compared to the default rules.
The alt fire rules create a huge disadvantage to the side who has the relatively larger "organic unit sizes". I define "organic unit sizes" meaning units that can not break down any further into sub-units.
This translates into a "firing squad" kind of game for Russians units of battalion or regiment size that can not breakdown into units of roughly equal size to the German units. Smolensk 41, Moscow 41, Kharkov 42 are excellent examples of this disparity. While some will argue that the result of casualties are roughly equal over the long term, my experience is that large units will suffer accelerated fatigue accumulation using the alt set of rules compared to the default rules. This creates a very brittle force. In K42 for example I have seen Russian units breaking in three turns or less using the alt fire rules.

Now it is true, that the alt fire rules do less damage to the ATG unit stacked with infantry which is two or three times the size of the ATG unit. Stacking with infantry of roughly (in terms of men equivalents) with ATG units offers no special protection under the alt set of fire rules in my experience. This is due to the way the alt fire and barrage rules proportion out the results according to unit sizes. While this use of the alt fire optional rules and stacking tactics will help ATG not be unduly targeted, it comes at a price of the large infantry formations being easily broken and stripped from the position.

Such a handicap far out weighs the advantage gained.

Now consider France 40 or Normandy 44 as an example where the alt fire rules work well. With both sides able to break down into companies and break down the ATG units into smaller packets, the Alt fire rules can make the game play change quite a bit.
In the N44 _alt game being played out in the team game tournament, (where the -alt default optional rules use only the alt assault optional rule) German ATG units are being pasted with six or seven barrage attacks (Allied artillery or naval fire, even air strikes) so they are worthless in defensive fire when the swarms of Allied tanks move up to chew on what is left in the hex. the Allied infantry can then easily mop up with assaults. If the German ATG are placed in BUNKERS / bunkers with their infantry, they are then targeted by barrages and Allied armor with two hex range HA. Only the German 88mm stand a chance to make a defensive fire attempt to disrupt Allied armor due to the unit's greater than one hex range.

I would think in the close, congested terrain of Normandy and Northern France, the default design of using the alt fire rules make a lot of sense.

I am not so sure what can be done for more open country in some of the Russian titles or the North African desert titles.

Dog Soldier