Sniper vs Armoured vehicle.

[GUNSLNGR]

I remember reading, and forgive me I can't remember the source (hopefully not a movie) - that the Germans didn't have a very effective infantry carried anti-tank weapon early in the war and that infantry soldiers were taught various means of disabling armored vehicles. Grenades in exhausts, transmissions, engines, etc.

I've also heard, though I don't know for sure, that tank hatches didn't latch from the inside so that crews could escape easily in event the inside became uninhabitable - though I'd imagine after a few were killed by grenades being thrown in, they'd of figured something out.

Also, it's not covered in the game that I know of, but what is the armor of the very underbelly of a tank. I'd imagine it would be extremely thin there to save overall weight and that it would never be exposed...until some sharp sniper threw a grenade under there.

As far as the game goes - a lone, unsuppressed sniper would be near invisible to a buttoned tank. If he was trained and knew exactly where to take out an enemy tank - then, as far as the game goes, it is extremely feasible. Was it IRL? I'd think it would be provided that a number of factors added up for the sniper -

1) the tank was moving slow enough that he could put the grenade where it needed to be.

2) nobody in the tank or nearby saw him approach

3) he got the grenade right where it needed to be (and he knew where that was, for that particular tank)

As far a distance goes...remember the hexes represent 50 meters, but it doesn't mean that units in adjacent hexes are 50 to 100 meters apart only. It can also mean they are just feet apart (unit 1 is in far right of its hex and unit 2 is in far let of its hex, for example). The game just doesn't allow for adjustments below the 50 meter hex size - nor, as it is, could it.

I'd further hypothesize (sp?) that early war tanks would be far easier for regular infantry men to take out in a close assault than those produced later in the war - as the tankers would have figured out ways to prevent those type of attacks (like a grate over the exhaust, so grenade can't get in).

I don't recall ever taking out a tank with a sniper or typically armed infantry (no AT weapons) - but I've killed lots of armored vehicles and SP guns with close assaults. Realistic? I think it would have been.