The armed half-track

Montana Grizz · 08-15-2009, 01:51 AM,

Chuck asked in another thread, if half-tracks were armed for offensive or defensive reasons :chin:

I suppose that would depend upon your concept of what constitutes an offensive demeanor in a given situation.

I can certainly see a loaded half-track approaching enemy infantry, unloading and then using their machine gun to support an advance (offensive?)

I don't see them being used alone as assault vehicles or as stand alone spotters, but am willing to play a scenario where those things are agreeded upon.

The half-tracks don't hold up well versus even the small AT guns and many enemy infantry units at close range.

This really shouldn't be a point of contention, but rather an option to be agreed upon by contestants.

Pat

Mike Abberton · (This post was last modified: 08-15-2009, 06:29 AM by Mike Abberton.)

Actually if you're playing with extreme assault ON, the whole half-tracks-in-assaults thing becomes less of an issue, IMHO. Since the old surround-and-capture and repeat is nowhere near as effective in most situations.

Add to that the increased VP value of HTs, enhanced capabilities of AT guns, and other changes now and HTs become less of a game-changing asset than they were in the past.

Mike

Montana Grizz · 08-15-2009, 03:42 AM,

I believe that to be true Mike.

I often pick on HT's used as offensive units. I've noticed that I don't have much of a chance of destroying tanks in a hex with a unit that has an effective fire value of 2, while I can often take out a HT in the same hex with the same fire value because of the HT's light armor.

I played one scenario where I accumulated almost 200 points in destroyed HT's. The result was a minor victory instead of a draw.

Pat

Larry Reese · 08-15-2009, 03:55 AM,

All your half-tracks belong to us....

LR

**Jason Petho** · 08-15-2009, 04:55 AM,

Larry Reese Wrote:All your half-tracks belong to us....

LR

*laughs* Awesome!

Jason Petho

Trojan · 08-16-2009, 09:53 AM,

If it can shoot at stuff surely you can use it how you like? I can understand how trucks oughtn't to be used as surrounding units in an assault, but a bunch of halftracks with mounted machine guns could be relatively formidable if you were trying to retreat through them?

As for using them to spot with I'm open to being educated on this. Is there a historical precedent for this?

K K Rossokolski · 08-16-2009, 05:20 PM,

Trojan Wrote:If it can shoot at stuff surely you can use it how you like? I can understand how trucks oughtn't to be used as surrounding units in an assault, but a bunch of halftracks with mounted machine guns could be relatively formidable if you were trying to retreat through them?

As for using them to spot with I'm open to being educated on this. Is there a historical precedent for this?

I agree with you. As for historical precedent, I reckon there is a historical precedent for just about anything in warfare.

Wolfman · 08-16-2009, 05:53 PM,

AARGH! Havent we been here before? (Many times Big Grin

) I have allways stuck by the principle of if it has an assualt value you can use it as you wish, no assault value and house rules apply.

08-17-2009, 06:05 AM,

Something occurred to me, regarding this debate.
If you were holding a bridge against the enemy, i.e, Arnhem, would the defending army not block the bridge with whatever units it could, (lorries even?) to stop the enemy getting across? (If, of course, it was imperative to the defending action) ?