T-37 Amphibious tanks

[Glenn Saunders]

I can guess they were used in Neva landing operations near Leningrad (1941) and Svir' river crossing in 1944 (the last known usage of that kind of tanks as amphibious ones).

Thanks for the great info Alex - from this I would say when\if there is a Leningrad game, then these vehicles or units equiped with them should be considered for Amphib status.

But - given there is no example in any of the current titles where these units were used in an amphib capacity, I would say using teh flag would more likely lead to gamey tactics and options not really available to the Russian Player - much like bombing fixed units, whi,e within the rules would also be fair game.

Glenn

[AMVAS]

Thanks for the great info Alex - from this I would say when\if there is a Leningrad game, then these vehicles or units equiped with them should be considered for Amphib status.

I found some more info about the Leningrad Front.
On Sept. 3'42 3 companies of T-37 and T-38 were formed (10 vehicles in each) for airfield guard service in Ozerki (38th Airfield Service Bn), Smol'naya (50th Airfield Service Bn) and 8th Air Base of the Baltic Fleet.
Neva crossing operation with application of amphibious tank took place in Sept. 1942. A separate OLBT (Separate Battalion of Light Tanks) was used for this operation among the others. It contained 29 shabby tanks T-37A and T-38.
Operation started on Sept. 26'42
10 amphibious tanks went in the first echelon. Only 7 reached Neva (3 others were broken and later 2 of them were evacuated).
1 T-37 hit a stone and sank 70 meters from the bank. 3 tanks were sank by enemy fire. Only 3 tanks reached the opposite side. All of them later were hit in fights and their crews were shot in water trying to return back. In followed 4 nights 16 t-37 and T-38 crossed the river. At bridgehead they were employed as pillboxes. Before Oct. 6 all the other tanks were lost in fights.
In total the battalion lost 23 tanks out of 29 and the others were broken.

In 1941 T-37/38 were also used at Karelian front. but they were used mostly as pillboxes and for counter-attacks.
On Dec. 19'41
Armored Detachment of the Murmansk Operative Group - 6 T-37/38 (incl. 2 in repair)+12BA-10
Armored Detachment of the Kandalaksha Operative Group - 6 T-37/38 (incl. 1 in repair)+9BA-10
Armored Detachment of the Kandalaksha Operative Group - 5 T-37/38 (all need repair)+9BA-10+4BA-20

Tank company of the front HQ Guard Battalion - 14 T-37/38
By summer 1944 all amphibious tanks were gathered in the 92th Separate Tank Regiment (40 T-37+T-38)
In the course of Svir' crossing operation (Jul,21) it lost 5 vehicles.

But - given there is no example in any of the current titles where these units were used in an amphib capacity, I would say using teh flag would more likely lead to gamey tactics and options not really available to the Russian Player - much like bombing fixed units, whi,e within the rules would also be fair game.

If they were not used as amphibious that doesn't mean thecy couldn't be used as such :)
However state of those vehicles prior to the war was rather poor.
By Sept. 15'1940 906 tanks T-37 (out of 2906 total) needed mid-life, or thorough repair. not much progress before the war was achieved in repair.

Regards
Alex