How do I conserve my armor better?

[Der Kuenstler]

I'm playing the Stalingrad '42 campaign as Germany and it appears like I'm not managing my armored units properly. It seems like I always lose a vehicle even when moving next to an enemy armored unit, let alone attacking them. I recently brought a group of 6 good PZIVs up to help stop an armored breakthrough - they were not in travel mode and "A" morale. I had them stacked with some infantry in clear terrain. Within four hours they are down to two vehicles.

What can I do better to conserve what armor I have? Thanks!

[ComradeP]

It can be difficult to keep your armoured units alive, particularly when they have low to mediocre defence values like most pre-war German tank designs. Units can be small or depleted which cuts down their defensive (and offensive) potential further, a 6 tank unit is not likely to survive for long for example.

Being able to select which unit to target when firing at an enemy stack also means the enemy can concentrate on a particular unit.

The best advice I can probably give at the moment is to limit their exposure to enemy fire as much as possible and to always try and fight on your terms, where you choose. This is not always possible, but even when you're trying to prevent a breakthrough you can still decide where you want to try and stop it and which units to target.

The good thing about PzC's timescale is that breakthroughs don't present you with a fait accompli, but that they happen over several turns, so you have time to think about how you want to stop them. That won't help you much on smaller maps, or with crucial objectives close to the frontline, but it will help for bigger scenarios with the more valuable objectives in the rear. Any kind of stationary defence with armoured units gives a good deal of the initiative to your opponent.

[jonnymacbrown]

Like Comrade P said; try to keep those tanks moving. For example; you may move next to the enemy, take couple of pops and then retreat and cover your retreat with infantry.
jonny