Originally posted by red26
I just want something that will reach out there unlike a tank. Tanks are great but it would be nice to have something with more range an 88,105 or a 155 would be nice to have as base defense and to tow behind ya and hit a base from a distance
It comes up somewhat frequently on the Wishlist.
In the case of the 88mm on a FlaK36, which was an EW design, and has many potential roles:
A towed 88mm FlaK36 in set up position should be somewhat more accurate that the Tiger's 88mm in direct fire mode. Here's your longer reach.
A towed 88mm FlaK36 also allows you to engage bombers up to 35K altitude, which gives players a manned puffy ack ability against bombers attacking their bases.
In artillery mode, a FlaK36 had a range of some 16 miles, IIRC.
The FlaK36 could fire AP, HE, Smoke, and AA rounds. Due to tractor or cassion, it's initial basic load might be larger and more versatile than those of the tanks in the game.
On the minus side though:
FlaK36 towed by a tractor would be slow and hard to maneuver in difficult terrain. Betting it would encounter more hang ups on the map if you are not careful with it.
FlaK36 is a soft target. Exposed crew, no armor. So, although it is versatile and has a long reach, it is very weak to any incoming fire.
FlaK36 does not have that fast a traverse speed.... you are not going to be able to swing it to engage low, close fighters or GV's very well.
There would probably be a delay between travel mode and a FlaK36 in a dug in, set up position. Some "sandbags" and cammo cover has been selected --- the more effective the camo or dug in position is, the longer the set up and break down time should be. Say, between 5 and 30 seconds.
So, it has some strengths and some weaknesses, and would bring a new variable to game play. It can be used in an tank destroyer mode in ambush positions. It can bring indirect fires against a town, base, or spawn point. It can be used to snip at enemy tanks at long range. It can allow base defenders an ability to engage high bombers on short notice (since we don't have much CAP in game). But, once spotted, a FlaK36 is an easy target that can't run much at all.
