Author Topic: AH needs Self propelled Guns  (Read 245 times)

Offline Buzzbait

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AH needs Self propelled Guns
« on: September 06, 2001, 05:28:00 PM »
S!

I had a chance to try out Warbirds III, and while I consider that Sim to be inferior to AH, there were a few features modelled which would work well in AH.

One of them was the self propelled 75mm Artillery Halftrack.  This was able to do indirect artillery barrages as well as direct fire.  You could lay down barrages on distant enemy targets as long as you had a spotter present.

Now WB III picked the wrong vehicle, but there is no reason for AH to do the same.  The 75mm Halftrack was not a particularly effective weapon.

More useful and I believe more common, was the the M7 Priest, with the standard U.S. Army 105mm field piece mounted in a tank chassis.  These equipped all the U.S. Armoured divisions, as well as British and Canadian units.  They were used in both the direct and indirect fire role.  One of these firing on an airfield or other land target would make very short work of it.   Over 3,000 M7's were produced.

The possibility of doing indirect fire would add another dimension to AH.  A player would be able to hang back with a couple M7's, while a Halftrack or Scout Car got in position to observe the fall of shot.  Additionally, it might open the possibility of bringing into the game, light observation aircraft like the Fiesler Storch.

The Geman alternative to the M7 would be the WESPE (Wasp) SP 105mm Gun, a very similar piece of equipment which equipped S.S. and Werhmacht Panzer divisions.  It wasn't produced in the same numbers however.

The Soviet SP Guns such as the SU 76, SU 152, etc. were formidable in the direct fire role, however they were not generally used to provide indirect fire, being restricted by training and equipment.

Offline Pongo

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AH needs Self propelled Guns
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2001, 06:17:00 PM »
Certainly the 105mm version of the M4 would be better then both.

Offline Buzzbait

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AH needs Self propelled Guns
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2001, 07:26:00 PM »
S! Pongo

M4105 Shermans were not equipped or trained properly in the indirect fire role.  They were used in direct fire situations.  Ie. direct line of sight, what the Tank gunner's eye could see.  It is a tank with a large ordinance weapon, not an artillery piece.

The M7 Priest had a range in the indirect fire role of approximately 12,000 yards.  That means they could effectively and accurately hit targets which were not visible to them at 5 miles or more range with a spotter in position.

Of course in direct fire situations a fully armoured tank is better than an open topped Self Propelled Gun.  But the Priest would not be used in that role in most circumstances.

Offline popeye

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AH needs Self propelled Guns
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2001, 09:26:00 AM »
I think HTC has mentioned the M7 in the past.  It might already be on the list.  Gets my vote.
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