Vary the Reload Rates....

[SectorNine50]

i guess I did not explain this very well in my original post.  The varied reload rates would be the same for each tank, but they would change slightly every tour or every couple of tours.  For instance, right now the M4A3 reload at 3.6 seconds.  Why not make the reload rates at 4 or 4.1 for a tour?  The Panzer IV reloads at 4.2 seconds, why not make it 3.9 for a tour or 2?  The Panther reloads at 6 seconds (reportedly the best its crews could muster), why not make it 6.5?  Etc Etc.  I did not mean make each tank different at random.

On that note, one would think that all of the tank crews in early war were slower loaders than that of the mid and late war crews.  Early war T34/76 and M4/75mm crews could/should in theory reload slower than those later in the war.  Food for thought, I guess.

I suppose then my question would be, what effect would this give?

[Dadsguns]

I suppose then my question would be, what effect would this give?

Let me translate this....

Now what in tarnations would we want to do that fer.......     

 

[SmokinLoon]

I suppose then my question would be, what effect would this give?

If there is a veteran crew in a Panzer IV vs a green wet behind the ears M4x crew in August of 1944, then the current advantage the M4 has in reload rate just might be nonexistent.  Likewise, if it July/August of 1943 at Kursk, then the typical 2 second advantage the Panther has over the T34/76 in AH was probably not so as the T34 tank crews were probably vets and the Panther crews were probably fresh or at least inexperienced with the tank itself.

I'm simply suggesting that the level or expertise of the tank crews be rotated.  FWIW, I'm not suggesting that there is currently an issue with the tank reload rates, but rather that is one of the few things weapons wise that we as players have absolutely no control over and yet the tanks we not automated to fire at that exact rate, AH simply inserted a rate based on their information at hand.  We have control over how long of a burst we fire from MG's and auto-loading cannons, ack-ack guns, etc.  There is nothing we as players can do to adjust (improve) the reload rate no matter how long or diligent we work on our gunnery ability.

Keep the players guessing as to which level of crew each kind of tank has, each tour each tank will need to be "tested".  Each tour, or perhaps each couple of tours vary the reload rate within the typical historical reload times.  The Panther is listed to be able to fire 6-10 rounds a minute (in AH, it fires 10 rounds a min).  The M4A1/75mm is listed to be able to fire 15-20 rounds a minute (in AH, the M4/75mm fire 16+ rounds a minute).  Why sit on one rate of fire when most tanks are listed with varied rates of fire???   

[SectorNine50]

I see what you are saying, but I'm not sure if it will ultimately achieve what you are looking for.

Forcing the simulation of human error upon a human is rarely taken well.  If you think that all the tanks should have their fastest reload times in-game to give some semblance of realism, I wouldn't argue with ya.  However, I do think we'd see way more complaints than compliments if the system you're requesting were implemented, at least in that form.

[SmokinLoon]

I see what you are saying, but I'm not sure if it will ultimately achieve what you are looking for.

Forcing the simulation of human error upon a human is rarely taken well.  If you think that all the tanks should have their fastest reload times in-game to give some semblance of realism, I wouldn't argue with ya.  However, I do think we'd see way more complaints than compliments if the system you're requesting were implemented, at least in that form.

You realize that currently, most of the tanks in AH are at or very near their "best" rate of fire, at least according to the printed sources I've found.

Also, I'm not insinuating that it is "human error" that is the issue, but rather the ability of the crew based on their expertise or training.

Assuming that all of the tanks in AH are at their best reload rate, here is an example of what I'm proposing: for the next tour, lets try to the T34/76 at 9 seconds, the M4x at 4.3 seconds, the Panzer 4 at 4.8 seconds, the Tiger at 7.2, Firefly at 7.8, the Panther at 7, the T34/85 at 7.2, etc, etc.  Then the next tour bring them all down a half second, then the next tour maybe take half the tanks back to their best time and leave the other tanks at their slightly increase times.  If the T34/76 were to have a stellar crew in it and be able to obtain a 7 second reload it might being a whole new dimension to the AH ground game, especially if the Panzer  IV and M4x had slower reload times.   

[ImADot]

Sounds like more work for HTC than it offers as a benefit for the game.