LVT-what should it be used as?

[skorpion]

well over the weekend i got an idea, just kind of floated into my head. what if the howitzers on the LVT-A4 we have in game work better as indirect artillery that just a direct "point and shoot" standpoint. i did some testing and found out when your aiming all the way up, the shell goes to a distance of 5.1k, not bad for a short barreled howitzer, but what if the tank could be used to kill towns from that distance without ever being found out? well i did just that, and i got this result after 50 shots.




as you can see, the LVT-A4 is a devastating machine when used correctly as artillery. the howitzer could wipe out towns from the 5.1k distance with only 50 shots! just imagine what it could to to strats given the opportunity. so, what i really am trying to say here is, would it be better used as a indirect artillery piece firing on objects from 5.1k protected by that range, or would it be better to just get up close and do the damage? IMO i'd use it as indirect artillery so i could be protected by distance. the only tank that could realistically kill it from 5.1k would be the king tiger. and even then its range marks on the gun is 4.8k maxed out.



Thoughts on the matter at hand?

[skorpion]

wow...anyone have anything on this?

[gyrene81]

*raises hand*  is the answer d - you're overthinking it? 

[skorpion]

*raises hand*  is the answer d - you're overthinking it? 

im just giving a safer way to destroy stuff with a LVT so its used more...


but the answer is A-what was the answer again?

[lyric1]

Certain maps with certain GV's you can wipe out towns V-bases ports & so on with out ever making the base flash.

Welcome to the club.

[icepac]

I like to set them on a course across water and go do something for 2 hours.

It seems the enemy never expects a ground vehicle anywhere but close to a spawn.

They are usually completely befuddled when you show up at a field that has no nearby spawn and I usually can take down all 4 vh and acks without anybody noticing.

[Sikboy]

That's a very astute observation that could really be used in Pacific Island Capture special events (though there haven't been many of those!)

This would add another avenue of attack for the invading force, allowing them to spread the battlefield and prevent the protecting force from focusing solely on the point of controversy (the town that is up for grabs). LVTs being dumped early in a frame by a DD group that then moves away from the point of debarkation could really give the defenders fits.

On the other hand, the reduced timeframe for events would mean that the distance between the destroyers and the LVTs wouldn’t be great prior to detection of the DDs, so the “mobile artillery” might be detected long before they could get into position to attack the target.

Cool find though, thanks for posting that.

-Sik 

[Ack-Ack]

That's a very astute observation that could really be used in Pacific Island Capture special events (though there haven't been many of those!)

This would add another avenue of attack for the invading force, allowing them to spread the battlefield and prevent the protecting force from focusing solely on the point of controversy (the town that is up for grabs). LVTs being dumped early in a frame by a DD group that then moves away from the point of debarkation could really give the defenders fits.

Which was actually regularly done when the US forces would invade an island.  Usually the day before the main invasion, nearby islets or islands would be captured and set up as artillery support bases for the invasion landing the next day.  Normal artillery guns were used but for scenarios the LVT4 would be viable substitute.

On the other hand, the reduced timeframe for events would mean that the distance between the destroyers and the LVTs wouldn’t be great prior to detection of the DDs, so the “mobile artillery” might be detected long before they could get into position to attack the target.

Cool find though, thanks for posting that.

-Sik 

True but then wasn't that a risk as well during the war? 

ack-ack

[skorpion]

wow, i actually found something useful for once in game?

never thought to myself that the LVT-A4 could actually be used as artillery in scenarios/FSO. i thought it would be primarily MA use because its nowhere near historically accurate for FSO/scenarios.

[Ack-Ack]

wow, i actually found something useful for once in game?

never thought to myself that the LVT-A4 could actually be used as artillery in scenarios/FSO. i thought it would be primarily MA use because its nowhere near historically accurate for FSO/scenarios.

Any Pacific FSO/scenario that involved a land grab, it would be historically accurate to use a LVT-A4 as an indirect mobile artillery vehicle as it was used in the dual role of direct and indirect fire support.

ack-ack

[Sikboy]

To be honest, the biggist issue I ever had with these types of events or scenarios was finding people willing to drive the truck.

-Sik

[skorpion]

To be honest, the biggist issue I ever had with these types of events or scenarios was finding people willing to drive the truck.

-Sik

now thati know how to use the LVT-A4 as artillery id be glad to drive it anytime!


and Ack, was it actually used like that IRL?

[lyric1]

now thati know how to use the LVT-A4 as artillery id be glad to drive it anytime!


and Ack, was it actually used like that IRL?

Oh yes.

[KG45]

the LVT4 carries 80 rds (used to be 100?) of fast-firing 3" HE. an effective armament.

but it's slow to get to a target and the open turret is vulnerable to being knocked out by simple MG fire. i've used it to quickly reduce towns when facing low opposition or when i've had air cover. otherwise it's just a sitting duck.

[Ack-Ack]

now thati know how to use the LVT-A4 as artillery id be glad to drive it anytime!


and Ack, was it actually used like that IRL?

Yep.  The 75mm gun on the LVT-A4 is a 75mm pack howitzer.  While the LVT-A4, along with the LVT-A1 (equipped with a 37mm cannon in an enclosed turret) were classified as amphibious tanks, it was later found that the LVT-A4 was well suited for indirect fire support and and assisted regular artillery units when needed.  This came extremely useful in the later island campaigns.

ack-ack