The results of my informal trial period in GVs

[gofaster]

I've been doing a little informal test period in ground vehicles this tour, when the map and battle situation is appropriate.  My results:

(a) I'm breaking even in the M-16.  It can get killed just as easily as it can get kills.  Its greatest assets are 1) its speed, and 2) its "infrared" gunsight during night attacks.

(b) the Panzer is a death trap.  PT boats have a better survival rate against aircraft.  I think if HTC corrected the armour model for the Panzer, there'd be less whining for the King Tiger tank.  They should also come up with a better way to aim long distances, like a magnifying scope of some sort.  The #2 view we have right now is insufficient.

(c) the Ostwind is a killing machine.  It can kill everything - on the ground and in the air.  Why would anyone want to drive a Panzer when they can accomplish the same thing in a Ostwind?

(d) the M8 is a novelty with no useful purpose in Aces High.  Anything it can do the Ostwind can do better.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by gofaster
 

(c) the Ostwind is a killing machine.  It can kill everything - on the ground and in the air.  Why would anyone want to drive a Panzer when they can accomplish the same thing in a Ostwind?

(d) the M8 is a novelty with no useful purpose in Aces High.  Anything it can do the Ostwind can do better. [/B]

In regards to C, your answer is "with a Panzer, you can reach out and touch the Ostie long before he can touch you".


And D, the M8 is a sneak attack machine, it travels twice the speed of the Ostie and is good for pincering a slower enemy (think of it as a sort of Sherman)

[Widewing]

Well, the Panzer does have a “magnifying” sight. Hit the “Z” key, zoom in and out using the “[ ]” keys. Works well.

My regards,

Widewing

[devious]

Panzer IV = best vehicle killer in the game (ATM )

If you get used to tank gunnery (guessing range right, judging enemy motion) you can get lots of easy kills. Just be sure to blast any Ostwinds that come near you.

[SlapShot]

the Panzer is a death trap. PT boats have a better survival rate against aircraft.

Seeing that the others have addressed most of the other points, I would add the popping a PT boat is far easier than popping a Panzer.

Last night, in a La-7, I had to make multiple low speed passes on a panzer to get the kill, while I can kill a PT in one pass with a small amount of ammo.

I would have to say that disabling a panzer with a plane is way too easy, but it will definately survive longer than a PT boat. Once the turret is disabled, you might as well have been killed.

[beet1e]

Gofaster,  Thank you for this interesting thread. My findings are rather different, so let me add my own comments.

• M16 - fast on the flat, but if you have to climb anything that remotely resembles a hill, it's a bottom gear job.
• Surprised to see the PNZR described as a death trap. A damn sight tougher than the Ostwind in my experience. When I'm manning the field gun, I can kill a M16 or M3 with about 3 hits. An Ostwind might take 5-10. The PNZR, however, can take 30 or more! I literally sit there plinking away for a minute and only manage to make it smoke, or bust one of its tracks.
• The Ostwind is my choice against aerial targets or close up soft targets, but the PNZR would be my choice for those long range shots against stationary GVs.
• I never bother with the M8 for the reasons you said.

[Wotan]

Last night, in a La-7, I had to make multiple low speed passes on a panzer to get the kill,

Thats the problem with the gvs right there, I bet you had low angle shots at about d500 too.

No way should you be killing panzers like that.

I cant see much use for perk gv when anything above .50 cal weasily kills them. Hell in rl even jabos had a rough time killing umm.

[gofaster]

Originally posted by Widewing
Well, the Panzer does have a “magnifying” sight. Hit the “Z” key, zoom in and out using the “[ ]” keys. Works well.

My regards,

Widewing

Wow, I didn't know that.  I'll have to re-enter my trial period again and see if that skews the results any.

[popeye]

"Hit the “Z” key, zoom in and out using the “[ ]” keys."

Also, use the F8 view to pan down for long range shots at maximum magnification.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by gofaster


Wow, I didn't know that.  I'll have to re-enter my trial period again and see if that skews the results any.

Get good with that site, and you can hit a moving GV from 2 miles away

[gofaster]

Originally posted by Ripsnort


In regards to C, your answer is "with a Panzer, you can reach out and touch the Ostie long before he can touch you".

That may be true in theory, but not in practice.  The Panzer really only works as a defensive weapon.  I've found that unless you're on the defensive and have a clear line of site to the enemy's path of attack, the range advantage is nullified by the movement of your Panzer's gun if you're trying to advance on the enemy's position and get away from the spawn point or otherwise try to traverse terrain to get to a spot where you can see what you're doing.  Even then, very rarely have I managed to take out an Ostwind with one shot.  The first hit seems to take out the engine, and by the time I've reloaded the Osti has pumped 4 or 5 rounds in to me and I'm either dead or have lost the turret anyway.  The Panzer is an easy kill for an Ostwind.  The difference in rate of fire is to the Osti's advantage.

Originally posted by Ripsnort
And D, the M8 is a sneak attack machine, it travels twice the speed of the Ostie and is good for pincering a slower enemy (think of it as a sort of Sherman)

Maybe on flat terrain it would outpace an Ostie, but in the real battlefield environments I was experimenting in (coastlines, hilly terrain) I found that the M8's speed was offset by obstacles and elevations.

[SlapShot]

Originally posted by Wotan


Thats the problem with the gvs right there, I bet you had low angle shots at about d500 too.

No way should you be killing panzers like that.

I cant see much use for perk gv when anything above .50 cal weasily kills them. Hell in rl even jabos had a rough time killing umm.

I have to agree !!!

[Ripsnort]

You'll change your perspective once you understand that you don't get within gun range of an Ostie.

Panzers whoop Ostie butt everytime, unless you "let" him get close, then you're not using the weapon correctly.

I am always on the offensive with tanks, rarely on the defensive unless a field is under attack.

[gofaster]

Originally posted by SlapShot
the Panzer is a death trap. PT boats have a better survival rate against aircraft.

Seeing that the others have addressed most of the other points, I would add the popping a PT boat is far easier than popping a Panzer.

A PT boat is a floating anti-aircraft battery.  It can bring .50 cals, 20mm, and a 37mm cannon to bear on a plane.  The Panzer only has the pintle machine gun.  To kill a PT, you have to go through an awful lot of fire to get to it, whereas with a Panzer you can go in virtually unmolested.  From an armour perspective, yeah, it takes more shots in a plane to kill a Panzer, but there's also a lot less risk of getting popped on your attack run.  Your greatest threat in a Panzer strafe would be the ground.

[Lizard3]

Originally posted by beet1e
Surprised to see the PNZR described as a death trap. A damn sight tougher than the Ostwind in my experience. When I'm manning the field gun, I can kill a M16 or M3 with about 3 hits. An Ostwind might take 5-10. The PNZR, however, can take 30 or more! I literally sit there plinking away for a minute and only manage to make it smoke, or bust one of its tracks.

Try using HE on the half tracks and M8's. It works great, and its like horseshoes, you only hafta get close to score. I always carry 20 rounds of HE in a panzer.  When you use AP on those lightly armored vehicles, its just punching holes till you hit a vital component.

M8's are a blast to me. I love getting in the rear of an enemy attack and working my way up through em. If you hold your fire, aim carefully, you can pop the turrets on all the Osti's and Panzers. Kill the M-16's and M3's and go back and finish off the heavies with shots to the engine compartment Mucho fun.