Part Four: Irresistible Forces and Immovable Objects United States and Soviet Union

 From the Detroit Steelworks to the Tank Factories of Chelyabinsk

 The other two major nations in (The European Theatre) World War Two had vastly different approaches to tank warfare. The United States used the Sherman template, mounting various armaments and armour to fit various roles and the addition of the Panther-equivalent Pershing. While the Soviet Union followed the logical escalation of existing models, improving upon them, increasing armour, refining shape and ultimately looking similar to the Tankovy Batalons of 1942-43, but with better kit.

United States

 M4A3E2 Jumbo

 Having the thickest armour of any American tank fielded prior to the introduction of the Super Pershing, The M4A3E2 (Jumbo) was classed as an assault tank. The primary use of the Jumbo was to accompany infantry assaults, to provide almost impenetrable armoured support. The usefulness of the tanks was eventually recognised by the Armored Companies, who started fielding them in support roles through the narrow roads of eastern France. The Jumbo would advance a small way ahead to try to lure out anti-tank guns and hidden tanks, whereupon the supporting tanks would halt and open fire on the revealed enemy.

 The Jumbo, like the British Churchill, was undergunned for it's size, but unlike the British, the American command recognised this and many models were upgraded to field the highly effective 76mm gun.

  The Jumbo is a popular addition to American armored companies in Flames of War. The front armour of 12, combined with the 'Jumbos Lead The Way', results in Sherman platoons having high survivability against the most common guns and tanks the Germans may field. The 'Slow Tank' rule means the Jumbo will be ambling along at 8" a turn, slowing the faster Easy Eight's, but the drop in speed is more than made up for by the Jumbo taking the big hits.

 As mentioned above, the Jumbo comes armed with the basic 75mm gun, which generally doesn't worry Panzers and StuGs too much. Though, having the Stabilizer rule allows the Jumbo to keep ploughing on forward, while retaining a decent rate of fire at the expense of accuracy. The ability to upgrade to a 76mm gun allows the Jumbo to keep pace with tanks like the Tiger and the Panther, putting out fearsome AT13 shots. This gun also retains the Stabilizer rule, making it a major force to be reckoned with.

M26 Pershing / M26E4 Super Pershing

 The M26 Pershing could be considered the United State's attempt at matching the Panther tank. Mounting a 90mm gun and having 102mm of frontal armour gave the Pershing a reputation for combat effectiveness, not just amongst the crews that piloted them, but amongst the German defenders, who up until now had mainly Shermans and Cromwells to deal with.

 In 1945 the American command send a single upgraded Pershing, dubbed the 'Super Pershing', to Germany, where it saw limited service. This upgraded M26E4 mounted an improved 90mm gun, and had two 38mm steel plated welded to the front of the hull, bringing the armour of the Super Pershing to an almost indomitable level. The Pershing and Super Pershing went on to have distinguished careers in Korea in the 50s.

 On paper, the Pershing is very similar to the Panther. The front armour rating is identical, while the Pershing gets a point boost on the side, giving it a slight edge. The Pershing lacks the 'Wide Tracks' of the Panther, meaning crossing difficult terrain is more hazardous, and neither tank has 'Protected Ammo', meaning should the Pershing be bailed, it's a 50/50 that this impressive beast will get back in the game.

 The Super Pershing takes a spot mid-way between the Panther and Konigstiger in terms of it's armour. The improved front armour of 13 wards off Tiger I and Panther rounds, but it retains the very weak side armour of 6, meaning should this 275pt tank get outflanked, it will be in major danger. The Super Pershing also takes a speed drop, with the improved armour and gun, but as the Super Pershing exists as a solo entity, it is no major disadvantage. A note to watch however is the 'Overloaded' rule, so should you wish to utilize the slow nature of the Super Pershing through terrain, it is quite possible the tank will bog itself down.

 In terms of armament, the Pershing is identical in stats to the Panther, a respectable AT14 gives the Pershing a good amount of tank killing power while the armour keeps it in the fight.
 The Super Pershing has it's gun upped to the same level at the Konigstiger and Jagdpanther, with the increase to AT16 and a range increase to 40". This makes the Super Pershing a good tank for Tiger and Panther hunting, whilst taking on a Konigstiger may result in a hard slog which highly favours the German.

Soviet Union IS-2 '43 / '44 / IS-85 

The IS Tank was a series of heavy tanks developed as a successor to the KV-series by the Soviet Union during World War II. It was named after Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. The heavy tank was designed with thick armour to counter the German 88 mm guns, and carried a main gun that was capable of defeating the German Tiger and Panther tanks. It was mainly a breakthrough tank, firing a heavy high-explosive shell that was useful against entrenchments and bunkers. The IS-2 was put into service in April 1944, and was used as a spearhead by the Red Army in the final stage of the Battle of Berlin.
 The predecessor to the IS was the final incarnation of the KV series, the KV-85. The KV was criticized amongst its crews for lack of speed and horrendously underpowered weaponry, in comparison to the T-34-85. Soviet command initially tried to appease the crews by mounting the 85mm gun onto the KV chassis, but with the capture of a German Tiger I, the decision was made to develop a dedicated heavy tank. This led on to the development of the IS-85 (Sometimes referred to as the IS-1), and consequently the IS-2 which saw service until the end of the war and beyond.

 The IS-85 and IS-2 obr 43 both match the Panther in terms of frontal armour, however they get a massive boost to their side armour, allowing them to resist the majority of medium tank fire and be almost impenetrable at long range. All three tanks are slow, and lack 'Protected Ammo' and 'Wide Tracks', restricting them slightly, but thankfully none suffer 'Overloaded', meaning should they wish to trundle through terrain they should be safe enough.
 The IS-2 obr 44 receives a one point upgrade to its frontal armour, making it highly resistant to Panthers and  Tigers, while being completely immune to StuGs, and Panzers.

The IS-85 mounts the same 85mm gun as the T-34 85. giving it a decent amount of firepower while being safe behind its armour.
 The 122mm gun that both models of the IS-2 mount is a slightly mixed bag. The AT15 allows it to engage Tigers and Panthers with confidence, but is let down by the ROF 1. The main issue for the IS is getting the hits in against superior opponents as moving will make hitting almost impossible.

SU-152 / ISU-152 / ISU-122

 The heavy assault guns of the Soviet Army were highly successful against German panzers and heavy tanks. The SU family began life as lightly armoured assault guns, but as time and casualties passed the need for more heavily armoured guns became apparent. The first in this heavy family is the SU-152, which was mounted on a KV-1s chassis, and armed with the ML-20 gun which began life on a carriage, but soon proved its worth on assault guns. The follow on from the SU-152 was the ISU-152, which took the newly created IS chassis and improved frontal armour. It retained the effective ML-20 gun and saw combat from 1943 until well into the 1960s. Finally, the ISU-122 came into being as the availability of the ML-20 gun became scarce. The new assault gun mounted A-19 field gun, this was fitted directly into awaiting ISU-152 hulls, and the new creation dubbed the ISU-122. A final model, the ISU-22S was developed, with a higher rate of fire, but has yet to make an appearance in Flames of War.

 The armour of the SU-152 is a little under that of a Churchill VI. With frontal armour 7 and side armour 6, the SU-152 should be able to take hits from Panzer IVs more than half the time. Upgrade into the ISU-152 and the assault gun has a higher chance of surviving. A frontal armour of 9 giving it good odds against anything smaller than a Tiger. Chances are, at long range, the ISU will eventually get beaten out by the Tiger through sheer number of shots, but it still stands a fighting chance.
 The SU-152 and the ISU-152 mount the same AT13 gun, a gun that will see off most Panzers and make Tigers think twice about engaging directly, Panthers may not suffer as much, but should the shot get through, the 1+ Firepower is a guarantee for results. The major disadvantage to the I/SU-152 is of course the 'Bunker Buster' special rule. This means that hits may only be applied to tanks that are Bogged Down or Bailed Out, if the firer has moved. This makes the I/SU-152 a good tank for finishing off crippled tanks, but not a good tank for primary engagement.
 The ISU-122 gets an upgrade to AT15, allowing it to put the fear into Tigers and Panthers, once again it's let down by the ROF1, meaning should any of these tanks have to reposition, chance are the shot will miss.

 Finally, all three receive the 'Volley Fire' rule, this allows the tank to re-roll misses if the target is within 16'' and the tank has not moved.

Next time: Glass Cannons!

Part Three: Irresistible Forces and Immovable Objects Germany and United Kingdom

 Impenetrable Steel and Heavy Guns

 Almost every nation involved in World War Two identified the need for a type of tank that was one of two things: Heavily armoured and heavily armed. Some nations managed to deliver on these ideas better than others. Some sacrificed one aspect at the expense of the other. Tanks that ended up sacrificing armour for a heavy weapon and in some cases improved speed are usually referred to as 'Tank Destroyers'. These tanks we will look at in a later entry, but for now we will look at the heavily armoured beasts, some carrying weaponry as fearsome as their appearance, and others sadly under-gunned.

 Naturally, if we looked at every tank that fell under this category, we would be here all day, so to save on time each nation will have at most three of their most famous heavily armoured and armed tanks. Should you feel aggrieved that I have missed out your favourite armoured fighting vehicle, I may do an additional post at a later date to highlight those more popular than others.

Germany

 Panther A, D, G / Jagdpanther

 Making its debut at Kursk, the Panther was a highly successful tank. Combining heavy frontal armour that included a shot deflecting angle, the Panther could easily take on any other tank of the war.

 The Jagdpanther is the assault gun model of the Panther, mounting the same gun as the Konigstiger and being armoured approximately the same as the Panther, the Jagdpanther terrified Allied tankers from D-Day onwards, taking a heavy toll on the Scots Guards Churchill squadrons during the D-Day breakout.

 Both the Panther and the Jagdpanther have an indomitable Front Armour of 10, making them impervious to anything less than a 3" gun, and even then at long range they will most likely resist anything that size thrown their way.Their Achilles heel comes from their extremely vulnerable side armour of 5, Panthers and Jadgpanthers need to be very wary of being outmanoeuvred by superior numbers, which in most cases will be highly likely.

 Whilst the Panther mounts a slightly weaker gun than the Jagdpanther, that weakness is relative, as the Anti-tank of 14 is more than enough to take out Churchills, T-34s, and make the basic model Pershing consider its options. The gun on the Jagdpanther is going to go through almost anything thrown against it, with the tanks most likely to resist the shot being other German tanks in the form of Konigstigers, Jagdtigers and the like.

 With both tanks lacking the 'German-standard' protected ammo, it is worth keeping in mind that dropping to 'Reluctant' to save points may result in a bailed out tank spending the majority of the game inoperable.

Tiger I

 Quite possibly the most recognisable tank of World War Two, the Tiger cuts a fearsome sight with it's box-like structure, thick all-round armour and heavy gun. While the reports of Tigers being unreliable in the field, their gearbox failing, their tracks unlinking at a moment's notice and the engine simply cutting out because of the wrong type of weather is first in mind when discussing the failing of the tank, the Tiger will always keep it's fearsome reputation, especially when commanded by the famous Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann, and his spree outside Villiers-Bocage.

 The Tiger is a model heavy tank, combining very good armour all round, with a gun that will take out most medium tanks without issue. Despite having a point of armour less on the front than the Panther, the Tiger has no weakness on the side, with 8 being enough to fend off most medium guns, the Tiger can afford to get stuck in more when outnumbered. With the retention of 'Protected Ammo' and 'Wide Tracks', the Tiger will usually stay in the battle longer, making it highly useful.

 The famous 8.8cm KwK36 is strong enough to put paid to most other tanks in the field, unless up against other heavy tanks, and then the slight weakness of Anti-tank 13 gets shown up. The gun being unable to penetrate a Jumbo, Churchill VII  and struggling against both models of IS-2, the Tiger will sometimes find itself in a slow slugging match which it may or may not triumph from

United Kingdom

 Churchill III / IV / VI / VII

 Named for the wartime politician of the same name, the Churchill was a tank that found its uses despite being designed for a different type of war. The Churchill is a slow-moving infantry support tank, and was initially designed to help fight a war akin to World War One, where trench fighting and no-man's land meant that only direct assaults would work. Despite early failings such as the Dieppe raid, the Churchill was greatly appreciated by its crews, who agreed the major disadvantage to the tank was lack of punch. With early models mounting the standard 6pdr, and later models mounting the 75mm of the Sherman, the Churchill was a heavy tank with the hitting power of a medium.

 The introduction of the Churchill VII upped the tanks survivability incredibly, with a front armour that could stop a Tiger round, the Churchill VII was much needed in the later days of the war, when the Big Cats prowled the French countryside.

  The Churchill, regardless of model, is a tank with amazing survivability. The standard front armour of 8 allows it to shrug off most medium rounds at range, and with the addition of  'Applique' armour, which increases the front armour to 9, gives them even more survivability. Add into this equation the presence of 'Protected Ammo' and 'Wide Tracks', the Churchill is a workhorse that will keep in the fight until the end. On top of this the Churchill VII takes the field with an almost impenetrable Front Armour of 13, which can shrug off shots from Tigers, Panthers and even has a sporting chance against the dreaded Jagdpanther and Konigstiger. With all models of Churchill having an impressive side armour, these tanks are almost the epitome of 'Immovable Object'.
 The armament is where the Churchill is disappointing. The Mk VI and VII armed with the same 75mm gun as the Cromwell, giving it the 'Semi-indirect Fire' rule. While the re-rolls to hit at range are advantageous, the reduced anti-tank rating leaves a lot to be desired.
 The late model Churchill IV takes the field with the improved 6-pdr. The increase in rate of fire, and anti-tank is let down slightly by lacking 'Semi-indirect Fire' and having a disappointing Firepower of 4+ means that on the whole a mix of Churchills does well.


Comet

 Arriving at the very end of the war, as the British Army was crossing the Rhine into Germany itself, the Comet was the last in a long line of Cruiser tanks that had served Britain throughout the years. Carrying the Rolls-Royce Meteor engine, this tank had a very impressive top speed for a tank its size. Official records have it reaching a top speed of 32mph, however some crews reported that when given the open space of a German Autobahn, the tank could tear along at higher speed with the throttle fully open. The tanks wasn't just fast on its tracks, it also mounted an impressive 77mm gun, which fired a similar round to the 17pdr, but the cartridge case was from the older QF 3 inch 20 cwt anti-aircraft gun loaded to higher pressures. The resulting round was completely different from 17-pounder ammunition. It had a lower muzzle velocity than the 17-pounder, but the ammunition was much more compact and more easily stored and handled within the tank.

Out of the tanks discussed so far, the Comet has by far the lowest armour amongst them. But still has an impressive front armour of 7, matching that of the T-34/85 and M4A3 Shermans. Unlike its peers though, the Comet has the speed to outmanoeuvre most other tanks. The inclusion of 'Protected Ammo' also means that should the Comet be caught out by medium fire and ends up bailed out, it will quite likely remount immediately to get back in the fight.
 The reason the Comet is on this list for the British is the 77mm gun. With the same Anti-tank rating as the Panther's main gun, and being a point higher than the Tiger's, the Comet combines speed and firepower in a very effective way, as long as it doesn't have to receive fire as often. Finally, should the Comet be cornered, the 'Semi-indirect Fire' rule means that the heavy fire it throws it has a higher chance of finding and taking out its target.

Tomorrow: Irresistible Forces and Immovable Objects United States and Soviet Union

Tank Aces Again (Part Two: United States and Soviet Union)

More Tanky Goodness

Today we cover the other two major nations of the war; The United States of America, with it's heartland industry powering it, and the Soviet Union, with their ahead-of-their-time designs that lead the way in tank shape.
 I tried to keep the tanks mentioned unique to each nation, however, the Sherman was widely used by the British and the Soviet Union through the 'Lend-Lease' programme, so unfortunately the United States only has the basic models mentioned, with the more interesting upgrades, and the powerful Pershing coming later on.

The United States of America

 M4, M4A1, M4A2 'Sherman'

 One of the most recognisable tanks, and the one used by most nations during the war, the 'Sherman' has always received mixed reviews from crews, historians and wargamers. Some would call it the best tank of the war, while others would say the high sides and rumoured 'explosive' tendency made it an underpowered death-trap. Regardless, the Sherman will always be one of the first tanks that spring to mind when the word 'tank' is mentioned.

 The Sherman, much like the Cromwell has a very middle-of-the-road statline. With front armour 6 giving it a hint of a chance in long range engagements, but against Panzers the 75mm gun always feels slightly underpowered, and against StuGs is lucky to get through, unless you sneak them round the sides. As for special rules, there's no 'Protected Ammo' to see here, so tankers will have to pray for decent dice rolls to remount. The addition of the 'Stabiliser' rule allows the Sherman to keep up a high rate of fire on the move, but at the penalty of +1 to hit.

M4A1 (76mm)

 The American forces recognised the need for a heavy gun on the Sherman to deal with Panthers and Tigers, and so the M4A1 (76mm) was produced, and was so successful that it also found its way into British and Soviet tank companies. The 76mm gun was spread to other models of the Sherman, but they will be discussed at a later date.

  The M4 (76mm) is usually mounted on an uparmoured Sherman chassis, to give it more survivability. This extra point of armour puts it on a better footing than its Panzer counterpart, making engagements between the two more likely to come out in favour of the Sherman, Another upgrade for the 76mm is the addition of 'Protected Ammo' meaning if the tank is bailed, the reroll to remount will get it back in the game quicker. The gun retains the stabilizer rule, giving it a good output of fire. The anti-tank for the gun above is the earlier model 76mm, later models go up to anti-tank 13, making it an even more fearsome opponent in the field.

The Soviet Union

T-34 obr 1942

 With almost 35,00 T-34's produced wielding the 76mm gun, this model was the most produced tank of the second world war, far outstripping any model of Sherman, Panzer and even it's upgunned comrade the T-34-85. The T-34 was well made, decently armed when it first entered service, and had a design which introduced the concept of sloped armour to the German command.

 With front armour to equal most other medium tanks, slightly improved side armour and a throttle that can send the tank 32" at the double, and wide-tracks to keep it moving through rough terrain, the T-34 obr 1942 is able to hold its own on the field for the most part. The downsides to the tank are firstly the gun; with an anti-tank rating of 9, the gun will struggle to trouble Panzers and Shermans at range, and will most likely leave StuGs untouched. Secondly, limited vision is going to add an additional +1 to hit, should the tank need to rotate its turret beyond 90°, thankfully this is not often, and if need be a coupla can be purchased to negate the rule completely.

T-34-85 obr 1944

 Much like with the American Sherman, the Soviet command realised that the gun on their main battle tank would need an upgrade to give it a fighting chance against Panzers, Panthers and Tigers. So, they equipped the T-34 with an 85mm gun, welded more armour to it, and sent it out to battle once more

 The upgraded T-34 gains an additional point of front armour, but at a cost. The additional weight means the engine can no longer reach the speed of the T34 obr 1942, and all that weight counteracts the tracks ability to pull the tank through mud. Therefore the T-34-85 loses 'Fast Tank' and 'Wide Tracks', The main difference though is the gun; a massive jump from anti-tank 9, all the way up to anti-tank 12 allows the T-34-85 to put the fear into Panzers as even at long range the likelihood of a penetrating hit is high.

 The main issue with both T-34s mentioned above is not the tank itself, but rather the crew. The best skill rating one can hope for is 'Trained', unlike every other nation where  they can call upon a 'Veteran' core, however this will be counteracted by numbers, so more poorly trained tanks, or less better trained? We shall see.

 Next issue: Irresistible Forces and Immovable Objects

Tank Aces Again (Part 1: German and British)

G3 launches back into Tank Aces

Tank Aces again?

 That's right, we at G3 will be running Tank Aces again, due to the influx of newer players and the smashing success of the last time it was run about three years ago. Cromwells. Tigers. Shermans and the like all clashed over one summer, which culminated in a massed tank battle at the end.

 Sadly, I don't seem to have any pictures from the original Tank Aces campaign left, so I have no lovely images to share of it.

 This time round, the turns will be well documented and tracked on this here Blog. With full colour pictures to accompany the reports.

Why are you writing this now?

 Why write this now instead of when we launch? Simple; the last time we played people took very strange and interesting lists, which though seemed like a laugh, turned the game into an unfun slog. So this time I will be introducing this campaign with a run down on the various Armoured Fighting Vehicles that prospective players might wish to use throughout the campaign.

 To start with it only makes sense to cover the Main Battle Tanks of each of the four primary nations; Germany, United Kingdom, United States and Soviet Union. Each nation has at least two tanks associated with it, and we'll take a look at their strengths and weaknesses.

Note: The opinions expressed below are my own and may not be reflective of the more common line of thinking.

Germany

Panzer IV Ausf. H & J

 The Panzer IV holds the distinctive honour of being the tank which served the entire war. Armed with the effective 75mm cannon, the Panzer IV easily goes toe to toe with any other medium tank of the war.

 With a front armour of 6 and 'Protected Ammo', the Panzer IV has good survivability in a long range fire fight with other tanks in it's weight class. Mounting the Anti-Tank 11 gun means it has a slight edge over it's peers such as Shermans, Cromwells and T-34 obr. 42.
 A tip for saving points it to downgrade (yes, it is a downgrade) to the Panzer IV J. With the addition of 'Slow Traverse', you save a whack of points for a rule which only comes into effect sometimes, so point for point the J seems like a better investment for Tank Aces.

StuG IV/G or StuH 42

 The StuG is a very effective Assault Gun, and usually the more commonly used support tank for German armies beyond the Panzer IV due to the increased front armour in exchange for not having a turret.

 StuGs tend to be equal points to the Panzer IV H, as the increase in front armour is equal to losing the turret. With the same 'Protected Ammo', armament and being German, the StuG is a very common and popular choice for German armies.
 The StuH 42(Sturmhaubitze) is identical to the StuG in terms of armour and protected ammo, but the armament change offers up a few more interesting choices;

 The gun loses a point of Anti-tank in exchange for improved firepower, meaning any tank unlucky enough to be penetrated will most likely be knocked out by the 10.5cm Howitzer the assault gun mounts. The other interesting point to note is the ability to fire smoke; meaning that the StuH can force other tanks to move to get shots off, giving it's comrades cover.

United Kingdom

Cromwell IV

At one point the fastest tank of the war; the Cromwell IV gives the British armoured columns some much needed speed and mobility to get round onto the softer sides of the fearsome German assault guns and heavy tanks.

 The Cromwell has a similar armour profile to the Panzer IV, with slightly improved side armour, and retaining 'Protected Ammo'. The advantages to the Cromwell is the mobility of 'Light Tank' allowing it to travel cross-country at 16", rather than the usual 12". And with 'Semi-indirect Fire', should the Cromwell wish to engage at range, it re-rolls misses at targets more than 16" away, allowing it to suppress those sneaky Panzers. The downside, much like any Western Ally tank, is it's armament; the 75mm gun is slightly weaker than the Panzers, with only Anti-tank 10, at range this gun will struggle to trouble Panzers and StuGs will probably face it down without fear.

Sherman Firefly VC

 The heavy hitter of the British Army for the latter half of the war. The Firefly was rightly feared by German tankers, as a shot from it's powerful 17pdr gun could pierce through even the thick front armour of a Tiger or Panther.

 Though it lacks the speed of the Cromwell, the 17-pdr gun is what gives this tank the edge over it's opponents. The statline featured above is for the early model Firefly, but later on it gets a boost to AT 15 as the Firefly gets armed with APDS shells, combine this with the ever useful 'Semi-indirect Fire', and the Firefly makes for a perfect covering tank. The standard armour of '6' on the front leaves the Firefly open to fire from most any tank on the axis side, so keeping this tank hidden in cover is a must.

Tomorrow; United States and Soviet Union tanks!