Heavy Flak Weapons
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:52 pm
G'day,
In positioning my units upon the template, like many of the Axis WW2 commanders, I have historically used the 88mm Flak unit as a "keystone" to my defence. Upon review of the guns capabilities in the technics file, I note that it has a "+3 pitch" notation added to a field and that the "fire at fast moving target" remains blank. I.e. not ticked. Can I take this to mean that the 88mm Flak 18 cannot fire at ground or aerial targets? Neither seems right and makes the issue of this weapon, quite pointless in this scenario.
Without the distinction made between "AP" and "HE" shells in the game, I do agree that the lighter calibre AAA guns firing at ground targets is a problem in this game. This is mainly due to the 20, 25, 37 & 40mm AAA calibre guns with automatic firing rates, registering in the hundreds of rounds per minute. Unfortunately, each shell be treated as "armour piercing" in this game, rather than as a high explosive warhead. So I do concede the problem in this quarter. Really, the ammunition used by light AAA pieces in the anti-aircraft role was designed to chew up light metals as used in aircraft, but generally useless against tanks and armoured vehicles.
This is not generally the case with the 88mm Flak 18 however. Since the Spanish Civil War, it was a common practice to subordinate these guns from the Luftwaffe to the Army. It was an issue for Luftwaffe commanders, as at some stage, they would want these valued weapons back from the Army. There are numerous incidents or events where the 88mm Flak 18 was used to destroy ground targets and I'm sure, I don't need to illustrate this to the forum. Nor does the 88mm Flak 18 fire at the rate of hundreds of rounds per minute. Just 15 to 20 rounds per minute like most other field pieces. Also, the 88mm Flak 18 was issued with ammunition to destroy tanks, particularly so, when assigned to front line areas, as in this campaign. Now you may be thinking to argue or say that we have the 88mm Pak43 for the anti-tank role. I'll just say that this gun was developed later in the war and largely because the earlier 88mm Flak 18 presented itself as a large target on the battlefield and was often targeted by long range high explosive fire.
This is what I suggest. Keep the "+3 pitch" on the lighter automatic weapons to prevent them firing at ground targets. Remove the "+3 pitch" from the larger AAA weapons like the 88mm Flak 18, which have much, much slower firing rate. But I'd also be looking further into the techniks file and putting a figure in that field for ammunition usage for the heavy calibre weapons, like has been done for the tanks. Do this, otherwise, it was pointless to have an 88mm Flak 18 on the battlefield and I just can't picture the troops not using this gun against advancing Soviet armour.
Regards,
Warg
In positioning my units upon the template, like many of the Axis WW2 commanders, I have historically used the 88mm Flak unit as a "keystone" to my defence. Upon review of the guns capabilities in the technics file, I note that it has a "+3 pitch" notation added to a field and that the "fire at fast moving target" remains blank. I.e. not ticked. Can I take this to mean that the 88mm Flak 18 cannot fire at ground or aerial targets? Neither seems right and makes the issue of this weapon, quite pointless in this scenario.
Without the distinction made between "AP" and "HE" shells in the game, I do agree that the lighter calibre AAA guns firing at ground targets is a problem in this game. This is mainly due to the 20, 25, 37 & 40mm AAA calibre guns with automatic firing rates, registering in the hundreds of rounds per minute. Unfortunately, each shell be treated as "armour piercing" in this game, rather than as a high explosive warhead. So I do concede the problem in this quarter. Really, the ammunition used by light AAA pieces in the anti-aircraft role was designed to chew up light metals as used in aircraft, but generally useless against tanks and armoured vehicles.
This is not generally the case with the 88mm Flak 18 however. Since the Spanish Civil War, it was a common practice to subordinate these guns from the Luftwaffe to the Army. It was an issue for Luftwaffe commanders, as at some stage, they would want these valued weapons back from the Army. There are numerous incidents or events where the 88mm Flak 18 was used to destroy ground targets and I'm sure, I don't need to illustrate this to the forum. Nor does the 88mm Flak 18 fire at the rate of hundreds of rounds per minute. Just 15 to 20 rounds per minute like most other field pieces. Also, the 88mm Flak 18 was issued with ammunition to destroy tanks, particularly so, when assigned to front line areas, as in this campaign. Now you may be thinking to argue or say that we have the 88mm Pak43 for the anti-tank role. I'll just say that this gun was developed later in the war and largely because the earlier 88mm Flak 18 presented itself as a large target on the battlefield and was often targeted by long range high explosive fire.
This is what I suggest. Keep the "+3 pitch" on the lighter automatic weapons to prevent them firing at ground targets. Remove the "+3 pitch" from the larger AAA weapons like the 88mm Flak 18, which have much, much slower firing rate. But I'd also be looking further into the techniks file and putting a figure in that field for ammunition usage for the heavy calibre weapons, like has been done for the tanks. Do this, otherwise, it was pointless to have an 88mm Flak 18 on the battlefield and I just can't picture the troops not using this gun against advancing Soviet armour.
Regards,
Warg