Best Way to Get a Tank Unit Killed?

[rkr1958]

The discussion in this thread viewtopic.php?p=88213#88213 got me to thinking about a corollary to the question posed there and that was, "What is the best way to get a tank unit killed?" Since I didn't want to hijack this other thread I thought I'd start one for discussion on this. By the way, I find these discussion both entertaining and informative.

I'd like to hear what our best tank killers have to say.

[Clark]

The discussion in this thread viewtopic.php?p=88213#88213 got me to thinking about a corollary to the question posed there and that was, "What is the best way to get a tank unit killed?" Since I didn't want to hijack this other thread I thought I'd start one for discussion on this. By the way, I find these discussion both entertaining and informative.

I'd like to hear what our best tank killers have to say.

I'm not all that great a tank killer, but the obvious answer seems to be to shoot an armored spearhead forward through enemy lines, leaving it to be cut off and attacked from all sides.

[rkr1958]

The discussion in this thread viewtopic.php?p=88213#88213 got me to thinking about a corollary to the question posed there and that was, "What is the best way to get a tank unit killed?" Since I didn't want to hijack this other thread I thought I'd start one for discussion on this. By the way, I find these discussion both entertaining and informative.

I'd like to hear what our best tank killers have to say.

I'm not all that great a tank killer, but the obvious answer seems to be to shoot an armored spearhead forward through enemy lines, leaving it to be cut off and attacked from all sides.

Yes, I agree. But I was looking for more specifics. For example, when is it relatively safe for armor units to lead the charge. For example, with the Russian DOW morale changed to 30 point drop in v1.04 I'm assuming it's safe for a turn or two to have your armor units exposed. I guess I'll find out soon if that's true or not. But assuming for now it is, how exposed and for how long are the armor corps safe?

By the way, in my first game against Borger after joining him and Jim (and which the three of us became the initial BJR team), I was the axis and Borger was the allies. I very nearly lost a German tank corps in what I though was a fairly save advance into France in 1940. It turns out that I had left the tank corps exposed to attack from four hexes. This seems so obvious now to very likely result in a dead tank corps, but back then playing my first game against a human opponent it wasn't.

I guess what I'm trying to get out in this thread are what are the triggers that the more experienced and better players key off of to have a very good chance to kill a tank corps; especially early in the game against the Germans. It's these triggers that I'm looking to avoid at all possible with my tank corps.

[Happycat]

Bump

I'd like to hear some ideas too. As it stands now, when I play pbem games I just assume it is almost never safe to leave my armour exposed to attack at the end of a turn, unless I'm behind a river or in a city. And even then, I have occasionally been unpleasantly surprised.

[Plaid]

I was the axis and Borger was the allies. I very nearly lost a German tank corps in what I though was a fairly save advance into France in 1940.

I think its way better for axis to expose tank units rather then infantry in early battles like france.
Because tanks cost less manpower and they are harder to damage. Enemy often suffer significant casualties when trying to attack and destroy your tank, while you have PP and time to repair this unit, and you outnumber allies so one depleted armour unit will not stop your general advance. And if opponent attacks infantry instead of a tank, he can destroy completely couple of units with same force, that just damaged your tank. Bad side is that tank consumes oil each time it fights though, but i dont think this 10-15 oil in 1940 will cause you a lot of trouble.
I don't mean that its good idea to expose your units , i just mean that if you had to, sometimes tank seems a better option - they are tough and recilent.

[Peter Stauffenberg]

You seem to forget that armor units are best on the offensive. On the defense they only have defense value 4 and that's the same as the infantry attack value. Slightly higher survivability means the armor will initially get a bit better odds when defending against corp units. But the problem is that the French armor can attack after the initial air and corps units have depleted the German armor. Then the French armor can inflict 5-6 steps and only receive 0-1. That's devastating.

The German's big problem is that they only have 3 armor units and that's their best offensive weapon. The shock damage from the armor means more retreats and higher casualties for the French. So if a German armor unit is eliminated then you lose 50% of your offensive firepower. One bad result from that is that Paris takes longer to capture. So instead of a early June conquest you might be faced with a mid July conquest. That means less chance for Sealion or Spain.

One panzer unit costs 80 PP's to build and that's expensive for Germany so early in the game. If the French campaign goes slowly and with heavy losses then it means taking Norway, Greece and Yugoslavia will suffer. That means later PP's from the countries. All these factors together means a weaker Barbarossa. A too weak Barbarossa means the difference between a good 1941 progress and a mediocre one.

I think this is the reason why most Allied players try to take out a German armor unit if possible.