Any thought to allowing tanks to fire like artillery?

[Zhivago]

One feature I thought might make Panzer Core even more interesting is allowing tanks to have an artillery attack. The 88 AA gun, for example, can obviously be "switched" from its role as an AA gun, to that of an anti-tank weapon. How about allowing tanks to have the ability to switch and either be used in its traditional tank-attack role, or as a mobile artillery piece?

[deducter]

There are a number of assault guns that can do this. All the Russian assault guns except the SU-85 and the SU-100 can switch between artillery and AT mode. The germans have the StuH 42 and the StuG IV that can switch. The Americans even have a Sherman that can switch between artillery and tank. I personally love that Sherman for MP.

It wouldn't really be realistic for a Tiger or Panther to switch into artillery mode, since they were never used that way, and not that their turret could angle up much (I think). Their high initiative already simulates their excellent range.

[Zhivago]

There are a number of assault guns that can do this. All the Russian assault guns except the SU-85 and the SU-100 can switch between artillery and AT mode. The germans have the StuH 42 and the StuG IV that can switch. The Americans even have a Sherman that can switch between artillery and tank. I personally love that Sherman for MP.

It wouldn't really be realistic for a Tiger or Panther to switch into artillery mode, since they were never used that way, and not that their turret could angle up much (I think). Their high initiative already simulates their excellent range.

I honestly never noticed that the stuH 42 could switch...thanks for pointing that out. I'll have to do some research on the German tanks being used in an artillery mode. I think it depends on the ammo that is being used (armor piercing shells v. high explosive shells)

[margeorg]

I'll have to do some research on the German tanks being used in an artillery mode.

As far as I can tell from various sources they were never used in that role by the germans. In earlier stages of war the guns were to small, and in later stages tank were barely needed to counter enemy tanks. The "Sturmartillerie" (assault guns) were specifically introduced for this purpose. It´s personel was recruited from artillery units, not from the tank corps. And there were several occations where different branches of the army hat competency issues over wether the assault guns should belong to the tank branch, or to the artillery branch.

Bother the soviets and the americans, however made use of tanks as a mobile artillery replacement. On the soviet side artillery fire always had a high acceptation in offensive doctrines. As far as the americans are concerned, they used them that way because in the later stages of war they did encounter larger german tank units quite seldom, and therefore had put their tanks to other roles.