StuG IIIA

[ycloon]

Hello,

I've been playing PzC GC 39-42E but have never encountered the StuG IIIA. The equipment file lists it as 'nonpurchase', but I have yet to see it as an auxiliary unit in any scenario. Does anyone know where the StuG IIIA appear in the entire PzC collection (i.e., base game, all DLCs, e.g., AC, etc)?

Thanks

[hurly]

Hello,

I've been playing PzC GC 39-42E but have never encountered the StuG IIIA. The equipment file lists it as 'nonpurchase', but I have yet to see it as an auxiliary unit in any scenario. Does anyone know where the StuG IIIA appear in the entire PzC collection (i.e., base game, all DLCs, e.g., AC, etc)?

Thanks

I think there is one in the Operation Sealion Campaign, but not 100% sure about that

[tenshin111]

Hello,

I've been playing PzC GC 39-42E but have never encountered the StuG IIIA. The equipment file lists it as 'nonpurchase', but I have yet to see it as an auxiliary unit in any scenario. Does anyone know where the StuG IIIA appear in the entire PzC collection (i.e., base game, all DLCs, e.g., AC, etc)?

Thanks

There's one in Low Countries (or France?) scenario in the Vanilla PzC Wehrmacht campaign.

[ycloon]

Thanks! (Sorry about the delayed reply)

[captainjack]

It's also available for purchase in Nico's modified equipment file.

[ycloon]

@captainjack: For my playthroughs, I've modified the equipment file to make StuGIIIA purchasable in GC40. Really can't see the historical justification for making Sturmpanzer I is available in GC39, but not making StuGIIIA available in GC40. There were a number of StuG batteries that served in the 1940 campaign. It's not a big deal since modding is possible, just a bit weird to me.

[captainjack]

I can see a case for making new equipment available only when it became widely used, but if doing this auxiliary units, core reinforcements or scripted upgrades (place X unit on hex Y to get a special upgrade) should be available when they were first used.

While rewriting scenarios is quite a bit of work, modding the dates in the equipment file is easy enough as you said. At least in single player I can apply whatever restrictions I think are appropriate (eg only one Stug 3A).

[JaM2013]

Historically 24 StuGIIIA were used in attack on France, they were assigned to four artillery batteries, 6 per battery. Another two were formed but didnt made it in time to participate in that campaign.

Variant: Production Period: Number Produced:
Ausf A January – May 1940 = 30
Ausf B June 1940 – May 1941 = 320
Ausf C May – September 1941 = 50
Ausf D May – September 1941 = 150
Ausf E September 1941 – March 1942 = 272
Ausf F March – September 1942 = 359 + 1 prototype
Ausf F/8 September – December 1942 = 334
Ausf G December 1942 – March 1945 = 7720 + 173 converted

http://www.achtungpanzer.com/sturmgesch ... utz-iv.htm

[ycloon]

That's one of the references I used. If memory serves, historically the Sturmpanzer I was available for the 1940 campaign but not before.

[JaM2013]

True, only 38 were converted by January/February 1940.. Anyway 15cm iG was standard issue infantry gun, which is not even present in the game.. That gun was very common during Polish campaign. What is interesting is the fact SiGIB were actually issued as support weapons for Panzer divisions, where StuGIII were issued as support weapon for Infantry divisions.

[JaM2013]

I've made some adjustments in my own equipment file for this, created the 15cm SiG 33, as infantry support gun (range 2) and assigned it to the same family as Sturmpanzer I, so upgrade is possible in 1940 - in reality, these guns were just simply placed on top of adjusted PzIB, and could be even removed and used as infantry guns if needed, so i think relatively cheap upgrade should be possible for them...

With StuGIIIA, i have made it available, but only for short period of time, then its completely replaced by StuGIIIB (end date is same as start date of B version).. Overall, i think lots of units should be handled this way, as tanks were typically upgraded in field to newer versions, for example PzIIIG were upgraded to H by welding additional plates on hull, same with PzIVD to E to F versions..

[ycloon]

As a historical note, I think fighters and bombers were also upgraded in the field. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%BCstsatz