Nikademus
Posts: 25684
Joined: 5/27/2000 From: Alien spacecraft Status: offline
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Using Halftracks to support infantry itself does'nt strike me as ahistorical. I've always considered it one of the advantages enjoyed by a truely 'mechanized' force as opposed to either a 'motorized' (unarmored trucks) or a pure infantry force (traditional a.k.a. footpads, no organic transport)
True, in the SP-1 days, things got skewed mightily but that was due to problems with the suppression rules as well as the more rigid supression removal routine that went along with em.
As such Halftracks became powerhouses and the bane of my existance whenever i'd play an early Soviet type battle (with marginal to low experience) Typical scenes would show Halftracks leading the AI assault (because of their speed) routing and pinning all before them, including TANKS!!!!!
Things are much better now so Halftracks appear to work right. They do make great infantry support weapons but one must remember that the scale of SP:WAW can be deceptive in regards to reallife doctorine. For example, the German army in particular was not a fully mechanized army as is commonly thought, due to the reputation and dazzle of the Panzer divisions. A large majority of the army was actually still foot and hoof bound (and more importantly, most of their supply train as well!)
As such, and added to a economy that did'nt gear for total war until much later in the war, Halftrack production was modest at best. IIRC, German AFV production was divided evenly into thirds. 1/3 Tanks, 1/3, Assault guns, 1/3 Halftracks(and recon type vehicles)
Given their limited numbers in relation to the Army as a whole, one can understand why doctorine would frown on using Halftracks energetically as inf support weapons. They are vulnerable to any and all AT weapons, including AT rifles, and thanks to the better spotting rules in WAW those 'invisible' AT guns can really make the Halftrack close support "tactic" costly to the attacking side.
Still, the temptation for the player will remain. Few players voluntarily choose to play the more mundane aspects avail to WAW, such as pure motorized or infantry only scenerios. Most will involve tanks and most will chose mechanized infantry if the points allow, so you'll continue to see a 'proliferation' of halftracks.
me, i do attempt to employ my halftracks when i have em, but i'm much more careful now in WAW then in earlier days. The size of my halftrack graveyard is mute testiment to the risks involved in deploying them up front but the short term 'gains' can make it rewarding
thats another aspect too in the difference between reallife doctorine and WAW play. Even in a 'campaign' setting we can afford to use our halftracks more reckelessly since they are cheap in points. however in real life, an Pz Div commander (or equivilent in another army) has to bear in mind the potential loss in overall mobility if his footpads lose too many of their halftracks resulting in the panzergrenadier not being able to keep pace with the tanks when the advance continues!
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