[DRG]

Originally Posted by cbo

The standard German anti-tank guns like the 3,7cm PaK 35/36, 5cm PaK 38 and 7,5cm PaK 40 aside, the PaK 97/38 was probably the most numerous in terms of production of all the German anti-tank guns.

cbo

OK, let me put it another way keeping in mind this is a game

In mid 1942 why would a player buy a Pak 97/38 when he can buy a Pak 40 unless he was

a/ a masochist
b/ a detail freak
c/ on a tight points "budget"
d/ all of the above

?

Also, we allow this weapon into the game 11/41. You and I both know Claus that there will ALWAYS be a source that disagrees with some other source and you also know we do our best to sort that out or, when doubt exists, compromise. Wikipedia ( NEVER a source to be relied on without back up, ) claims the 7.5 cm Pak 97/38 "reached the battlefield in the summer of 1942". Hogg only says the gun was produced to fill the gap until the PaK 40 could be supplied in numbers and the impetus to create the gun was the result of trying to deal with heavy Soviet tanks in the late summer of 1941 so we may be too generous in our 11/41 introduction. If it doesn't show up until after the PaK 40 then--- IN GAME TERMS,---- it's not something a player would deliberately buy unless they were handicapping themselves or building a scenario so from that perspective it's not a significant weapon although to gunners at the front who had a choice between it and a 3.7cm gun it wins hands down but not, as I say, in a game environment when better weapons can be had ( but at a higher cost )The Russian 7.62cm PaK 36r is more expensive in game terms than the 97/38 and cheaper than the PaK 40 but it's AP pen is almost as good as the Pak 40 and it's available almost at the same time as the 97/38 AND it's AP pen exceeds the HEAT pen of the 97/38 by 33% given that the 97/38 becomes almost a "neverpick" item

That said we both know that we could debate these dates forever and eventually someone will come along and say it's wrong. That's the nature of wargamers

Don