Sdkfz 251/7 Pionier Hanomag

[Wiking]

As someone who has periodically gone through the forums page by page, topic by topic a couple of times out of boredom at work or school, one omission always seemed glaring to me and the recent debate about the towing ability of the late model Sdkfz 251 made up my mind to ask about it: where is the Pionier version of the Sdkfz 251?

This is not a question asked lightly; I am of course fully aware of the chock-full OOB for Germany and that there are already myriad versions of the 251 and 250 families present. But assuming the bridge-laying class is available in SPWW2 it would have a tangible use and not just a "fluff" vehicle for Pionier platoons and companies. It could allow infantry to pass streams and fords much quicker and more efficiently.

I admit this isn't a perfect solution because I believe tanks would also benefit from this and that's not the kind of bridges the Pionier-track carried, but I figured I might as well ask if it had been brought up before and my searches simply didn't turn it up? As usual, this isn't a demand on Don or Andy, simply wondering what the reasoning was for its lack of inclusion. I'm sure there is a perfectly valid one if it had been brought up before; but if it hadn't, I'd be curious if it could be.

[scorpio_rocks]

The game engine cannot create "bridges" so there are no bridge laying vehicles in the game.

The 251/7 (& 251/5) are effectivley standard 251/1's with "engineer supplies" (inflatable boats, sledgehammers and occasionally a couple of small "assault ramps"). In game terms no different from the standard APC.

Some folks have included them in their own German OoBs, usualy as engineer vehicles, but in reality they are just "fluff".

[scorpio_rocks]

But if you were to "adjust" your own OoB...

[Wiking]

Haha, Scorpio you really are the giver of gifts aren't you? I didn't realize there wasn't a bridge-layer class. I thought there was in MBT but looking now you're right, there isn't. This is what happens when I start thinking too much, it gets me in trouble

[DRG]

As Scorpio says, it has no function in the game. It could have been added with a modified Icon for engineer units but that would have required a unique unit class and a unit slot we don't have basically for window dressing. In game turms the stock 251 works just as well and the only free APC UC in the German OOB that might be even close to applicable is "improvised APC"

I've been tempted to add it a few times over the years but always declined for the reasons above.

[Wiking]

Well, it makes me feel better to know I wasn't the only one who thought about it. Thanks Don.