German Armor vs. French Armor 5/40 issue

[Mobhack]

SGTGunn said:
*lol* well, the question about how the French lost was a rhetorical one ^_~ - I was just disgusted with the performance of my panzers. Does anyone know of a good book or site with some anecdotes of French-German tank combat? I'd like to read about what ranges the German 37mm gun had success knocking out French tanks.

Adrian

P.S. I did still win a decisive victory, but no thanks to the panzertruppen. I'm going to have to buy some 88's before I run into the BEF Matilda II's.

the German 37mm will go through class 4 armour at 0 degrees at 250-450 metres. Class 5 under that. So - you need nil-deflection shots in close at 5 hexes or so or less, generally, and preferably in the side or up its kilt.

However - if the AP=the calculated pen, then the over penetration rules apply (there is none! ) so the shot may not penetrate. Therefore - you want some critical hits (accuracy of 80% or better from under 500m or so).

Best to make sure the little beastie is completely suppressed, or in rout before trying. (i.e. drop HE on it).

The original SP1 had German tanks with sabot for the 37mm in France 40 - research showed this did not arrive till later.

Your other bet is to but the Jagdpanzer 1, which has a rather hot Czechoslovakian 47mm gun. It is class 8 till 200m, and class 7 till 400 (ignoring any WH additions etc.)

Buy a few of those, and shoot from 350m or so, should do the business on most French armour.

Otherwise - remember that the German early war doctrine was that the ATG took on the enemy tanks. Tanks were to operate in the enemy operational depth and deal with arty batteries, refuelling depots etc and not get into slugging matches with armour, so they would often if they met same retire back through an ATG line, as done in the desert etc. Any enemy tanks that followed the fake retiral were dealt with buy the Pak-Front.

So - trundling some towed 88s as "sniper" pieces is a valid historical tactic.

Cheers
Andy