spob34

[Mobhack]

Btw, those sources hint the existance of HEAT shells for inf guns (not that high numbers where actually delivered, though .. italian crews improvised by firing HE shells without fuze?). I would suggest adding low numbers of AP and HEAT shells to the guns in question. Obviously, somebody already tried this, but why SABOT ammo was chosen I don't know ... the HEAT shells where streamlined! [ U#321,323,325,327,329 ]

Sabot, as explained in the Mobhack help, is simply AP shell number 2. Many field gun types in the OOBS have a full range for the main HE shell, which uses (shares) the same range as the AP round, as explained in the mobhack help files. The sabot shell has its own AP range - which can be shorter or longer than the HE, HEAT and AP rounds which all use the one shared range.

Take the AP round for the UK 25 pounder - the ATG version of this is still useful for potting things with HE at distances, but if the AP round was given the same range as the HE round, it would be incredibly effective with its 200+ hex maximum range!. Same as for the little 37mm French tank popgun - a useful HE range, but a short range AP round using the sabot slot as it was not very effective at AP at all.

So - these units use a sabot round with a short range to allow the full HE range, but a short range AP shell of some sort as the "sabot". Could be an unfused HE round, who either knows or cares - only the OOB designer, and unless he put that in an info screen, we (Don and I) don't know either since these OOBS have been worked on by multiple persons for well over a decade.

If you need the nuts and bolts details, and one of those guys is still available you can discuss it with him as he may know why he made some decision or other. It could be because he copied the stats for the existing Umty-Flumpty model 543 howitzer as an improvised ATG, and wanted to retain the useful HE range, so gave it a short-ranged AP round if the original Umpty-Flumpty 543 did not have this, or he simply copied the existing Umpty-Flumpty 543 (which has a sabot as the shorter ranged AP round as howitzers usually do) and reclassed it as an ATG for the improvised ATG class?. If the OOB designer that did it is available - he may well be able to tell you. Otherwise your guess is as good as anyone else's - including us.

Cheers
Andy