Strategy for taking out big AT guns

[baggypants]

Post deleted by baggypants

[pdoktar]

Maybe artillery will not knock them toatally out, but it will create suppression, casualties and smoke, so it´s your best bet if the 88s have a clear field of fire. Use a lot of artillery and for several turns, and don´t worry about wasting ammo, these are prime targets for mortars etc. If you haven´t spotted all the guns yet, move infantry on leg forward to spot the rest of them. Then hammer again with artillery and go in slowly, one hex at a time with vehicles, and remember to shoot back, if not knocked out.

Usually AT guns shouldn´t be a problem, after being spotted.

[Dedas]

Even a suppression number of 10-20 will make it much harder for the AT-guns to hit your smaller tanks and especially your infantry. If you are going in with larger vehicles alone, then you probably need a bit more suppression.

[Cross]

Hidden AT guns can be a real pain. But once spotted, which it sounds like these are, you should be able to deal with them pretty quickly.

It's harder to knock them out at long ranges (over 20 hexs or 1KM) Try to get some units to use cover to get closer if you need to. Soft units have a better chance of surviving AT hits. Tanks are like ducks in a row for the 88.

What size artillery are you hitting them with? As the US you should have some 155mm (6 inch) on call. Rounds of that size landing in the same or adjoining hex are going to give those AT gunners some serious supression (headaches).

Once supressed you should be able to move tanks into view without the 88s getting the first shot. Once you start to shoot at them they may shoot back, depending on how badly they are supressed. If you have any 30 cal. or as the US perhaps 50 cal. machine guns :-) (HMGs) on vehicles or otherwise, bring them up and hose those AT gunners.

If an 88 shoots at one of your guys, don't return fire with that guy (it will just make the 88 mad ;-) return fire with a different unit so force the 88 to have to re-aim (aquiring a new target means less % chance of a hit, as the gunners get better % with each adjustment when shooting at the same target) Let the unit that was shot at lie low or retreat. Don't be too brave when facing an 88, becuase as you now know they don't usually miss.

Good luck.
Cross

[kongxinga]

A newb myself, but I would like to add a few observations.

My own NatChi AT guns usually have a short lifespan versus the Japanese AI. They die by

1. Firing at the tank, missing, and getting hit by return tank cannon fire. This won't apply to germans. Because of poor accuracy, I often set my AT Guns to shorter than normal expected ranges.

2. Firing , hitting and killing the target after multiple shots. This necessitates placing ammo mules/ trucks near or next to the guns. The enemy sends a fighter/bomber after my guns, and hits the ammo dumps. The explosion takes out my mules and guns. In best case scenarios my guns survive, but run out of ammo very soon.

3. Firing, killing the enemy, and forgetting, or am unable to move my guns. Artillery hits my guns. My men grin and bear it, but start routing after 6 turns or so. Even if they don't rout, after 3 or so turns they are so badly suppressed they can't hit anything. This is assuming the artillery does not hit my ammo dumps.

4. I hate this one. I fire, then the next turn the enemy drops a whole lot of smoke at my guns. There is so much darn smoke I either have to move my guns out of high ground or cover, or move them back. Meanwhile the enemy armour has advanced significantly, but hey I am KMT (very little inf AT). I heard german Panzerfausts are nasty.

Number 4 might be interesting to try if you are time strapped (1 turn of smoke is more than enough), else, try 3 if German counterbattery assets are weak. It takes a while even to rout Natchi gunners, but your arty is doing its job.