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I haven't used anti-tank weapons in the game because of their relative ineffectiveness. The 8.8cm shows a range of 3. Does this only apply to the flak side and the anti-tank side is a one hex range?
A possible fix for anti-tank guns would be to let them have a shot when an adjacent unit is attacked such as a fighter has when it is adjacent to a bomber that is attacked.
Thanks for any info.

You're correct about the range - 3 is AA fire and all AT fire is 1.

I would still recommend you to have some 88 Flaks. Through the switch option it has become one of your best weapons against early tanks.

ORIGINAL: GlobalExplorer

I would still recommend you to have some 88 Flaks. Through the switch option it has become one of your best weapons against early tanks.

I never quite understood that, it has a movement range of 1. How many enemy tanks are within reach then? And if you move the 88 too far by truck it will be toast during the counterattack.

I use the Pak as a support unit, as it was in real life units.

Although with 1 hex movement you don't have much initiative, in most battles there is not much movement space in the front anyway, and you can place Paks in between.

Surely you encountered those french / british / russian tanks and know that your PzI - IV can not really harm them. You will also see very often that the AI will attack exposed units with very heavy tanks. If you keep a 88/Pak36 close, move one hex and attack. It kicks ass against tanks.

If that doesn't work you can still put it to protect your flank whatever, again against heavy tanks.

In addition to that the you can switch it to a powerful AA anytime you need it.

What more do you need?

And remeber you can use an 88 every turn, unlike an air unit.

I'm tempted to buy an 8.8cm for a new campaign in 1939. I know that in the early years the anti-tank side will be powerful. How well does the anti-tank side scale? Will it be able to cope with the late war Russian tanks? I know that the unit will probably go to a 14 strength but will that be enough of an offset?
Thanks for any opinions.

The 8.8cm is reasonable vs T-35/85's but aren't really much of a threat to IS-2's due to IS-2's high Ground Defense of 26 vs 8.8cm FlaK's Hard Attack of 17.
So unless you can pick up some +3atk heroes they aren't really that effective in the late-war Russian scenarios (mainly Bagration).
I think you would need at least 3 or 4 stars for the 8.8cm FlaK to be effective vs IS-2. And this is assuming IS-2 has no experience.
Also for a slightly higher price (8.8cm FlaK is 274pp without transports) you can pick the 8.8cm PAK 43/41 (337pp without transports) or a Nashorn (376pp).

Problem with AT weapons is that they get a Initiative penalty when attacking and thus aren't a very good offensive tool.
Tigers and JagdTigers are your best bet vs the dreaded IS-2.

It is your best AA starting out and doubles as an AT weapon. It could use the AT range of 2 it had in PG but it works as long as you have it right behind the front line. Mounting it on halftracks give it better speed and if it is in AT mode it can capture objective hexes. Let it defend from the H/T and push forward as a second attack against surviving units. It builds up quickly that way.

ORIGINAL: Ol Choctaw

It is your best AA starting out and doubles as an AT weapon. It could use the AT range of 2 it had in PG but it works as long as you have it right behind the front line. Mounting it on halftracks give it better speed and if it is in AT mode it can capture objective hexes. Let it defend from the H/T and push forward as a second attack against surviving units. It builds up quickly that way.

thats also the way i use them, if no air unit around move them behind frontline one hex away of enemy hard targets, next turn switch, move own unit out and the 8.8 in, nice to watch the early tanks blow up^^

What about upgrading to the 128mm/L55 later in the war. This was the main gun on the JagdTiger and the Maus.

Yes, you need to do that.

Can the 12.8 switch to AT mode? I have used them as AA units but never looked to see if they have the switch capability.

You can't do the AT mode switch. Too bad.

All I know is when you get the 88 set up for an attack on most tanks, its not good news for those tanks
They are pretty darn good as AA too.  Use the trucks to keep up with the troops until you near the front then its slow slogging at 1 space per move...but it lets you setup some great attacks.

The range in Anti Tank mode should be more than 1. The reality is that in the real war it had a great effective range in its anti tank role. So it should be a 2 range.

Range is modelled with initiative. They get to fire first.

Iain, Thanks for the reply.

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In 39 DLC, Danzig, I purchased an 88 and moved it next to a Polish tank. It showed I had a shot available but wouldn't target the tank no matter which "switch" I used? A bug?