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My SS squad reaches the top of a low ridge. Low and behold, below them between 200 and 300 yards away are arrayed: an Achilles TD, a Stuart Recce, a Bren Carrier, a White 60mm Mortar Jeep and a Sherman V. Other than the Sherman these are open topped, well armored AFVs. Any "smart" SS squad would quickly run from this massed armor, right?

Well, being that I can't resist taking pot shots. I snap off a few rounds with the squad MG and BOOM, there goes the Bren Carrier. That seemed fun so another SS squad goes to the top of the ridge and starts shooting... BOOM, there goes the Stuart Recce. Since no one is firing back I move my PzIV onto the ridge and he proceeds to cause the crews of the Achilles and the White Jeep to bail, all without a Main Gun hit. The panzer even has enough rounds left to take a couple shots at another Bren that is 1000 yards away, bouncing an AP round off its armor. The only other thing left in site is the Sherman V.

Question: I know open topped vehicles are modeled in SPWAW, but is it really that much of an advantage to be able to fire from above at them? If so, then I'm going to try harder to get these high ground shots at open top vehicles. I can just imagine the MG rounds bouncing around inside the crew cabins as VikingNo2 watches the replay in dismay.

Has anyone else had this happen or was I lucky?

Here's a scientific anwer to your questions, rbrunsman:

This was not a lucky event, it's totally normal to both H2H and the regular SP:WAW version. I will now prove this by two examples;

1) You were fighting the British

2) See 1)

q.e.d.

Yeah, this is pretty normal. It's not too uncommon that I'll find my recon is by necessity, of some sort, open-topped, or if I'm using HT's in an anti-personnel role to get open-topped mixed up with fully armored vehicles. Another thing that leads to the deception of getting hit by higher fire to open-topped vehicles is the reassurance you usually have with them. In other words, most of the time the anti-personnel role is so much of the time on the same level or with fully armored vehicles that one can be rudely surprised.

You can see the reverse work out for the GE forces if you purchase the SK222 and forego the 6 or 8/rads. It's probably a pretty rare bird in this forum who has experienced the later GE open-topped TD's getting destroyed by higher level small arms fire though. Imagine losing a Nashorn to small arms!

Originally posted by Belisarius
Here's a scientific anwer to your questions, rbrunsman:

This was not a lucky event, it's totally normal to both H2H and the regular SP:WAW version. I will now prove this by two examples;

1) You were fighting the British

2) See 1)

q.e.d.

LOL I love 'scientific' explanations.

Belisarius, of course! I should have figured that one out myself! Those poor Brits! LOL

My impression is that the Brits are just bad. This comes from fighting with them and against them. Does anyone seriously like fighting with them? They have some nice equipment it just doesn't seem to work too well IMHO.

They are slightly more useful than ski-troops.

Goblin

When the Brits are strapped to the outer armor of tanks, they stop the tink tink of small arms fire, and the screams dont last too long......otherwise I cant think of anything else to do with them.

:p

Originally posted by rbrunsman
Belisarius, of course! I should have figured that one out myself! Those poor Brits! LOL

My impression is that the Brits are just bad. This comes from fighting with them and against them. Does anyone seriously like fighting with them? They have some nice equipment it just doesn't seem to work too well IMHO.

The Brits are actually fun to use after 1/45. They get some really nice tanks, armored cars and Mechinized-AA. Their infantry still sucks but they also get some really nice aircraft and artillary. Besides that I generally never play them.
They also are not that bad early in the war due to the Mitilda.

Originally posted by Goblin
They are slightly more useful than ski-troops.

Goblin

DON'T REMIND ME!
(grumble, grumble) Stupid Ski Troops cost me the WC...

Originally posted by rbrunsman
DON'T REMIND ME!
(grumble, grumble) Stupid Ski Troops cost me the WC...

Yeah that was funny!!!:p :p :p

Wouldn't have anything to do with you bringing a Tiger to a infantry fight would it?

Gary, I'm still bitter and not talking to you!;)

Those crews that bailed seem to have dusted themselves off and hopped back into their vehicles because that Stuart Recce and the Achilles have disappeared on me. I knew I should have finished off the crews.

perhaps the british are modelled to weak in the game, in reality they were not THAT bad, even sometimes without american help they won battles..

Originally posted by Frank W.
perhaps the british are modelled to weak in the game, in reality they were not THAT bad, even sometimes without american help they won battles..

I don't believe you. I bet you're an expatriot Brit living in Germany.

Originally posted by Frank W.

even sometimes without American help they won battles

Those must have actually been Canadian units !

Just kidding! I find that the Brits have some pretty good equipment, even mid war. Perhaps not first rate like the German stuff, but as the war goes on things improve ...

It's all in the time period.

If you pitch a U.S. force against a British one in '42, the Brits *SHOULD* come out on top, but in SP:WAW I'm not too sure... :p

someone put up one of those funny AI vs. AI battles??

US vs. GB ?

i will do and report back !

Originally posted by rbrunsman
I don't believe you. I bet you're an expatriot Brit living in Germany.

****.. my secret discovered

I enjoy playing with the Brits. Maybe I just like a good chalange! Though it is pretty frustrating putting a puny 2 pounder up against a Panzer III....

try the CS tanks instead of 2pdr.

and 40mm AA not to forget...