Are Soviet Tank Armies actually worth using?

[Beethoven1]

Are the special "tank armies" worth using for any purpose other than role playing?

Tank armies get +1 for the admin rating of the leader for motorized units. (21.11.5 of the manual)

This is the only mention of "tank army" that comes up if I search the PDF of the manual.

In the Stalingrad to Berlin scenario, however, tank armies seem to have lower command limits than regular armies. A tank army on an assault front only has a command capacity of 14. Meanwhile a regular army on an assault front has a command capacity of 24. That is a MASSIVE command capacity difference, and the benefit of +1 admin doesn't come close to offsetting that as far as I can see. I would much rather have one of my good leaders being able to command 5 more divisions or 2.5 more corps than being able to have a slightly higher admin rating.

So why bother using tank armies? IIRC they might get better later, but is it enough to make up that huge command capacity gap and make them actually worth using?

[loki100]

to me, I'd say yes. The Soviet leaders are plagued by low admin scores and that is particularly the case for those with the higher mech scores. So a +1 that shifts someone from a not great 5 to a relatively decent 6 is quite valuable.

Since CP at the Front level isn't related to the number of subordinate commands but simply to their combined capacity/usage, then its a bit of a case of there is no great malus and a deceptively decent bonus?

edit - when this stacks with Gds status, the combined gain is fairly decent

[Omat]

Hello

Leader Checks. Failed morale and administrative checks reduce MPs

and:

Administrative. Affects the MPs a unit will have during its turn, checking
for repair of damaged aircraft and ground elements and determining
wastage and resupply



But you need high MP´s for your Tank and Mechanisied Corps to explore break throughs.... and you need as many tanks quickly repaired or you exploration slows down.. and you resupply should be also effective.. more supply and fuel means a good chance to move further...

Omat

[GloriousRuse]

You're really best thinking of them as operational maneveur groups rather than shock/assault formations.