Matrix Games Forums

Hello all.
I'm currently setting up my generated campaign force to participate in operation "Crusader", and I have a choice in how to re-equip my 4 squadron HQ troops and the regiment HQ troops.
I can't make up my mind as to go 100% historical and equip them with Crusader I command tanks, or to go with maximum effectiveness and equip them with Stuarts.
Hmmm...
The Stuart has the better gun, more armour, is faster, smaller and more reliable.
But the Crusader is historicaly correct, and looks Dashing & cool. (as opposed to the Stuart which looks like a box on tracks) Plus how could I wargame "Crusader" without any Crusader tanks?
But the Crusader tank is only a small improvement over the Vickers medium previously operated by the regiment, whereas the Stuart is a large leap foward in survivability. (See AAR#2 for how Vickers mediums fare against Pz-IIIj's)
BTW I'v already decided that my 3 Lt tank troops will re-equip with Stuarts, and my CS troop will be re-classified as a Lt tank troop and receive stuarts too.
Oh the De Lemuer!
Advice appreciated.

Hi, well if you go historic the Germans will be in PZ-IIIe 37mm. Just watch out for 88's
(Rommel did not get first 50mm intill after "Crusader")
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I'm not retreating, I'm attacking in a differant direction!

[This message has been edited by Mogami (edited February 22, 2001).]

Go with the Stuarts. When I played the desert campaigns, the Crusader seemed extra vulnerable to the 37mm German tank. And when the 50mm arrive, look out. The Stuarts fared better.

Bruce
Semper Fi

Originally posted by Possum:
Hello all.
I'm currently setting up my generated campaign force to participate in operation "Crusader", and I have a choice in how to re-equip my 4 squadron HQ troops and the regiment HQ troops.
I can't make up my mind as to go 100% historical and equip them with Crusader I command tanks, or to go with maximum effectiveness and equip them with Stuarts.
Hmmm...
The Stuart has the better gun, more armour, is faster, smaller and more reliable.
But the Crusader is historicaly correct, and looks Dashing & cool. (as opposed to the Stuart which looks like a box on tracks) Plus how could I wargame "Crusader" without any Crusader tanks?
But the Crusader tank is only a small improvement over the Vickers medium previously operated by the regiment, whereas the Stuart is a large leap foward in survivability. (See AAR#2 for how Vickers mediums fare against Pz-IIIj's)
BTW I'v already decided that my 3 Lt tank troops will re-equip with Stuarts, and my CS troop will be re-classified as a Lt tank troop and receive stuarts too.
Oh the De Lemuer!
Advice appreciated.

The stuarts get my vote too.

Originally posted by Possum:
Hello all.
I'm currently setting up my generated campaign force to participate in operation "Crusader", and I have a choice in how to re-equip my 4 squadron HQ troops and the regiment HQ troops.
I can't make up my mind as to go 100% historical and equip them with Crusader I command tanks, or to go with maximum effectiveness and equip them with Stuarts.
Hmmm...
The Stuart has the better gun, more armour, is faster, smaller and more reliable.
But the Crusader is historicaly correct, and looks Dashing & cool. (as opposed to the Stuart which looks like a box on tracks) Plus how could I wargame "Crusader" without any Crusader tanks?
But the Crusader tank is only a small improvement over the Vickers medium previously operated by the regiment, whereas the Stuart is a large leap foward in survivability. (See AAR#2 for how Vickers mediums fare against Pz-IIIj's)
BTW I'v already decided that my 3 Lt tank troops will re-equip with Stuarts, and my CS troop will be re-classified as a Lt tank troop and receive stuarts too.
Oh the De Lemuer!
Advice appreciated.

Go with the Stuarts (Honey) they are historicaly the 3rd RTR was equiped with them just before the Crusader Operations. They tangled with the Germans at the Sidi Rezegh airfield.

One nice thing that i came to appreciate in the Crusader was its superior fire control.

It was a learning example for me that showed the true strength of Steel Panthers WAW in showing that a tank is made up of more than just its armor thickness and gun size.

Granted, in my case i was reinforced in the scenerio by Crusader II's which had an improved RF rating (bringing it up to snuff with the Stuart Ia) but man what a difference that one point of FC made!

I had near elite units in both tank types but the Crusaders were able to get consistantly higher to-hit %'s at medium and long ranges vs. the Stuarts.

So go ahead and pick those cool looking tanks and dont forget to present and oblique target to the enemy!

Thank you for the advice everyone..
I'v decided to use Crusaders.
So my HQ troops are now equipped with 2 Crusader I Command tanks and a Crusader I-CS.
(BTW Crusader 1 command tanks seem to differ from ordinary Crusader I's in that they carry about 20 rounds of HE for the 2 Lbdr)
I plan on keeping them behind the Stuarts.
AAR#3 should be avaliable to read, at the end of the week, in the Matrix journal for those interested in how I do.