Tank Action Points

[Mithrilotter]

Currently, a base Tank has 5 action points and a Heavy Tank has 3. Shermans and Panzer IV's have a speed of around 24-25 miles per hour and a range of 120 miles. I will use that as a baseline. It appears that 5 mph equals 1 action point. A T34/76C has a speed of 33 mph and a range of 250 miles. Rounded down, it should have 6 action points.

A Tiger I has a speed of 23 mph and a range of 62 miles. A Tiger II has a speed of 23.6 mph and a range of 68 miles. A Pershing has a speed of 20 mph (the slowest heavy tank) and a range of 92 miles. A Centurion has a speed of 22 mph and a range of 50 miles. All deserve 4 action points.

In Strategic Command WWI Breakthrough, a UK Mark I Tank with a speed of 2 mph and a range of 28 miles had a base of 3 action points. How is it that even a "slow" US Pershing Heavy Tank is still no more mobile that a UK WWI Mark 1?

A Soviet KV1A has a speed of 22 mph and a range of 140 miles. A JSII has a speed of 23 mph and a range of 150 miles. Frankly, the Soviet heavies deserve 5 action points.

[Ason]

I agree that they need more AP's, but there is not only speed to account for, also things like weight, track size, consumption etc.

[EdwinP]

Keep in mind that tanks don't operate alone, armored corps and divisions are accompanied by mechanized infantry and a vast support staff that accompanies. Individually, tanks can obtain their maximum speed, but they generally travel at a lower speed. While moving in column formation along a narrow road speed is greatly reduced. If you come to a bridge, the speed of the column is reduced further.

[BillRunacre]

I've been thinking about this and the mph are really more of a tactical factor, and the distance a unit can move in a turn is also a measure of its operational mobility.

So things that have to be taken into account include their ability to negotiate narrow roads, small or damaged bridges, and fuel consumption (as this impacts on the logistical support required).

My inclination is to think that a unit with a strong component of heavy tanks, as that is what a Heavy Tanks unit is in game, will tend to have less operational mobility.

I'm not necessarily averse to any increase in Heavy Tanks APs, perhaps to 4 rather than 5, and welcome further thoughts on this. [:)]

[HyazinthvonStrachwitz]

I would give them at least 5 AP... but you know I would increase the APs of all units drastically.

In the old SoE campaign, Tank Groups with motorization had 7 APs. They were real killers.. as they should be.
Currently flanking is very difficult.. no enough APs.

[Mithrilotter]

The Italian M11/39 had a speed of 21 mph and a range of 124 miles. Their slow medium Tanks should have just 4 action points.

The French S-35 had a speed of 25 mph and a range of 160 miles. Five Action points are good for them. Their heavy CharB1 had a speed of 17.5 mph and a range of 87 miles. The best argument can be made for 3 action points for them, but I would still prefer rounding up to 4. Since Strategic Command WWI gave their base Tanks 3 actions points, it seems like the better and faster WWII heavy tanks should get at least 4.

I suspect that Operational Mobility is handled more by the Mobility Tech.

[Mountaineer]

organization of those units has an impact also. I think in the end it is too narrow to just compare tank attributes of speed, weight, and range. The logistics behind them and supporting forces matter. For the game, the playtesting and "feel" of it will matter. With so few heavy tanks they will only have tactical influence, and 4 AP should be about right for the next round of testing.

[TheBattlefield]

I also think that for tanks and mechanised infantry 6 action points (Mobility 1) and for the heavy tanks 5 action points were measured for the map size. These units show no single weapon type in the game, but represent in each case a rather big unit organisation whose (slower) infantry and infantry support components might be almost identical in each case. That's why a too big difference in the range of action of these units would seem a little bit unrealistic.

[BillRunacre]

I've set Heavy Tanks to 4 now. We can rediscuss this in the future if that still doesn't feel appropriate, but I would need more convincing to make both the same! [;)]