Q of the Week: One tank?

[Leon]

Without worrying about historical accuracy, if you could only have one type of tank on the table, which one would it be and why?  (The only condition is it has to be WWII or earlier.)

[lentulus]

...one type of tank on the table,...

That makes it an interesting question.  I agree with the folks who consider the late war marks of the Sherman firefly or 76 as the best tank of the war, but that includes logistic elements that are not reflected on the tabletop; with getting you there, yes, which should be reflected in point cost where applicable. 

If logistics aren't there, most rules give late panthers a solid edge, and it is not an unreasonably rare vehicle.

[FierceKitty]

Early 15th century Hussite battle waggon. No other AFV has ever enjoyed such a decisive advantage over the opposition or been involved in such a run of victories. AND you get to model St Barbara's cathedral from Kutna Hora (bearing in mind that the present roof is actually a few centuries more recent).

[Maenoferren]

Jagdpanther
no turret but long barrel 88 will take out most opposition at long range, gets a bit scary when they get close though, or as Lentulus said a panther, if they were allowed to give it welly when zooming about the battlefield.

[NTM]

Panzer III always liked it probably from building so many of the Matchbox and Esci kits in my youth. Although it was phased out as a battle tank during 1943 it was a match (just) for the Sherman 75 and provided the platform for the most successful self propelled gun of WWII IMHO, the StuG III. They will feature heavily in my Sicily/Italy project for 2011. I seem to be drawn to units which employed it my Market Garden Germans are based on Kampfgruppe Knaust including Kompanie Mielke which had 6 Panzer III's with long and short 50mm and 2 Panzer IV (although I have not done the IV' as they were destroved attacking the bridge and I am mainly interested it the fighting on 'The Island'). Thinking about it I have German tanks in 10 and 15mm and all of them are either Panzer III or Stugs.

[Luddite]

T34.

Best...tank...ever (in Comicbook Guy cadence).

Why? 

Versatile, fast, powerful, reliable, and made in vast quantities.  Accept no substitutes...

[nikharwood]

PzIV in any & all variants - purely for the aesthetic - it's a thing of beauty.

[Sandinista]

T34 - Nazi killer

also looks good 

[Kebabman]

Its got to be the T34 (all models),they killed more Nazis and advanced further than any other tank.

A close second for me would be the Comet.I do think that this could have been the Wests T34 ,just a little late in the day....

[Steve J]

For the Brits it would be the Crusader, the Germans the Panzer MkII or Stug III, the Italians the L3/35 tankette and the Russians the T-34.

The first two because they bring back fond memories of Arifix and Matchbox kits of my youth; the Italian tankette because it just so mad and the T-34 because it was such a great, groundbreaking tank. I know it was meant to be only one tank, but I just couldn't choose.

[goat major]

hot water tank. it's filthy on that battlefield

[FierceKitty]

Tanks for the suggestion.

[nikharwood]

Without worrying about historical accuracy

Just spotted this qualifier: in which case I go for this one:



...on the basis that it comes with Tank Girl & Jet Girl [Naomi Watts - who went on to be the pretty starlet in King Kong] 

[Leon]

Just spotted this qualifier: in which case I go for this one:



...on the basis that it comes with Tank Girl & Jet Girl [Naomi Watts - who went on to be the pretty starlet in King Kong] 

I don't think that qualifies for this one though...

The only condition is it has to be WWII or earlier

[nikharwood]

Yeah I know..but I selectively filtered that as it would have stopped me posting a nice picture 

[DanJ]

The British Mk1 of 1916.

The Daddy and mummy of them all.

A huge step forward in technology and concept, it had an over whelming impact at least at first and paved the way for the modern all arms battle.

Slightly latter the Mk IV or V, mechanically much better and available in sufficent numbers to make a real contribution.

And the Rhomboid shap was such a cool design.

[Paint it Pink]

Centurion, technically WW2 for definitions of WW2 that allow it to be technically a WW2 tank.

[lentulus]

Now, if it was just one tank, instead of type of tank, I'd say some multi-ton doorstop like a JS3 or Tiger II.  They can so focus the attention of the enemy that your infantry can get away with anything.

[Leon]

And the Rhomboid shap was such a cool design.

I like the shape as well, the Mk V* we do is one of my favourite models.

Now, if it was just one tank, instead of type of tank, I'd say some multi-ton doorstop like a JS3 or Tiger II.  They can so focus the attention of the enemy that your infantry can get away with anything.

I'm surprised there's not been more mentions for the Tiger, the sheer size of the thing must have it's advantages!

[Maenoferren]

Yep the Tiger was a beast, I did my dissertation on the Normandy landings, and there is a case of the British laying mines on a road, to avoid tank interference, however Tigers broke through and played havoc, then scarpered back behind their own lines, the next morning they Brits went to see why their mines hadnt, gone boom an dindeed they hadnt, the Tigers seemed to have floated in, however on closer inspection, they realised that due to thier wheel base, the tanks were running along the hedge bases eaither side of the tracks, so the british engineers layed a pile at the base of the hedge and later that night there was a big Kabbom and no more Tiger break throughs occured after that.
Still like the Panther though