Hi All,
Got my copy of Blitzkrieg Commander 3 all looks good and amazing (It smells good too).
One problem I have found is that I will be doing a British Armoured Guard Battlegroup and can't seem to find the stats for a Crusader AA MK 2 anywhere and I know that these were used from D-Day on wards even though they didn't get to use them much because of the Allies total air superiority but i would like to use them anyway.
Any help will be very grateful.
And one last thing bring on COLD WAR COMMANDER 2!!
Hello and welcome
Hi
If you look at the 2nd edition book, the crusader AA isn't there either.
I seem to remember Pete (the original author of the rules) added the stats to the battlegroup calculator.
My guess is nobody knew there are more profiles for units in the onine calculator then there are in the book, so they didn't 'import' them in the new rules.
Went to the battlegroup creator and had a ook, and found the stats for the crusader:
Quantity Troops Arm Move AT AP CA Hits Save Cost Notes
1 Air Defence Unit (Crusader) ART 25 2/40 2/60 3 4 6 85 open topped
Peter - the Crusader AA defo has a LID, you are perhaps thinking of the MkIII with an open Bofors turret
Possibly. These are the stats I found. They are in the errata document for bkc II too.
I have the pendraken model, wich is open topped so thought that's the one.
So maybe add 5-10 points and remove the open topped rule for the closed turret?
I thought that they parked them up after August '44 for want of targets anyway.
Not sure if was actual "official" doctrine till much later, but the General dearth of German armour or air opposition meant both Commonwealth and American units started dropping specialist AA and AT units out very early and using the men to fil empty spaces in the personnel rosters of the infantry and crew spaces in gun tanks very early on.
Must have done wonders for morale. "But sir, we're highly trained specialists!" "Shaddup, you're a rifleman now". Reminds me of "The recollections of rifleman Bowlby" in Italy. They were a highly trained motor battalion, who then expected to go home post Tunisia, then were sent to Italy and had all their kit taken away and were used as a leg infantry unit. To say they were "windy" is an understatement...
Quote from: toxicpixie on 01 May 2017, 10:01:02 AM
Must have done wonders for morale. "But sir, we're highly trained specialists!" "Shaddup, you're a rifleman now". Reminds me of "The recollections of rifleman Bowlby" in Italy. They were a highly trained motor battalion, who then expected to go home post Tunisia, then were sent to Italy and had all their kit taken away and were used as a leg infantry unit. To say they were "windy" is an understatement...
Sounds a bit like the factory I work in. ;D
If the whole factory staff run off as soon as thenworks whistle blows it's on the right track :D
Well, lets just say that you'd have to be really lucky to find a'superior' present after 3 pm on a Friday. Does that count?
There used to be an elderly veteran in the village down the road - sadly he is no longer with us. He was in the support company of the Welsh Guards, 6 pdr crew in NWE. Joined the bttn in October 44 and NEVER saw a German tank or AFV of any sort except for ko'd ones.
Bofors version
(http://www.worldwarphotos.info/wp-content/gallery/uk/british-tanks/crusader-tank/Crusader_AA_Mk_III_40mm_bofors_anti_aircraft_tank.jpg)
Oerlikon version (there were 2 which differed only on where the radio was kept)
(http://www.militarymodelling.com/sites/1/images/article_images/PB25May07_003.jpg)
Quote from: Dr Dave on 01 May 2017, 10:49:26 AM
There used to be an elderly veteran in the village down the road - sadly he is no longer with us. He was in the support company of the Welsh Guards, 6 pdr crew in NWE. Joined the bttn in October 44 and NEVER saw a German tank or AFV of any sort except for ko'd ones.
I'm unsurprised - that chimes with all the actual evidence, as opposed to hysterical "Tiger in every bush" "histories".
Peter, yeah, that sounds about right :D
The photo above showing the Oerlikon-armoured Crusader AA has a bar directly in front of the rear hatch - this bar is linked to the guns. Although the guns can be fired with the rear hatch close, to get the best use of the guns that rear hatch was opened so the gunner could use the guns more effectively. By opening the rear hatch you made the turret vulnerable to splinters and grenades - hence Open-topped.
Also, many sources state that with Allied air superiority most of the AA tanks were withdrawn and the men assigned elsewhere. The only exception I know of is the Polish AA tanks, which were retained and used very effectively in the anti-infantry role.