March 12, 2014 by warzan
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With Warren getting so excited about the new Bolt Action coverage we have planned he roped in Alessio Cavatore from Warlord Games to have a look at five of the best German Tanks of World War II. What do you guys consider the best tank of this era?
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“It’s not a tank…”. I almost fell of my chair laughing at the point. So funny.
As for the best tank, I would say it was the Panzer IV. The Panther and Tiger were great tanks, but they were much too complicated and used too many resources to build and maintain.
The Panzer IV, on the other hand, was simple, reliable, easily upgraded, and well-suited for mass-production. With adequate armour and firepower, this workhorse could, and should, have served Germany better than the “big cats”.
The Sherman would be a close contender, being equally simple and reliable. But it looses out to the Panzer IV as it lacked armour and firepower.
I’m not sure I agree with Alessio in regards to the T-34. Yes, there were lots and lots of them, but throwing your tanks away like that is a very bad strategy in the long run. The T-34/85, coupled with better tactical understanding towards the end of the war, was a good tank. But the IS-series was better, though not as numerous.
Had the war gone on for a year or two, the Panther II with a long-barreled eighty-eight and IR-equipment might very well have turned out to be the very best medium tank of the war. But, of course, by then it would have been up against the likes of IS-3’s and Pershing’s.
Oh boy, now I do understand why the “historical bits” don’t appeal to Warren – ’cause it’s brought up as a series of data sheets comprising technical details of equipment. That’s a nonsense, really! These tanks weren’t robots, and it was not the size of their guns or the thickness of their armour that made them ‘better’ or ‘worse’. It was all down to the poor bastards operating these beasts. So if you’re taking on “historical topics” please don’t fall for the technical blurb. History is not a story of machines but a story of human beings. And that’s what makes it interesting and relevant, actually.
Enough of that. I do appreciate that more and more games apart from the GW/PP circuit and especially (fairly) historical ones get an outing here on BoW. Still would have preferred to get a more in-depth (and independent) review of these kits as there seem to be quite a few flaws. Perhaps John can chime in there?
As an aside: “Ausf” is an acronym for “Ausführung” meaning “version”. If you’ve mastered “Sturmgeschütz”, pronounciation shouldn’t be an issue, the Umlaut is the same. 😉
I’m not quite sure the tank battles are such a good idea at this scale — but I will no doubt be in the minority with this view…
I agree with you ..3,6 and 10mm are the way to go for tank battles
I still find it surprising that GHQ still manage to get more detail on a 6mm tank than 28mm manufacturers manage to do on theirs
Perhaps what would make a good follow up episode would be for Warren and Alessio to visit the Tank Museum and see the real thing, like http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S9U5mU2c-k4
Love going to Bovington…Still want to get to the Russian one
http://www.tankmuseum.ru/
Which is apparently 3 times the size of Bovington
Love the idea of tank battles!
You dry fitted every set of track backwards! *goes into seizure*
I was sitting next to an Italian, therefore – tanks should move faster in reverse 😉
Besides – I think it keeps my ‘noob’ street cred well and truly intact 😉
Truly he is the chosen one…
love how Warren always puts on the tracks on the wrong way 😉
The other thing to remember from an historical view is that the Allies had TOTAL air supremacy, and very accurate and quick reacting artillery with unlimited ammunition.
Read the history. Grenadiers ( Kurt “Panzer” Meyer) is a good place to start.
Normandy front in WW2 was pretty one sided, really just a matter of time.
Most Germans new this by 1944.
If you just use tanks, and nothing else, it may leave you wondering how Germany lost…..but tank on tank is not the whole equation.
Very good points!
Or a good read on how to command and operate Tiger tanks, read Otto Carius book “Tigers in the mud”.
Not to mention they never got the spares to keep the tanks running all the time.
Did not really want to mention about Warren fitting the tracks on back to front, but as others have already mentioned. You would guess that would happen, after the front mud guard fitting on the FoW King Tiger, bless him :).
The tank battles sounds interesting, might need a bigger than average board, to get the real flow of movement. Or may be use the FoW scale tanks with the Bolt Action tank battles rules ;). But I would prefer to see the Bolt Action scale, it would look epic.
A good scenario would be, there is a battle damaged Tiger 1, the Germans want to recover it, and the allies want to capture it to gets its secrets. So your armoured force has to protect/ escort each sides ARV to recover the Tiger.
Guessing from the new tank battles rules coming out, there will be a video made of Warren’s 22 Stug’s vs Dave’s 22 Firefly’s cannot wait :).
Bolt Action just seems to be getting better and better.
Simple really … the three cardinal rules of @warzan
1) I drop models
2) I stick shit on the wrong way
3) I still love it and thinks it’s all kinds of awesome 😉
Alessio saying “super beast of doom” is my new ringtone. Two thumbs up!
I think this is an impossible question to answer, it all depends on the year and the country as they all used their tanks differently, the French had some great tanks in 1940 especially the Somua but was used badly strategically by the French so its full potential was never realised
a challenge AH , i challenge your 12 stuG with 4 jagdpanther 2 jagtiger ..!
yes i know i am cheating
Just you wait. JUST YOU WAIT. When I get back Im gonna bore you all to death with my freaky freaky tank brain! MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!! Not not really! But seriously itching to get an army built! Or two. Most likely two.
NO!! REALLY DO IT!!! I love listening to tank knowledge/trivia.
And only two? I see 4 that I will have to have. Brits, US, German, Russians. All for Tank Battles!!
Is it just me or does tank battles in 28mm seem pointless unless you have a sports hall to play in
Good idea
Sports hall booked – Check
Beer Ordered – Check
Good Times!
Getting Tanked up while playing with tanks umm like the sound of that as well.
You where looking for an event to host …..
Me tanks and beer is the best combo… On to my third Sherman now… Painting has been slow.
Also have to convert up three Stumi tanks which is more difficult than I thought
The first Airfix model I made circa 1965 was a Pzkpfw V Panther. The first tank unit I bought for FoW, Panthers. The first tank I bought for Bolt Action before I’d even read the rules a Panther. Guess boyhood impressions have stuck with me.
Damn! why am I at work so I can’t watch the video!
“Tanks & Beer” sounds like good manly fun or “Bolt Action Apocalypse”
Awesome stuff guys – are we going to get an Allies follow up? 🙂
My fav tank of the war…. Hummm I don’t know 😉
Though right now for Bolt Action it’s the Stumi as anything to do with Finland kicks all bottom.
But yeah 22 Fireflys/ Sherman V tanks is my dream in this scale though I’d want to have Dingos or Daimler’s to back them up.
If I lived in the UK, I would love to go up against your 22 stug’s, but my favorite tank of wwII is the Sherman
So what size formations are we looking at with the new tank battles supplement? As Bolt Action at the moment is roughly based around an infantry platoon, are looking at Troop level for the tanks or Squadron level? It was mentioned that if you use Infantry it has to be mechanised or at least some sort of motorised infantry.
I am liking the idea as my British infantry at the moment are based on a RB motor Bn, with a Cromwell and Firefly, so by adding a couple more Cromwell’s, ill have a Troop of tanks. I reckon a Jalopy might come in handy as well:). If the supplement is going to going to be Squadron level I could end up with a 28mm version of my FoW army lol.
The Comet might be a good tank to have in the future, hope Warlord bring the model out, it will help bring the British tanks on par with the late war US M26 Pershing.
I think this will had a whole new dimension to the game. I do think if there is going to be tank battles with more than a couple of tanks on each side the normal 6×4 table is not going to be big enough.because based on the gun of the tank you could just sit still and shoot at each other and win by attrition.
Achtung Panzer by Guderian is a good read
Tanks, don’t matter if they are good or bad, tanks will always be fun! The Stugs with their side armors always remember me of Star Wars Tie Fighters, maybe that’s why Warren loves them so much.
Wittman was most famous because of Villers-Bocage, but he was not the top scorer. Otto Carious and Kurt Knispel were among a bunch of equally famous and capable tank commanders, though for sheer balls, have a read about this guy – Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz, aka der Panzergraf.
Talking an entire battalion into surrendering – now that’s a great way to win a battle.
A little it of wee came out when I heard about the tank warfare rulebook.
I hope we get Lafayette Pool (obviously) and Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters (maybe the guy that killed Wittmann)
Awesome video, and for the sake of balance I don’t care if Warren can’t tell which way the tracks go on, this video and its predecessors have single-handedly turned me into a Bolt Action nut. My 8 year old daughter took one look at my freshly constructed Stug the other week and with wide eyes announced “I wanna paint THAT.” That just sums it up for me. With all respect to the ww2 experts, my first priority is fun and nothing conveys or inspires that better than two people with a real passion for the game and its possibilities unboxing some cool stuff! Thanks guys!
Good thing is I don’t think anyone else who frequents this site cares either which way Warren puts the tracks on.
Tank Warfare Rulebook!!!!, and my Desert Rats! JOY!!!!!!!
Great video Warren, always love seeing Alessio in the studio. He’s definitely one of my favorite guests.
Just got my assault on normandy box yesterday after getting hooked on the game from the demo you guys did. Now eagerly awaiting more videos on bolt action.
The tank battles sounds like a great addition to the game. I think where a tank game will shine at this scale will be a good use of terrain and support units. It’ll be no fun to just line up the tanks and shot each other till their dead. But through those same tanks in some boccage or city streets and things change. Should be good fun.
So many hilarious bits in this video 🙂
“It’s not a tank”
“semovente 75”
The panther was a great tank, but it didn’t share components like the Pz3 and Pz4 did, and it was expensive to make (it only looks smaller and cheaper, because the Tigers were such a monumentally bad strategic idea).
Well technically he is correct , the Italians used it as divisional artillery rather than an assault gun
Yes the Italians made full use of the turrets ability to spin round 180*.
The T34 is my favourite tank in all incarnations. And that’s for all time periods. Don’t know what it is but I just love Russian tanks and I was highly delighted when I picked a Warlord T34 up at a local games show at the weekend and it’s now built and receiving a battering on my painting table.
The T34 though, easy to fix, easy to drive, innovative in it’s sloped armour, the 85 could take down most things and there was a metric s**t tonne of them. The only negative point was the tactics of the Russian Army.
Visibility was poor, and only company commanders had radios, as well. Which I think (these two factors combined) had the biggest impact on the tactics.
Tanks are new and special weapon-newer than, as special, and certainly as valuable as the airplane.
Just seen on the Warlord site that they have got 20% off if you buy 3 or more Bolt Action Vehicles for the rest of the month, instead of the normal 10% discount.
http://www.warlordgames.com/huge-special-offer-wheels-of-steel-20-off/
So if you like the Warlord vehicles, a good time to buy 😉 .
Especially with the Bolt Action coverage coming up and new tank rules for the future.
Noooo…..I wish I didnt watch this video! Now I have to wait for several weeks before the new Bolt Action book comes out… Seriously though, Bolt Action is my favourite game of all time, its just brilliant! And of course Alessio is just awesome as well! Nice video and nice comments on the tanks.