RE: How to kill a <grav> tank :)

John spake thusly upon matters weighty: 
> You have to remember that tanks have support (infantry, engineers and
> arty) for a reason.  Each arm supports the other arms.  Tanks are good
> but I don't know about american drills but in canadian drills if there
> is a chance that infantry are to be encountered the commander orders
his
> infantry to dismount to check it out.  My point is the infantry are
> there to take out opposing infantry.

I think this doctrine might have something to do with the expendable 
nature of infantry vis a vis armour. Besides, a buttoned up tank 
can't observe as well and can probably be killed by some dedicated 
foot sloggers who have the right kit. So it makes sense to send the 
grunts out against other grunts. 

I believe the description of the Infanteer job I was taught was "To 
Close With And Destroy The Enemy". 

Each arm of the service has a purpose. Without good use of combined 
arms, a multi-arm force is just a disorganized cluster****. A well 
oiled team lead by someone who understands combined arms deployments 
can be far more effective than a greater number of poorly lead and 
organized forces. Combined arms is a force multiplier. Too often, in 
games, many gamers miss the opportunities to harness the combined 
arms effects and so don't really achieve the results they could. (Of 
course, I could say the same of some formation commanders I've 
seen....).
  
> It is nice to picture Sgt York running up to a tank and taking it out.
> But that tank has machine guns, it has smoke dischargers (white
> phosphorus), it can move and it probably has other tanks around it
than
> can support it.  The tank commander can even call down fire on his
> position.

Sure. And it's co-ax can only point in one direction, and if the tank 
commander hatch-up firing his MG, he'd better be immune to sniper 
fire. And with only 3 or 4 crew, your average tank can't be looking 
everywhere at once. And I might say that if a small force of infantry 
can force a tank to move, to pop smoke and hide, or to use arty calls 
for nothing much, then they've more than paid for themselves. And 
this assumes they don't have ATGMs or IAVRs.  

I spent a lot of times with guys in armoured recce (in canada, that 
means bombardier jeeps and binocs) and they all seemed to enjoy the 
tank killing excercises they executed while dismounted. Now sure, 
killing a tank is a risky proposition - but a lone tank with no 
supporting infantry that is hunkered down somewhere is running a real 
risk. Even poorly equipped infantry can be a threat if any of the 
tank crew are dumb enough to stick a head out. 

> I know I could take out a tank with a sachel charge but then again I'm
> not the average infanteer ;-)

Heh. Sounds like John has just the spirit the army likes in 
Infanteers - high morale, and a belief in their own capabilities. You 
should be working recruiting John.... :)

Tom.  
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