Re: [DS] Why tank destroyers?

Roger Books wrote:
> 
> On  5-Sep-01 at 16:28, Damond Walker (dwalker@syncreticsoft.com)
wrote:
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> >
> > > What is the advantage of a tank destroyer over using
> > > a tank for the same purpose?
> > >
> >
> > In Real Life (tm) tank destroyers are normally cheaper than tanks...
> > Put a TOW on a  M-113 and you have a tank destroyer...how many of
these
> > 113s could you get for the cost of one M1?
> 
> That's what I wanted to know.  It bothered me because it looks like
> a tanks main purpose in life is to destroy other tanks, so why a
> different vehicle for destroying tanks?

For what it's worth, you might want to ponder if a tank's main
purpose in life *is* to destroy other tanks. Reductio ad absurdum
would lead to solving the problem of the enemy's tanks... by
simply not bringing any tanks for them to shoot at, which would
dramatically devalue their expensive tank fleet.

Tanks started off life in WWI by being infantry-crushing monsters
which were as invulnerable to artillery and infantry weapons as
technology then allowed. Has this really changed?

> >From the other responses I take it that justification is a little
> harder in DS?

Fixed mounts consume less space than turrets, thus potentially
more/larger weapons or extra systems.

-- 
David Brewer

"It is foolishness and endless trouble to cast a stone at every