Bazooka/Panzerschrek vs infantry units?

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  • December 20, 2020 at 4:10 pm #183535
    David Glerum
    Participant

    Good evening fellow tabletop warriors,

    I have recently purchased a number of units both for the US Airborne and the German Heer, boosting my Band of Brothers starter.
    Amongst them are a bazooka team for the US and a Panzerschrek team for Germany.

    I have read the rulebook(v2) front to back. port to starboard, but I find no mention of using heavy weapons such as Bazooka’s against infantry units.
    I would imagine however that an entrenched enemy would make a prime target for just such a weapon,
    Especially when any hard-shelled problem has already been taken care of.

    To the learned of the battle tomes; Would someone shed their light, or rather, point out my oblivousness to a clearly stated rule?

    Thanks in advance,
    David

    December 20, 2020 at 9:26 pm #183536
    Jacob Carter
    Participant

    I think it’s mainly because irl the rockets used by those weapons are shaped charges where most of the explosion is focused at the tip of the rocket.  These work by sending a jet of molten metal that is capable of penetrating armor at any range so long as you can hit the target.  I believe they have a small explosion radius so it’s not very good at taking out multiple infantry, though if you hit a guy dead on you would make a mess.

    December 21, 2020 at 12:22 am #183539
    Stuart Harrison
    Participant

    If you score a hit, one man dies on anything but a ‘1’ for the damage roll – there is no additional benefit from the overkill, no HE template.

    Basically you only do it if there isn’t a better target to get move value from all that pen.

    December 21, 2020 at 11:29 am #183540
    David Glerum
    Participant

    Thanks for your replies gents, I’ll take it into account!

     

    December 22, 2020 at 8:34 pm #183550
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Are you interested in Original Rules, Home Rules, or Real Life ??

    December 23, 2020 at 7:46 am #183552
    invisible officer
    Participant

    The one man killed rule is OK for most of these weapons.

    Panzerfaust 150 had in 45 an optional “Splitterring” that produced a rain of splinters but most had nothing like that. But the shaped charge effect produced splinters from stones and concrete so it was not nice to be in the area……….

    December 23, 2020 at 3:02 pm #183557
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    The Panzerschrek had a modified rifle grenade projectile which could be used against soft targets.  I don’t know if it was actually used.

    The bazooka had an M10 White Phosphorus smoke round.  The infantry quickly found it could be used against infantry and other soft targets.

    The light mortar and bazooka had about the same charge.  Home Rules could have the bazooka use the light mortar for damage but would also generate smoke.  Obviously it would be direct-fire.  Increase in points for the increased capability ???

    December 24, 2020 at 8:23 am #183563
    invisible officer
    Participant

    You do a common mistake. There was not just one Rifle grenade type. Wehrmacht even had a propaganda amo to send printed propaganda stuff to Allied trenches.

     

    The German AT Rifle Grenade was not the same as the HE anti infantry Rifle Grenade.   It was a shaped charge amo. The Raketen Panzer Büchse /  Panzerschreck amo was not just an enlarged AT Rifle Grenade and absolutely not a version of the HE one. .  Both AT amos are not designed to produce splinters  like the HE one.

    HE Rifle grenade “Gewehr Sprengranate”  had  a load of 31 g explosives.  The AT shaped charge one had 0,115 kg shaped explosive. In WW II 23.808.900 of these AT projectiles are made. Penetrating 70 mm but of little use against infantry.

    The shaped charge gives it energy to a point in front, the HE to all sides. With the body designed to fall into nasty splinters with HE the effect was totally different.

     

    The Splitterring mentioned for Panzerfaust in 1945 was an add on that had the HE effect. The Panzerschreck got no HE amo version.

     

     

    A problem was the sighting. Rifle grenades could be fired indirect, usimg the sight. Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck had no sighting aids for that. To hit in in center of an infantry group you would have to be on an elevated place. But not in a house, the back blast comes back from walls behind you, burning your a..  .

     

    PIAT was sometimes used indirect with limited hitting chance.

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