“Tank” Platoon full of of Motorcycle with Machine-gun Sidecar?

[Nanashi]

A platoon of five “Motorcycle with Machine-gun sidecar” is only 230 points (with the network) and four is 190. Each has a MMG (which benefits from Hitler’s Buzzsaw), and recce. Is this actually a viable inclusion in a German list or are the limitations of being in a soft-skin wheeled vehicle too much?

[Nat]

Depends what else is in your list, if its a single platoon, the terrain, the mission, & your opponenets list….etc etc

TBH for all round I’d look at using one of the units from duel in the sun/ fall of france where you can run multiples either in a single unit or as multiples in a single slot

[SteveT]

It is within the rules, as far as I can see,  since they count as “Armoured Cars” for slot purposes. I have already bought lots of bikes myself with the aim of trying something just like this one day.

However, as Nat said, so much depends on other factors. If the scenario is about kills and you are facing off against an enemy tanks(s), then you are going to need some serious AT backup… what if you have to cross minefields  or the enemy are in bunkers, is it night, lots of forest, and so on.

I think they would be ideal for “get off the board” missions.  Having the command network bonus might be good, but I suspect they are going to explode a lot and so it won’t be so much of a bonus as first seems(!).  I was thinking four of them is good, then leaving the 5th slot for the biggest tank I could afford.

What are you thinking of adding to them?

 

[Nanashi]

I was thinking more along the lines of adding the five as a separate platoon and using it as merely an accessory to a main platoon for the order dice and mobile machine gun nests. It would defiantly need heavy armor and artillery support, but it would be in alternative to small infantry groups with 2 LMGs than an armored force in its own right.

Actually, speaking of tank platoons: Do Tank Riders count tanks as “transport vehicles” for the purpose of the “In addition to the above the Armoured Platoon must include enough transport vehicles and/or tows (either soft-skin or armoured) to transport all models in the infantry and artillery units in the platoon” special rule for tank platoons?

[Nat]

Yes… It’s in the faq under..it might be under the Russian tank riders

[Nanashi]

I don’t see it specifically addressed, though it does call the tanks “Transport Vehicles”. That’s as part of the question, though it doesn’t mention that being wrong.

[Stuart Harrison]

@ SteveT – “Having the command network bonus might be good, ” – If you mean Radio Networks, they’re useless to soft skins.  Tank War, p13, Radio Networks, Armoured Platoon Commander, first para, second sentence – “The Radio Network adds one to the Command Vehicle’s morale bonus when adding it’s bonus to any armoured vehicle that form part of that platoon.” (my bold).

[SteveT]

To be honest, Stuart,  I am not entirely sure on that ruling since there might be some ambiguity in the meaning of “armoured vehicle”  The armed motorcycle counts as being an “armoured car” in terms of its slot and also its entry in the German forces books under ” Armoured Cars” (albeit with no armour  :p ). But yes, radios in bikes in 1940. But no matter, it would be still be a fun platoon to paint up and play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nat]

I’d say there’s no ambiguity:

Rules state an armoured vehicle is anything with a DV of 7+ or more
The armoured car slot is just that, a list building device

[Stuart Harrison]

SteveT – if you try that reasoning, be prepared for your opponent to claim side, rear and top armour penetration modifiers when shooting at it.  Soft skins ignore those penetration modifiers by virtue of not being ‘armoured vehicles’.

I’m with Nat – the slot a soft skin is in for selection can’t change it into an armoured vehicle.  That’s already defined by it’s damage value.

[Paul Nettle]

I run a “tank” platoon of four BMWs with sidecars as a “Recce” platoon.  In the campaign system I run they don’t have to fear tanks becuase they can retreat without a fight.

 

• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Paul Nettle.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by Paul Nettle.

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