What exactly are tanks good for?


  • @Flashman:

    In my next game I will move tank production forward:

    UK can build tanks turn 2, they go into action turn 3 (1916)

    Everyone else can copy the technology and build tanks turn 3, into action turn 4 (1917)

    It sounds like the Allies already have the advantage in this game, why do you want to make the advantage a little bigger?


  • @BJCard:

    @Flashman:

    In my next game I will move tank production forward:

    UK can build tanks turn 2, they go into action turn 3 (1916)

    Everyone else can copy the technology and build tanks turn 3, into action turn 4 (1917)

    It sounds like the Allies already have the advantage in this game, why do you want to make the advantage a little bigger?

    From turn 3 on you can use black German Infantry of AA40 to simulate stormtroopers with steelhelmets that attack on 3


  • On turn 30  you can Use German tiger tanks to represent the superior German technology


  • @italiansarecoming:

    On turn 30  you can Use German tiger tanks to represent the superior German technology

    On turn 100 the US gets the Atomic Bomb and by default wins the game, so the CPs are on the clock!>


  • @Imperious:

    They negate hits on your units

    Thats it - but I ran the numbers through a lil simulation - 2 infantry are better even if one is lost immediately…


  • Not all units are supposed to be equal.

    Just make them move 2 spaces. Changing the battle board makes the game more messed up.

    Moving faster is a value or changing it so the tank soaks up two infantry ( in some cases, depends on where the infantry are in the battleboard)

  • Customizer

    I would avoid making them move 2 at all costs…it makes absolutely no historical sense, as infantry could outpace tanks while walking…(that’s when the tanks would actually run)

    Either making them cheaper or making them soak up more hits is your best bet.


  • @ossel:

    I would avoid making them move 2 at all costs…it makes absolutely no historical sense, as infantry could outpace tanks while walking…(that’s when the tanks would actually run)

    Either making them cheaper or making them soak up more hits is your best bet.

    Or allow them to attack at a 3 with air superiority?


  • Well to me these “tanks” are also armored cars and anything motorized, since the game has no pieces for them.

    In the Great War, nations did have armored cars grouped into large units.

    This mobility should be modeled.

    http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=452


  • What if, once you reached a threshold number of tanks on attack (say 3) you can make combat last an extra round.  Or for every 3 tanks on attack you can make it last an extra round each.  This would symbolize the tanks ability to make a breakthrough when amassed.


  • That would be an interesting rule that meshes with the level of complexity already in the system.  It could be as simple as “If attacker has more tanks than defender, attacker can choose to fight an extra round” or something similar.

  • Customizer

    @Cyprian:

    What if, once you reached a threshold number of tanks on attack (say 3) you can make combat last an extra round.  Or for every 3 tanks on attack you can make it last an extra round each.  This would symbolize the tanks ability to make a breakthrough when amassed.

    Awesome idea. This would make them absolutely essential for breaking through those late game stacks.

  • Customizer

    It is a neat idea.

    My preference (if tanks are indeed under powered) is simply to have each artillery promote an infantry and a tank.

    Thank goodness tanks don’t deflect hits from artillery when coming ashore, they’d soon become “beach assault buggies”.


  • @Richter:

    @Imperious:

    They negate hits on your units

    Thats it - but I ran the numbers through a lil simulation - 2 infantry are better even if one is lost immediately…

    Tanks actually pay for themselves after two rounds, from round 3 on, an initial purchase of 1 tank is better than an initial purchase of 2 infantry and the advantage increases each subsequent round.  Now this only applies if you are on the offense, if your capital is being threatened, go with the infantry since the tank doesn’t absorb a hit on defense.


  • I view them as front line reinforcements every round that you attack with them.

    If you attack with 6 armor, and don’t lose them, next round your move your new units in, and low and behold, there are 6 armor still there, permitting another round of attack….again if you don’t lose them, you have effectively gained 12 units on the front line.

    If you buy tanks, and then don’t do attacks, you are wasting money. Especially given there terrible defense when compared to 2 defending infantry.


  • I think the tanks are an investment - not good when you buy them , but paying off later - if there IS a later ;) - I will have to try them some day and watch how long they last - if their army is destoyed within a 1-2 turns they are nor worth it, from turn three they start to pay - Not sure if they also reduce the number of infantry you need - as absorbing hits you need less infantry to “protect” arty and planes from becoming casualties.


  • I think you touched on it right there.  Tanks are an investment, but they also need to be used in the right situation.  I foresee them being best used on the western front where you have large stacks of infantry with both sides getting constant reinforcements.  Also, the tank to infantry ratio during a battle should be pretty low since they don’t defend well, you are inviting a counterattack.  The tank is a complimentary unit, not a primary unit.


  • @BJCard:

    I thought a tank can soak up 1 infantry hit-  if there are 3 tanks and 1 infantry, it only soaks up 1 hit since there is 1 infantry?

    I had to go look this up too. From page 19 of the rulebook:

    Step 4. Defending Units Fire

    The defender, following the same basic system as the attacker, rolls all his or her dice and places any dice that scored a hit on your side of the battle board.

    However, attacking (but not defending) tanks have a special ability to absorb hits.  You, as the attacker, reduce the number of hits scored against you by the number of tanks you have in the battle (to a minimum of zero).  For each tank you have, you remove one die that scored a hit from your side of the battle board.

    Each tank cancels one hit. Since the tank cancels a hit before it is applied, it doesn’t matter where the now cancelled hit would have been applied. So your 3 tank, 1 infantry force would cancel 3 hits. If your opponent rolled 2 hits, both would be cancelled.

    It’s all this 2 inf vs. 1 tank talk that’s messing with our minds. :-)


  • Yeah, they soak up a hit period, but if you are going around with one infantry and a bunch of tanks, you will get destroyed on the counterattack.


  • The absorbing hits is the only good thing i think,  if it cost 4 instead of 6, then it would be more worth it.  or at least make it a 3/1 or 3/2 by default.

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