Who would win in a fight on a coast (on paved roads) between 100 production models of the Ratte tank and one Yamato class battleship? No movement is allowed, no other units are allowed, both sides never break down, and both sides are fully loaded with ammunition. The distance is a Yamato class battleship’s point blank range. Yamato can fire it’s broadside. So basically it is a massive gun duel between both sides, until one side is destroyed. If the Ratte tanks lose, how many Ratte tanks would it take to beat down the Yamato? Thank you!
2nd of Battle of El Alamein
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@ABWorsham:
From my readings on this battle the axis minefields were heavy in anti-tank mines and low on anti-personal mines for the ‘devil gardens’.
I’d imagine that an effective minefield would require a mixture of both types of mines. In principle, a minefield composed entirely of anti-tank mines could be safely crossed by infantry (whose low weight wouldn’t be enough to set them off), while a minefield composed entirely of anti-personnel mines could be safely crossed by tanks (which would not be damaged by the small blast and primarily fragmentation effect of anti-personnel mines). A mixed minefield poses a threat to both troops and tanks, and thus requires tedious manual clearing by troops using – if one is limited to 1941-vintage technology – mine detectors and/or the old technique of prodding the ground with bayonets, as we see in the classic movie Desert Victory. This was before the development of flail tanks (used on D-Day), or better yet the Mine Clearing Line Charge (which I was surprised to learn is a concept which dates all the way back to 1944).
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I remember reading that Rommel had several hundred rigged 500 & 1000lb bombs traps in his ‘devil garden’, however most if these did not survive the heavy British bombardment.
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Wow… a 5 way tie!
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@ABWorsham:
I remember reading that Rommel had several hundred rigged 500 & 1000lb bombs traps in his ‘devil garden’, however most if these did not survive the heavy British bombardment.
I understood it was a massive artillery barrage, which took its toll on the defending Axis troops, their guns and their vehicles.
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Supply is the one main thing, to do that Malta would have needed to get sunk, or better control of the Med
Great question keep them comming -
Mastery of the air!
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Mastery of the Sea! (AKA Supply!)
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I found from so reading that the Italian’s best, and only, real answer to British armor was a scraped together weapon system. They took a 102mm rapid fire naval gun and mounted the gun on a heavy Fiat truck, this made an great heavy anti-tank gun. Although it was soft skin vehicle it packed a punch.
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Don´t think any of these options could beat the 8th army, although the tigers and/or marders could make a difference.
Monty had very high casulties, only won because he had a superior number of tanks.
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The way I see it:
-two additional German trained Italian Infantry Divisions would be of no use because fully equuipped and trained they have been comming to late to make an excessive change.-
the addition of another Panzer Division would be one of the best solutions but only FULLY equipped and along with two Pantergrenadier Reg.
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the addition of a Panzer- Grenadier-Division to the theater would be of no good use without a few Panzer Regiments.
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the addition of a company of new Tiger tanks and an anti tank Marder company would be a good add- on but require Panzer Grenadier Regs as well.
-200,000 additional anti personal mines would be good if you consider to keep what you got and def thinking about a Defensive Strategy.
-none of these options are enough to beat back the 8th Army <- The 8th Army was good but not to strong to beat the Germans. I think if the DAK would have had more then the rare Supply shipped over the Med. Sea, then the Brit. 8th would have had a hard time to beat back the Germans.
Under the line: Tanks and Grennys are the optimal choice of mine and I can see Rommel doing a good job with it!
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