tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post4259889712319525678..comments2024-03-20T11:41:56.776-04:00Comments on Tank Archives: SPG FeedbackPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09622237223229485503noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-28251683633657033752021-04-25T12:29:11.190-04:002021-04-25T12:29:11.190-04:00In offensive operations, the role of the SUs was t...In offensive operations, the role of the SUs was to provide overwatching fire from positions under cover behind the advancing Red Army forces. When an AT gun, or a German SPG or tank revealed its position by opening fire on the advancing Red Army infantry and tanks, then the SUs supporting would in turn "ambush the ambusher" by opening fire on them. This tactical usage is precisely why the later ISU-122 turned out to be such a deadly enemy of German Tigers; due to its combination of potency and opportunity due its usage role.<br /><br />But this tactic won't work if your gun is not accurate enough to hit the "ambusher" in short order. Well, maybe for immobile AT guns it doesn't matter much, but if your SUs guns require 3 or 4 shots to hit their target, then the German tank or SPG will duck back under its own cover and the opportunity for a kill will be lost. All that you would have accomplished is to reveal the positions of the SU guns. <br /><br />This wasn't a problem for the ISU-122, as the A-19 had very good accuracy; but the ML-30 and ML-20 were less accurate. Ergo, I would think a range of 500-1000 meters for the SU-122 and 1000-1500 for the SU-152 would be better. As for armor protection, the SU-152 was pretty well protected to at least the ubiquitous Pak40 beyond 1000 meters (though not from more potent KwK36 and Kwk42 guns) but recall that both SU types should be engaging from under cover; not just sitting out there in the open waiting to be blasted.Stewart Millenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01261690405884935161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-24699139738650840192021-04-22T18:55:54.664-04:002021-04-22T18:55:54.664-04:00As noted, even at 2500m they only needed three sho...As noted, even at 2500m they only needed three shots to kill. In tanks without rangefinders it was common to shoot one shot low, one high, and then hit on the third. And as the report also mentions, using them just behind or even ahead of tank battalions, at the front line, forces them into a tank role they cannot fulfill as well as a true tank due to their guns inflexibility.<br /><br />Their armour would also prove much more favourable at such ranges while possessing guns that had no problem against enemy armour themselves.RRDNissehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18431890564344275638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-68960314393474513252021-04-21T09:57:33.428-04:002021-04-21T09:57:33.428-04:00I'm a bit surprised at the suggested firing ra...I'm a bit surprised at the suggested firing ranges for the SU-152 (2000 meters) and the SU-122 (1000-1500 meters) for offensive operations. I would have thought due to the lower velocity of these guns coupled with the limited ammo supply (i.e., you can't afford to waste ammo on misses) would have dictated ranges 500 meters closer.Stewart Millenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01261690405884935161noreply@blogger.com