Tanks buttoned up or not?

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JoelOC
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Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2019 2:14 pm

Tanks buttoned up or not?

Post by JoelOC »

Just in the process of building another Sherman to add to my British armour, so far all my tanks are buttoned up, I was curious if it would be going against the setting to have a tank commander coming out of the hatch. I have read that being buttoned up throughout the entirety of combat was inefficient but of course tank commanders popping out of tanks were key targets, but you all will have a far better knowledge of the subject. What do you guys think?
Munin
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Re: Tanks buttoned up or not?

Post by Munin »

You could just subscribe to my special brand of madness and magnetize your tanks such that they can have either depending on the situation. Beware, though - once you start magnetizing things, it's hard to stop.
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Truscott Trotter
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Re: Tanks buttoned up or not?

Post by Truscott Trotter »

I make as many of mine unbuttoned as I have suitable tank commander models..

Tanks were unbuttoned more often than they were buttoned......unless you is Russian
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oozeboss
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Re: Tanks buttoned up or not?

Post by oozeboss »

What? Russians preferred zips to buttons?
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Ham and Jam
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Re: Tanks buttoned up or not?

Post by Ham and Jam »

Howdy,

Unless there is a chance of arty, mortars, or CBRN, the hatch is usually open. The trade off of having better SA vs. being shot, its better to know whats going on around you. Unlike how miniature companies produce CCs standing tall in the turret and looking pretty for a sniper your head is usually tucked down low with not much more then your nose and above showing. Having said that, almost all of the CCs in my tanks are standing high in the turret just because us tankers are lofty fellows hahah

Hope it helps,

Ham and Jam
Painting and pushing little chaps around the table winning wars

Wargaming on Vancouver Island - https://spqvi.com/
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Seret
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Re: Tanks buttoned up or not?

Post by Seret »

I tend to go for buttoned, although If I've got three or more of them (and so might need to show a SL) I do one head out just as a gaming aid.

In practice staying head out was at the commander's discretion (except as mentioned for Soviets), but I've always taken the view that this is a tank that has known enemy dismounts within 200m and there's already lead flying. It would take a bold TC to be as sticky-outy as most of the miniatures show them. I have seen some folk chop them down to "eyeballs over the cupola" level which is a lot more realistic.
OzRecon63
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Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 1:25 pm

Re: Tanks buttoned up or not?

Post by OzRecon63 »

Usually only use "unbuttoned vehicles" for either troop leaders or scout vehicles.
I would presume that it'll come down to individual aesthetics rather than a game mechanic/game rule that needs to be followed.
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