(06-15-2012, 12:17 AM)J6A Wrote: Well, ATRs were designed in a time when tank armor wasn't as thick. IIRC, they were mostly relegated to trying to knock out treads and immobilize all but the lightest tanks. So, using them mostly to supply crossfire bonuses makes sense to me.
The PTRS-41 and other Soviet ATRs are interesting guns, especially whe it comes to wargaming. The games, and many gamers seem to discount them as ineffective and obsolete, but I wonder about this given two facts:
1. The Germans feared them. They fear them so much that they launched a major survivability program to defeat the B32 14.5mm AP-T round. This program resulted I the Schuerzen armor which was mild steel plates designed to protect the weaker side armor of tanks and assault guns. The armor blunted the B32 and, importantly, caused it to yaw, thus making it less likely to penetrate the main armor. The B32 was notorious for yawning. I should say "is" nor options as it is stillin service today. The Schuerzen did not come onto German tanks until 1943, so the round was still a threat mid-war. I employed right, it could kill tanks from the side and rear. Even the Panther had Schuerzen to protect an area vulnerable to the ATR.
2. The Soviets kept this weapon in frontline service up until the end of the war. There had to be a reason as to why. Again, it was the threat this weapon gave to the Mk IV tank and STug III to the sides and rear. those vehicles were mainstays the German Army right to the bitter end.
I got to fire one of these rigles about 10 years ago. What a hoot!
