Different use for the allied AT?

[Turtle]

I always thought it odd that the allied AT didn't have armor piercing rounds loaded by default, even though it's supposed to kill armored targets. I found that I usually have to use the AP rounds to deal with german tank groups, leading to a huge expenditure of munitions just to do what the AT gun is supposed to in the first place.

The gun itself has a narrower angle of attack than the german equivalent, making it more easily flanked.

This got me thinking about a different ability to give the allied AT gun instead of the odd AP round ability.

How about some sort of critical hit ability that knocks off the treads on the enemy tank, requiring a short repair time from engineers to get the enemy tank moving again?

This ability would cost munitions for a single critical hit, and the effect would keep the target tank within the gun's narrow attack cone.

This ability could be combined with other units and tactics for some interesting combined arms tactics in game. For example, an AT gun could critically hit the lead tanks in a tank group moving down a street lined by buildings. The lead tanks stop, blocking traffic for the other tanks, creating a road block that could then be exploited by things like artillery strikes, or infantry and tanks moving in on the flank.

What do you think?

[NovaBurn]

Check this out:
http://efour4ever.com/57mm.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_QF_6_pounder

Gives a bit of information on the M-1 57mm AT that the allies used in the war. It's not exactly meant to have "destroy the tank in the first hit" capabilites, but provide addition fire support that should weaken the tanks and let either infantry with sticky bombs or other tanks to come in and take out the tank in its damaged state.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

The AP ability basically is a critical hit capability. Destroying the engine would be a duplication of the sticky bomb though.

[Turtle]

The problem is that the AP ability usually just causes more damage to be one. The ability I'm proposing gives the gun a very high chance of causing an effect that hinders the tank temporarily, but only causes the normal amount of damage.

This would help play into the allied focus on combined arms.

[TheLoneKnight]

I find that Allied AT guns are usually good for both taking down tanks (especially with penetrator rounds) as well as discouraging enemy infantry from getting too close to your position. They're big obvious guns that are designed to make your opponent nervous. That they can take out the occasional infantry unit only makes them handier and I've never minded the munitions cost. I find even one AT gun loading penetrators can make an Axis tank column think twice about moving in that direction.

And because they're so obvious, you could even use them lure the Axis into a trap - like say a mined road with rangers skulking behind the buildings - as he tries to flank them. :D

[naradaman]

AT guns are good for getting squads out of buildings.

I find that Allied AT guns are usually good for both taking down tanks (especially with penetrator rounds) as well as discouraging enemy infantry from getting too close to your position. They're big obvious guns that are designed to make your opponent nervous. That they can take out the occasional infantry unit only makes them handier and I've never minded the munitions cost. This is funny because infantry are nearly the only way to kill AT guns! I know I never shirk at running men past to shoot their behind, unless there's flakpanzers there ;)

[Bobacanoosh]

Ah, but if you can pin those troops with an mg, then the at gun can hurt them fairly bad