SdKfz 251 variants

[sander]

Well, I'm sure the 251/20 with an infrared searchlight would be great for night battles. But then we'd need the Panther with the FG1250 IR Scope. Then people would complain because the Russians would have no chance at all...

Remember that the Germans were using IR scopes as far back as 1934, and used them in combat in limited numbers back in 1939. But it wasn't until 1944 that they started getting serious about it. But like so many of the incedible technological advances they made, by the time they decided to get serious about using it, it was too late to make enough of a difference.

That map in FH with all kinds of IR weapons/tanks was great.

 

[Rak]

I'd say first look at the production numbers, see how it looks by the main version and then think about adding it. I don't want to see anything it in-game if it hardly appeared in combat . . .

 

[Nyu]

the stummel. would be good for an infantry support vehicle on maps without tanks.

 

[M_W]

For night combats it could be cool to have arty flares to light up the night...although Ive only see that in LOMAC.

 

[CrazyThumbs]

I voted for the 37mm pak version. It would prove useful against the UC, clown car and T-60 in early war maps. But so would the Stummel, and now that I think about it, I would prefer to have the stummel over the 37mm pak.

 

[Teufel Hund]

I'd say first look at the production numbers, see how it looks by the main version and then think about adding it. I don't want to see anything it in-game if it hardly appeared in combat . . .

I agree, which is one of the reasons I picked the variants I did for this poll.

I found some production numbers on the 251/21, not sure how accurate it is but the number I got was 268.

The 251/10 was a platoon leader's vehicle. As such I'm sure it would be the most common variant. After that the 251/2 and 251/9 would be the next most common. Followed lastly by the 251/22.

 

[Zoring]

They should add a PTRD to the Clown Coffin and then give the Germans the Sdkfz/10 with the 37mm, the coffin is more meanuverable and has a weaker gun while the Half track is slower but has a more powerful gun (Neither of which could penetrate from the front though so it's pretty balanced.)

 

[Richard_B.]

SdKfz. 251/9 would be the best.
It would be able to fight against the Clown Car and T-60 on maps without heavier tanks, while a HE shell loadout would make it effective in an infantry support role.
Would also be pretty ballanced - 20mm gun(or DT-MG) in 360

 

[Teufel Hund]

They should add a PTRD to the Clown Coffin and then give the Germans the Sdkfz/10 with the 37mm, the coffin is more meanuverable and has a weaker gun while the Half track is slower but has a more powerful gun (Neither of which could penetrate from the front though so it's pretty balanced.)

The 3.7cm PaK 36 is certainly able to penetrate the 10mm front armor of the universal carrier. Loaded with the Pzgr.40, it can penetrate the frontal armor on the T-34 at 100m. If firing the Stielgranate 41, it can penetrate the frontal armor of any allied tank out to 300m (actually, max range was more like 800m. But with a velocity of only 110 m/s it wasn't too accurate past 300m).

Don't underestimate the Door Knocker.

 

[sander]

the stummel. would be good for an infantry support vehicle on maps without tanks.

I agree, the stummel is my fav. 251 version.

 

[Teufel Hund]

Was hoping one of the devs would jump and tell us how likely we are to see any of the 251 variants anytime soon...

 

[18Bravo]

I'm not exactly sure about this, I'm taking the idea from a close combat game, preferably russian front, but didn't the halftracks and some german tanks have a panzerbusche 39 or that german AT rifle built into the vehicles?

 

[Vonreuter]

The mortar of course... I'd love to see mortars in this game, and if they can't be dragged around, then at least we could have vehicles with mortars.

 

[karhuwaari]

75mm L/24 would be most useful and logical so Stummel is the way to go!

 

[SchutzeSepp]

I'm not exactly sure about this, I'm taking the idea from a close combat game, preferably russian front, but didn't the halftracks and some german tanks have a panzerbusche 39 or that german AT rifle built into the vehicles?

i think you are right, im more familiar with the "invasion normandy cc5" where there was a 251 command halftrack with 1 mg42 and a panzerbushe AT-rifle, wich was verry effective against other halftracks, armore cars and stuart tanks

 

[Teufel Hund]

I'm not exactly sure about this, I'm taking the idea from a close combat game, preferably russian front, but didn't the halftracks and some german tanks have a panzerbusche 39 or that german AT rifle built into the vehicles?

The 251/10 was sometimes equipped with the sPzB 41 instead of the PaK 36. But it's my understanding that the PaK 36 version was far more comon.

The Schwere Panzerbusche 41 was classified by the Germans as a Heavy Anti-Tank Rifle. Even though it's really more of a small AT Gun...

 

[BSE|Vietcong]

It would only make sense to add the 75mm Stummel or L/46 Pak. The first as simple infantry support (-> hedgehog), the other one could be usefull on tank maps, ambushing small Russian troops.

However one should not forget balancing alltogether. The Russians would need more tanks then (either a new one or simply greater numbers on all maps).

 

[Teufel Hund]

I don't really agree with this whole concept of one side gets something, so the other side must as well. I'm far more interested in historical accuracy. The 251 variants would be ideal for use in a combined arms map for infantry support. I can picture a German infantry platoon attacking an objective supported by a 251/9. In such a scenario there's really no need to give the Russians any vehicle at all. Balance doesn't mean that each side must be the same. Sure the Russians would need an AT Rifle to give them a chance. But I think that would be a reasonably fair map. The 251/9 would help to off set the advantage the Russians would have for defending.

 

[Richard_B.]

An early version of the StuG III with the short 75mm barrel would also be nice...

 

[BSE|Vietcong]

You didn't read my post. I don't want a soviet clowncar with a light howitzer, I just mean that you cannot add a Sdkfz with a 7.5cm Pak and give the Russians nothing. On a map like Arad, this would unbalance everything, so either the Russians must get a better position, more tanks or a new vehicle.