trekaddict - It's not a wrong RAC, more a work in progress. Admittedly Hobart doesn't realise it's a work in progress, but after a couple of large exercises (perhaps including some in the new Libyan training ground
) he soon will.
Carlstadt Boy - Nothing special, the Germans are perhaps a little light on Panzers (all those new BCs are eating up steel and IC after all) but nothing serious. The Japanese still believe the warrior spirit will conqueror all and as such is using the same Vickers Medium knock-offs for it's main tank with a smattering of tankettes for show. Honestly a not too shabby force in comparison at the moment, however there are no clever plans (or indeed any plans) to advance this.
Ciryandor - Is this a new class of porn? Tractor-porn? Has it come to this?
Sir Humphrey - It is hard to under-estimate how important these tractors will be, as the update will make clear when it comes, which may well be sooner than you think.
DonnieBaseball - There wasn't enough data and on the theoretical side men like Fuller (before he went mystic-fascist nuts) were pushing for very tank heavy forces. The weaknesses of armour just weren't appreciated, it was thought tanks would only need infantry support when stopped for re-arming and re-fuelling.
And I think you are wise to be wary of this tractor challenge, it's certainly surprised me.
Duritz - Glad you liked it, good things do come to those who wait.
Sir Humphrey - Yes there was theoretical work and it mostly said "More tanks!"
Kurt_Steiner - I can promise more tanks certainly, but I go no further. I dread to think what you call a 'real tank'!
KaiserMuffin - Not a chance on the MBT it's just too early. Even Ze Germanz at the time had the Pz III and Pz IV with very different roles. It's at least 5 years, more like 10, till everything comes together for a 'proper' MBT.
Karelian - Hadn't occurred to me but yes the French model is fairly close. Though on the plus side at least British tanks all have radios and will go on exercises, so that's two massive advantages for Britain before you even factor in natural coolness and the benefits of a proper diet.
And yes Hobart will be opened to a lot more 'specialised' variants than others, which is both good and bad. I suppose the real good point is he will have plenty of spare hulls to modify!
Incognitia - That was the main problem at the tactical level as well, too many cruiser tanks (supposed to fight enemy tanks and so with no HE) were charged at AT-guns. Fortunately that problem has already cropped up in North Africa so at least they're aware of the problem, which always helped.
C&D - Still fighting the brave fight for the US? I admire you tenacity.
ColonelIronboot - Then you will be in good company round here, though the boat and plane fans may disagree on which is actually the most popular tech porn.
Hell it looks like the tractor-porn club may even make a challenge for that title as well!
merrick - Glad you noticed the confusion for it was deliberate, this is the first groping towards large scale armoured units in the British Army and I figured they had to bugger it up; chancing onto the correct formation first time out would be too lucky. The big tension is going to come when someone asks "What's the difference between Deep Operations by an Armoured Division breaking through and raiding the enemy's rear and a Cavalry Division chasing down broken units?" At present the answer is 'Ummm.'
On the APC front the plan is Lloyd Carriers to begin with then probably something like a Kangaroo (or a similar conversion of an obsolete tank) in a few years when the infantry start asking for some actual armour to go with their mobility. But the Lloyd should be 'good enough' for a start, tracks should give decent off-road ability and it could do 30mph on road so it's fast enough.
For manuals I think the big delay while the Army gets the central ideas sorted works in the RAC's favour. It will essentially means nothing is going to get formalised till early 1938 which gives time for plenty of exercises and probably even enough time the tanks in the next update to make their mark.
Duritz - I have retained the element of surprise about the tanks? Excellent news!
I really don't see why a British manual shouldn't be as good as something written by that thieving pikey Guderian. Everyone knows a knock-off is never as good as the original.
More seriously there are now masses of light tanks just screaming to be used for tactical development and (crucially) money to exercise with and a senior officer interested in development. All Hobo needs is time.
Sir Humphrey - Long term it probably will be a tank-conversion for the first 'proper' (i.e. armoured) APC, short term an OTL Lloyd Carrier could carry an 8 man section plus crew so is the perfect tactical size.
Now of course long term you'll need bigger APCs (not only to carry more sections but to allow the sections to grow to add a Bren-equivalent to each unit) but in the short term it'll do as a damned good start.
And definitely not the L4E1, no more of those damned MG only very light tanks that could be taken out with a short burst from a Vickers!
Davout - Merrick has indeed spotted the many flaws with Hobo's first plan. We must therefore be thankful that it is his first plan and he will have a chance to revise it.
TheExecuter - Once the tanks are (temporarily) done we shall see another large flock of butterflies appear over Europe when we go to Spain (election result allowing), a different SCW has to change military thinking but I confess to not having fully worked out how!
KiMaSa - Excellent news you are making an AAR return and with a South Atlantic naval dust up as a bonus, they're always epic if only for the distances involved.
trekaddict/
trekaddict - Speaking personally I found the flag more offensive than the ship, but that may just be me.
Le Jones - Now that is a really pointless cost cutting move, but then that's the nature of Labour 'cuts', it's never the paper pushers who go but always the useful and the traditional. Still not long now hopefully. :fingers crossed:
KiMaSa - I just wonder how the State Department would have reacted if we hadn't been an ally for sixty years.
Duritz - Your resisting the lure of the tractors? Full marks for your willpower, many of the men of tanks have given in to the call of Ferguson!
Nathan Madien - Alas it is both Spain and Tractors by the looks of things, Landon is on course to lose out to hot ploughing action.....
Davout - A fine plea for sanity. And another vital tractor vote.
Votes
---
Spain - 23
US - 9
Tractors - 13
Durry's outstanding spa... voting keeps Spain well in front while the wholesale defection of the men of tanks to the tractor cause means the US falls further behind, though still within striking range.
As the tank update has now been started (don't get your hopes up too much, but it is at least under way) voting will soon(ish) be closing.
