Discussion about WW2/North African campaign

[unrealalex]

Does anyone know at what distance the tanks engaged each other in the desert war?
And how were the 88's aimed at tanks accurately?

The whole campaign is very interesting I watched a few documentaries on the Military channel.
Though I couldn't understand why the allies couldn't go around Rommel's El Alamein line by sea and went head on.

[Technoelite]

it did depend on the type of tank in most cases the UK and Commonwealth Tanks only had Anti tank rounds no shaped charge round (aka Heat) this meant the tanks had to get really close, to deal with the 88's plus reason they didnt go around it was the depresion to the south, and the fact that the UK at the time didnt have the resources, to conduct an operation untill really lend lease act really came into affect. (there a quick summary for you)

[unrealalex]

Originally Posted by Technoelite

it did depend on the type of tank in most cases the UK and Commonwealth Tanks only had Anti tank rounds no shaped charge round (aka Heat) this meant the tanks had to get really close, to deal with the 88's plus reason they didnt go around it was the depresion to the south, and the fact that the UK at the time didnt have the resources, to conduct an operation untill really lend lease act really came into affect. (there a quick summary for you)

I know about the depression to the south but they had the meditaranean to the north, and Brits had air superiority, so why didnt they just go by sea? I guess lack of resources, there could be no other reason.

[[R-MOD]Bob_Marley]

Originally Posted by unrealalex

I know about the depression to the south but they had the meditaranean to the north, and Brits had air superiority, so why didnt they just go by sea? I guess lack of resources, there could be no other reason.

Landings on hostile beaches are difficult. Then after you've landed you have to keep your troops supplied by sea without a proper port until you've captured one (the only port in Nothern Eygpt that could have supported this sort of activity would have been Alexandria or Port Said as far as I am aware). Think about all the issues with the Allied campagin in Normandy. Now add onto that no mullbury harbours for the Germans, the Air superiority held by the Desert Airforce, the Royal Navy and RAF based on Malta causing all sorts of havoc with the supply ships and you've got yourself a right old mess. As well as this, removing sufficent forces from the German and Italian troops commited to the Africa campagin would have severley weakend the Axis' ability to protect Italian assets in Lybia (which was the whole aim of the African campagin)

Real life isn't Empire Total War.

[dead fish12345]

My great uncle was with the Afrikacorps he was a tank commander on a panzerIVF2 then later switched to a tiger . He got wounded and went home, later to go to the eastern front when his wounds healed. He had a tiger then too.

[unrealalex]

Originally Posted by dead fish12345

My great uncle was with the Afrikacorps he was a tank commander on a panzerIVF2 then later switched to a tiger . He got wounded and went home, later to go to the eastern front when his wounds healed. He had a tiger then too.

wow awesome. does your family have any like medals or anything? those are real treasures now-a-days.

[dead fish12345]

I think my uncle has the tank pennant and i think a wound badge but im not shure if its his. my family lived in Konigsburg East Prussia and almost everything they had was lost when they all had to evacuate and run from the Russians. They were on one of the last trains out.my grandmother told me a story of when the British bombed the city and after the bombing they could see a red glow of the city burning in the night. later they went into the city and in the church was hundreds of bodies all lined up burned, she said you coulden't tell they were people how bad the burns were. later they went to berlin ( not a good place to be bombing always ) and went to Bavaria. my grandmother saw and yelled at Patton when he drove by.
My grandmother had 3 brothers 1 was a fallschirmjager another worked with Wernher von Braunn to make V-2 rockets and the other the tank commander. Amazingly all my family survived the war and stayed together.

p.s. excuse my spelling im realy tired lol !

[SkaterCrush]

I'd reckon the 88's would be useful, you could put it in cracks it can't be flanked, although it might only be useful once because I think it would bring up a dust cloud after the first shot

[KingLorre]

Originally Posted by unrealalex

Does anyone know at what distance the tanks engaged each other in the desert war?
And how were the 88's aimed at tanks accurately?

The whole campaign is very interesting I watched a few documentaries on the Military channel.
Though I couldn't understand why the allies couldn't go around Rommel's El Alamein line by sea and went head on.

Well Rommel found out back in france that 88's where very good in taking down tanks, when he was attacked by the British expeditionary force close to Calais, he would have lost thar if it wasnt for the 88's.

So when the germans got to Africa they had a pretty good idea of how to use the 88 to its full capicity, using a shield to protect the crew, and having a sight for use on ground targets. next to that the range on it was so good for its time that Brit tanks had to get in reall close to take one out. (especialy in the start with those crusaders.)

[ekempey]

The Liberation Trilogy by bestselling author Rick Atkinson

These are some great books about the campaigns in Africa and Italy from the POV of both sides. I highly recommend these books.