Campaign to bring back ARMOURED CARS!!!

[krieger11b]

Armored cars might look cool and somewhat battle ready, but they were not meant for intentionally engaging the enemy, it was to give them some defense to cover a retreat if engaged.

 

[Gamer_1745]

but they were not meant for intentionally engaging the enemy

I would disagree. They were meant to replace horses in the recon role and the pursuit role. When you have a retreating enemy you want to keep their rear engaged (in combat). It is very true the heavy horse role of breakthrough went to the tanks and armored cars are not meant to engage well prepared enemies, just recon them.

 

[LostinSpice]

So is there any design or functional difference between the two aside from the tracks? Because if there isn't then they're effectively the same as light tanks on HoI level.
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Edit:
@LostinSpice What do you think is the fundamental difference between AC and LArm in HoI?

Sorry, I missed this question.

The fundamental difference in HOI4 between AC and LArm is function.

LArm will be in combat battalions of 60 tanks, so there could be hundreds of them in a division. There's no way Podcat is going to allow 10 battalions to impact on the recon value of the division, it would be too unbalancing and negates the need for a recon unit. So until MArm is researched LArm will fill the combat role of an armoured division.

Whereas you get one recon battalion per division. Whatever is in it the function of this unit is reconnaissance. They have a limited combat value but assist with movement (enhanced by blitzkrieg doctrines) and defense (elastic defense?). Plus if your recon is better, or gets the jump on the enemy you get to attack first!

Now I'm easy to accept trucks, mech, tanks or AC in a recon unit. I just feel something needs to be produced as recon tends to be a very vehicle based unit and having three tiers makes it really important to this game. Otherwise your tier 3 recon would be very similar to your enemy's tier 3 recon in a game that oozes flavour.

Of course, I could be wrong...has happened...occasionally.

 

[Dadoz]

Light armor variant cant bè used to make combat battalion of armored car? Some armored car are just faster light armor whit almost the same weapon end weight.

 

[TheRomanRuler]

Light armor variant cant bè used to make combat battalion of armored car? Some armored car are just faster light armor whit almost the same weapon end weight.

Don`t have tracks tough. Can`t go off-road in 1940s.

 

[LostinSpice]

As AC epitomize the role of reconnaissance they should be what the game represents a generic recon unit with. LArm would be ok too but in game AC should fly the flag for recon units.

 

[mvm900]

Armored Cars were important to early war Germany since they were forbidden to produce tanks under the Versailes Treaty. The first armored vehicles they made were armored cars, in fact (This I only have one source on, a book on armored vehicles. Other research I've made seems to indicate this as well. be sure to tell me if I'm wrong, though!). Armored cars are, in WWII, filled a number of different roles. IFV, APC, recon, cargo and later armored cars even had small tank cannons. Some, like the SdKfz 234, had bigger tank cannons than others. Able to take down tanks if needed. Also it depends if you count half tracks as armored cars or want to lump the two together into some other way.

In the end, armored cars were in WWII and lasted the entire war being upgraded by various nations. Even if it wasn't through the entire war, they were in it and this is a game about WWII so they should be represented. The fact that they were used throughout should make them more important as well.

 

[LostinSpice]

Yep, totally agree with you. Some ideas I had previously...

I see recon in game as;

Recon 1. As is now. A generic unit of horses, motorcycles and trucks.

Recon 2. Again a generic unit but now with an attachment of armoured cars. Intended for armoured or favoured divisions.

Recon 3. Again generic unit, now with heavy armoured cars and several light tanks.

This structure would be good as it gives diversity, acknowledges armoured cars are only part of a recon unit and gives light tanks a new role later in the game. Remember, light tanks in a normal battalion won't be in a recon role so won't give any bonuses in this regard.

Also, you can pick which recon type (once researched) you want in a division template.

Another possible thought is if recon has something to produce it can be lend leased.