RE: Maus? [TANKS]

["Steve Tyng" <SteveT44-at-comcast.net>]

Paul wrote:

> Said vehicle could retain all 
> the advantage of the "original vehicle" without disadvantage. 
> Thick armor = more hits to kill, huge gun = more ammunition. 
> The tendency would then be to build the largest, most 
> heavily armored and armed vehicle you can find at a much 
> smaller scale, say 1/12th.

Maybe I'm dense but I don't follow your logic here.  The rules are only
loosely based on actual capability of vehicle armor and firepower so I don't
see an advantage of building a Mause or any other giant and scaling it down
to three feet for an advantage.

> AND, I simply cannot believe that you think I'll buy off on 
> the idea that it's just as easy to hit a 36" X 14" target as 
> a 72" X 28" one.  It flies in the face of logic.

I don't see any logic in someone who hasn't participated in a battle
contradicting a statement made by an experienced veteran regarding any issue
of this hobby.  On the topic of hitting smaller targets and the statement
made, logic would dictate that since what you believe to be correct was
contradicted by someone with direct experience that you probably don't have
all the datum on the subject.  In this case hitting another vehicle is more
dependant on operator experience, skill, and the fineness of his control
system.  Of course size could make a difference but it hasn't proven to be
an advantage yet.  The smallest operating vehicle currently is the Hetzer
(and one of the fastest) and it is often the one most killed.

> I don't want to start a fight.  I just think that 1/6th scale 
> is the way to go.  We could capture many of the advantages of 
> these vehicles while expressing some of the disadvantages.  I 
> think this would allow for more variety, otherwise maybe I'll 
> just give up on my BT-7 and build a Mause too.

More variety? Again I'm not following you here.  If we go to a strict 1:6
scale rule and base capability on the original.  What I see is most people
building modern MBT's (best armor, most firepower).  To me, modern MBT's all
look the same and they have basically the same protection and firepower,
very short in the variety department IMHO.  Also, the net effect is that all
tanks would be the same in size and performance, and that it will be
operator skill that will ultimately make a difference (something the current
rule set achieves already ;-).


Steve Tyng