Half-tracks are worse than any other vehicle off or on road

[axytho]

- They get stuck in the smallest ditches

- They are slower than the biggest tanks/APC's

- The gunner can't defend himself even if the halftrack is pointed the correct way. The K/D of all halftrack gunners must be less than 0.1


Using them is suicide for an entire squad.

[InfantryGamer42]

Using them is suicide for an entire squad.

Main thing that you get whit half-track is decent mobility (this is Normandy, so yeah not great in general), ammo, ability to request kits and pretty sure permanent rally point when dropped next to HT (did not try this). In general, you do not bring HT for its firepower, but for its utility.

[axytho]

Main thing that you get whit half-track is decent mobility (this is Normandy, so yeah not great in general), ammo, ability to request kits and pretty sure permanent rally point when dropped next to HT (did not try this). In general, you do not bring HT for its firepower, but for its utility.

It has no utility beyond getting you killed and being a big warning sign to the enemy that you are coming. (I have no problem with VAB's and BRDM-2 supports for example, because at least they're somewhat quiet, fast and low-profile).

Not having firepower wouldn't be a problem if at least it was as fast as a transport truck and didn't get stuck in every ditch.

At the end of every game, Carentan and Brecourt are littered with half-tracks that deviated a tiny bit from the main road. Check any tracker:

http://gammagroup.wtf/trackers/index.ht ... 128.PRdemo

I'm just randomly picking these from http://gammagroup.wtf/br/main/tracker/

http://gammagroup.wtf/trackers/index.ht ... 128.PRdemo


1) The only time that a half-track leaves main is when all transport trucks have left, and there's absolutely no alternative.

2) Whenever the halftrack arrives, it either gets abandoned, stuck or killed (as opposed to transport trucks, which usually get reused, and almost never get stuck).


If the half-track happened to be a mistake of a vehicle that was terrible at everything, this would be ok because it would be realistic.

But half-tracks were great vehicles! The reason they are not used is the mechanical complexity of maintaining them. They could drive at over 50 km/h ([1] and [2]) and were much BETTER at driving through rough country than transport trucks.

[1] https://www.nationalww2museum.org/visit ... half-track

[2] https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi ... anomag.php

[Coalz101]

1) The only time that a half-track leaves main is when all transport trucks have left, and there's absolutely no alternative.

2) Whenever the halftrack arrives, it either gets abandoned, stuck or killed (as opposed to transport trucks, which usually get reused, and almost never get stuck).

I would use Half tracks more if they werent soo slow and require a crew man kit to drive. I'm pretty sure theres no need to have a crewman kit for just an armoured truck with tracks for rear wheels. Mind you that this thing is worse than most vehicles that require crewman kit. The only thing its good for is getting free ammo by requesting kits whilst defending other than that I'd rather have them removed and get a kubelwagen over it.


Note:
Another way to get people to use those half tracks is to probably make a mortar version of it or an AA version other than that, it can kiss my ***

[InfantryGamer42]

I would use Half tracks more if they werent soo slow and require a crew man kit to drive. I'm pretty sure theres no need to have a crewman kit for just an armored truck with tracks for rear wheels.

Eliminating crewman kit as requirement for HT driver would be nice buff for beginning and it would maybe make people rethink HT as more useful vehicle.

Another way to get people to use those half tracks is to probably make a mortar version of it or an AA version other than that, it can kiss my ***

For special HTs, crewman kit should stay as requirement.

[axytho]

Eliminating crewman kit as requirement for HT driver would be nice buff for beginning and it would maybe make people rethink HT as more useful vehicle.

The crewman kit isn't really the problem though. In fact, if the crewman kit gets eliminated, what you'll probably see is a lot of people soloing the half track as if it were a motorbike and using it for personal transport, because no one will yell at you for taking it.

What's really necessary is making the half-track faster than the transport truck (i.e. giving it its real life speed), and making it better off-road than all other vehicles (it should certainly be better than the Greyhound.

"The M8 Greyhound's excellent on-road mobility made it a great supportive element in the advancing American and British armored columns. It was marginal off-road, especially in mud."

In other words: the Greyhound should get the half track's current speed off-road, and the american half track should get the greyhound's speed both on and off-road.

(I know that off-road isn't a thing in project reality, but what I mean is that the greyhound should get stuck in the smallest ditch in the same way that the half-track currently gets stuck, while the half-track should really be able to climb any hill)

[BRZbruh]

If they had the 360 turret like it was supposed to it would have been 100% better.

[InfantryGamer42]

If they had the 360 turret like it was supposed to it would have been 100% better.

SdKfz 251 did not. I am not sure if all versions of M5 had 360* mg.

[=-=kittykiller2]

right now its only redeeming quality is you can request kits, its speed needs a serious looking into. it was made for off road. if this was bombing around offering kits it would be harder to hit and fill a niche roll, a light apc, similar to shit box . like a guy said earlier if it was this much of a lame duck it would have been well documented

[InfantryGamer42]

right now its only redeeming quality is you can request kits, its speed needs a serious looking into. it was made for off road. if this was bombing around offering kits it would be harder to hit and fill a niche roll, a light apc, similar to shit box . like a guy said earlier if it was this much of a lame duck it would have been well documented

Thing is, you need to look they way both were used. M5 HT transported INF to point of contact, after that it was not rare for INF to leave M5 behand whit only driver, who would man HMG. From what I read, it was not even uncommon for driver to leave M5 behand and take Bazooka carried in vehicle to reinforce squad whit AT ability. Germans on other hand, whit there SdKfz 251 fought from APC itself.

Off road ability of HT was better compared to trucks, but it was not something more impressive. Point is, for SdKfz 251, DEVs would need to find way for hole crew to effectively engage enemy from inside of vehicle whit there weapons. On other hand, M5 seams right in big picture.

[axytho]

Thing is, you need to look they way both were used. M5 HT transported INF to point of contact, after that it was not rare for INF to leave M5 behand whit only driver, who would man HMG. From what I read, it was not even uncommon for driver to leave M5 behand and take Bazooka carried in vehicle to reinforce squad whit AT ability. Germans on other hand, whit there SdKfz 251 fought from APC itself.

Off road ability of HT was better compared to trucks, but it was not something more impressive. Point is, for SdKfz 251, DEVs would need to find way for hole crew to effectively engage enemy from inside of vehicle whit there weapons. On other hand, M5 seams right in big picture.

Yes ok, but that's no different from how a VAB or M113 gets used in PR. The VAB won't get stuck in a 1 m depression though. A 1m depression that the transport truck simply flies over.

[InfantryGamer42]

Yes ok, but that's no different from how a VAB or M113 gets used in PR. The VAB won't get stuck in a 1 m depression though. A 1m depression that the transport truck simply flies over.

But there is no real difference (except M5 HT is worst from hole group bcs of its mobility). After starting deployment and there destruction it is not rare to see all VABs and M113s in the main, because many players do not know how to properly use them and would rather take transport helicopter or even walk.

[axytho]

But there is no real difference (except M5 HT is worst from hole group bcs of its mobility). After starting deployment and there destruction it is not rear to see all VABs and M113s in the main, because many players do not know how to properly use them and would rather take transport helicopter or even walk.

Yes, but at least the VAB's could have been used successfully. With the halftrack, you might as well give up from the start. People still take the halftracks because it gives off WW2 vibes and it's better than nothing. The VAB's on the other hand are legitimately valued and taken before the transport trucks (as they should be).

As someone who quite likes using assets that everyone thinks are terrible, even I have to concede the half-track is truly useless. (And realistically, it shouldn't be).

[rogdozz]

Can we get a statement from DEVs why this hasn't been adressed yet? As far as I can see the consensus here is that it should at least get more speed, or does anyone disagree?

[BRZbruh]

I just want to shoot the .50 360 degrees

[Grump/Gump.45]

Can we get a statement from DEVs why this hasn't been adressed yet? As far as I can see the consensus here is that it should at least get more speed, or does anyone disagree?

Several things need to be changed in relation to damage hit box. The troop carrier back section of halftrack should give vehicle minimal damage from anti-tank strikes unless the hit lines up with engine block. Through and through the back should only harm the infantry.

Everything else is fine. It should be as it was in real life. The gun on the front requires tactics and a little bit of hope that they work to use.

[Mats391]

Half-Tracks are on the list of getting quality of life updates and hopefully will be improved soon

[Grump/Gump.45]

Reminder, half tracks are to be used exactly as follows along with any other known or creative use you can find for it. There is 3 speeds, Full speed holding W or S, 50% half speed +/- 20% tapping W or S. No speed or slow roll releasing W or S. Drive in reverse using the map and/or looking out of the back.

1. Kit requests

2. ammo

3. moving with armor, in view of your armor.

4. covering sound of your armor tanks

5. providing extra silhouette and dust trails in the same vicinity as your tanks to distract.

6. Kit requests of for mobile smoke screen specific role for infantry attacks

7. Aim MG42 or .50 cal at height of a man into areas of cover and concealment, sweep and double sweep. As if you were spraying for bugs, humanoid sized bugs. WW2 maps are mostly level terrain and bushes enemy hides behind.

8. Infantry can hop in the back using it as a transport gun truck, even request kits in the back. Now more safer than ever from team killing by riding vehicles as I demonstrate in Challenger II video, especially if you use the proper speed techniques as driver of tapping W/S or riding techniques as hop on passenger

9. Infantry dismounts into 1 man hit per tank shell spread around the half track, either crazy in the open with micro terrain cover to cover or appropriate use of larger terrain features along side other assets

10. Always look at the asset list, build the formation as follows APC + Halftracks + Tanks + Jeeps + Logi repair/supplies + CAS + Anti-air vehicles + Trans? + Infantry + Super FOB HMG/AT/AA + in view of the flags + in view of each other = Invincibility with 1 tank hit per Area Artillery Attack or CAS bomb spread.

Same for super FOBs, anti-artillery and CAS bomb spread, 200 meter build capability each direction of FOB, spread it wide so you don't lose everything in one spot.

[ismaelassassin]

damn right! that´s how you use them

[Grump/Gump.45]

You can also use half tracks to hide in when over turned or even just laying in the back. Of either your own half track or the enemies waiting for one of them to use it.

Note that the German halftrack once destroyed the back cannot be jumped into for cover, the American half track can be jumped into back of still when destroyed.

Please make it so the German half track can be used to jump in the back when destroyed.

I love how the half tracks eat the grenades thrown at me, except for the ones that land in the back.

When we jump into the back, I always try to have the .50 cal/MG42 manned then a 3rd machine gun kit riding in the bed of the half track crouched to fire out of the side.

Like an armored Vietnam gun truck made out of regular transport truck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruJw_nnVeLU