MGs against Light Armor vehicles: is it possible?

[Stefano G.]

Hello...
According to: 10.1 HE, or High Explosive Firepower, may be used specifically against Light Armor vehicles...

So, an M-113 .50 caliber M2 machine gun (HE Range/FP/ToHit: 2/1/5) could punch any Light Armor target (like Bmp, M-3, Marder, etc etc)...but is a .50 cal Mg (or soviet Brdm-2 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun; HE Range/FP/ToHit: 2/1/5) really so effective against Bmp, Marder or M3 armor?

Honestly i can not answer it but i find it a bit exaggerated: whereas it looks fine that a Marder 20mm rapid fire cannon or a M3 Bradley 25mm are able to worry a thin-skinned vehicles, it seems very unlikely (IMHO) that less caliber MGs (such as M133 or Brdm-2 Mgs , for example) can damage Bmp, Marder or M3 armor.

I know that game is printed and it is near to be shipped and 99% is done but following optional rule could be easily added to reflect my observation:

10.1.1 (Opt.)
HE, or High Explosive Firepower, may be used against Light Armor vehicles only if its range is more than 2.
HE Firepower with a range of 2 or 1 can not be used against Light Armor vehicles.

What do you think about?


Edit:
i have had occasion to better verify M2 or KPVT efficacy: at 2 hexes range (300 meters) they are able to disabling most Soviet light armor indeed ( BMP, BTR, and BRDM series vehicles), so my observation was not so justified ...even if i doubt it's the same against Marder or Bradley frontal armor too.

 

[CRFout]

Heavy machine guns would indeed penetrate the armor of almost all lightly armored vehicles of that era. No necessarily from the front at longer ranges, but definitely from the sides and rear. As this game makes no distinction with regard to front/side/rear/top armor, the weapon abilities really do seem justified. (And this is a platoon level game, so you wouldn't be tracking the facing of every single vehicle anyway.)

Incidentally - a 7.62mm machine gun could penetrate T-72 side armor from up to about 100 meters, if you managed to sneak rounds in past the road wheels. Not that this was ever a truly viable tactic, except maybe in urban combat.