Most Feared Weapon System or Unit in Wargames

[Gusington]

Also this:

"Initially, anti-aircraft artillery guns of World War I were adaptations of existing medium-calibre weapons, mounted to allow fire at higher angles. By 1915, the German command realized that these are useless for anything beyond deterrence, even against the vulnerable balloons and slow-moving aircraft."

Further mucks up the 88's origin...

[LongBlade]

Howitzers don't (usually, anyway) require gunshields. For an AT gun, they're pretty common. Pesky infantry and coax MGs...

That was going to be my observation when I got to the end of the thread and if I hadn't seen it. :)

[sandman2575]

well, I learned something new about the 88 today. 

All this talk has me kinda itching to fire up ToW Kursk '43.  Too bad the 88 doesn't appear in the Achtung Panzer games, although the leFH 105 does, and is pretty cool. 

Although not too many games feature it (I hope it will show up in the new Company of Heroes), for my money the most "oh s**t" weapon I can think of in the WW2 context is the KV-2.  It's like the Frankenstein's Monster of tanks.  There's a fun scenario in Conflict of Heroes where you have to take one of these out, using only your pitiful array of Pz II's and III's. 

[LongBlade]

... and then there was the KwK36, which was mounted in the Tiger, just to muddy things up.  :D

IIRC the "36" in the KwK36 refers to the year of introduction, no?

[LongBlade]

well, I learned something new about the 88 today. 

All this talk has me kinda itching to fire up ToW Kursk '43.  Too bad the 88 doesn't appear in the Achtung Panzer games, although the leFH 105 does, and is pretty cool. 

Although not too many games feature it (I hope it will show up in the new Company of Heroes), for my money the most "oh s**t" weapon I can think of in the WW2 context is the KV-2.  It's like the Frankenstein's Monster of tanks.  There's a fun scenario in Conflict of Heroes where you have to take one of these out, using only your pitiful array of Pz II's and III's. 

In the Rock-Paper-Scissors of tactical wargaming, that's where I'd either reach for an 88 or a Stuka. Or some hearty Finns with Molotovs...

[Staggerwing]

... and then there was the KwK36, which was mounted in the Tiger, just to muddy things up.  :D

IIRC the "36" in the KwK36 refers to the year of introduction, no?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.8_cm_KwK_36
I believe it might refer to the year of development, but I could be wrong. It seems to be known as both the KwK36 and KwK43.

[Bison]

I thought I saw something like that in my last game of Battle Academy.

[Al]

The KV-2 was impressive looking if not the most effective.

[Bison]

Panzer Campaigns.  Excellent series Al.

[Gusington]

That KV-2 is crazy looking. It looks like a toll booth with a bad attitude and treads.

[Bison]

That KV-2 is crazy looking. It looks like a toll booth with a bad attitude and treads.

LMAFO!

[LongBlade]

That KV-2 is crazy looking. It looks like a toll booth with a bad attitude and treads.

Soviet-era art. Go figure.

[TheCommandTent]

Well I was going to say something about Tent's mine craft, but I held back.  :D

Hey I threw in a wargame weapon in that post as well.   :P

[FrontierCybrarian]

The most fantastic book I bought this past year for weapon comparison is:

Weapons of World War II: Compared & Contrasted, by Michael E. Haskew, published 2012
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Weapons-World-War-II/Michael-E-Haskew/9780785829256?id=5534974291409

It's a large 9"x12", 224pp full color book comparing Air Power, Armoured Fighting Vehicles, Artillery & Missiles, Naval Power, and Small Arms. Such areas as top speed, armament, caliber, rate of fire, distance, etc. are covered.

I paid twice the price as the link shown above and I still feel like I got a bargain. It's a downright beautiful and awesome book.

As to my vote for the most feared weapon it would have to be the Super Rail Gun 80cm Schwerer Gustav (1329 tons). A quote from page 127 of the book mentions, "At 800mm (31.5in), the type was the largest-caliber weapon in history to actually participate in combat and fired armour-piercing shells weighing 7100kg (15,653lb.)"

Unfortunately, right off I can't think of a true WW2 wargame having this particular railgun. Some member, smarter than I, can indicate which game(s) have railguns in them (not the sci-fi electromagnetic ones).

[Staggerwing]

Something that covers the siege of Sevastipol might include the Gustav.