Quote:
Originally Posted by Triple C
During Patton's campaign in Lorraine the US Army had about 2:1 superiority in the number of infantry, 2.5:1 in guns, 20:1 in tanks. I can see how having a greater number of panthers would be useful, considering the latter's longer operational raidius and formidable combat power in its own right.
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Hi Triple C,
I have impression that West European theatre had much smaller distances which allowed Germans have higher effect from their heavy tanks in DEFENSE even under heavy air attacks. However with alies having air dominance - fuel deliveries were rare - in attacks German heavy armor was less efficient.
Indeed, in Eastern Front bad road infrustructure and frontline which last for THOUSANDS OF MILES did not let fast relocation of heavy tank formations. Hence once a much lighter T-34 armies encircled them though weaker parts in the front, they could not move long distance to attack enemy's flanks.... you are tanker and you know - every tank has some autonomity... but without fuel/ammounition supplies it is just matter of time when its crew would have to abandon it.
What I read is that thanks to Ford Trucks, T-34 equipped tank armies had MUCH higher mobility and autonomity.
For example in 1945 Soviet tank armies has broke through more than 1,600km into Jappanese army's rears!!! More that 100km per day... and that were THOUSANDS of tanks. That is AMAZING logistical achievement.
Could an army equipped with heavy Tigers have done such a raid?