Friday, March 30, 2012

Battleground Weird WWII: Schwerer Panzerspähwagen (6-Rad) SdKfz 231, SdKfz 232 & Schwerer Panzerfunkwagen (6-Rad) SdKfz 263

SdKfz 231

SdKfz 232

SdKfz 263

Notes:  These heavy armored cars were in essence a 6x4 truck chassis fitted with an armored body and turret.  Be sure to pic up the core Battleground WWII rules and get to Blitzing Western Europe already!
Date Introduced:  SdKfz 231 (Late '32), SdKfz 232 (Mid '33) & SdKfz 263 (Early '37)
Users:  Germany
Vehicle Chart:  We use the SdKfz 232 8-wheeled vehicle chart from the Crusade for Empire supplement and just modify it where needed.
Crew:  The SdKfz 231 and 232 has a crew of 4 (commander, gunner, driver& asst. driver/radio op.) and the SdKfz 263 has a crew of 5 (commander, x2 radio ops. & 2 drivers).
Reverse Drive:  All these armored cars are capable of driving forward and reverse at its full speed.  There is a forward and rear transmission and driver's position in each vehicle that allows the crew to get out of trouble as fast as it got into it.  Either driver can take over driving at the beginning of any subsequent action where the other driver has stopped the vehicle.  It is not possible for the drivers to control the vehicle in the same action or for the vehicle to move both forward and reverse in the same action.  The vehicle must come to a halt before the other driver takes control.  If one of the drivers are disabled or their position it unmanned, the other driver may only move half the vehicles normal speed in that direction like any other vehicle.
Cross-Country Performance:  Because of the poor cross-country performance of the vehicle it will be at a +1 to all Bog Checks in rough terrain.
Snow Chains:  Snow chains were fitted to the tires of vehicles to help them better grip onto icy surfaces.  If a vehicle has snow chains then it will receive a -1 bonus to any Bog Checks made on icy or snowy roads.  Availability is a 10 or less on any front.
Pistol Ports:  Each model had various pistol ports found in the turret or hull that allowed the crew to use their personnel weapons against enemy infantry within the safety of the vehicle's armor.  The crew may fire their pistol or machine pistol out of a pistol port by using an action in doing so.  All pistol ports have a 90-degree fire arc and will always suffer a 1/2 To Hit penalty.  Note that prone infantry 1" away from the vehicle cannot be hit by fire from these ports and infantry within 2" will receive partial tank cover from fire from the pistol port.  Use the WYSIWYG rules to determine locations.
SdKfz 263:  The SdKfz 263 is fitted with a single MG13 mounted in the turret and fitted with extra radio equipment.
Rear Area Use:  These vehicles were replaced by their 8-wheeled cousins in 1940 and would end up in various rear area security and police units from then on.  Any police, anti-partisan or security units may have up to D4 vehicles if post '40.
Wargaming Piece:  I'm not sure if there are any kits or toys of these in 1/48 or 1/50 so if you find one let me know.

           Wt   Sz   HF   TF   HS   TS   HR   TR   HT   TT   Sd   Ld   TR   Ty   Smk   HMG   CMG   AAMG   Gun   AP   APCR   HEAT   HE   HE Size
*1         7     M    2     2      2      2      2      2     1     1    15   -----   N   AC    -----    -----    LMG     -----    20LAC 11      -----      -----      -----     -----
*2         7     M    2     2      2      2      2      2     1     1    15   -----   N   AC    -----    -----    LMG     -----    20LAC 11      -----      -----      -----     -----
*3         7     M    2     2      2      2      2      2     1     1    15   -----   N   AC    -----    -----     -----      -----    LMG    ---      -----      -----      -----     -----
*1-SdKfz 231/*2-SdKfz 232/*3-SdKfz 263

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