Quote:
(jimbotosome @ Feb 10 2006, 12:13 PM) [post=45559] If the American's couldn't get Shermans ashore because of the low tide and high waves at the time they attacked, then why would anyone think you could have gotten a behemoth like that ashore? It's range was only 80 yards so it can't suppress the enemy and it is therefore a sitting duck to the artillery and anti-tank fire or even Panzershreks. I don't see its benefit. I mean the Germans would have simply blown their tracks off and created an even bigger obstacle since they needn't fear it's ability to range them. Am I missing something here?
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Yes, you are missing something. The British used them and
they worked. Their descendants are still found today in the engineer components of armoured divisions.
The AVRE with the Petard mortar was basically a Churchill tank. They were not adapted for DD drive, so they landed via LCTs. Their role was to deliver a demolition charge to fortified positions and they were very effective in doing this. The British continued to use them to attack fortifications until the end of the war.