Rethinking Israeli stats and rules

A little extra research has seen me revise the stats and special rules for Israeli tanks, but I haven't playtested to look at points balance yet.

Sh’ot Kal	155	Tracked	13	6	2	105mm gun, coax MG, 0.50” AAMG, Protected Ammo,Semi Indirect Fire, Rangefinder, Hull down, unflappable, stabilisers
105mm tank gun		100cm	2	17	2+	Smoke
MAGACH 3	140	Tracked	13	7	1	105mm gun, AAHMG, coax MG, Rangefinder, Wide track, burns easily, hull down, unflappable
105mm tank gun		100cm	2	17	2+	Smoke

First up, stabilisers are removed. From what I can tell, the Israeli tanks did not have stabilisers at all. So out they go. This significantly reduces the mobility of the Israelis. So what then, did the Israelis manage to do well in the Yom Kippur War? Well, they were actually best on the defensive in hull down positions, so I've added a hull down rule.

Hull Down
tanks with Hull down are able to conceal themselves particularly well, so as well as being concealed for using a reverse slope, they also give a -1 to the enemy's firepower rating.

I could have made it an extra +1 to hit, but that means that the Egyptians and Syrians would not even be able to hit the Israelis from distance or on the move (+1 for hen and Chicks, +1 for concealed is already a 6 to hit against veterans), and I don't think that that is a fair reflection. A large number of Israeli tanks were destroyed whilst in hull down positions, although I think artillery had a big say in this. By altering the firepower rating it gives the Israelis greater survivability - more chance of a penetration becoming a bail. I think that this is a pretty good result.

'Umm - I hope we count as hull down here?'

The Magach 3 had flammable hydraulics at the front of the tank which made it burn easily. So it loses protected ammo and gains the burns easily rule.

Burns Easily
Enemy players can reroll their firepower rolls if they fail to bail or penetrate the Magach 3.

As the firepower on a T-55 is 2+ it effectively means rerolling '1's.

I've also added in unflappable (reroll platoon morale), wide tracks (for the Magach) and rangefinders (no +1 to hit at long range). All of this means that when the Israelis are hull down in firing positions at a distance they are at a huge advantage over the enemy- just like in the actual war. It also means that there is now a significant difference between taking a Sho't Kal and a Magach. I'm not sure if the points adjustment is quite right, but I will playtest this soon.

Nate

Edit: On further reading of Simon Dunstan's book Centurion vs T-55, it would appear that the Centurion was indeed built with stabilisers. So I've modified the above table and included them. If someone can tell me that the Magach was fitted with them too, that would be great.