With the addition of Multi-Vehicle SAM Systems, Multi-Vehicle Heavy AA with Fire-Control is another possible aspect. As such i would like to suggest the Kommandogerät auf Fahrgestell VOMAG 7 OR 660 or also named Flak Messtruppkraftwagen. (This is just about the Kommandogerät on the vehicle, not the Radar, as it was (to my knowlege) not on any self propelled chassis or trailer operated.
This however isnt a real suggestion, as its only either by shouting or wire connection, which isnt in game and as such cant yet be suggested. As such i post it here as an informal post, that maybe some day still finds its way into the game.
Here also an obligatory poll, just to see the players feedback:
- Yes
- No
There are already vehicles in game, that could get an advantage, a propper AA effect with a lead marker and automatic fuze setting. The main 3 vehicles currently in game are the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl., VFW (8,8 cm Flak 41 L/74) and the 7,62 cm Yak Truck.
Why would this vehicle be awesome in game? People love big guns and using them in their intended role would be awesome and effective, especially if you encounter an Pe-8 that is flying outside the range of your 37 and 40mm AA guns.
The feature has you control a the Systems vehicle and you can spawn up to 2 SAM vehicles.
However for the Heavy AA/AT vehicles already in game it would be better to add this as a spawnable vehicle as well as this as a primary AA vehicle (with kills counting as a AA vehicle)
That they stay as TD vehicles, and get the option to spawn a vehicle with the Fire-Control module, giving them a lead marker and automatic fuze setting.
Leaving them as TD allows them to still easily be used in their TD role and finishing Daily/Special tasks.
And the Fire-Control vehicle could then still be added as a own AA vehicle (counting torwards AA kills) with the feature of spawing up to 2 Heavy AA vehicles.
Here i would like to suggest it, both as lonestanding vehicle with either the option to spawn a 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl. 18 ton (already in game) or the Selbstfahrlafette auf Fahrgestell VOMAG 7 OR 660 mit 8.8 cm Flak (Early and Late) - The Real Flakbus which is the same vehicle, but with the 8,8 cm Flak where this vehicle has the Kommandogerät.
But also many other guns, 8,8, 10,5 and 12,8 cm that could be implemented with this vehicle, pulled by an Sd.Kfz.7-9 and emplaced for maximum firepower.
Pictures: (of Kommandogerät and Radar) (Click to show)
For germany, mainly 2 Fire-Control systems are possible. Technically a 3rd is already in game on the 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl. but without function in game as well as that was only an auxillary system.
These are the Kommandogerät 36 and 40. The 36 is a mostly mechanical hand operated fire control unit, with a range finder and other mesuring instruments, targeting an aircraft or group, mesuring flight direction, height speed, wind, air and calculating the lead and fuze to let the shells explode at the aircraft. This system was mostly crew hand operated and the collected data was then either shouted to the gun crews or told to them via telephone wire. The gun crews then aimed the guns to the data.
These are the Kommandogerät 36 and 40.
The Kommandogerät 36 is a mostly mechanical hand operated fire control unit, with a range finder and other mesuring instruments, targeting an aircraft or group, mesuring flight direction, height speed, wind, air and calculating the lead and fuze to let the shells explode at the aircraft.
The information transfer of the Kommandogerät 36 is from crew to crew, either by shouting or by telephone. The Kommandogerät Crew reads the data and the Gun crew manually use them.
In game both would be advantagous, as the Kommandogerät 36 could be used for pretty much all heavy AA guns, including older models such as the 7,5 cm Flak 16 n.A. L/36, which was also self propelled on the KD-I as well as overall the general information could be used with all guns, that have the ballistic calculation available.
The Kommandogerät 40 is the same, however more advanced, mostly electically and can even be directly connected to the guns and fuze setter to let them aim combined automatically. This was then connected to the guns by with a 4 wire cabel.
By the manual, it was possible to connect it to all guns. "Das Kommandogerät ist für jedes Geschütz durch Einbau der Kurvenkörper für die entsprechende Ballistik verwendbar. With the Kommandogerät 40 for more modern guns such as the 8,8 cm Flak 18/36/37, 10,5 and 12,8 cm Flak the Kommandogerät 40 is directly connected to the guns by wire overall meaning reduced operators mistakes.
For the ease of explaining how the transfer works im simply gonna quote US Intelligence Report:
"Transmission of data to guns*.—The gun data thus obtained (in terms of firing azimuth, quadrant elevation, and fuze) are normally transmitted electrically to the guns, in the following manner: each of the three receiver dials at the gun (i.e., for firing azimuth, quadrant elevation, and fuze) is provided with three mechanical pointers pivoted at the center of the dial. There are three concentric circles on the dial, each with 10 holes numbered from 0 to 9, each hole being fitted with an electric bulb. The outer circle represents units; the center, tens; and the inner, hundreds. The appropriate bulbs light up in accordance with the data transmitted from the Kommandogerät. The actual value of the reading is different for each dial, the unit (i.e., on the outer circle) in each instance having the following values:
Azimuth receiver _ _ _ _ _ 0.36°
Elevation receiver _ _ _ _ _ 0.10°
Fuze receiver _ _ _ _ _ 0.5 (of the German system of fuze range)"
The Dials and devices are even modeled in game:
Dials and devices for the input on the gun, including fuze setter:(click to show)
Compared to historic photos:
While they were usually used as stationary, they were also mounted on some trucks such as the VOMAG 7 OR 660 or also simply on its main trailer (Sd.Ah.52).
More on the Vehicle itself: (While for more info i suggest taking a look at the Suggestion of DMYEugen here about the 8,8 cm Flak armed Bus
It was made by the German automobile manufacturer by the name of Vogtlandische Maschinenfabric AG (VOMAG). It was a successful producer of Trucks and busses. With initial success of a civilian Bus with an 150 PS engine an improved modernized model was developed 1935, it featured a more streamlined design, 160 PS engine and a new top speed of 90 km/h. While initially for the postal service and transport, the vehicle was also equipped with the 8,8 cm Flak 18 and 36/37 initally for AA work. For that it was also combined with this vehicle equipped with the Kommandogerät 40 as a more compact vehicle as otherwise the Kommandogerät would be transported by Sd.Ah.52 which would requre further setting up as well as an external power source of 36 Volt and for puffer as well as for charging a 1,5 KW and 50 Volts source to that.
Later on the vehicles with 8,8 cm Flak changed role from AA to AT vehicle, being revised with gunshields and other modifications.
With the 8,8 cm Br.Schrap.Gr we would also have a sort of Incendary AHEAD round.
Stats to the vehicle:
Armarment:
None, its only the carrier vehicle of the Kommandogerät (Firecontrol systems) (Either Kommandohilfsgerät 35, Kommandogerät 36 or 40)
HOWEVER it retains the ammo racks, to increase the batteries ammo reserves additionally the last vehicle of each company was used as a reserve vehicle. Without armament, it was used by the batteries to transport spare parts and ammunition and to tow the battery radar, the FuMG 39T “Würzburg C” , or, from 1942 onwards, the FuMG 39T “Würzburg D”.
Dimensions:
10.29 x 2.52 x 2.85 m
Weight:
Less than 18900 kg (should be possible to calculate with the weight of the gun, mounting and Kommandogerät instead)
Armor:
10 mm around the ammo
Crew:
11
Ammunition:
72 rounds
Speed:
90 kmh
Engine:
VOMAG 6 R 3080 6-cylinder 160 PS at 1500 (or 1600) RPM
Source:
L.Dv.T 1352-1 Kommandogerät 40 Beschreibung, Theorie und Arbeitsweise
Werner Müller: Horchgeräte, Kommandogeräte und Scheinwerfer der schweren Flak, Waffenarsenal
Die Geschütze, Ortungs- und Feuerleitgeräte der schweren Flak, Edition Dörfler
Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung Koblenz, Beschreibung des Kommandogeräts 40, Inventarnummer 6287, Stand 2022
German Antiaircraft Artillery, Military Intelligence Service, Special Series 10, Feb. 1943