The sIG 33

[Shank77]

I have only encountered one sIG 33 in battle since the game has been released. Does anybody still use it? If so how or why?

[Rick]

I have only encountered one sIG 33 in battle since the game has been released. Does anybody still use it? If so how or why?

Sure, I use it. But I only bring it out to 'play' on two conditions. First, it is an early war senario. Second, only after most of my opponent's anti-tank capacity is eliminated. The 'Blast' and 'Bombardment' SE make it great at taking out groups of infantry - such as those crowded around the objective hex.

In a basic unspecified game, no I generally don't use it. For 15 points, its the same as the Stug III which has better defense numbers and better AT capacity. At 22 points, the Burmbar is much better in defense, and the same AI with Blast and Bombardment.

Bottom line, the sIG has a great punch, but a glass jaw. It's a one hit wonder. It hits once, then gets hit in return and you wonder where it went after that!

[Tripwire]

I have only encountered one sIG 33 in battle since the game has been released. Does anybody still use it? If so how or why?

I use it the same way I use a Brummbar, but it is a lot more fragile.
If you play early war games, it is playable.
Send out your anti-tank units first to clear them out of the way, then move the sIG forward to attack your opponent's infantry.
Air cover can be important. too.

[Richter von Manthofen]

The sIG is an infantry support weapon and as such should be brought to attack infantry defence position.

i use it regularly in 1940 games and sometimes in 1941

A sucessful build was 3 Elite Pz IV + 1 Sig + INF (Wehrmacht Vets especially)

The Elites kept chasing a T34 while the sig picked off advancing Russian infantry

[Jesse_James]

The sig is fun to use.

Obviously you would not bring it to a tournament (if that is even your type of pie)

But for scenario it fun

Early War

or battles that require a defense rating of 4 or less.

[Cruizin2000]

Count me in on that one too - scenarios or year restrictions only.

C2K

[Colonel_Coo]

I've played it a lot in bigger games. Such as the following:

300point battle: 45 unit limit: 3x3 map configuration

2x sIG-33
2x Brumbar
1x Wirbelwind

They move and fight as a group. Brummies in the front and rear. sIG and Wirbelwind in the center.

Main fighting tank and mobile infantry platoons in the center. Main infantry assualt force ~ 10 hexes to the side.
20mm x3 in spaced coverage of the entire fighting force.


Given a choice between throwing a plane away to take out

a sIG 33
a Brumbar
a Wirbelwind

Usually the siG 33 is not the target. But it grants me 14 extra points for other stuff (like 2 20mm's) that I would not have if I just took 4 Brummies.

Enemy tanks will be busy with my Tiger/Panther and worried about Headshots and Pak-40's. So the sIG become a powerhouse at killing enemy 5/5 soldiers as my crappy unts are disregared and sacrificed to allow my guys to get Enfilade Fire bonus while attacking with 7 or 9 dice w/blast w/bombardment.

[slimeworm]

That's a great strategy Coo!

Sometimes I use it. Often I will hide it away at the back and bring it up near the end to chew up those holdouts on the objective (this has been mentioned before). It is often ignored back there because of weak defense and other higher priorities (like tanks). It is expensive for what it is (2 defense really hurts), but its got good anti infantry capability and the Germans are lacking that. The tough part is working a 15 point deficit into your attack strategy, as it has to hide (in smaller games) if you want to save it till the end game. Otherwise my opponent usually cannot resist an easy kill if its out wandering the board.

[horacus]

I like to use the sig, but basically for Scenarios or restricted years. In general I use the Brummbar.

[Remember-OWS-]

I did use 2 in a 200pts tournament... They were the last to stand as anti-infantry, since I was dealing with US sherman (regular, 105 and rocket), because my panther have been brought to a big dead halt as of the Sherman.
The only problem with my sIG33 was the fact that they were facing 5/5 infantry, like the deadly paras.

[oddfellow]

Keep a few SIGs next to a King Tiger or Vet Tiger. Any enemy armor will have to decide if its worth taking one in the gob from a Tiger. SiG's will usually be left alone to inflict infantry losses on your opponent. As mentioned having a Wirbelwind nearby also is useful to deter those pesky planes.

[Fleet_Admiral_PF]

A SiG 33 is useful but if you have 7 more points to spare, better off bringing a Brummbar instead.

[boersma8]

Count me in on that one too - scenarios or year restrictions only.

C2K

Ditto. If you're "playing to win" in a no-year-restriction game, the Brummbaer is always the better choice. However, in early war games it can be very effective!

[boersma8]

Keep a few SIGs next to a King Tiger or Vet Tiger. Any enemy armor will have to decide if its worth taking one in the gob from a Tiger. SiG's will usually be left alone to inflict infantry losses on your opponent. As mentioned having a Wirbelwind nearby also is useful to deter those pesky planes.

In a one hundred point game that'd leave you with very few points left for infantry support....;)

King Tiger: 62
( Vet Tiger: 65)
SIG: 15
Wirblewind: 19

96 or 99 points....

For a 120 or better still, 150 point game, it seems like a nice combo, though....

[buddha_mcleod]

I don't have any brummbar, but i do have a sig. Sometimes i think it makes things more interesting because i don't have all of the pieces. (like rangers)