Need a cheap Armored Car to include in your German force? Consider getting an SDKFZ 222. This little guy is really cool looking with his 20mm cannon and MG-34. While not the best armored car in Bolt Action, it has some great lines which make it one of the sportiest looking of the armored cars. It is also essential if you want Hanoswag (TM - J) points for your early war army.
In all, the Germans produced around 1,000 SDKFZ 222 armored cars during the War. Its front armor was relatively thin, only 8 mm, while the side, top, and rear had 5mm of armor. The turret had an open top that was protected by a mesh screen intended to protect the crew from grenades. The 222 performed well in France, thanks to extensive road networks, but struggled in North Africa and Russia. Variants of the 222 included the 221, which had an ariel antenna and one MG-34. Some 222s were also outfitted with heavy anti tank rifles as well. Soviet designers studied a captured 222 when they designed the BA-64.
In Bolt Action, a regular 222 will set you back 95 points, while a veteran will cost 114points. Because of its light armor (7+ Armored Car) I would avoid taking a veteran version of the 222, as you will not benefit very much from being a veteran. You also have the option of downgrading your 222 to a 221 for -25 points. When you do this you have to choose between taking a ATR or MMG, but not both. If you don't think you will be using the light auto cannon much, or need to save points, this could be an option. Last you can upgrade the 222 to a command vehicle for free, but you lose the light auto cannon. With the pending release of Tank Battles, this might be worth it. The 222 will give you a cheap command vehicle, with the Recce ability, making it more survivable.
The 222 is not a hard hitter. If you're going to field it you have to keep this in mind. However, it is one way to get a rapid response armored car across the board. Use the 222 to get behind the enemy and play it close to terrain so you can take advantage of cover when using Recce.
Even if you don't think the 222 is particularly effective in Bolt Action, it makes a great addition to any early war collection, and can even be painted up in yellow, brown, and green for you late war fans out there. My 222 was a 1/48 scale plastic kit from Tamiya, which is one of the best manufacturers of plastic kits out there. While it still has a million parts, Tamiya has easy to understand instructions for assembly; plus there is a fantastic level of detail on the model. I did not find assembly difficult or frustrating and would highly recommend it to any 1/48 scale BARbarian. As you can see the Tamiya kit scales well next to 1/48 scale models from other companies.
Sometimes taking a unit in the game is not about maxing the effectiveness of the force, but about bringing what you think is awesome looking. The SdKfz 222 is definitely awesome. What are some of the units in the game that you think are full of Hanoswag? (TM! - J) Share with the rest of us on the forum.
