Major advantage of a half track?

[Tessen]

Is it a tank? no! , is it a truck? no!. So what's the major advantage or edge that a half track brings to a battle in WW2?

[adm]

Generally, cheaper than a tank, although not by much, more off road capable than a truck. The US model was likely the cheapest effective one, they just replaced the two rear axles with tracks on a truck, and bolted some armor on. The German ones were more capable off road, but more tank like and expensive, at least by the late war period.

[TGLS]

Easier for someone who already knows how to drive a truck, performs better in mud and ice. Some replace wheels with skis.

[Anaraxes]

More armored than a truck as well as better off-road mobility. That helps when it comes to small arms, shell and grenade fragments, and machine guns. Armor's not always about stopping main tank guns cold. Halftracks generally mounted weapons, as well. Not that you can't do that with a truck, but it wasn't generally standard issue as opposed to a field expedient.

[Tessen]

So they were effectively used in an urban combat role?

[Dalillama]

Another advantage is that they can be driven by anyone who can drive a regular truck, you don't need special training like tracked vehicle drivers do.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Tessen

So they were effectively used in an urban combat role?

They were a utility transport vehicle. I think they were used mainly for carrying armored infantry but they could also toe artillery pieces, serve as command vehicles, whatever.

[Rindis]

Originally Posted by Tessen

So they were effectively used in an urban combat role?

Only if you want to lose it immediately. They were used for cross-country, off-road movement. (Trucks don't really go off-road.)

[Þorkell]

They were effectively an early version of the M113 APC.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by adm

Generally, cheaper than a tank, although not by much, more off road capable than a truck. The US model was likely the cheapest effective one, they just replaced the two rear axles with tracks on a truck, and bolted some armor on. The German ones were more capable off road, but more tank like and expensive, at least by the late war period.

Not all half tracks were armoured - the French and Germans in particular had a wide range of soft skins, whereas I don't think the US did. The Germans had a vehicle known as the maultier (mule) which was literally a truck with the back wheels removed and replaced with a set of tracks from a scrapped tank (generally a PZ1 or PZ2).

But yes, the half-track had most of the cross country capability of a tracked vehicle without the expense and complexity of steering a tracked vehicle.