Tanks firing machine guns at other tanks

[PantherCub]

In game tanks will routinely fire the machine guns at other tanks after firing the main gun if they can. AFAIK this inflicts minor suppression, but otherwise is just tedious and takes time when playing.

I served as a tanker and we were never taught to fire the coaxial machine gun at other tanks in a tank vs tank duel. The MG has different ballistics and uses a different setting on the sight, so switching to the MG to fire a burst after each main gun round would be a diversion from the vital life or death task of observing the fall of shot and getting the next main gun round on target. You would also risk using up the current ammo belt for the MG on a target where it is of little use and then being in an awkward situation if enemy infantry pops up suddenly. Because the loader will be fully occupied in reloading the main gun and will have no time to change belts or the barrel of the MG.

The hull machine gun might be a different matter, I wouldn't know from experience as modern tanks lack these, but I think the same would apply there.

Against infantry it's another thing, as hosing down the general area to make them keep their heads down and not use inf AT weapons will often be desirable, especially at short range.