Quote:
Originally Posted by BadCompany
I perfer halftracks for assault but trucks I use for transporting ammo.Yes,a MG on halftrack is nice but it doesn't seem to do anything to enemy squads.
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A half-track/APC MG is extremely useful in support of your mech inf.
The vehicle MG out-ranges enemy infantry, so can strike at long range. But above all, it is on a bullet proof mounting when fitted to an APC which the enemy infantry simply cannot reply to absent any anti-tank weaponry. A vehicle MG on a truck or other soft skin cannot do this at close ranges, since it can be replied to by rifle etc fires.
The long range of the VMG is also useful for killing depleted sections that are in rout behind the line of engagement as well. Use the range of the MG to pick off stragglers, if there is no mmore important task to do.
So use them to hose a single targeted section per half-track with all (or most of, you may prefer to keep 2 shots reserved) of its 6 rounds per turn, before firing or moving the dismounts and you are ahead of the game. Do the MG support fire
before moving the tracks as it is more accurate when halted, of course!. They are not "killers" - MGs are suppressive weapons - but you may cause a few casualties, which causes extra suppression, especially if a section or two of the enemy are caught moving, and/or doubled up in the same hex.
If you reduce an enemy section to retreat status or more then move onto another target and reduce it, rather than trying for an outright kill. Those enemy sections on retreat (or worse) now cannot reply to your dismounts. Let the dismounts deal with them by fire or melee as you see fit.
In a campaign, it is the APC job to protect the important part of the platoon - the rifle sections - so getting lots of kills and experience is not really necessary. They are just tin trucks, and an experienced APC is just a more expensive tin truck => more buy points for the enemy. So if the situation arises where an APC must die so an experienced rifle section lives - let it go. Any part-kills should be left for the riflemen to finish off (and gain experience on) if possible. Exception would be e.g a German fire-support half-track with the 75mm gun, or in WinSPMBT where an experienced BMP or similar is a useful element to have. It has useful weaponry that can make a significant contribution to the fight (ATGM, gun) which a BTR or FV432 tin-can does not have, so becomes worthwhile to have as an experienced core unit.
In fact - I hardly bother with any core APC in WW2, since they are contributing core points value to the enemy force size, especially in the attack or defence (times 3!) but are not that useful in the delay or defence situation. So I buy leg inf units in the main, and purchase support APC in the attack when needed. Conversely in WinSPMBT I find BMPs etc. useful in the core since the armaments do contribute nicely in the delay and defence. Core truck-mounted infantry are a no-no in either game - they are even less use in defence, while contributing buy points to the enemy.
If the VMG is an AAMG, then this gives your forward elements some "fig-leaf" air cover well ahead of your flak line which will tend to be to the rear when advancing or assaulting. "Zulu" APC (dismounted) are also useful as the enemy air may target them and so expend weapons on an unimportant unit. APC
not in Zulu state (i.e. loaded) -
are a value air target since they are carrying an important element (the riflemen), however. Don't bunch your loaded APC in adjacent hexes if enemy air is suspected especially since WW2 APC tend to be open topped.
In WW2, before the era of jets then a reasonable number of heavy AAMG half tracks up forward can be quite dangerous to strafing planes. Try to keep about half the APC pool stationary (move them in bounds) when enemy air is suspected.
If the VMG is a turreted MG then you lose out on the counter-air aspect, but gain in that enemy return fire (e.g. from rifle grenade users) can be discounted as suppression does not close the MG down, and also the turreted mg usually is more accurate than the pintle mount.
Once you have dismounted, then keep the APC out of the same hex as the dismounted section as any fire it draws will tend to close down the vehicle AAMG requiring use of rallies. Keep the APC support line a hex or 2 behind the dismounted rifle line. That also lets the riflemen deal with any inf-AT teams that get discovered outside a range (1 or 2 hexes in WW2) that they can bother the APCs.
Keep the APC away from any significant AT assets though!. If you are fighting an enemy who likes to use WW2 type APC, then an investment in light tanks can be handy as even lowly T-50s and PIIs or Daimler armoured cars can tear into these, should there be no tank support handy.
In the advance, then an investment in some trucks can be quite useful
provided there is a covered approach to the intended area of operations, and you can get there by road or at least mainly open hexes. You can then use a few support trucks to shuttle your infantry up to the front as a taxi service. However when doing so don't ever expose loaded trucks to direct fires, and always dismount far enough back (let the grunts walk the final 500m to the contact line) to not be in too much shelling danger. 3-4 truck platoons can relay up 2 or 3 rifle companies over a few turns if there is a road net, which is a useful capacity in the attack, especially on larger maps - and relatively cheap.
Cheers
Andy
halftracks/trucks
Re: halftracks/trucks
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