Best way to use airmobile and panzergrenadiers?

[c_of_red]

The real world doesn't have turns, or V-flags, which makes your question silly. Please Note that no game can approximate the real world, so if that is your standard, then everything is gamey. One reason I don't play the WW2 games any more was the whole thing was to gamy for my taste. A 'typical' battle in the ETO would involve 8,000 points of allies advancing against a german delay of maybe 1,000 points. How often do you play one of those? On the Eastern front a standard Soviet attack would start with 10 to 20 tubes per hex firing for 60 turns or so before the 10K points of Soviets assault 1K points of germans. Done one of those lately?
On one hand you are saying it's gamey and non-realistic, on the other you wish to know what your opponents tactical plans are before the game starts. Isn't that a tiny bit gamey? By your own standards.
The most dangerous weapon on the battlefield costs zero points and is available in every nation's OOB. It is suprise. There is absolutly nothing that prevents you from droping paras also, if it bothers you that much, think how it will affect your opponent. No I see this as an attempt to gain an advantage thru negoiations. You are lawyering instead of fighting. The real world doesn't negoiate force limits on combat operations.
You could do the smart thing and keep a reserve. I pull my scouts back after about the half way point of a game and add them to my reserve, just to be able to deal with suprises such as paras. General Franks dropped the 101st ( or the 82nd, I forget which) north of Tikrit in 2003 to act as a blocking force and give the Iraqi army something else to think about. I'm sure Saddam would have loved to call Franks on the phone and accused him of cheating by attempting to 'game the system'.
The bast way to avoid the game ending dash for the flags is to negoiate pregame the victory conditions and just turn the flags off.

[Mustang]

It wouldn't be a totally gamey thing. The turn limit represents the fact that both sides are going to be exhausted after a while. After an hour of combat, ammunition and troops are going to be used up to the point that it's just not possible to fight much longer. This is particularly true with infantry, less so with mechanized forces. The fatigue factor sets in after a while.

[narwan]

Yeah right C, and dropping para's at the last moment so they can't be fought isn't 'lawyering' but real 'fighting'?
You really think you're the first one to think of this tactic? I noticed it's possibilities very early in my gaming career and after consideration decided NOT to use it. Ever. Because it is gamey. And I don't use what I find gamey tactics. By the way, there a couple of very gamey ways which make the paradrops a lot more effective and can negate just about any AA. You might wanna look for those too.

All rules players agree upon with each other work for both so there is no gaining advantage through negotiation. And if players don't agree on limits there's a very easy solution, don't play. There are plenty of other candidates out there.

[Sarunas]

c_of_red said:
The most dangerous weapon on the battlefield costs zero points and is available in every nation's OOB. It is suprise.

You forgot fear, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, and nice red uniforms.

I'll shut up now

[pdoktar]

I myself consider Mobhacks tactics very effective and above all flexible. They work both against AI and Human players, and even when a human decides not to let you win this time, the flexibility of your combined arms force still gives you a fighting chance.

[EnemyAce]

I don't know if this is a best way but I guess works with my playing style.
I speed up PzGrenadiers and Marauders to strategic points before enemy gets to it and regroup infantry units so they have nice view. Depends what kind of terrain is but I keep infantry covered in trees or buildings and APCs at backline so ATGMs can't get those. Other cheaper APCs also would do fine, but I like that I have least one ace in my sleeve if enemy MBT shows up. Infantry ATGM is vulnerable to arty and enemy inf. so if they gets wasted out, I still have that one ace to use against MBTs.
Usually play with Germany at early 90s and I have problems getting rid of enemy MBTs, 2A4s are darn expensive so I don't have afford much else and 1A5s are crap against UK or US tanks, which against I play most of time. So ATGM APCs come handy then

[Mustang]

The top attack ATGM work well against the more expensive tanks, even if they have ARENA or VIRSS (because those run out of shots quickly). What I don't like is that a lot of these ATGM PCs cost almost as much as an MBT. BMP-1s and -2s cost only about 100 points and are fine because they can stand up to HMG fire and have heavier armament, but I never buy them because I consider it better to just buy heavier infantry instead of a heavier APC. You should stop buying Marders and just buy TOW-2B, RBS-56 or Javelin infantry teams if you can.

[whdonnelly]

One thing I've noticed about ATGMs is that the AI will target them first, especially as they come out of the helo or APC transport. I'm trying a mix of RPG/RRs in place of the ATGMs in the close engagements, due to the inabilty of my Dragons to get more than one or two kills before being destroyed. Maybe the shorter range weapons will be more survivable.
Will

[Mustang]

It does seem to me that ATGM teams have a higher profile and are more prone to getting shot at. But if you want a survivable tank killer, buy a normal infantry team. RPG and like kinds of weapons teams are soo small that they're often killed by one or two hits.

[Imp]

On the original question air mobile have there uses but only if the situation allows or warrants it due to there high cost.
Good masking terrain drop off as far forward as possible, you now have 2 choices continue on foot or act as scouting parties so main force can move in relative safety, losses its effectivness unless main force is fairy mobile to. They can then fall back mount back up & become a reserve to go in once AA is at an acceptable level.
Several hills to drop them off behind would be an example perhaps not on the best viewing spots as they could be pre plotted for arty.
The other use is more high risk & will incur losses so its a case of will the loses gain me time & prevent other losses. Going for chokepoints might be worth it, things like a river crossing control of the other bank or an idea of whats defending it can be worth the casulties. Timing is the key thing they will not survive on there own they are a distraction to let the main force cross in relative safety. Again several options trying for direct control of the riverbank could be very high risk but landing further back means his reserves are chasing them instead of moving to cover the crossing.
There main use though is as a fast response team once the enemy is already engaged cutting of routes for reinforcement & or route allowing for quick destruction of the enemy so you can hopefully get out of there before the arty turns up, encirclement in a nutshell.
But its always a high risk op hence there needs to be a reason to commit them, just like Paras there will be losses.