Infantry - What Do You pick?

[m113apc]

Interesting question.
I use infantry in support for my amour, not the other way around.
But that’s because I’m a tanker, I prefer tanks and supporting armored vehicles.
I like to play big battles in my campaign, with a full core, most of the time I have a core of 200. Playing SPWW2 I have up to between 10-15000 points.
Since I have fewer Infantry units; I pick elite units.
I also use SS in my panzer units.

As an example, I can go through the long campaign I’m playing now.
It’s Germany vs. USA/GB/Canada, June 44-May 45.

I always choose company formations, but I reduce them in size.
The reason is to have a chain of command, when it comes to rallying my troops.
1 company consisting of 2 platoons of Panthers, 1 company consisting of 1 platoon of Tiger, and 1 company consisting of 1 platoon of Tiger II.
Each platoon carries 1 platoon of Brandenburgers mounted on vehicle. These will supply close combat support to my tanks in built up areas or in areas with dense vegetation.

I will have 1 coy of Stug and Stuh, with 2 platoons of Stug and 1 Stuh, in support they will have 3 to 4 platoons of SS Panzergrenadiers mounted on Sdkfz 251/1, but here I choose my platoon without the Sdkfz, and buy them in the misc section. That way they are independent from my troops.

My third formation if you will it’s the Pionier, here I also go for a crack formation like the FJg, and I also mount these units on 251/1. In support I pick 2 to 4 flamethrowers and a section or platoon of Stuh. Since these units also play a defensive role in my play, I may support them with 2 to 3 AT guns or 2 jagdpanzers.

Other formations are recon forces mounted on 251/1, SPAA, SPA, ammunition vehicles and arty off board.

Sometimes I have a fire brigade also, existing of a mixed formation of tanks and infantry.

This game, which I have described here, is for pure fun, sometimes I play it as realistic as possible.

I remember many years ago, playing SPII, I built up my former armored battalion with its supporting elements in defense against a Russia motorized infantry regiment, all by the book. I stopped them, but it was an expensive battle. Back then, we didn’t have the Leopard 2 MBT, but the Leopard 1 with its 105mm, and we didn’t have the CV9030N IFV with its 30mm cannon, but the NM135 (built on the M113 APC) with 20mm cannon.
It was my NM142 TOW (built on the M113 chassis also) and ground mounted TOW units that saved me from the hordes of T-72 and T-80 MBTs.

I guess this was maybe a little bit outside your question, but I had to put my choices in a context.

[Charles22]

Thanks for your response. I guess there were two main things I was looking for a)what sort of infantry people get, and, more importantly b)what do people equip them with. That's why I described in some detail what I want mine equipped with, such as how many LMG's, grenade launchers, mortars, flamethrowers, what have you.

[iCaMpWiThAWP]

I personally like heavy infantry, something like slots: 1.rifle 2.SAW/BAR/LMG 3.Hand/rifle Grenade(GL or mortar maybe?) 4.satchel, flamer, rocket, bazooka...whatever is heavy enough to blow tanks and bunkers with,EDIT: HA! MOLOTOV! it rocks tanks

[Charles22]

Originally Posted by iCaMpWiThAWP

I personally like heavy infantry, something like slots: 1.rifle 2.SAW/BAR/LMG 3.Hand/rifle Grenade(GL or mortar maybe?) 4.satchel, flamer, rocket, bazooka...whatever is heavy enough to blow tanks and bunkers with,EDIT: HA! MOLOTOV! it rocks tanks

So that's your ideal unit? You wouldn't rather get another LMG in slot 3 if possible? I guess that's pretty much what your 12-13 man squad consists of, one rifle and one LMG, although even those can be different, like the SMG units having SMG instead of rifle, but your main area of choice ends up being usually in slots 3 and 4.

[m113apc]

Originally Posted by Charles22

Thanks for your response. I guess there were two main things I was looking for a)what sort of infantry people get, and, more importantly b)what do people equip them with. That's why I described in some detail what I want mine equipped with, such as how many LMG's, grenade launchers, mortars, flamethrowers, what have you.

Well in that case, I look for one thing.
Do those in at least one of their slots have a weapon that could knock out a tank?

The rest of the slots are, do they have enough punch to decimate an infantry unit.

[iCaMpWiThAWP]

Originally Posted by m113apc

Well in that case, I look for one thing.
Do those in at least one of their slots have a weapon that could knock out a tank?

The rest of the slots are, do they have enough punch to decimate an infantry unit.

GLs, mortars and flamers can knock out tanks, (HE pen of at least 1 CAN penetrate tankettes and most italian early war armor)

[m113apc]

[/quote]
GLs, mortars and flamers can knock out tanks, (HE pen of at least 1 CAN penetrate tankettes and most italian early war armor)[/quote]

Yepp.
What I really would like to have the capability to do. Is to have some options to choose the armament for my infantry myself.

The need for different weapons can vary from time to time, dependent of the mission you want them to have.

But my guess is that this would take a lot of time to get in to the game.

[runequester]

My current soviet campaign has:

2 companies of soviet infantry. I upgraded them to SVT rifles when they became available, and dual hand grenade slots. Weak against tanks but they do okay, and they are usually close to my armour anyways.
2 platoons of engineers originally, but I realized that I rarely use them for anything engineer'ish, so exchanged them for SMG troops to send around the flanks. I can always buy engineers as support if needed.
Then 4 units of scouts and 4 snipers. I absolutely love snipers. Very effective for pinning down an entire platoon in many cases.

I tend to focus on well equipped infantry but I rarely buy elite types, unless thats the focus of my campaign.

[Charles22]

Elite troops are at least interesting in that over a period of time you can find out if they make any significant difference. I have found out that the Brandenburgers having 2 LMG's can be quite devastating at times.

I don't know, but I think at least having some engineers in core is pretty essential, because for the early portions of the war they represent the only real infantry threat to anything resembling a medium tank. Of course if one gets them shot up all the time just fighting regular infantry, where they're generally weaker, having them in core probably won't matter too much.

[Griefbringer]

Originally Posted by m113apc

What I really would like to have the capability to do. Is to have some options to choose the armament for my infantry myself.

The need for different weapons can vary from time to time, dependent of the mission you want them to have.

This could also be a bit gamey.

In practice, your average WWII infantry company is not likely to cart with it a truckload of spare weapons, so that they could optimise their armament for a particular battle.

Getting some satchel charges for a bunker-busting mission would be a possibility, though. But these tend to be abundant enough in many forces as they are.

Mechanised forces could be a bit more lucky, since they would have some spare transport capacity in their halftracks - though after fitting in a dozen men and their gear, it might not have been too much. There could be still the option to dismount the MG and take the bazooka/panzershreck allocated to the vehicle.

Griefbringer