Infantry - What Do You pick?

[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.

[Charles22]

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.

That's how I look at it early in the war as well (though you often can't get any weapons that are really anti-tank capable early on), but later, you're probably better off with slot 3 being as a ranged anti-tank weapon like a bazooka. So you would half for tanks and half for infantry. I guess, if it were possible, to have a bazooka type weapon as your lone anti-tank weapon, that might be sufficient, since it is ranged to some degree.

[Charles22]

Originally Posted by iCaMpWiThAWP

well, another LMG slot would make units lack heavy weapons, like satchels, because usually they are given Hand grenades, it would be like,a 12 man squad would pack, 10 rifles, 1 smg or 2 LMGs, hand grenades for everyone, filling the 4 slots

Hand grenade perhaps?

From what I have seen, unless you're talking about scouts or a unit with not all the slots used, you won't see satchel charges in slot 3, so you wouldn't have any choice there if true. I have always seen, on units with all the slots used, the satchel charges in slot 4.

Slot 3, from what I have seen, is "usually" another anti-personnel weapon (again, for units with all the slots used). I'm pretty sure I have seen infantry with two anti-tank weapons, but it is really rare. I believe the only units I have seen with 2 anti-tank slots were engineers. Come to think of it, I can't recall any non-engineer units having flamethrowers available so your best anti-tank, at least the short range assault variety, seem pretty much just engineer and elite units territory. One pioneer SS unit actually has three slots for anti-tank (all range 1).

[Charles22]

It depends on the GL, of course, but AFAIK there are no dependable mortars or grenade launchers intrinsic to an infantry type squad, that knock out a tank enough to count on it. I have been through 2 battles against the Polish GL's, maybe having tanks hit between 50-100 times, and not a scratch. It's only the armored cars and half-tracks that have anything resembling consistent trouble from them. Needless to say, if the GL firer were on a hill, he might have some damage hitting a top portion of a tank. They're just entirely too unreliable in anything but the very lightest armor to think of them as being anti-tank.

[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.

[runequester]

Thats true, though I've been able to just stick around the tanks so far. Im a big fan of having the infantry stack in the same hex, as it seems to make a lot of fire bounce off the tank.

Of course, I tend to get impetous, so I'll send a tank platoon off to do something, only to be blown up by hidden enemy infantry

[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

[Lt. Ketch]

When it comes to infantry, I've had to grow into it. I used to be a hardcore tanker (25+ AFV vers 12-15 infantry squads), but I've learned a little more about tactics since that time and have since reversed my force make up. I also turn the tank heavy off.

My personal preference is for infantry that can do a variety of tasks.

Originally Posted by Ironfist

U.S. Army: FSSF
12 men, commando type

Weapon:
M1 Rifle (semi-auto)
3 BARs
Bazooka
Flame

I'm with Ironfist here. Not only can the FSSF engage infantry at range with devestating results, they can do it a point blank range as well with the flamer and engage tanks at short range or up close. But only good if your playing the US and only historicly accurate in small numbers.

Brandenburgs are another personal favorite for tank support, but I don't like the lack of "boom" the duel LMGs have. Best when you can get them with satchel charges. They do make the perfect tank rider though, since they can keep infantry, ATGs and other tank deterunts at bay even if the tank gets a little ways ahead. However, they're in the same boat with the FSSF, historicly accurate in small numbers.

I didn't use to be one for historicly accurate battle, but I'm finding it more a challange and consiquently, more educational. My basic guidlines now are to find infantry with a good rifles or lmgs, one explosive for close up work (I like to get close when I can) and an anti-tank weapon. As far as engineers go, I really like the boom they provide but know that I have to limit their use to areas when they can get in close and personal. I really like the platoons that have an mg or at team attached, as it provides more versitility within the group.

[Ironfist]

Originally Posted by Charles22

Sounds really good. How about before the bazooka was available?

They were only available between Jul. 43 to Dec. 44. Born with bazooka.
Another type of FSSF section has 60mm mortar and satchel charge in slot 3 & 4, respectively.