Best way to use airmobile and panzergrenadiers?

[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.

[PlasmaKrab]

It is all a matter of how you use these units. The smaller head count of most AT teams makes them easier to kill, but also harder to spot. So ambush is the word, but I admit that wasz easy to guess. AT-heavy infantry sections have their advantages, but they tend to raise the overall cost of the formations to unpractical levels, and lack the flexibility of self-contained AT teams.

One big drawback of ATGM teams is generally their low ammo loadout. That's perfectly understandable for top-heavy missiles like a TOW or a HJ-8, but in game terms, the consequence is that you either hold their fire or have them closely followed by ammo supply units.

In recent-years settings I tend to use long-range TI-able ATGM teams, alongside high-vision FO teams, as long-range spotters at critical choke points or on good sighting spots. That adds the advantage of having some antiarmour punch to get rid of that critical dangerous vehicle (tank hunter, SP artillery, SPAA...) as soon as it becomes urgent.

[Marek_Tucan]

c_of_red said:
Mustang, the Farmer saw the Helio. He lined up his trusty blunderbus and squeeeezzed the trigger. There was a loud bang and a cloud of black powder smoke. The Helio fell from the sky.
Those are the actual events that happened as agreed to by both the farmer and the Helio crew. Now as to which of the rounds that were put into the Helio caused it to quit flying, that is a matter that can be debated. Differring claims from both sides. But the facts are clear. The Helio stopped flying due to battle damge caused by small arms fire. The LAST small arm to hit the Heilo was a 150+ year old smooth bore musket. Here is another little fact. After that incident, the Army started their re-write of the book on Helio tactics.

Just a bit of side note, it wasn't a 150-year old musket but a bolt action hunting rifle manufactured in Zbrojovka Brno, Czechoslovakia

[Marek_Tucan]

I'd consider the last turn paradrops gamey tactics because this is using not tactics or equipment, but game engine to cause your enemy a situation he cannot win. It's equivalent to using fleet of trucks to drain op-fire.

[Lt. Ketch]

This is a bump from quite a while ago, but as there have been new players since then, I thought others might want to see this.

As I'm playing with a force were every infantry unit ethier has an APC, Hummer or Helo to transport it, I apprecieated Mobhack's advice on how to effectively use them. I would also like to think that I've learned a little bit from the few battles my force has had.

I discovered early on in MBT that while choppers are cool, can cover huge distances, call down artillary and can be armed with some kick trash weaponry, they are expensive and easy to lose. In two PBEM games, I lost choppers early and unexpectedly even when I thought they were in a safe location, or moving through a safe location. They also require resupply often and take a little time to load and move (what with haveing to land and all). With all that said, I do appreciate what they can do and when points, and (most importantly) terrian allow me to buy and use them, I generally get them. I use my Attack choppers for ambush and longrange shots on targets that no one else can get to while transport choppers work like longrange APCs, faerring troops and provideing the occational cover fire. They also work well for evac of important units, but only when there is a break in firing. It doesn't make sense to try to rescue an expensive ATGM team if there is a change you might loose your 300 point chopper too. I rarly ever take my choppers to high altitude, perferring to skulk around the tree line to keep them out of sight.

I keep my APCs close to my infantry squads, (too close acording to Andy), preferring to move them both together with the APCs in the same square. This does put them in range of RPGs more, which is very bad, but it does give me the chance to bugger out farther when steel rain starts to fall. The US M113A3 APCs aren't bad little units, but I must confess their soviet/russian counterparts are superior to my mind. The next camp I do with APCs will probably by Russian. I really like the Hummers with 40mm AGLs too. They make for great scout vehicles and their armorment can get through light armor. Granted they only have five HEAT shells, but it's better than nothing. As my current force is two platoons of MECH infantry with only two light airborne tanks to support it, I often find myself with my APCs leading. This acually suits my purposes rather well as I tend to play a lot more defensive than offensive. I'll find the enemy and then try to make him come to me. My reactionism isn't the best strategy, I know, as I got my butt handed to me by a very aggressive player, but it can work in most situations. I'm still branching out on tactics and Mobhawk's advice will come in handy.

[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.

[Wdll]

The problem with paratroopers is, apart from that if their plane go, they stand a good chance of going down with it, they are at best a nuisance. Depending on the battle of course, they can be a threat to specific parts of the enemy, but even then, if the enemy has some experience, he only has to move them away from the area and them bomb the **** out of them. Since there are no special VPs or whatever, and you only use them to attack other units, their biggest problem is their very low speed.

For air mobile troops (aka using helos to transport troops), I have met only one player who was good with it and even then, he needed a ton of good luck for it to work even the first time he did it against me. If against a player that knows that you might do it, they are easy to neutralise. Unless you use your helos to transport the troops close to the VPs flags and that's it. Sort of, very fast apcs. If the terrain is favourable, this can work, even I have done it a couple of times, but it has one huge disadvantage to using APCs. They can't provide fire support or cover for your infantry if you need them, nor a quick way out of the fight.

[Imp]

Very gamey but did this once as situation allowed.
Company of tanks & APCs about 20 vehicles making a run in the open to next cover which I was in a position to intercept just. Bit hit & miss on if my armour could destroy his tanks from the front so my helos swung round behind him drawing fire & turning around giving me targets which tanks engaged. Several Smoke dischargers went off so then drew fire with vehicles where possible then sent the helos the last bit landing directly behind a tank. Picked the ones that were covered by smoke & fired RPGs at point blank. Last few landed behind vehicles without cover but did not fire or took out troops.
What does he do now shoot at my tanks & recieve a hail of RPG fire to his rear or the reverse.
Lost a few airmobile units including a couple of helos while landed due to splash damage from own fire & the troops were smarting a bit but force was totaly wiped out. If he had unloaded a few more infantry or set more tanks not to opfire vs air it would have failed as they would have taken out my landing troops.
Forgot to mention they can be very handy in urban enviroments to though you have to be careful to follow the roads for cover. Drop passengers at delay postions or cut off exits. Helos can then risk attacking units you would otherwise have to move adjacent to. Can clear city blocks pretty fast this way then leave a couple of squads covering the road incase you missed one, once pretty sure helo nips back & picks them up or gives extra firepower if needed.

[Imp]

On using APCs the main asset is mobility & giving the tanks good eyes by having infantry keep up with them who see far better, ignore infantrys ability to see at your own peril.
As I think Andy said tanks lead but try & get to a place of cover to launch an attack, treeline or whatever. Then the infantry move up first for several reasons.
Cheap if die because somethings on the other side & much harder to see, idealy they are not
They can look for targets & are in a position to spot any units opfiring they missed, makes finding ATGMs etc a lot easier.
They can also check out LOS if the terrain is difficult so your tanks move the absolute minimum knowing they have a shot.
They provide a close defence screen
Only now do you decide if its worth the tanks breaking cover.
Now the decision is stay & finnish the job or move & let the arty fall, having a taxi means you can avoid quite a bit of it & relocate to keep the other player off balance.
Concentrate on taking out his vehicles you can now use your speed to avoid his foot units till ready to engage them with your mobile pillboxs still intact if wish.
If contact is expected there should always be infantry on the ground to provide eyes helping prevent ambush. As your tanks are generaly moving at "combat speed" you can rotate your infantry droping one lot off while the others catch up, they do bounding overwatch to.