Unit composition.

[stormbringer3]

Starting with infantry, what is a good mix in a division? I've read Vic's guide but I'd like some suggestions from other players. I see that the AI likes Infantry Guns but I've never used them. Am I missing something? Conversly, I've used machine guns and mortars, but the AI rarely uses them. I've used armored cars and light tanks to beef up the infantry division but I see that the AI likes anti-tank guns. I'd love some opinions about the pros and cons of some of these types.
Thank you.

[ernieschwitz]

Try looking in the forum, The War Room. Quite alot of discussions about optimal composition of units has been made there... so its not a bad place to start.

[Kineas]

I use 40 rifle plus 1x5 or 2x5 'special' units which can be mortars (for attacking role), or MG/bazooka for defending.
I like to have 40 riflemen around, that many can defend well. This setup needs 3 trucks though.

[Kaldadarnes]

Infantry?

I had a brief discussion of this in the AAR I am writing - extract below:

tm.asp?m=3380443

@Josh – thanks for the comments. I’ve taken note of some of your other comments on AARs as well. I agree that my forces are very defensively orientated at the moment. Over time I’ve come to a std. building block of an infantry “regt” comprising:

6 rifle
3 SMG
3 MGs
3 bazookas or 1 AT gun.

3 regt.s make up my standard division, whilst a single regt is a can hold lower risk positions/provide flank security.

I find it’s a very strong defensive mix (esp. when entrenched) and good for the early game as:
1) a division doesn’t need too much raw to build (18 raw total)
2) does not require trucks or horses to move at a decent pace, but can be mobilised with 1 truck/2 horse per regt.,
3) a division can be built by a standard city (8000pp) in a turn so you can build forces rapidly.

Ideally 6 or so divisions make up a corps with artillery, flak, armour and engineer support added later/as needed.

I also normally add a jeep to each regt when I can as they have very good reconnaissance ability.

I would emphasise that this is really a defensive mix, good for the early game but offensive operations will require something totally different.

Hope this helps

K

[FieldOfGlory]

ORIGINAL: stormbringer3

Starting with infantry, what is a good mix in a division? I've read Vic's guide but I'd like some suggestions from other players. I see that the AI likes Infantry Guns but I've never used them. Am I missing something? Conversly, I've used machine guns and mortars, but the AI rarely uses them. I've used armored cars and light tanks to beef up the infantry division but I see that the AI likes anti-tank guns. I'd love some opinions about the pros and cons of some of these types.
Thank you.

To at least some degree the AI will react to what you field. Example: If the you use a lot of planes you will start to see the AI using AA guns, The AI loves to use LT Tanks and AC units but if you start to use Medium and Heavy tanks so will the AI.
Those are some examples of things I've seen the AI doing in games.

With that said I do have some preferred unit mixes. In the early days of advanced tactics I swore by Mortars in my Infantry Divisions but have changed my whole strategy of unit composition since the addition of factories. Real simple strategy actually "Don't build anything in a City that you can build in a factory"
I will of course make exceptions when I need to especially in the beginning of the game when I have not built factories yet.

Point is Mortars and Infantry guns fill a very similar role in the game. Both are rear area weapons that are good at destroying soft targets. If you really compare the 2 of them on a cost per benefit ratio the mortar wins out but you cannot build a mortar in a factory so the IF gun wins out. I reached a Similar conclusion with Bazooka VS AT gun.
I Usually build Infantry Divisions like this:
30-40 Rifle or SMG
1 IF Gun
1 AT Gun
5-6 Horse (You need the horses to get good mobility for the Guns and they don't use gas!)
or
30 Rifle or SMG
10 MG's
1 AT Gun
5 Horse
I will use Either Rifle or SMG's depending on the terrain they have to fighting. I personally don't like to mix them since they kinda cancel each other out.

I use MG's sometimes in the early game since My first priority with my gun factories is to build AT guns. The AI loves to use AC's and LT's and will come at you hard with them.

I keep my Armor divisions separate from my Infantry so not to slow them down. Infantry and guns need trucks or Halftracks to keep up and they are expensive to build and use gas.
Usually Looks something like this:
5 LT's
or
5 LT's
25 Rifle

I really like Light tanks but if I have lots of resources I will move up to medium tanks.