Ground Units
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
Ground Units
Hey fellow warmongers.
Is there a list or thread that describes what each ground unit is for and how best to use them?
i.e. Paratroopers vs Raiders. etc.. The manual seems rather general about this.
Thanks.
Gibbons
- niceguy2005
- Posts: 12522
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 1:53 pm
- Location: Super secret hidden base
RE: Ground Units
This is a rather unique question. I am not sure that I have ever seen a thread on this.ORIGINAL: Gibbons
Hey fellow warmongers.
Is there a list or thread that describes what each ground unit is for and how best to use them?
i.e. Paratroopers vs Raiders. etc.. The manual seems rather general about this.
Thanks.
Gibbons
In WitP my opinion about units is as follows.
1. Paratroopers are good at taking undefended bases or very lightly defended bases. They can also be used to cut off enemy units (by use of ZOC) but some players create house rules restricting this tactic.
2. Raiders are similar to paratroops, but obviously can't drop. However, they can use fast transport and can be carried by destroyer to quickly take an unoccupied base. Both raiders and paras have good experience and leadership, so they also are good troops for augmenting forces.
3. Engineering units and Engineering Rgt. There are a variety of engineering units in witp. The manual explains them pretty well. However, a common question is about which engineers can reduce enemy fortifications. These are combat engineers and you will find them in engineering Regiments and as part of some other combat units, like divisions. These squads are listed as "engineering squads", instead of "engineers"
4. HQs there are four kinds of HQs. Again the manual goes into detail on what the differences are.
5. Coastal artillery vs artillery. There are various artillery devices in the game. Some can shoot at ships (coastal guns), some can shoot at troops during a landing. There are a couple threads out there that talk about the differences.
Hope that helps in getting you started.

Artwork graciously provided by Dixie
RE: Ground Units
Thanks that clears up alot. I had planned on trying to drop Raiders by air.
Am also still confused about the various HQs and their function but will reread the manual.
Thanks again!
Gibbons
Thanks that clears up alot. I had planned on trying to drop Raiders by air.
Am also still confused about the various HQs and their function but will reread the manual.
Thanks again!
Gibbons
RE: Ground Units
All HQ's have lots of support squads. They also have a radius over which there actions work
Command HQ - The top theatre HQ. They draw supply to themselves, provide lots of support, provide bonuses in combat to twice there command radius and provide replacement a/c to groups at there bases which are in transport range.
Corps HQ - These are below command HQ's. These are used for providing support personel during combat and also bonuses to your troops in combat
Air HQ - These allow more of your a/c to fly from a base. As well as helping air units recover from fatigue and moral, I think.
Naval HQ - These help repair ships. They give a bonus equal to the number of supports squads/50.
Command HQ - The top theatre HQ. They draw supply to themselves, provide lots of support, provide bonuses in combat to twice there command radius and provide replacement a/c to groups at there bases which are in transport range.
Corps HQ - These are below command HQ's. These are used for providing support personel during combat and also bonuses to your troops in combat
Air HQ - These allow more of your a/c to fly from a base. As well as helping air units recover from fatigue and moral, I think.
Naval HQ - These help repair ships. They give a bonus equal to the number of supports squads/50.

RE: Ground Units
The game only distinquishes betewwn load coast, not unit types. Thus as long as devices (except squads) are kept small than 7 then they are capable of being transported by air and by default, also parachuted. Most raider units, like the Marine Raiders were also trained to parachute. But again, the game does not care what the unit is called, only the load value of the devices.ORIGINAL: niceguy2005
This is a rather unique question. I am not sure that I have ever seen a thread on this.ORIGINAL: Gibbons
Hey fellow warmongers.
Is there a list or thread that describes what each ground unit is for and how best to use them?
i.e. Paratroopers vs Raiders. etc.. The manual seems rather general about this.
Thanks.
Gibbons
In WitP my opinion about units is as follows.
1. Paratroopers are good at taking undefended bases or very lightly defended bases. They can also be used to cut off enemy units (by use of ZOC) but some players create house rules restricting this tactic.
2. Raiders are similar to paratroops, but obviously can't drop. However, they can use fast transport and can be carried by destroyer to quickly take an unoccupied base. Both raiders and paras have good experience and leadership, so they also are good troops for augmenting forces.
Hope that helps in getting you started.
RE: Ground Units
The short answer on the difference between the "Coastal Defense" and "Artillery" type units is that, CD units will usually fire at ships and troops that are landing. Arty units fire only at troops that are landing.
That's true about for about 90% of what you're going to see.
-F-
That's true about for about 90% of what you're going to see.
-F-
"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me

RE: Ground Units
ORIGINAL: Feinder
The short answer on the difference between the "Coastal Defense" and "Artillery" type units is that, CD units will usually fire at ships and troops that are landing. Arty units fire only at troops that are landing.
That's true about for about 90% of what you're going to see.
-F-
Are you sure with that?
Isn´t it that CD guns are firing on mining/minesweper TF, bombardment TF and landing TF and all other guns are firing only on landing TF? I have experienced transport ships being hit even when no CD guns were present..
RE: Ground Units
The long answer...
Whether a gun fires at a ship or not, is determined by it's "Device Type" in the database.
DP and Naval Guns (usually found in CD units and base forces) = fire at ships and troops.
Army Guns (usually found in artillery units and combat formations) = fire at troops only.
Anti-aircraft guns (usually found in AAA, CD, and base forces) = "sometimes" fire at ships. When I tested this, couldn't establish a pattern (based on range, effect, accuracy or anything else). Just sometimes they shot at ships, sometimes they didn't.
But the reason you're takign fire from a non-CD unit is that, most BF has DP type guns.
-F-
Whether a gun fires at a ship or not, is determined by it's "Device Type" in the database.
DP and Naval Guns (usually found in CD units and base forces) = fire at ships and troops.
Army Guns (usually found in artillery units and combat formations) = fire at troops only.
Anti-aircraft guns (usually found in AAA, CD, and base forces) = "sometimes" fire at ships. When I tested this, couldn't establish a pattern (based on range, effect, accuracy or anything else). Just sometimes they shot at ships, sometimes they didn't.
But the reason you're takign fire from a non-CD unit is that, most BF has DP type guns.
-F-
"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me

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Yamato hugger
- Posts: 3791
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 5:38 am
RE: Ground Units
What about in the case of CD units that have army guns? Like (I think it is) the 88th that starts in the PI. It is a CDU type unit, but has "army" 155mm howitzers. I know for a fact these units shoot at ships.
RE: Ground Units
If you’re talking about about the “155mm Field Gun”, it is listed as a Naval Gun, and can thus fire at ships and troops. And yes, that -is- correct. And fair warning, if you land against a CD Rgt that has 36 of these bad-boys, they *will* blow the sh_t out of your invasion. You need to put at least a heavy cruiser in there to suppress their fire, and absorb some of the pounding. Second warning - the Aoba-class CAs have thin armor, and *will* get clobbered by these guys (6.5” gun is nothing to sneeze at). Use a Mogami-class with more armor.
The “155mm Howitzer” is a part of many units, but not to be confused with the Field Gun. The Howitzer is an “Army Gun” as you indicate, but it’s not whatever is firing at your ships. The Army Guns will cause disablement/disruption to the troops as they land, but you shouldn’t see any actual “hits” on your ships from them.
-F-
The “155mm Howitzer” is a part of many units, but not to be confused with the Field Gun. The Howitzer is an “Army Gun” as you indicate, but it’s not whatever is firing at your ships. The Army Guns will cause disablement/disruption to the troops as they land, but you shouldn’t see any actual “hits” on your ships from them.
-F-
"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me

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Yamato hugger
- Posts: 3791
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 5:38 am
RE: Ground Units
Learned something. Thanks. [:)]
RE: Ground Units
If you’re talking about about the “155mm Field Gun”, it is listed as a Naval Gun, and can thus fire at ships and troops. And yes, that -is- correct. And fair warning, if you land against a CD Rgt that has 36 of these bad-boys, they *will* blow the sh_t out of your invasion. You need to put at least a heavy cruiser in there to suppress their fire, and absorb some of the pounding. Second warning - the Aoba-class CAs have thin armor, and *will* get clobbered by these guys (6.5” gun is nothing to sneeze at). Use a Mogami-class with more armor.
The “155mm Howitzer” is a part of many units, but not to be confused with the Field Gun. The Howitzer is an “Army Gun” as you indicate, but it’s not whatever is firing at your ships. The Army Guns will cause disablement/disruption to the troops as they land, but you shouldn’t see any actual “hits” on your ships from them.
I've noticed that most of the Corps Art. Rgt's that arrive for the Allies later in the game come with 24 Field Guns (155mm), and 24 Howitzers (155mm)....does this mean only the Howitzers contribute to bombarding enemy ground troops?
if thats the case, is this historical?? With the Allies on the offensive in 43-44, theres no need to have CD type guns, that are useless in bombarding enemy troops, when assaulting the various japanese held bases. Whats needed is Howitzers to blast them out.

RE: Ground Units
The 155mm Field Guns are of type Naval Gun and will shoot at BOTH ships and troops. The 155mm Howitzers are of type Army Gun will fire only at troops.
"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me

RE: Ground Units
"The game only distinquishes betewwn load coast, not unit types. Thus as long as devices (except squads) are kept small than 7 then they are capable of being transported by air and by default, also parachuted. Most raider units, like the Marine Raiders were also trained to parachute. But again, the game does not care what the unit is called, only the load value of the devices. "
So any unit will parachute to a hex even if not specifically a parachute unit?
Trying to distinguish between air transport from airfield to airfield, and what units can be dropped where there is no airstrip.
Gibbons
So any unit will parachute to a hex even if not specifically a parachute unit?
Trying to distinguish between air transport from airfield to airfield, and what units can be dropped where there is no airstrip.
Gibbons
RE: Ground Units
I think unit needs to have paratrooper-icon to be para-dropped. All units under load cost of 7 (and those with load cost 7?) can be *air transported*.
Units like that are classified by *icon*, just like cavalry units are made cavalry in game by changing icon to cavalry icon.
Units like that are classified by *icon*, just like cavalry units are made cavalry in game by changing icon to cavalry icon.
"To meaningless French Idealism, Liberty, Fraternity and Equality...we answer with German Realism, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery" -Prince von Bülov, 1870-


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Yamato hugger
- Posts: 3791
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 5:38 am
RE: Ground Units
ORIGINAL: Gibbons
"The game only distinquishes betewwn load coast, not unit types. Thus as long as devices (except squads) are kept small than 7 then they are capable of being transported by air and by default, also parachuted. Most raider units, like the Marine Raiders were also trained to parachute. But again, the game does not care what the unit is called, only the load value of the devices. "
So any unit will parachute to a hex even if not specifically a parachute unit?
Trying to distinguish between air transport from airfield to airfield, and what units can be dropped where there is no airstrip.
Gibbons
Only paratroop units can air drop, but any unit can air-transport. The Japs have 5 at start and dont get any more to my knowledge. The allies if I recall correctly get just the 4 marine para bns. I dont believe the American airborne division that come in late in the war can airdrop.
RE: Ground Units
Isn't there an Indian Para Bde in about 1944? I think I saw it on the reinforcement track at some point, but my games haven't gottent that far along, so I don't know if it can be dropped.
-F-
-F-
"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me

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Yamato hugger
- Posts: 3791
- Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 5:38 am
RE: Ground Units
No clue. Never gotten past the first week of 43.
RE: Ground Units
The 155mm Field Guns are of type Naval Gun and will shoot at BOTH ships and troops. The 155mm Howitzers are of type Army Gun will fire only at troops.
so that does mean all Naval Gun (ground types), can be used in bombardments?? For instance, if enemy Japanese troops are at Singapore, will the 15in CD guns fire at ground troops if i set the Fortress to bombardment?

RE: Ground Units
Yes, the 15" CD should be participating in firing at enemy troops if you set your unit to bombard.
-F-
-F-
"It is obvious that you have greatly over-estimated my regard for your opinion." - Me







