Using Special Forces

[RUPD3658]

Just started using Ranger units in my campaign (Long road to victory).

The first time I used them I spread out 4 of them and used them for rear area recon.

Next I sent out 8 of them, spread out and tried to wreak havoc in the rear (this did not work out well). [:(]

In the last scenario I again used 8 Ranger units but assigend them all to rear area locations close together. As a unit they were great in wiping out an HQ and several arty units as well as taking a VP hex or two.

Anyone else care to commment on stratagies for their use?

[Alby]

sometimes I send just a few, to spy on whats going on over that hill!! [:D]

[KNomad]

As I play smaller battles - infiltrating seems hardly worth it to me.

I use Special Forces as advance recon and shock troops.
They're also really good in a static defensive position.

[KG Erwin]

I like special forces (USMC LR Patrols, German Brandenburgers) for deep flanking missions, either in trucks/halftracks/tanks or on foot.

Of course, if you wanna try something really risky, try buying a few airborne units as support and dropping them deep in the enemy's rear areas. Timing is crucial, as maybe the drop should happen when (and if) ground forces get within 10 hexes of the rear VP areas. Another possibility is using spec ops/paratroopers to take out some of the enemy mortars/artillery positions (think Brecourt Manor 1944). [;)] The danger about doing this, of course, is getting into an Arnhem-type fix. (A Victory Hex Too Far?) [X(]

[Korpraali V]

I like to use them. (as you can see my aar/dar [:)])

I rarely send them to fight alone - usually a platoon or at least few to same area.
(For support - one is quickly pinned down.)

Always in woods, so they can easily remain undetected and - if necessary - quickly flee to forest. (Harder in desert.)

I use them to find Hq and artillery/mortars. Either to destroy or call my mortars (accurate enough not to kill my men but at least to suppress enemy so my men can finish the job).

Also to my main forces planned way to locate/destroy possible threads (bunkers, ATGs...)

I thik it's quite realistic to use them that way. How do you think?

[RUPD3658]

I have started using 8-10 Ranger units to take one vp hex or a group of them in one area in the enemy rear. This way my main force can concentrate on the others.

Sending Ranger units in force to take a specific objective seems to be a historical use.

I am enjoying the '44 version that carrys a bazooka. This is very handy when the German armored reserves show up and try to retake the vp hexes.

[Poopyhead]

I used them a lot in the Guadalcanal '42 campaign. I would target them to arrive in the center of a clump of trees or jungle. Just prior to their arrival, I would hit the area with lots of artillery. That way, your men don't pop up in the middle of a beehive (or at least not an unsuppressed beehive). What I found disappointing was that most of the SF units lack the "recon" ability. So after penetrating through a klick of enemy patrols, they arrive at their destination, only to move two hexes, right into an ambush that they could not see! To counter this, I play them the same way as recon units. I move them slowly after sighting in every direction. Also, if you use them to take a deep VH area, first take all the other VH's with your main force. That way, when you take the last VH with them, the battle ends and they don't get counter-attacked.[;)]

[RUPD3658]

ORIGINAL: Poopyhead

Also, if you use them to take a deep VH area, first take all the other VH's with your main force. That way, when you take the last VH with them, the battle ends and they don't get counter-attacked.[;)]

Sometimes taking a raer area VP hex first will help the main force by causing units to break cover and respond to a crisis in the rear area. I also use your trick of pounding the arrival hexes with arty. The only problem is not knowing exactly when they will arrive.

[Poopyhead]

One of the unit screens shows the infiltrator's arrival turn. I can't remember the screen's official name (I'm at work), so try them all. Maybe someone else knows it?

[RUPD3658]

I think this is only with per schedualed reinforcements that arrive at reinforcment flags. Infiltrating special forces are random.

[Twotribes]

I found that they arrive with in a turn or so of when the screen says they will. If it says 99 they will never arrive.

[Possusoturi]

Hi.

I am new to this forum, and this is my first post.

I consider myself below average player, and play small scale battles(1000-2000), so special forces and paratroopers are usually an luxury I can´t afford to have, or at least are such a novelty that they won´t make much difference. If I use them, I try to have them arrive at turn 6-10 during attack missions, quite near my estimated forces, just behind the enemy. Ideally they help me to quickly break enemy front and hold out possible counterattacks/reserve long enough for my main bulk to relieve them. Then they are assigned to positions in battleplan where damage has considerably lowered combat performance.

Problem is I both hate sending men into situations where I sometimes can´t reach them and they get slaughtered, and quite often the timing and/or placing is disastrous to me due my poor planning and coordination. I prefer paratroopers because while enemy sees where they come their placing and arrival is more reliable than infiltrating.

Thanks for your patience, and bear with me if I express myself unclearly. I has been while since I used english and I have tendency to ramble.