Matrix Games Forums

I'm pretty new to the game and love how I can set up the size and consist of each unit. This of course makes me wonder how others determine the size and consist of their units. I mean theoretically you could have each unit consists of a single unit such as 1 rifle. Obviously that's not practical. In the random game I'm playing against the AI, I have infantry formations consisting of 30 rifles, 4 morters, 4 machine guns and two bazookas. Tank formatins consist of four light tanks (haven't researched anything else yet).

What do you all use?

John

 Check out my AAR jarmenia and you can see some of mine. Although I am thinking of trying out some different formations now that I have played a little more, but I kinda like the setups you'll see there.
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1619792

I tend often to put all in one unit.
Base is a lot of infantry with some tanks as support.
When i face a lot of enemy tanks i use bazookas, too.
When the time is come for own attacks i´ll add trucks to make the units mobile.
 
So my russian units in russia 1941 have often
40 Rifle
10 SMG
2 tanks
 
or something like this. Powerful in defense.
 
 
 

Here is a good thread I bookmarked.
 
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1613817&mpage=1&key=formations&#1613817

For me, the make-up of the units depends on their needs. It is important to realize that adding forces to existing units (except transport I believe) has a negative impact on their experience and organization so it is best to build the unit once only.

I typically tend to build the following type of units:

Initial City Rush Phase:
1 Armored Car

Headquarters:
60+ Staff (depending on size of Army Group it leads)
6+ Trucks
(Flak when enemy has aircraft)

Engineer Units: (can build 5 or 6 road hexes per turn)
40 Engineers
2 Trucks

Large Area Defense: (many units defending a wide area)
15 - 20 Infantry (mainly Rifle Infantry but some Machine Guns etc)

Defense Bonus (Forest, City, Mountain etc):
40 Infantry (mainly Rifle with some Machine Gun)

Plains Attack:
2 Medium Tanks
30 Infantry (Rifle and Mortar)
1 Truck

Close Attack: (Forest, Mountains etc)
40 Infantry (eg. 20 Rifle, 10 SMG, 5 Mortar, 5 Bazooka etc)

Artillery:
4 - 10 Artillery
10 - 20 Rifle
(Trucks optional if mobility required - need lots to transport Artillery)

Then there are the various air and sea forces which I won't add here.

All good answers. Das123's is interesting as he has adopted the German system from WWII, that is tailoring combat groups to the type of mission required, as opposed to the Allies, who tended to do this sometimes but far less often, mostly using generic organizations.

I would ad only that geography is, if not all, then a large part of destiny. The size and configuration of the map will greatly determine unit composition and size. For instance, if you are on a small map you can use very large powerful units. But if you are on a large map and your opponents put up a lot of units then you will have to make more yourself or you will find your large, strong formations having their supply lines cut by hosts of tiny enemy units getting around your open flanks.

But your question is a good one that has preoccupied military thinkers and generals at all times and places of history.

HMMM...
 I guess if I plan to be on the offensive, I prefer rear area weapons. I let my cheap riflemen and SMG's take the losses.
In general I don't like to mix my Armor and infantry together. I might put some infantry subs in my armor unit but I don't put armor in my infantry unit.
There is no real reason why I do that except to say that I do feel I can better protect my armor from air units that way. there are fewer units in play that need to always be under my fighter umbrella or within range of heavy flak protection. Plus I like looking at the armor unit with 400-500 strength rolling up to the enemy line. Gives me goose bumps.
 I only use machine guns in a defensive situation, since they die just as easily as rifle or SMG's and aren't that good on offense anyway.
I will sometimes use bazookas in my infantry but mostly I prefer AT. Bazookas are good if you want to increase your infantries attack value on armor but If I have air units available to do that then I would rather have an AT in every infantry unit. With air units available to take care of enemy armor I only need to worry about my infantry being able to defend against armor.
Those bazooka guys are gonna die fast in battle just like rifle and SMG's. An AT will stay around for awhile.
 Infantry often look like tasty little targets for enemy armor, but with an AT gun attached, that meal will bite back.
One thing I'm pretty sure of in AT, is that play style has more to do with how you set up your units than anything, and there almost is no wrong way of doing it.
 IMHO
 

Depend by the situation... if the enemy AI use a lot of infantry I usually use a full fighting infantry division with 40 mens, 5 Infantry guns, half-truck or truck with some armored car support. But this can change... some mortat or MG's instead of the infantry guns and later some light tank instead of the AC. But I like to create special division for each task instead of having mixed unit. One thing I LOVE about this game is the way the AI fight!

[:)]