Matrix Games Forums

We all know that there is a large vocal mob for best tank and best arty type.

So right here I am eliminating all armour category and artillery category choices (ie they are found on either the armour or artillery tab selections), from our discussion unless you can reeeeeally make a case for inclusion...

Soooo my favourite choice for a neat unit that always seems to be both economical, functional and useful (hey it has to earn its keep on the list too eh), would have to be either a recon team or an mg section.

Cheap as sin, you can always seem to buy some after you are down to the last handful of points, they can cover ground, hold it well enough, always seem to drive the AI crazy hehe and they can ride almost any sze vehicle.

What's your favourite cheap unit with a nice functionality, that can be found in any nations menus?

Rifle Squad

I think the 4-man Recon squad is one of the most useful on the board. I didn't think they were worth much when I started playing, but over time they have proved there worth. With the SMG and the AT mine, they have held a position long enough to bring up a rifle squad or to as relief, and as they move slowly forward they spot most of the small AT and infantry units the enemy fires with.

Good, effective unit for the cost.

I would go with the mobil Quad 50 cal. Shots down planes all the time, eats up infantry like bacon, destroies ATG's with one shot and can destroy halftracks and other small Armored cars.

I agree with challenge: the recon squads usually have high experience and morale and can be a real pain for the enemy.

Rifle Squad. That's true - you can do everything with it.

I like motorcycle squads ... great for recon and a bit of hit and run! if there's a target of opportunity they can gather quickly like a flock of vultures I usually pass on the motorcycle MG teams though, they seem to be less effective and more fragile.

Hmm, my favorite cheap multi use unit...I can't name a single one, but here are some:

1) HMGs (MG42, Soviet 12,7mm, US 50cal, Vickers). These units wipe out men at awesome rate.

2) 32cm Schweres Wurfgerät. One just got to love those flames

3) Medium mortar (3in, 81mm, 82mm). Excellent weapon for creating suppression with pinpoint accuracy.

Colonel von Blitz

The snipers are quite useful, if used correctly....and so is the soviet aa-truck with quad-maxims. That thing gives german infantry a good slapping. They´re a bit frail, tho....

Hmm..multi-use? I've always liked halftracks, especially such ones that have many mg's. They move fast, with 2-3 mg's great in mowing down infantry, with AAMG they also work against aircraft. And if I happen to have that infantry unit with them I can always use the 'suppress with mg's, drive close, dump infantry and let it kill the enemy' method of attack.

Voriax

Originally posted by Voriax
... And if I happen to have that infantry unit with them I can always use the 'suppress with mg's, drive close, dump infantry and let it kill the enemy' method of attack.

Voriax

This is the way I use HT and infantry too.
But is this a real tactic or just a game tactic? I'm not a military expert so I don't no real combined arms tactics...
Just curious...

I have a number of them, but one of my favorite toys for the time being is cavalry.

Their main advantage is that they are a quick unit without being easily destroyed. If you need smoke somewhere quickly, and generally use them as a middle or latter unit, they can be used that way. They're good at spotting too. Their speed can easily get them out of trouble.

I pick one of them typically as my last core unit. They're really good for the mopping up stages. Another little area where they can be pretty effective is attacking the enemy artillery. Because of a lot of guns responding quickly, in a lot of cases armored cars are pretty useless unless in numbers, but it seems that cavalry attack guns very well with not too much risk, particularly if you're talking very short range. One thing I think that helps them, is that armored cars draw fire from any unit, whereas I think some of the ATGs may tend to disregard them because of their soft status. It just seems to me in close quarters with guns even if they suffer from the first shot against them, they're very likely to come out on top. I've never tried the light cavalry some nations have, and I don't think there's enough weapons there for them to prove useful in anything but a very strict scouting and possibly any emergency smoke-grenading that may be needed.

Not multifunctional , sure ..but almost always useful : MINES ..very cheap and placed in your rear can sometimes really help you ! when I am allowed I always buy some of them !

Originally posted by gnoccop


This is the way I use HT and infantry too.
But is this a real tactic or just a game tactic? I'm not a military expert so I don't no real combined arms tactics...
Just curious...

Afaik one rl tactic is just this..use APC's to suppress the enemy and transport your troops fast and protected from small arms fire into the front of the enemy position where the troops unload and storm the position. In cases where the enemy positions are weak the APC might even drive in the middle of the enemy and then disembark troops.

It all depends of the opposition, though.

Voriax

For the multirole units, my fav's are:

1) the quad MG (air support AND infantry grinder!)

2) the sniper-scout

3) rifle infantry (as long as they carry some sort of AT capable weapon with them...grenades, mines, 'zookas...)

Cavalry and/or motorcycles when available, for reasons listed above.

Finnish Cavalry!!!!! Nothing in the world beats them.

Here's two cheap ones that I always buy: GE kubelwagen...recon status, lots of movement, can carry small squads, and if true-troop-cost is on they're only 2 points!! And at that price who cares if you lose them? The other is the Soviet partisan/sapper squads....cheap pickets that can actually cause serious damage.

Engineer Squad with flame throwers...can destroy almost anything if lucky

Not really cheap... but FT (Flamethrower) tanks and a mass of rocket artillery.....heavy firepower, suppresses tanks like he** and wipes infantry oiff the map..

Antarctic