The most important characteristic for your squads ?

[Aga]

Of course the quality of a unit is determine by the total given by its characteristics. But, according to the way you play, or for any other reasons, there can be a characteristic which is more important in your eyes than the other, which you prefer.
In my opinion it is the moral, the rally. It is the moral and the rally which determine if you squad is “available” or not. A broken squad can be still there, on the map, on your screen, but it is “away” as long as he can’t rally. And it is the best way to “eliminate” a danger represented by an enemy squad, instead of trying to physically eliminate it.
Of course I don’t say that the other characteristics are not important, to the contrary. But I presume that my way of playing drives me to look at the moral and the rally first.

[Silencer]

Survivability. I'll always love a PzIII I'm driving that nobody seems able to hit or kill while it's digging into the enemy forces.

[Belisarius]

Since I mostly play GE, morale/rally is not really a problem at any time. :p So for me, it's experience. I want every shot to count.

[K62_]

Speed. You left out speed

[Drescher]

I just wanted to add , that an expirienced squad will have better chances rallying and the morale somewhat comes together with a more on expirience also . So i would rather like to have an expirienced squad then some newbies with a good ( under the aspect of rally) commander .

[Major_Johnson]

Interesting poll, considering I just so happen to be play testing (via PBEM) a converted (to) H2H scenario, 1944 US Advance, GE Defend, location Italy. I voted for experience, but part of me wanted to vote morale/rally. My immediate issue is that when I watch the video replay all of my units (except for tanks) return fire only 10% of the time (with minimal accuracy) and hence are getting picked off one by one, and during my turn the GE units return fire 90% of the time with deadlly accuracy, and they return fire 2-3 times!

Example: US M3 Halftrack (loaded with a full Arm'd Infantry Squad, AIS) runs into a GE Airborne Unit. The US Infantry immediately unloads and gets shot at by the GE Airborne Unit. The AIS loses at least one man, and may or may not retreat. I have to rally both the M3 and the AIS, assuming they did not retreat, (hopefully to point of getting some shots back! And that's if they didn't retreat) I return fire with the AIS, no hits or maybe one. GE retuns fire, this time killing at least one of my AIS. This time they definitely retreat. I fire on the GE Airborne with the M3, 50 cal then 30 cal, no hits! The GE Airborne then "Assaults" the M3 and destroys it (or if I'm lucky, disables it!)

Considering the 1944 time line, I assume that (at least some of) my troops are veteran and should have the where with all to defend themselves allot better than what is being projected in this scenario. This is the one instance where that (supposedly) over powering US artillery I hear some people complain of is helping me out a little. Also I do seem to be getting compensated with ample reinforcements, but in my opinion those Super Human GE units (which I've heard AmmoSgt, somewhat passionately, refer to every now and then) need to be reduced a notch or 2 in the morale/rally setting, or the US troops bumped up a notch! Either would suit me.

[tracer]

I usually buy the more experienced squads. Experience affects almost everything a unit does, and everything done to it. They hit more often and cause more casualties/suppression; they avoid getting hit and take less damage/losses; they spot the enemy better and are better at remaining unspotted themselves. Add to this that they almost always have greater mobility and higher morale.

[Belisarius]

Also I do seem to be getting compensated with ample reinforcements, but in my opinion those Super Human GE units (which I've heard AmmoSgt, somewhat passionately, refer to every now and then) need to be reduced a notch or 2 in the morale/rally setting, or the US troops bumped up a notch! Either would suit me.

Believe me, the Jerries need every über-morale/rally they can get after being assaulted by quad .50 cals/37mm/76mm/4.2"/155mm in every single turn. :rolleyes:

[Vathailos]

Voted "experience" too. For some of the above reasons. Recon units spot better. Long-range guns hit what they shoot at more often (and all shoot more often in OP-fire mode IIRC). FO's call faster, mortars shoot faster.

High numbers with low morale/rally doesn't help all that much after an artillery barrage.

**thinks about 100s of conscripts in the woods**
**thinks about RB's artillery**
**shudders**

One thing I'd like to point out to MAJ Johnson is that the "one-loss-flee" reflex can work to your advantage (or against you if you're the GE player trying to kill the US). You're more apt to flee yes, but in low movement/visibility conditions, that's a big plus when it comes to unit preservation. Nothing like coming up on a US squad in the woods, shooting it up, it pops smoke and falls back, you have to waste another unit to move in closer, that unit's attacked (because the suppression level isn't "Retreat" yet) by the US squad, who hits me, stopping my unit. I fire, hit him, he withdraws again, I roll up an AFV to shoot him again... etc.

Unless you park ON them, their survivability is very high in these instances. You can use up a whole platoon trying to pursue a fleeing squad and inflict 3-4 casualties on it (and remember that US have larger squads). Only to find they've rallied the next turn and shoot up the unit that was chasing them. Only to repeat the same process all over again. And if they have an M9 or a flamethrower, OMGoodness, it just gets worse from...

**thinks of Frank W. in the snow**
**thinks of trying to push the US out of the South**
**shudders**

[Major_Johnson]

Thanks for the info and encouragement Bel and Vat. Personally I think my issue has more to do with the fact that this is a converted scenario. I've played scenario's made for H2H that things appear to be more balanced. I just needed to vent! But believe me, I am gainning ground on my opponent. Adapt and attack!!!

[Capt. Pixel]

[QUOTE=Vathailos]...Unless you park ON them, their survivability is very high in these instances. You can use up a whole platoon trying to pursue a fleeing squad and inflict 3-4 casualties on it (and remember that US have larger squads). Only to find they've rallied the next turn and shoot up the unit that was chasing them. Only to repeat the same process all over again. ...QUOTE]

Idirect Fire ('Z') goes a long way in reducing that nasty 'retreating infantry syndrome'. Units in the traget hex are less likely to retreat after receiving indirect fire.

I voted for firepower. Not only capable weapons, but also a decent fire control (no less than 3, if I can get it) It doesn't help to have a fine weapon that you can't aim accurately. :rolleyes:

As has been pointed out repeatedly - SKI TROOPS CAN'T ASSAULT!! Their experience is quite irrelevant when they're tasked to deal with an armored opponent. Similarly, infantry squads without some means of AT capability are going to end up as so much frozen meat.

Firepower is the key - for me.

[Irinami]

Experience, though it's close. Experience is firepower and stealth, which are the two things I value most in a unit. The high-man Japanese units are great, as is their ability to retain cohesion after more than 50% casualties. But similar things can be accomplished with experienced units--and they'll move, fight, rally and retreat more efficiently, too.

On the other tangent...

The US (and Italian) tendency toward fleeing isn't all bad. It's handy in the offence, too, for probing. That is, you can move forward over the crest of a hill. If you get shot at and lose a man, they'll flee right back into cover. Moving out of a forest, they'll flee back into the relative safety of the trees--and if they're shot at again, they're probably going to flee out-of-sight into the woods. I've wished my German or Japanese troops would do that plenty of times.

[KG Erwin]

I'm playing another USMC long campaign starting in 42. The high experience levels of my rifle companies in 42 reflect more the esprit and training of the Gyrenes than actual combat experience. Given that the squads themselves are upgraded with each passing year, the experience hits are recovered fairly rapidly. Also, the ability to advance into a hidden Japanese unit, take fire and maintain their position is very very important. This allows for the Stuart or Sherman supporting the infantry to move up and either shred the defender(s) or force them to retreat.

[Frank W.]

Voted "experience" too. For some of the above reasons. Recon units spot better. Long-range guns hit what they shoot at more often (and all shoot more often in OP-fire mode IIRC). FO's call faster, mortars shoot faster.

High numbers with low morale/rally doesn't help all that much after an artillery barrage.

**thinks about 100s of conscripts in the woods**
**thinks about RB's artillery**
**shudders**

i think that´s true.

i´m playing a game as russian v.s ger in 43
in the woods. i have 3 OB batt. 2x152 1x 76mm.

but they are often out of contact, but my opp
has much 120mm mortars and they shoot almost
every turn, my russian are quite much disabled only
from the arty. i noticed marine squads do a little better
than the normal ones.

also i just traded 5 of my tanks for 1 german.

1xt34m34,1xt34flame,1xsu57,1xgrant,1xsu85

i last su85 than killed the still unsurpressed MKIV H.

wow, i fight like the real russians in WW2 without care for
my soldiers