How good is kradschützen?

[Ceridan]

I m playing GC41 east and currently my core has 7 infantry units- 1infantry, 1mountain infabtry, 1pioneer and rest grenadiers. I thought I need more especially for upcoming battle of Stalingrad and I bought kradschützen unit. So now I wondering how good that unit actually is. Is it safe to park it in hexes where infantry gets better defence bonuses like city or forests and is it more vulnerable from tank attacks just like infantry in trucks? Basically can kradschützen hold on its own or I will have to babysit it for rest of my campaign?

[Shrike]

Never been able to keep 'em alive long enough to bother with them. I think there are better options like the Saharina if you want the combined infantry and recon advantage. Won't be available in the dlc's unfortunately, but getting pioniere with a scouting hero is better than kradschützen with a defense hero imho.

[Kamerer]

I have not found the Kradschutzen to be a good "infantry replacement" unit. It has a lower GD and can't really stand in the battle line like other infantry units. Another factor is they do not get the '43 upgrades, so become even less competitive in that regard after the end of '42.

I think given your core infantry, the greater problem is mobility. 5/7 of your units are only two movement (Grenadier and Pioniere). Even in urban combat - and especially Stalingrad which is a relatively large map, that can hinder your advance to the point a DV becomes a real problem. Suppressing the enemy with artillery will help make basic infantry and also mtn. infantry work very effectively, and give better mobility in my opinion. However, there are different ways to play and win - and different levels play very differently.

Another thing I have noticed is that the 1.10 AI mods make entrenched units much more likely to leave their entrenchment to attack single units in their field of spotting. Used to your advantage and with artillery, this can greatly increase the flexibility of "conventional" infantry and negate the benefits of Pioniere units. But that's 1.10 and later; if you are playing an earlier release, that isn't necessarily the case.

[Vaughn]

I like the mobility. I keep one in my core - just not as a front line troop. I have found success as a cavalry replacement. I use it to take very poorly defended positions or positions that have been subdued or vacated. It seems to work pretty good as recon along the flanks too.

I used one all through AK and I restarted the DLCs. As of mid '40 it is still a very useful unit.

[Naxor]

Dunno about single player but in multiplayer they are beast. Cheap, fast moving and easily destroys any infantry unit they face. Maybe a little overpowered but that is good counterweight for soviet conscripts.

[ZeusImmortal]

I would agree. In multiplayer games cheap and fast units are very important. Not long life span though!

[Razz1]

I like them and can get 1 star with them or more.

A great scout. In later years it's better for me to switch to the Rad 8

[KeldorKatarn]

I have sucessfully used them. I don't use them as scouts too much, mostly as mobile infantry. Sometimes to scout certain flanks that I belive to be very undefended, or to take some undefended city hexes. I wouldn't use them as scouts so much because they lack the scout movement and cannot retreat back after finding trouble.

[Longasc]

Do they actually have the close combat ability of Infantry in restricted terrain?

[robman]

Yes, they do. I agree with KeldorKatarn, though: they really need to have recon movement in order to be keepers after '42. Maybe they could switch like the Sahariana.