Is infantry in BA really this useless?

[borsook79]

First, of course there are situations when you have to use infantry, e.g. capturing buildings, but these are situations when you are forced to use them, not when they are a superior choice. Any movement of an infantry unit usually means that they will be decimated by enemy tanks or infantry in defensive position. So maybe they should be a defensive weapon? also not so much, as they are only dangerous to other infantry units.

All in all it seems to me that if the scenario does not require you to capture anything that you cannot capture with tanks, it's actually better to compose your force solely of tanks/artillery and forgo infantry altogether. Is it just me, am I using them wrong? What are your opinions?

[DocMogs]

i think you must be using them wrong, infantry are fantastic in this game.

Yes you can't run down a tank in the open with infantry but they are cheap, invisible to armor when in cover and (engineers, waffen, flamethrowers, RPGs and para's) are excellent at taking out all but the biggest tanks.

You can use them defensively by keeping them hidden along routes that enemy armor might take, or you can use them offensively to sneak up on enemy troops/armor creating ambushes. ONe thing you may need to re-evaluate is the use of the "hunt" movement option. If you are pretty sure you will run into enemy infantry with your infantry movement then hunt because you won't take so much damage from the reaction fire. Run full speed into an enemy unit and you will most likely get suppressed or even surrender but hunt and you are likely to be able to get a few shots off. Also never attack a position with one infantry unit always work in at least 2 or 3s.

If you can draw out enemy reaction shots infantry are great finishers and because of their cost you can sac one for a tank and not feel to bad about it.

Also use halftracks, keep a unit loaded. Nothing in this game is as dangerous to a sitting duck tank than a half track with engineers on it. Ride up behind the tank, unload the unit, drop a couple of charges on the back of the tank, load back up and ride off. This tactic is good not just for taking out armor but any position that is heavily fortified but has run out of reaction fire. A halftrack with a flamethrower boarded is one of the strongest tactics in this game, IMO.

infantry can rarely destroy a king tiger but if its moral is low enough you can make it surrender.

I love the mechanics of infantry in this game, to me, they are the core functioning unit. They are incredibly well rounded and the invisible in cover is such a bonus that they are very effective in all facets. IN multiplayer i tend to favour infantry selections first and then support them with carriers, arty and tanks because they are just that good.

[borsook79]

i think you must be using them wrong, infantry are fantastic in this game.

Yes you can't run down a tank in the open with infantry but they are cheap, invisible to armor when in cover and (engineers, waffen, flamethrowers, RPGs and para's) are excellent at taking out all but the biggest tanks.

You can use them defensively by keeping them hidden along routes that enemy armor might take, or you can use them offensively to sneak up on enemy troops/armor creating ambushes. ONe thing you may need to re-evaluate is the use of the "hunt" movement option. If you are pretty sure you will run into enemy infantry with your infantry movement then hunt because you won't take so much damage from the reaction fire. Run full speed into an enemy unit and you will most likely get suppressed or even surrender but hunt and you are likely to be able to get a few shots off. Also never attack a position with one infantry unit always work in at least 2 or 3s.

If you can draw out enemy reaction shots infantry are great finishers and because of their cost you can sac one for a tank and not feel to bad about it.

Also use halftracks, keep a unit loaded. Nothing in this game is as dangerous to a sitting duck tank than a half track with engineers on it. Ride up behind the tank, unload the unit, drop a couple of charges on the back of the tank, load back up and ride off. This tactic is good not just for taking out armor but any position that is heavily fortified but has run out of reaction fire. A halftrack with a flamethrower boarded is one of the strongest tactics in this game, IMO.

infantry can rarely destroy a king tiger but if its moral is low enough you can make it surrender.

I love the mechanics of infantry in this game, to me, they are the core functioning unit. They are incredibly well rounded and the invisible in cover is such a bonus that they are very effective in all facets. IN multiplayer i tend to favour infantry selections first and then support them with carriers, arty and tanks because they are just that good.

Thanks, this is really helpful, I did not know that hunt increases defensiveness, I thought it only makes the unit's aim better, this is really good to know

[IainMcNeil]

In multiplayer games the first thing I do is focus on taking out the enemy infantry. Once the enemy player is down to vehicles he's basically blind and its a duck shoot