Infantry?

[shermanM4A1]

I'm just wondering if there is still a use for infantry (other than for the Japanese and the minor nations, as they have few, if any good tanks). Infantry are slow and often have bad ranges, i.e. they can only attack effectively from short range. Most infantry units also have mediocre 4/4 defense but die after two hits (disrupted, then destroyed) as opposed to the three hits needed to kill vehicles.

I tried using infantry but they always seem too slow and almost always get wiped out before they even reach the objective. Besides, there are many cheap tanks out there such as the StuG, the EPIV, the Stuart and the Sherman, among others. So my question is: Is it still wise to use infantry in an army.

BTW, I am not playing with year or historical restrictions here, so the fact that infantry is a huge part in wars is not a factor here.

[mlund]

The British use Infantry to great effect. They have solid paratroopers and Tally-Ho.

Infantry will always be useful simply because this is an objective-based game rather than a mindless "kill 'em all" shooter.

- Marty Lund

[RBloom0566]

Hence the need for Trucks in this next set!
Rapid transport, possibly mass (meaning two units) across the battlefield to where they are needed.

[shermanM4A1]

Sorry, I almost forgot. Please do not take into consideration paratroopers or heroes for this post since their abilities are very different from those of most other infantry.

[DocD]

Well, if you are not using a historical background for your battles, it doesn't matter.....don't use infantry.

For historical players like myself, infantry is the backbone of almost every battle, as they were historically.

[RaidingParty]

There are plenty of uses for 4/4 defense infantry. Infantry fight better in cover and in tight spaces. They get a 50% cover save, and some use Hand-To-Hand or Close Assault SAs to negate your opponent's cover. They also have defensive fire on everything, which means you can pinch off an objective or passage with the threat of Close Assault.

Infantry are usually better for defense anyways, so attack with your tanks and give your troops enough room to slip in and entrench on the objective. If you have to attack with them, use fast transports like the Jeep or powerful commanders like the Inspiring Lt. or Canadian NCO. They can also be paired with Paratroopers to form two pincers, one in the front and one in behind, to counter a hit-and-run strategy.

The Soviets have some of the best combinations for cheap infantry. Tank-transports are a big help. The Commissar works well with massed infantry or AT guns, and the Cossack Captain can smoke out elite infantry in cover when paired with SMGs or Grenadiers. Infantry also help Open Back vehicles like the SU-76 from getting dropped in from behind by Paratroopers.

[Kaufschtick]

I don't know how many people play the assault scenario, the one where you have a 120pt attack force and an 80pt defender. Infantry are really usefull in this type of scenario as the defender. Especially since you can pick the map and place the objective. Infantry can be used to pinch off avenues of approach as RaidingParty points out by using the threat of close assault.

I like any game that gives it's due to the PBI and makes them a centerpiece of gameplay. I think this game still has a good use for infantry in gameplay.

As far as the question of the older 4/4 infantry vs the newer 5/5 type infantries WotC is introducing...I dunno.

[CdtWeasel]

Infantry's speed is never an issue for me. You start only a few hexes away from the objective. Depending where you start you can contest the objective easily within the first couple turns. Only need for trucks would be to get your infantry to flank the opponent or get to infantry that is flanking you. Neither is a great tactic as its typically better to dig in on the objective and be forced out.

[Arontje]

If people play with a larger unit limit then infantry will be stronger.

100 point no unit limit for example. You can take:

Mauser Kar 12x
Panzerfaust 2x
Whermacht Oberleutnant 1x
SS Hamster 1x
SS Panzergrenadier 5x
Whermacht Expert Sniper 1x

This is just an example... it is 7:15 in the morning at work here so I am not awake enough to make a very competitive army right now. But this one looks cool and that is the way I mostly make my armies.

[rverlind]

Infantry will always be useful simply because this is an objective-based game rather than a mindless "kill 'em all" shooter.

- Marty Lund

I agree with this one, when defending the objective infantry stands a good chance against armor. Lately I thought I already lost the game since he still had 3 armored vehicles and I only had 4 4/4 infantry units left.
Thanks to some good cover roles, defensive fire, close assault and the opponent needing to occupy the objective all his armor was destroyed with no infantry left.

Ofcourse, in non objective games the enemy armor would not need to come so close to my infantry and the result would be quite different.


Ru

[brwnx]

try to kill seven garand guys in cover at the objective with a vet tiger....

[Skorpiun]

I've played a handful of all infantry games ranging from assault/defend scenerio to 200 pt all infantry slaughter games. The 5/5 defense units are well worth their cost in those games as well as any unit with 8+ range. The heavey mortars tend to unbalance it though. Just doesnt seem fair for a mustang to fly in a 4 spaces away from the enemy and then an artillery battery from mortars come raining down on the enemy.

Infantry battles tend to add a lot more time to a game, but they are really fun. You get to see the pro's and con's of each infantry unit you wouldn't normally see in a game dominated by vehicles. In the games i've played that are heavey infantry builds it seems that Germany and Japan hold the upper hand on them.

[lubomirvaic]

Sherman, if you find that your infantry gets picked off too early, you might not be using enough of them. Infantry works best en masse. Use lots of troops and you will succeed by swarming your opponent. I usually try to make up a force nearly 50/50 in cost between tanks and infantry, but quite often I field slightly more troops. Give it a try of you haven't already. Heck, if you often play against the same opponents and suddenly you switch to infantry heavy force, you'll win by sheer surprise!!

[Autarch]

Sherman, just don't take a lot of infantry for large scale games!

[cannonfodder]

I assume you are not talking primarily about def 5 infantry. I wish I had enough of them to field only def 5 infantry. Even in open terrain these guys are hard to kill.
Def 4 infantry is another matter all together. Lubomirvaic is correct, lots and lots of inf is very hard to kill. In the 2 to 3 turns it should take (move inf in both move and assault phase until they are were they need to be.)to get to the objective you'll lose some of them but some should get through.
Remember also, if he's focussing on killing your infantry then your armour should be free to wreak havoc on his units, be they armour or infantry. Try focussing on whatever units he's using to kill you infantry. Then get yours onto the objective and park them.
Of course this is only my opinion and my win / loss ratio ain't nothing to be proud of.
I experiment a lot. I find things out but I lose a lot while I do.