Skippy

Ok, since we appear to be in a deadlock on the "when/whether to use ACs" question, let's move on to my questions which remain unanswered: Assuming that I already have ACs (in a scenario or, heck, I decide to get an answer for myself) - what movement orders do I issue? Fast? Contact? Second, can British/American fast TDs sub in as scouts or is that a gross misuse? Talk amongst yourselves.

What's the best way to scout with vehicles or light tanks, specifically what movement orders should they be issued? Fast move to be harder to hit or contact so they're more cautious? When it is appropriate to buy and use these scouting vehicles instead of just using half-squads? When is it better to use an AC (Puma, Greyhound, BA-10, etc) instead of a Lt Tank (Stuart, T70, PzII, etc)? Can the Western Allies' fast TDs "sub in" for this role? Thanks.

Ok, I have an actual relevant question. If I'm bordering too much on being off-topic, then I'll gladly start a new thread: When walking us through a 600pt QB where you have a full company of infantry, JasonC talked about using the "worst" HQ to screen. Where should the "best" platoon HQ be in that sort of setup? Leading the point platoon? The maneuver platoon? How do you determine the best HQ? For a point platoon, is stealth more valuable than morale or command? What qualities are best for which roles?

Well, since I think we've more or less covered how to use TDs (though please contribute more if you can think of something), I still have my question of *when* to use them. In what sort of QBs (eg low point budgets?) is it a better idea to use a TD than a normal tank? What sorts of terrain settings?

That covers a lot of defensive tactics. How, then, should I use them offensively?

I want to know how and when to use TDs - not the big, heavy TDs like Elefants, but the thin-skinned ones like the Marder series or the M10 Wolverine. In what sort of QB setups (terrain, era, score, force composition and nation) are TDs preferable to normal tanks? How can you use an "eggshell with a hammer"* effectively? How should tactics for turreted and non-turreted TDs differ? Thanks *How JasonC once described the PzIV

Jason C - This is a very good thread for beginners, thank you. I'd suggest it go in the Anthology o' Useful Posts, but I'm not so sure if the Battlefront moderators would want to draw attention to what I think you have to admit has been one of this forum's less shining moments. That said, it has been very useful for me. I've tried several 300 and 600 pt battles using the force mixes you reccomended, and I feel like I understand this game much better than I was when I was flailing about in random scenarios.

Rune - the release version. An interesting trick I found - if you play as the defenders in an assault scenario and order your M3s to dig in, the hull gun can still fire, but most of your vulnerable hull is protected. The 75 fires in a very limited arc, but it's like having a turreted pillbox.

Ok, now I'm on turn 12 and things are going distinctly worse. I've lost all(!) of my Grants and one of my Shermans. But at least I think I understand my mistakes. Putting a tank *on* a wall doesn't simulate it covering behind the wall - the hull is exposed. Oops. Two - shouldn't have positioned two of my M3s so close. Similarly, I shouldn't have moved my reserve M3s up closer. One M3 was rendered useless by having its gun destroyed, which according to CMAK means that *both* guns are destroyed, as they aren't tracked independantly. Poo.

Ok, so I went with your suggestions and started the scenario over. I hid the GMCs in the scattered trees to shoot and scoot them in and out of cover. More importantly, I moved the M3s from their hull down starting positions. Two of them were moved forward approx 150m to behind a low rise, and were later moved to hull up on top of the rise when the panzers arrived. Two more were moved back to another elevated position, and the last one was moved to a position in a wall, on the theory that the wall would offer some cover for the lower hull. What a difference 100-200 meters and the full-time use of the 75 makes! I'm on turn 9 and I've knocked out 3 panzers and have lost no vehicles.

According to the manual, units that remain in their starting position are considered "camouflaged." How effective is camouflage in keeping tanks hidden? How much effect does the tank's profile have? What about hull down status? On a related note, what does the "hide" command mean for tanks? The manual never explains this. Does it just mean that it will not fire until fired upon?

I think I phrased the question wrong, let me try again. When engaging German tanks (esp. PzIIIs and IVs) at range, is it generally better to do it hull down and be more protected or go completely exposed and be able to use the hull 75? Or is shooting and scooting between hull down hull up an acceptable compromise.

I'm new to the game and I'm having trouble with playing the CMAK scenario Fruhlingswind as the Americans. I'm particularly perplexed about how to handle my Grants against the German PzIIIs and IVs. If I leave them hull down, they're harder to kill, but they can only use their 37mm, which has been ineffective against the German armor (I've been fighting at about 900 meters). But if I take them out of cover for more than a few seconds to use their 75s, they get lit up. How should I handle this? Do I leave them hull down and hope the Germans close within the 37s lethal range or take them out of cover and hope the 75s do their work before their thin hull armor is penetrated? Is there a way to keep my tanks hidden long enough to sucker the Jerries in to lethal range? Thanks.