How to knock out German tanks with infantry?

[Sven]

Is it at all possible to knock out German tanks and armored cars using ordinary allied infantry?

If so, how?

Also, how/when are Satchel charges used?

[Stalin's Organ]

Yes it is possible - you get close enough and wait....and wait..and lots of them might die....and wait...and you might kill the vehicle!!

Satchel charges are used automatically whenever appropriate. This includes close assaults on any enemy - infantry, armour, bunkers. Also engineers use them to clear minefields. It's all automatic - you don't have to select them or anything.

[Stixx]

Play a scenario called Counter Attack at carentan as allied.

It is a good way to learn the effectiveness of infantry vs Armour.

[von Lucke]

American rifle grenades are effective out to about 30m (max range just under 60m). I've seen Panthers taken out by them before --- from the side or rear, of course.

For satchel charges (or Gammon bombs) there seems to be a reluctance to use them at ranges of less than 20m --- preferably the target vehicle is in a different terrain square than the assaulting squad.

As for direct assault with nothing but grenades: It works --- but only with a lot of luck.

[Fishu]

Those rifle grenades seems tad too effective to me.

I've once seen a penetration table for rifle grenades and they were more of the class of purpose made 20mm AT-rifle.

[Panzer Leader]

Back in the beta days I knocked a sherman out with a crew (Chance Encounter) I don't think I've ever seen it since, though.

[CombinedArms]

I recently played a bocage operation as Allies (US)and a whole series of Mechanized SS squads kept bursting through the bocage and maniacally assaulting my Shermans and HTs at close range. All of them died quick deaths but not before killing two Shermans and one HT. Two squads also assaulted--across open ground--an MG and US (understrength squad) in woods supported at range by tanks and HTs. Both SS squads died but not before taking out both my units. I'd never seen such aggressive behavior from infantry vs. tanks before. Is there something particularly aggressive about the SS Mechanized squads--or maybe it's just SS in general? Are they programmed for extra aggression. (I checked the operation parameters and both US & Axis fanaticism was set at normal.)

Speaking of crews killing tanks, I killed an Axis AA vehicle with a 3 man platoon HQ recently. It really surprised me--there were zooks and full infantry squads in the vicinity, but the HQ window showed the vehicle kill.

[Redwolf]

CombinedArms, CMBO does not model any special characteristics for different forces, neither by country not by Heer/SS/Airborne etc. The great didfference one see one time or another are probably a result of global morale level. That one has a big influence on units engaging different targets.

You have to differentiate between vehicle crews and other crews, i.e. guns and mortars. BTS limited the capabilities of vehicles crews very much, but gun/mortar crews are quite capable of fighting and even get some ammo for their small arms.