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Is the best type of Infantry for Soviets Airborne?


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I started experimenting with the different types of infantry divisions. I started to notice that the airborne had a very powerful force selection from '42 and up. They have large amounts of SVT's and SMG's. They also have mortars. They have a great amount of firepower and Molotov’s for some lucky AT attempts.

What is your opinion?

Erik

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The best type of infantry are the ones that follow orders. I'll take vet troops no matter what they carry!

But if you're going by raw fire power, 560 FP at close range is pretty much unbeatable. However, over range, check out a Sturmkompanie in later years. They only have 283 FP at close range, but their fire power remains very steady over longer ranges. At long range their FP is around 87, while an airborne company (due to SMG only) has about 25 or so.

Airborne company is WAAAAY more practical than a Sturmkompanie, however. Much less expensive.

I'd like to see one of those Airborne Platoons get up close to a normal rifle platoon, it would be a massacre. Are there any other infantry units that have more than 560FP at close range? Not even most SMG squads are even close to that...!

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Along the lines of what securityguard was saying. It all depends on the situation and the terrain. Obviously at shorter ranges(cities, heavy woods) it's usually better to go with the smg squads and for the longer ranges(open fields, less trees) go with the rifle squads. The smg squads are basically worthless unless you can get in close range.

IIRC the soviet recon troops have like 61 ammo pts, but have no lmg and only 1 smg. So they can engage the enemy for much longer periods of time. So the ammo loadout is also important to consider.

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Early war airborne have all SVT and high ammo, but no LMG, giving them only middling FP. Not great infantry. But the mid war guys are much better, with 2 SMGs and 4 SVTs per 12 man squad, along with an LMG. That gives them 200-100-50 FP with 49 ammo, a strong all around infantry type (comparable to Recon A). They also have access to SMG companies with 2 platoons, each SMG HQ and 3 9-man SMG squads. Their regular companies come with 2 extra HQs for commanding weapons. These all make them quite flexible as a parent unit type and particular well led.

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As already said, Airborn and SMG rock.

But what about Pios on Russian side?

They are rather expensive, but they have the "Päcchen" satchels - ´nice if you know ur opponent is getting tanks. And, unlike the german counterpart, you dont have to buy flamethrowers AND they can come in small platoon size. Arent they better than regular Rifle Platoons?

And: would you favortite rifle or recon platoons? Is bigger [squadsize] always better?

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No, pioneers are not better than regular rifle platoons, as infantry that is. They are underarmed for infantry combat, with only about half the firepower per squad of the decent squad types (types with an LMG and 2-3 SMGs).

A single company of them can still make sense, giving an extra company HQ, and used for their AT and mineclearing abilities in 2 mini-platoons of HQ and 2 squads, deployed with the squads about 50m from each other to cover 300m total with demo charge threats.

They then shoot about like a single platoon but with good ammo depth and good ability to absorb fire. Cost as much as 2 platoons about, and fight somewhere between 1 and 2 platoons worth as infantry. Their special abilities have to wind up worth a platoon or so for them to pay off, but one good DC hit can achieve that.

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