"Follow Vehicle" command: what the??

[Der Kuenstler]

So far this "follow vehicle" command has done nothing but get my men killed. I had a full platoon on "follow vehicle" to a T-34 near some woods. The men were already within 30 meters of the vehicle. The T-34 backed up about 10 meters. The infantry all fired once, (missed) got up, and walked out of cover right towards the T-34s waiting guns. They did not stop and did not throw grenades - just kept walking like they were going to ask the commander for a cig. Blam! Blam! - almost all decimated. I'm never using that command again.

[76mm]

That's pretty much been my experience with this command as well--lethal to my own troops.

[stoat]

I once took out a KV with this command, but after its destruction the team stood in open ground until it was destroyed. Never worked again. (tried it about 5 more times) That's the problem with sending infantry out of cover.

[imported_no_one]

If CMX2 and 1:1 representation accurately model infantry close assualts on armor this will be a more frequent occurence than most would like.

The way in which people have been doing this in CMX1 has been taking advantage of the abstraction.That is the primary reason that infantry versus armor is so succesful in CMX1.

In CMX2,the 1:1 represented infantry hopefully will actually HAVE to run out there and assualt the vehicle,not just "throw" the explosives at it.I know that the majority of the time that my infantry performs a succesful assualt on armor--from cover--wouldn't work if not for the abstraction.Regardless of borg spotting,in real life they would have been cut to pieces(just like when you actually use the "follow vehicle" commnad)by the overwatch units.Instead,they are able to stay in cover and lob the explosives via the abstraction and never even get spotted.

BFC,please fix or do somefink!

[michael_wittman44]

I have succes with this command when its been a rural setting and the infantry are comign from behind the armoured vehicles.

[MikeyD]

"Follow vehicle" showed up after people complained "I just can't get my troops to go after armor!"

You've either got to pick the location very carefully before using the command or you've got to resign yourself to sacrificing a squad to knock out that darned tank. Sometimes you 've got to send a squad to their doom to save the whole Company from being wiped out.

[michael_wittman44]

Yeah especially in CMBO I struggled to knock out armour but in CMBB and AK, not that many problems.

[GAGA Extrem]

I guess its useless for squads, but how about tank hunter teams? If you want that thing out of your way, sounds like a good trade...

[Wicky]

A useful (gamey) tip is that you can find the exact location of 'sound contact?' armour by assigning a 'follow' command to the vaguely located grey generic icon.

Get a couple of units to immediately head towards the true 'tank' location and by triangulation of their headings you can know where it is before finding it by direct LOS.

[Zalgiris 1410]

Actually I've not had success with using the 'follow vehicle' command come to think of it. I haven't employed it a lot, I haven't had to since my armour and ATGs seemed to ensure that it very rarely comes to me having to sacrifice troops in 'follow vehicle' close assaults. That said in those emergency times when I had to resort to close assaulting enemy AFVs I've usually just moved or advanced troops to positions close enough for their grenade bundles, panzerfausts or demolition charges to be within range, that is when I have to approach them rather than allowing them to drive into range of them laying in waite.

I'll get around to doing some tests, but it seems from reading posts in this thread that I should avoid using the 'follow vehicle' command and stick with my own SOP for close assaulting.

[mrpwase]

I use it on bunkers.

[lczaplys]

I've had success with this command and enjoy using it. My experience is that you have to be fairly close to the tank; like hiding in rubble when a tank passes by; close enough so the tank cannot get its guns on you. If you cannot get to the tank in less than about 10-15 seconds it doesn't work to well. Kind of like in that movie with Tom Hanks and the guys are practically underneath the tank when they attack it.

[von Nev]

I had two positive experiences with the "Follow Vehicle" command.

The first was I sent a German tank hunter team after a Russian BA-64 armored car. The tank hunter team was in the woods about 30 meters adjacent to the vehicle. They started to attack the vehicle when the vehicle was hit by a Marder 75mm round. The vehicle was not knocked out but was "shocked." It immediately retreated behind some woods. Unfortunately for the tank hunter team it continued to retreat . . and retreat . . and retreat! The tank hunter team chased the armored car 100 meters all the while throwing grenades. The armored car finally stopped but by that point the tank hunter team was out of grenades and totally exhausted! They stood facing eachother doing nothing until the Marder showed back up and destroyed it.

The other story was a crack T-34 rushed forward across open ground about 300 meters and caught my Marder turning and knocked it out. I had a veteran German infantry squad about 50 meters away in the woods. I "ran" them to within 20 meters of the tank, therefore still in the woods, then had them "follow vehicle" to destroy it. The next turn they got within 10 meters and threw a grenade bundle and with one hit destroyed the tank.

I have had luck with the command but only when there is a covered and/or concealled route to get within 10 meteres.

[JasonC]

Infantry does not have to move on top of a tank to engage it with their infantry AT weapons, nor with "close assault" (which shows up as throwing "grenades"). They will not do it well when under fire themselves. Therefore, the right solution is to find a piece of good cover within about 30m of the tank, and move to that location. I use assault, sometimes advance, occasionally (if not yet spotted, expecting to have time, and in excellent cover e.g. full woods) sneak. Never leave cover to go after a tank with a functioning MG, it is suicide.

[JonS]

Originally posted by JasonC:

Never leave cover to go after a tank with a functioning MG, it is suicide.

... unless you can do so from the rear, as Michael Dorosh discovered to his cost the other day

[junk2drive]

So at some point, one must study the AFVs and determine which have rear fire capability.

Anyone have a list?

I assume HTs can swivel their MGs. IIRC some of the Italian tanks/tankettes have rear facing MGs.

What about turretless AFVs/SP guns?

[Snow Leopard]

Depend how close their leaders and their skill is. It make different in reaction and action when give command. If I plan to attack KV in ahead time, I will select leader with better command and squad with better anti-tank weapons near each other to move up and attack KV as I always prepare for that during 1941 timeline. I wish that we have new program that will tell them to stop follow and go cover if enemy armor retreat into open field.