Halftracks "How to"

[Raketenpanzerbuchse]

I'm having a difficult time of mastering the use of halftracks in an assault on let’s say...a village or hill. I can only come up with two modes of operation. Just parking them in a safe position and telling my panzergernaders that they’ll just have to walk.

The second one seems to be very dangerous in that they are in the attack, ferrying the troops directly to the battle, but it seems they just become pieces of junk on the battlefield this way. Any tactics or suggtions on how to use these puppies correctly would help me a ton.

[junk2drive]

Add to that, if they drive into range of an enemy HMG, the HTs die and the contents are shot up and crawling away.

[imported_no_one]

Massive overwatch support,scouts.

Smoke.

[Raketenpanzerbuchse]

Junk2Drive

Yeah, that's what happened in one of TPG Tournament scenarios that I completed.

no_one

Good idea, but are they not for transporting and protecting infantry on the battlefield? They seem kind of useless to me unless they’re moving something somewhere.

Any more suggestions folks?

[Sirocco]

Halftracks can be very useful to insert a reserve through an open flank once the defending heavy weapons have been defeated, suppressed or otherwise masked. You then have a fresh infantry force in the defender's flank or rear, with mobile HMG support.

[imported_no_one]

Originally posted by Raketenpanzerbuchse:

no_one

Good idea, but are they not for transporting and protecting infantry on the battlefield? They seem kind of useless to me unless they’re moving something somewhere.

Of course.When using halftrack borne infantry,you will need to have massive overwatch support and scouts to trip any ambushes,as well as the use of smoke.Though you can accomplish your task with using either,I would use both.

If you are not going to be using you halftracks for their intended purpose,you can use them to support your infantry in areas where the enemy AT network has been destroyed,and the halftracks can use their MG's with little fear.

I have also in the past left halftracks out in the open--surrounding some sort of AA asset--to draw fire from any airplanes while my armor was hiding in scattered trees.

[junk2drive]

I have played more battles with no smoke available than with, and small maps with blocking terrain. In those cases it seems faster to walk the troops the transport them.

[flamingknives]

Originally posted by junk2drive:

I have played more battles with no smoke available than with, and small maps with blocking terrain. In those cases it seems faster to walk the troops the transport them.

Couldn't it be that you keep playing with armoured infantry in unsuitable terrain?

[Tigrii]

Halftracks shouldn't be used for direct drive-up-and-charge-out assaults. They are better for moving units quickly through SECURED areas. Any AT or MG fire will make you wish you had walked, so make sure you have masked routes or have killed all AT or MG units with LOS to where you're driving. The main advantage over trucks is that they can go offroad, not that they are armored, because the armor is pretty useless exept against small arms. Use them as offroad trucks, not assault vehicles.

[Raketenpanzerbuchse]

Thank you all for the tips!

[Roast Duck]

One of my halftracks made decent AA in a battle, with the credit of shooting down an enemy airplane.

[imported_mike_the_wino2]

I like them for moving troops/ towed guns into a forward position. Typically I look for wooded area with some overwatch capability for the gun, using the troops to protect the gun and the HTs parked on the backside of the the woods. Occasionally this allows HTs LOS beyond the woods but if not I pull the troops back so that the HTs can overwatch into the woods. This way any infantry trying to over-run this position gets a series of nasty surprises. First, HTs open up and then hidden inf, with short cover arcs, lay into them.

Downside; if you get any arti you can be in a world of hurt.

[CombinedArms]

A platoon of infantry in halftracks can sometimes be effective in applying the coup de grace to an enemy position that is almost but not quite overwhelmed.

At the point when decide to send them in--they've been comfortably resting out the battle behind cover to this point-- you're sure you've taken out all the AT assets within line of sight and your footsoldiers have fought the defenders to the point of collapse--but maybe your men are starting to stagger a bit, too, and their ammo is getting low.

If, at this point, you rush in your reserve platoon in half tracks, landing them in cover near the enemy line of resistance, the fresh platoon with full ammo, combined with the HT firepower, can cause an immediate defensive collapse. Then you have your fresh platoon ready to spearhead the next phase of the advance. I haven't managed to pull this sort of thing off very often, but it can be very cool when it works.

[Nikalai]

I have done that on the defensive. My platoon of halftracks moved a platton of German Paratroopers to the location of the enemy assault. When the enemy infantry started charging my halftracks were there to flank them while my infantry attacked his backup units (mortars and HMG). The Assault was stopped and the backup units destroyed. However my paratroopers took casualties.

The reason I did that is because It was an ME game. However I couldn't fiend any good locations to quickly capture that would require infantry. Then I plaaned to use my halftracks in a flanking manouver. But did not since I was afraid of the enemy AT. Eventually I ended up using them for the flanking attack manouver. I thnik they performed pretty well.

You could use your halftracks with troops to flank the enemy infatry from a safe spot, however I suggest taking care of the AT first.

[Nikalai]

I have done that on the defensive. My platoon of halftracks moved a platton of German Paratroopers to the location of the enemy assault. When the enemy infantry started charging my halftracks were there to flank them while my infantry attacked his backup units (mortars and HMG). The Assault was stopped and the backup units destroyed. However my paratroopers took casualties.

The reason I did that is because It was an ME game. However I couldn't fiend any good locations to quickly capture that would require infantry. Then I plaaned to use my halftracks in a flanking manouver. But did not since I was afraid of the enemy AT. Eventually I ended up using them for the flanking attack manouver. I thnik they performed pretty well.

You could use your halftracks with troops to flank the enemy infatry from a safe spot, however I suggest taking care of the AT first.

[Tigrii]

Originally posted by CombinedArms:

A platoon of infantry in halftracks can sometimes be effective in applying the coup de grace to an enemy position that is almost but not quite overwhelmed.

At the point when decide to send them in--they've been comfortably resting out the battle behind cover to this point-- you're sure you've taken out all the AT assets within line of sight and your footsoldiers have fought the defenders to the point of collapse--but maybe your men are starting to stagger a bit, too, and their ammo is getting low.

If, at this point, you rush in your reserve platoon in half tracks, landing them in cover near the enemy line of resistance, the fresh platoon with full ammo, combined with the HT firepower, can cause an immediate defensive collapse. Then you have your fresh platoon ready to spearhead the next phase of the advance. I haven't managed to pull this sort of thing off very often, but it can be very cool when it works.

This might work sometimes, but not necessarily as a result of the platoon being mounted in half tracks. They could just as easily go in on foot, and since the enemy is suppressed and at the end of their tether crush them without being shot on the way in. This method avoids the risk of a hidden AT asset messing up your attack by KOing your halftracks, and also avoids the dangerous point where your infantry hops out into the open and can be badly hurt by a close range burst that a pinned enemy squad manages to get off before being re-suppressed. Also, if you save the cost of half-tracks, you can get a tank instead which can provide more supporting firepower and is immune to light AT and MG fire.

[Webs]

You may want to consider why halftracks came into being in the first place - to allow infantry to keep up with an armoured advance.

[Raketenpanzerbuchse]

Thanks all!

[Cannon-fodder]

You may want to consider why halftracks came into being in the first place - to allow infantry to keep up with an armoured advance.

I agree with this - Half Tracks were designed to work on a strategic level; the MGs are really only a defensive, worst case scenario backup weapon.

On large maps, HTs can be useful to transport your reserves around, but then so can trucks. Never advance them into insecure areas.

[Nikalai]

Overall I think the two proper uses for half-tracks are:

1) Transporting troups using your rear area

2) Rushing to get a certain objective

I think for this tanks can be used just as well. But since I buy Hetzers and King Tigers my transport capacity is slow and small. Also the big advantage to using half-tracks for this method is that they allow to place your armor assets elsewhere. And the half-tracks do not eat up your armor points.

3) Bringing up troops after an armoured assault

Let's say your tanks advance over the open, after they take the position infantry can be quickly moved up to root out the enemy infantry, solidify the position or attack the enemy rear/flank.

" Also, if you save the cost of half-tracks, you can get a tank instead which can provide more supporting firepower and is immune to light AT and MG fire."

-Tigrii

I always make sure that I can get as many Armor assets as I can.

[Tigrii]

Originally posted by Cannon-fodder:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />You may want to consider why halftracks came into being in the first place - to allow infantry to keep up with an armoured advance.

I agree with this - Half Tracks were designed to work on a strategic level; the MGs are really only a defensive, worst case scenario backup weapon.

On large maps, HTs can be useful to transport your reserves around, but then so can trucks. Never advance them into insecure areas. </font>

[YankeeDog]

I agree with all the points wrt Strategic vs. Tactical value of Halftracks.

As far as Halftracks vs. Trucks though, personally I find the Halftracks much more useful. It depends on the map. Trucks are fine as long as there are roads to use, but they're pretty darn slow once they get off-road.

Halftracks give you many more options as far as route and destination since they are much better at transporting troops quickly across fields, scattered trees, through brush, etc.

My SOP for Halftracks is to keep them out of the line of fire a "battlefield taxis" for most of the battle, and then as the endgame starts, and most AT assets are known and/or knocked out, look for opportunities where I can resonably safely bring them out as MG wagons.

The major exception to all this is short LOS situations -- at night, in fog, etc. Here, you can actually use the halftracks as cheap (compared to real armor like tanks) follow-up fire support right behind your infantry. Your forward infantry will spot any enemy first, then if it's squad infantry, you can bring the HTs forward for fire support. If it's a gun or other asset dangerous to the HTs, you can back them off and use something else.

I especially like the Brit/Soviet M5A1 HTs - the extra 1mm of armor seems to make a substantial difference as far a vulnerability to HMG fire, and the M2. 50 cal. + .30 cal. Browning packs quite a punch, even at range.

Cheers,

YD

[Aco4bn187inf]

It's interesting that the US Army's ETO "Battle Experiences" book (basically a real-life Tips and Tricks forum) published at the end of the war, doesn't mention the use of halftracks at all. This seems significant since the book covers practically everything down to the best improvised combat use of the P-38 can opener. It leads me to believe, or confirms, that the Army didn't really intend for HT's to be fighting on the front line.

One nice thing about the US halftracks in CMAK is the substantial AA capability their MG's have, especially combined with the .50's on tanks. I once had a couple platoons of HT's and tanks approaching their objective, an Italian fighter flew over, and the whole sky filled with tracers. An awesome sight! That was the end of that fighter plane.

If anyone wants to do a search, there are other big threads on thiese forums about using HT's.

[McEvilly]

Doctrinely speaking, HTs were seen to have two purposes:

1) Keeping up w/armor

and

2) Tactical ferrying of troops. Look at any WW2 manual and you will see stressed the fact that they need massive overwatch and careful movement.

The Germans normally deployed from trucks and HTs 500-1000m short of the objective.

[PiggDogg]

Any tactics or suggtions on how to use these puppies correctly would help me a ton.

First, look up some of the halftrack threads in the Anthology Of Useful Posts. Especially, look up posts from JasonC (number 5490)

Second, the short answer regarding CM halfie use is as follows.

Do not expose halfies to any enemy MGs at ranges below 500 meters. 50 cals and AT rifles will slaughter halfies. Hvy MG42s will kill Allied halfies if given enough time, 2, 3, 4 turns. :eek:

Give the halfies narrow keyhole fire lanes if they must fire. Generally, save halfies to the later stages of the battle when the enemy AT assets have been neutralized.

Hope that this helps.

Cheers, Richard