Anti-Armour help for a N00b? ****slight scenario spoiler****

[Huckebein]

Hi guys! I started playing CM:BO, BB and AK about a month ago, and have found loads of really useful tips on this site. Now I need to ask a specific question that I can't solve myself. How can I destroy/ defeat light armoured units with Russian Partisan infantry, but without any AT rifles? :confused:

I'm playing the Scenario 'A Deadly Affair' in CM:BB. SO if you haven't played it, there's a slight spoiler coming up.

I've ambushed and destroyed all the trucks that are my main objective; so far so good. In the process, however, all my AT riflemen have been wiped out. They got to fire 7-8 shots, holing the '222s and Pz 38s but not harming them, before they were targetted and destroyed. My two Maxim MGs have destroyed around three of the halftracks, but one is panicked by return fire and the other isn't having enough effect to protect his comrades. I have at least one entire Partisan Infantry Platoon left, which I've managed to sneak round and position some 30-40m behind the nearest '222 armoured cars. What can I do now? Running right up to halftracks doesn't seem to achieve anything except a load of dead Russians. They're carrying grenades and Molotovs - surely they could lob a couple in from 3m away?

In short, I'm absolutely stuck. I've completed my mission objective - should I go for a cease-fire?

Thanks in advance for any help. :cool:

[Kingfish]

No point in losing more infantry just to get another light vehicle. Call it a day.

[JasonC]

Don't charge them. But you can use short advances to get to cover close to them. If you can get inside 30m they will attack the vehicles, without moving closer. As long as they aren't suppressed by enemy fire.

They will try the Molotovs first - those are marginal against any armor, only occasionally work against open topped stuff in my experience. Once those are gone they will use "grenades" - which really represents close assault. Those will hit and kill, though the attacks typically take 30 seconds to deliver and sometimes they just don't.

You can chase an AFV with a pack of infantry if you know it is out of MG ammo. Otherwise it isn't worth it to step into the open. Any shot that pins you, also prevents the close assault delivery. It is much better to just get a single squad to 25-30m while still in cover, preferably from a side the vehicle isn't facing etc.

Incidentally, the best units at this sort of thing are the pioneers. Their demo charges are effective and they readily throw them, once in range. Anyone with a magnetic mine or throw mine type AT weapons (RPG, panzerwurfmine) will also work well.

Rifle grenades and the early, 30m range fausts aren't as effective in my experience. (In CMBO, the long range, late model 100m fausts are quite effective, though). Russian Molotov infantry is about the worst at it.

[Huckebein]

Lol, ok thanks guys - methinks I call it a day then. There are still several halftracks an '222s about, so it's very hard to find a way to distract all of them enough to get anyone close. I have managed it, but now everyone on the Axis side knows which four tiles of forest my partisans are hiding in, so there's not much chance of them getting to attack, let alone kill, any of the closer ones. S'pose I'll have to surrender now and try and conserve my AT infantry better next time.

Thanks for the quick replies - they're much appreciated.

[Generaloberst Guderian]

In that particular scenario, I believe the Germans get points for exiting the trucks, so if you have taken them out, I agree, call it a day.

I feel that the main consideration before making any type of tactical maneuver is whether or not the final outcome will improve your position overall. Also, does the cost of failure outweigh the potential gain.

You can ever look at it from a historical/roleplaying standpoint:

The Germans need the supplies in the trucks to reinforce troops fighting at the front, you have deprived them of these resources by destroying the convoy, and have thus made a contribution to the war effort.

Partisan operations depend on being able to "come back and fight another day" Attacking armor with unsuitably equipped infantry is possible, but for obvious reasons not reccommended. By sacrificing a disproportionate amount of your force to try to take out the German armor would in the grand scheme of things likely negate the success of destroying the trucks.

[Huckebein]

Heh, amazing what the right positioning can do. I played it again, isolating my AT riflemen so as to make them harder to spot. Two of them managed to fire off all their ammo then crawl away and hide, killing 6-7 '222s/ HTs in the process. One was badly positioned and had 10 rounds left when he was eliminated, and didn't kill squat. The fourth one was just coming into action as the battle came to its conclusion. I also managed to immobilise a Pz IIj (not 38 ) with a very short-arced ambush by a standard partisan infantry platoon.

All other vehicles were destroyed or had crew members killed/ guns disabled by Maxim MG fire. Heh, SO satisfying to see the ol' learning curve in action like that.

Thanks again guys.