What action will a Stryker brigade probably see?

[moneymaxx]

I have to admit that I'am a little bit puzzled.

After reading some information about the Stryker it became quite clear that it was designed around the concept of rapid deployment around the globe. For that purpose weight, essentially armour, had to be reduced. Therefore some articles claim, like this one http://www.sbct.army.mil/news/TribnetArticle.html, that Strykers are only intended for low intensity conflicts.

Just a few quotes:

The Army acknowledges the Strykers can't take a hit like the much heavier Abrams and Bradley vehicles.

The Army says the Stryker's infantrymen have the anti-armor missiles to fight enemy tanks, but the unit is really built for lower-intensity missions like Bosnia, Kosovo, Haiti and Somalia.

Stryker brigade officers say the vehicles are meant to carry infantrymen rapidly over great distances. They're supposed to stay concealed or out of rocket-propelled grenade range, but close to enough to provide cover fire.

Misunderstandings about the Stryker's role are not confined to civilian critics. Even as late as the final training tune-up last month, senior commanders were chiding their juniors for driving the Strykers too deep into a mock city before troops on the ground had a chance to clear the buildings.

It will be a constant concern of the brigade's leaders that the vehicles aren't used like tanks.

"It's not a fighting vehicle. It's a carrier vehicle," said Maj. Chuck Hodges, executive officer of one of the brigade's three infantry battalions.

"This vehicle is not designed to be leading with its chin through cities."

While these opinions sound quite logical IMHO given the weapon's design I ask myself what kind of missions will be presented in CM:SF. Syria doesn't look like a low intensity conflict and even if the army manages to deliver a working MGS (Mobile Gun System), I can't imagine a Stryker brigade in much more than a patrol or police role or in pure infantry fights where no real threats to the supporting Stryker vehicles are present.

Anybody knows how they were used in Iraq?

Were there cases in which the brigade took part in a fighting role (I mean deliberately, not in an ambush)?

How do you think the much anticipated tank battles will be represented since the Stryker isn't really meant for such battles?

[stoat]

What action will a Stryket brigade probably see?

Not much, I would imagine.

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally posted by moneymaxx:

How do you think the much anticipated tank battles will be represented since the Stryker isn't really meant for such battles?

Why would anyone be anticipating tank battles in the new CM engine? Steve said repeatedly the focus would be on infantry...

[juan_gigante]

There are halftracks in the CMx1 games. Many troops rode in them, historically. Technically, the troops were supposed to dismount before they got shot at. Did they always do this? No. Would halftracks be in every battle that involved armored forces? No. Should BFC have included them? Yes. Will there be Stryker vehicles in every battle? No.

Also, there won't be as many tank battles. Remember, combined-arms infantry. Combined-arms infantry. Combined-arms infantry. Repeat it. Become one with it.

[moneymaxx]

Originally posted by Michael Dorosh:

Why would anyone be anticipating tank battles in the new CM engine? Steve said repeatedly the focus would be on infantry...

Well, I didn't expect massive tank battles but at least the occasional encounter. I think other did as well, just look at this link:

http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=52;t=000301

I share the view of fytinghellfish that tanks are everyone's favorite (ok maybe not your's ). But thanks for your reply, it kind of confirms what I was already suspecting that the scenarios will be mostly "pure infantry fights where no real threats to the supporting Stryker vehicles are present".

Doesn't sound too interesting but time will tell.

[Exploding Monkey]

I just hope I can use gamey 'Humvee Recon Rushes.'

[juan_gigante]

Hey, in CMx1 I played Germans ONLY for the tanks. My first game of CMBO, I'm American, I grab all these Shermans, I'm ready to rock, I'm going to kick some ass, I start the game, rush forward, see a single King Tiger 2 klicks away. Oh, he's toast. I've got 4 Shermans (standard M4, mind you), and 4 more on their way up. No way this guy can win 4, and soon to be 8, on one.

Who can guess how that ended? Two turns and 8 dead Shermans later, I close the game and start a new one, as the Germans. I've played probably 99% of my games as German. I love big tanks.

But, I can change. I know that in this game, infantry will be the order of the day. And I am prepared. And do not think for a second that the US armor will be untouchable. There are around a dozen threads where people mention invincible US armor and are shot down. Read them. You will see that the US player has much to fear.

[hellfish]

The golden rule for fighting with a Stryker unit is that you fight with them as if they had no vehicles at all. The entire concept of the Stryker brigade was to give light infantry some more heavy weapons and mobility.

The vehicles aren't exactly designed as fighting vehicles - they're used to take troops from their base quickly, quietly, safely and comfortably and then drop them off near their objectives. Previously, light infantry had to walk everywhere or beg for a ride on the back of some 5-ton trucks or, if they're very lucky, they get a couple of helicopters to take them somewhere.

Strykers and their infantry won't survive in the desert. They will survive, and flourish, in the mountains and cities. This is where light infantry is the most useful.

I think a good way to experience how to fight with Strykers that we can experience right now, is to take a panzergrenadier company with their halftracks and add three Puma armored cars in CMAK. Fight with them over any kind of terrain and any kind of enemy you want. Work out the tactics and techniques that work for you. I think this'll be a great primer for CM:SF.

Try it and lemme know how it works.