Offensive use of Mech Infantry

[Heinz Pepperoni]

Hello,

I'm new to this game and tactical wargames as a whole (my cup of tea have always been strategic or operational ones). I'm struggling to understand how to use mechanized infantry in scenarios where I have to assault various objectives.
When are they supposed to dismount? How am I supposed to cover their advance?
I've tried pulling them behind tanks and using arty-borne smoke screens, but they either get picked apart by defenses (especially tanks or guns) or they dismount too early and lose half a hour running through an open field.
I don't think I'm doing anything too wrong and yet at the same time I am. So I was hoping someone here could clarify for me.

Thanks.

[Valdemar]

It’s important to have something powerful providing overwatch for your assaulting infantry, or at the very least try to achieve local superiority where you attack. IIRC the soviets would dismount their infantry at a range of 400m to their targets and have the APC's provide covering fire for the infantry, and this should work well for you too (try to detach the apc's from the formation so only the infantry is attached in the formation and use the formation flag. This will leave you soft apc's behind and reduce command delay for you infantry). 400m is just safe outside the engagement range of even the best handheld AT weapons, but not too much to have your infantry run so long that they will get picked apart by mortars etc. Preliminary artillery bombardment for some minutes would do good too, and try to attack immediately after the bombardment stops, so that the enemy will have the "supressed" modifier. Alternatively, deploy smoke just in front of the enemy position if you suspect you cannot take them on with your overwatch units and rush your units to the edge of the smokescreen. There is also an element of getting a "feel" for when to do what, and even I, after 500+ hours of playing cannot give you a better answer simply because attacking is hard and should always be carried out by a bigger or better force. There is simply always going to be bigger losses in most attack situations. Therefore, the golden rule always to follow in the attack is to achieve local superiority in numbers or quality. If you would like something better explained just ask away.

[Widderreiter]

Originally posted by Valdemar:

It’s important to have something powerful providing overwatch for your assaulting infantry, or at the very least try to achieve local superiority where you attack. IIRC the soviets would dismount their infantry at a range of 400m to their targets and have the APC's provide covering fire for the infantry, and this should work well for you too (try to detach the apc's from the formation so only the infantry is attached in the formation and use the formation flag. This will leave you soft apc's behind and reduce command delay for you infantry). 400m is just safe outside the engagement range of even the best handheld AT weapons, but not too much to have your infantry run so long that they will get picked apart by mortars etc. Preliminary artillery bombardment for some minutes would do good too, and try to attack immediately after the bombardment stops, so that the enemy will have the "supressed" modifier. Alternatively, deploy smoke just in front of the enemy position if you suspect you cannot take them on with your overwatch units and rush your units to the edge of the smokescreen. There is also an element of getting a "feel" for when to do what, and even I, after 500+ hours of playing cannot give you a better answer simply because attacking is hard and should always be carried out by a bigger or better force. There is simply always going to be bigger losses in most attack situations. Therefore, the golden rule always to follow in the attack is to achieve local superiority in numbers or quality. If you would like something better explained just ask away.

sorry for replying to this old post but can you explain it more dumbed down for me on how do you use your infantry?

[Valdemar]

It really depends on the situation. What I have written above is how I would use mech infantry in a typical generic assault. Do you have a specific scenario in mind?