Thread: Armour: Platoon Level vs. Squad Level

I read another forum thread somewhere that discussed the differentiation between squad level marksmen and platoon level snipers. One is a direct squad asset capable of neutralizing targets directly called out by squad members. The other is a commander asset, brought into position to provide fire support, area coverage and carry out special directives (like finding and killing a particularly pesky hostile squadleader.)

I applied this concept to armour considering the APC as the lesser squad-level asset and the tank as the greater platoon level asset. This got me thinking. I've been in tank squads with two or more tanks and I've found that with six people trying to identify and call out targets over VOIP, it gets a bit confusing. To me it makes sense to limit each tank squad to only three people, the squadleader/driver, the gunner and the .50cal spotter/engineer. This places the armoured asset directly at the disposal of the commander. This in turn permits the commander to call in heavy support to respond quickly to reports of hostile armour/hard points. It also makes each vehicle more efficient in that the commander is not only in direct communication with each crew-leader, but also because of the sheer lack of communications chaos via the radio.

Alternatively APC's should be used to move friendly troops into an advantageous fighting position, and then to quickly flank enemy defenses to provide support for the advance. It is possible to operate with one or two APCs in a division as reconnaissance units but the lack of advanced detection technology doesn't make an APC any better at that than a spotter on foot. I've also found that for close-support, APCs benefit from a mixture of stationary fire and 'hot dogging' (rapid movement over rough terrain/through unpredictable routes.) For instance, I obliterated two or three full squads of infantry, Flanked an APC and popped a bunker while 'hot dogging' on Kyongan'ni. The splash damage on HE rounds is fantastic for forest fighting.

Now, I'm not trying to write an armour manual here, though the more I play, I may start to work on precisely that. However, I'm looking for input on my very basic suggestion: Heavy armour at the platoon level, light armour at the squad level.

Part of me agrees with you on the coordination bit, but part of me (and maybe the selfish bit that likes to save my own ass) thinks that an extra pair of eyes on and around my tank (in the way of a .50 gunner) is more invaluable than two pairs of eyes on the opposite side of a ridge from me. I worked with a .50 guy once who jumped out everytime we stopped and knelt on the tank, surveying the horizon with binoculars. That was al-Kufrah, not Quinling so we weren't exactly paranoid of snipers but ya, he did a good job of using that extra elevation to spot incoming threats.

I think both of you have good points and I will look to try out both when I can. This is what I love about PR - there is strategy to be considered and then tested in battle.

My personal preference has always been for a 3-man unit per tank. Driver, gunner and engineer/observer. I have saved tanks as, or been saved by, that extra engineer more times than I care to count.

Two tanks teams per squad CAN get confusing if there are similar voices, but that usually shakes out pretty quickly.

It's a shame that they took out the engineer support truck in version 0.7. That thing was extremely useful, especially when providing overwatch.

Ideally, the 3-man crew would be used, especially in urban situations, like on EJOD Desert.

The unit that I'm in usually rolls with a single tank, a section, or as a platoon. As for communication, we usually have each crew in a different squad, and use VOIP to communicate to the Tank Commander, who communicates to the Platoon Commander through ventrilo, or we try to fit in one squad if we're in a MAGTF. Aside from that, we also use callsigns to distinguish between crews.

lll

Why would you join a forum just to be a mean person?
I am pretty sure that people here don't have brain damages!!!
Go be a meanie somewhere else. >:[

I see his page was edited.

Whats good? Welcome to the forums.