These four bases form one of the most flexible infantry units. In its basic form, the platoon is treated as a recon platoon, which is very useful if you have to attack another infantry company. You get recon movement at the beginning; if the platoon is used correctly, it can prevent from exposing your forces for a nasty ambush; and what is extremely useful it can use "eyes and ears" rule to remove gone to ground from other units. Of course you cannot forget that it has cautious movement ability, which makes it very difficult to hit if you can move in cover (e.g. through fields or forests). To sum up, you can send these boys in front of your panzergrenadiers to prepare the attack.
This is not all, of course. They are even more fun if you are a defender (which highly probable if you are playing SS-Panzergranadiers). You can exchange each MG team with the SMG Panzerfaust team. They loose their recon capabilities, but they become real tank hunters. I rarely use them in that form as a separate platoon, but you may also make attachments to other platoons - what I do frequently. Just imagine... You have two core SS-Panzergrenadier platoons. Each of them has two teams with Panzerfausts. For instance, you can attach two additional teams to the platoon that is defending your front lines and the remaining one team to the second platoon. Assuming that you have your CHQ and 2IC in 6'' range of that platoon, you are able to use six Panzerfausts if someone decides to assault your forward platoon. I don't think there is any tank platoon that can survive such punch :) In order to assault, your opponent will have to spend couple of rounds on softening your defense with heavy fire. This gives your guns hidden behind your infantry enough time to cause serious casualties in enemy platoons.
Modeling
Battlefront provides a special set GE819 that contains tank hunter version of the platoon. Mine, however, was composed from the minis that remained from the my SS-Panzergrenadier box, and some random german figures. I added also a blister of Schwimmwagen jeeps and BMW motor bikes as transport.
Gallery
Here is a whole platoon, with all configuration options:
Schwimmwagens in action...
The recon version of the platoon:
Tank killers:
BMW motor bikes:
Quite interesting views. I am building a recon platoon as well with the tank hunter pack, but it got me thinking, why not use 3 Pumas instead or equivalent, they have the advantage of being less exposed to infantry fire. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, it is not possible to take Pumas with SS (2nd or 12th for sure). Generally, I think it is a great idea :) I am also considering trying out a platoon of Sdkfz 231 8-Rad. However, it's less effective than Puma due to its 2cm gun.
ReplyDeleteI think that the choice between inf/mobile recon depends on the tactics you would like to follow. In attack, I think that mobile recon is far better than infantry scouts. As you said it has a good protection from infantry, you can flank enemy tanks (with Puma even Panther is in your range :)
If defense is considered, it depends whether you would like to dig-in and wait for your opponent to come. If you have enough powerful guns behind your infantry it is OK, but little bit boring after some time ;)
With mobile recon you can try out active defense, e.g., flanking incoming tanks, making some raids on exposed artillery, etc. I bet you will have great time with this Pumas :)