Some time ago I saw a small post by someone on the use of new republic and imperial units for ground attacks. It was detailed, but I thought I could also provide a good explanation for large attacks and how to use the units of each side in different ways, and to perhaps show that all ground forces can be used in both fast charges, slow advances and hit and run attacks. Apologies if this is a lot of information, but I wanted to set it out in as much detail as possible so as to help get my thoughts across, so I hope I haven?t broken any forum etiquette in providing this much information. On that note, here goes:
The Empire:
The 2m Saber can be used as an all round armoured vehicle- especially on flat-landed worlds like Chandrilla. Moving them in a line abreast to counter other armour, anchoring the line against hostile advances and then concentrating them on the most dangerous groupings of enemy tanks is possible due to their excellent speed and manoeuvrability. A group of ATATs hanging back to provide support with their longer range fire is a bonus. For flat worlds there is no batter tank than the 2m for the empire- it can allow faster advances across terrain than might be thought possible with this particular faction.
Using dropships you can then deposit nova troopers where needed in the line to force a breakthrough and then drop gun-groups of e-webs where a stationary defence gun is capable of countering large infantry groups such as missile launcher infantry. Dropship firepower then supports the 2msWith the IDS and the 2m, it is possible for flying columns to engage new republic tb3s and tb4s with minimal risk of being outflanked- something that is a danger to all other imperial armour. It is even possible to use a rebel style strategy with these craft- attack, drop infantry, then recover them and retreat to allow shields to recharge.
For worlds with more uneven terrain, using the ATATs to advance and chicken walkers just ahead tom allow for greater line of sight for the ATATs is a good strategy. Then dart some 2ms between the ATATs and engage enemy armour until they are noticed, then drop them back, allowing the ATATs to provide covering fire.
Alternatively, using tank droids to slowly advance, and provide century tanks on the flanks allows perhaps more ?instant hit? killing power rather than wearing then down in the style of 2ms and ATATs. Stormtroopers and missile shock troopers then move up the canyon to finish of any remnants. This requires the knowledge that you have the right forces for the job however, due to the lack of a possibility of retreat, these units being too slow to do so under fire- and unable to return fire while retreating. Using century tanks to pin an engagement down to allow juggernaughts to arrive on the scene and then deploy plex troopers can allow for uncertainties in what forces you are facing, the juggernaught scan provide cover for a retreat, and the speed away also.
Placing choke points of artillery and e-webs just around the corners of canyons usually deters light units such as kirovs and t2bs, with perhaps some flying squadrons of 2ms to deal greater firepower in support of a retreating forces.
Lastly, the use of stormtroopers to anchor a line, then elite novatroopers to punch through weakened enemy units (or reinforce where you are losing) seems reminiscent of the use of the napoleonic ?old guard?. I remember one developer here saying that using elite units would be pointless as no one would build the regular infantry, but here it seems to have worked brilliantly- same goes for raptor/stormtrooper combinations for Zsinj. Using regulars that are cheaper but still effective allows you to place where you want your elites at leisure. If elites were perhaps slower than the (more lightly equipped) regulars, then the regulars would be more useful for anchoring the line, while the elites punch through. Of course, as stated, they both seem to do this well already.
The New Republic:
The New Republic does not seem to be exclusively a hit and run force anymore. Certainly it is possible to do a variant of the armoured charge mentioned above, albeit slower and with heavier, fewer units. T3bs advance in a line, with squadrons of v-wings poised to lend support where armoured groups are in danger of being overwhelmed. Behind the t3bs come crack groups of t4bs, to either tackle more powerful units such as ATATs, megamaser tanks or floating fortresses, or exploit breakthroughs, leapfrogging the t3bs and allowing the latter to be repaired by specialists. Freerunners can provide hit and run support , with t2bs serving as armoured scouts due to their speed and shield capacity.
For more uneven terrain, using groups of t2bs to scout and freerunners to provide flexible firepower against any threat, with t3bs to provide heavier fire against the heaviest units is a good strategy, especially against units that cannot be outflanked due to canyons. Proton torperdo artillery is supreme in these situations against groups of units cooped up in canyons.
Infiltrators can concentrate their sniping power on one unit fighting in the infantry line, allowing the regular infantry to make a break, in the manner of raptors or novatroopers.
The Empire of the Hand:
For the Empire of the Hand, I feel that one can use rail gun tanks as the main line force, with mmts providing support and to be protected in the case of a retreat. Air straekers range up and down the line attacking weak points, and rapid fire tanks wear down hostiles that have been weakened by the rail gun tanks and then passed over so as to deal with healthier threats. Alternately, a use of rapid fire tanks and kirovs (in the same way one might use tie- maulers and chariots for the empire or the various light tanks for the new republic/ pentastar alignment) to provide quickly delivered but relatively expendable firepower to small groups of advancing hostiles could be a good strategy if retreating while wearing down is your style.
Phalanx-commandos can perhaps concentrate their sniping power on one unit fighting in the infantry line, allowing the regular infantry to make a break, in the manner of raptors or novatroopers.
The Pentastar Alignment:
The Pentastar Alignment I would say is similar to the empire, though the hailfire artillery and powerful LAATs are an enigma to me so far. How would they make playing the alignment different? More organic artillery support, and a greater use of bombardment from the LAATs than one might do with v-wings and dropships? On that I am not entirely sure.
Storm-commandos can perhaps concentrate their sniping power on one unit fighting in the infantry line, allowing the regular infantry to make a break, in the manner of raptors or novatroopers.
Furthermore the manual says that the 2ms have a beam cannon, and they do not in the game itself. Are they supposed to, and are they as powerful as their alignment counterparts? Or is the manual entry an error?
Some time ago someone provided a good quick but still detailed explanation of the use of enforcers, vindicators and carracks on this forum that has been invaluable to me. Any chance of doing that for ground craft? My own thoughts here would surely be greatly inferior to anyone that has been playing for longer, so if anyone were to want to provide a better commentary on ground forces, I certainly would welcome that. Lastly, are ground forces being concentrated by the computer on land and thrown at the player rather than sent piecemeal for anyone? The computer on my version (latest) seems to only send them in one unit type at a time at the moment, the occasional major build up excepted.
Anyways, that?s me done. Thankyou for reading, and congratulations on such a well-thought out mod!
Topic: Thoughts on strategy and tactics in land battles. (Read 3648 times)