Battalion Commanding 101 - Allied Company Structuring

First time writing a guide for CoH and EiR, so bear with me. Constructive Criticism ONLY.

Battalion Commanding 101 - Allied Company Structuring

By MasonDon

So, your fresh meat for the lions. To stand a chance against them, you need to structure your companies with some intelligence. Structure them poorly, and you will pay for it in battle. Structure them at least adequately and you will see many a victory.

Table of Contents
1.0   – Basics
1.1   – Basic Structuring Tips
1.2   Examples
2.0   – Vet Structuring
3.0   – Upgrade Structuring
3.1   – Infantry Upgrades
3.2   – Vehicle Upgrades
4.0   – Advanced Structuring(IN PROGRESS)
5.0   – Doctrine Specific Structuring
5.1 - Armor
5.2 - Infantry
5.3 - Airborne
6.0    - Teamplay Tactics (IN PROGRESS)

The Basics
In this section I will show you some basic ways to set up a company. These are going to be very basic that you should not hang on to forever, only for a few days until you learn better ones.

1.1   – Basic Structuring Tips

1)   It is not wise to have many platoons at or near the max pop limit. Have 1 as your beginning call in with a few strong units, and maybe 1 other as a back up call in in case things go downhill.

2)   You can put infantry in the armor tab, and vice versa! Just because you filled up one tab, doesn’t mean you can’t put certain units in the other ones.

3)   Tanks and other high-pop vehicles should not be put in the same platoon, unless it is an engineer to repair it, to save pop-cap for the call in.

4)   Spread rifleman into 2 to each platoon. It makes it much easier to call them in when you need them.

5)   Unless you field many tanks, it is not a good idea to put multiple engineers in a platoon due to the fact only 1 can repair a tank at a time.

1.2   - Basic Structuring Examples

This is an example of bad structuring. All platoons are at or near the max pop cap.

This is an example of good structuring. There is only 1 group (the first call-in) with max or near pop-cap.

This is also bad structuring. By placing so many units with high-pop tanks, this person makes them rarely available.

This, however, is good structuring. The tanks by themselves make them much easier for a call-in, and they also have an engineer to call-in for repairs.

2.0 – Vet Structuring

Structuring your company’s vetted units is very easy. In fact, there are two ways to do it.

1) Structure with Damage in Mind. what this way entitles is for all vet units to be paired with units of the same or similar vet. This allows for max damage and complimentary vet boosts. Nothing strikes fear into the enemy like seeing platoons of vet 2 & 3 tanks and rifles pour out.
Example:

2) Structure with Experience in Mind. This way entitles for each vet unit (minus tanks) to be paired with a unit of less or no vet. What this does is it allows your vet units to help the weaker un-vetted units gain experience faster. Think of it this Way –
There are 2 grenadiers up ahead. Would you rather send in 2 un-vetted rifles, or a vet 2 rifle and a vet 1/ no vet rifle?
Example:

3.0 – Upgrade Structuring

3.1 – Infantry Upgrades
Ultimately, there is no right or wrong way to hand out upgrades, but there are 2 common ways, the latter of which is best for a new company.

1) Vets get First Choice. This is a very common structuring tactic with older players who have many vet units. This basically allows the units to become even more powerful than they already are, but it is at the player’s expense if those units are destroyed or retreated, for they have very few upgrades past them.
Example:

2)   Distribute Evenly. Better for newer player because of their lack of vetted units, this basically gives them to whoever you feel like. One in every 3 rifleman could get a bar, 2in every 5 could get stickies, it could be random, ETC. This allows for more upgrades to be fielded at a time.

Upgrades

Rifleman

1) BAR - Cost-effective automatic weapon. Deadly at close ranger, decent and medium & long range. Suppressing Fire power is very useful.

2) Sticky Bombs - Short-ranged, moderately expensive thrown projectiles. Usually damages tank engine. Effective to slow down heavy tanks, good damage v. Stugs/Stuh's

3) Grenades - Allied nuclear pineapple. Decent cost, good damage, good for flanking weapon teams.

3.2 – Tank Upgrades

Sherman Upgrades

1) 76mm Gun – A Very useful addition to the Sherman, providing extra penetration and damage.

2) .50 Cal Machine Gun – A somewhat overpriced Anti-Infantry upgrade, this .50 Cal is neither effective nor ineffective. I would say a no buy, but it is your call.

3) Smoke – A cheap 1 use upgrade that can help your sherm out of tough situations. While not turning your tank invisible, it does decrease incoming accuracy.

4) Crab Mine Flail – Rarely put to its actual use, the mine flail is an excellent Anti-Infantry weapon. Blob of volks or grens? Switch this on and enjoy the gory mess.

Greyhound Upgrades

1)   .50 Cal machine gun – A little better than its Sherman counter-part, this upgrade can help gun down fleeing infantry or stopping massive blobs.

2)   Armor Skirts – An expensive upgrade that adds small chance to bounce shots and some health.

3)   M8 Mines – cheap, useful upgrade for plopping one down behind a fleeing tank or in front of a blob.

Halftrack Upgrades

1)   Quad .50 Cal MG – A very useful, albeit expensive upgrade to the halftrack. At the cost of transporting troops, the halftrack become a moving grim reaper of sorts, mowing down axis infantry.

“Croc” Sherman

1)   Bulldozer – Allows you to bulldoze over tank traps. Yes, that’s it.

4.0 – Advanced Structuring – COMING SOON (Due Monday)

5.0 – Doctrine Specific Structuring

5.1 - Armor

The armor company is very fuel heavy, and as such be prepared to be somewhat lacking on rifleman upgrades.

You have very little to worry about until you unlock calliopes and pershings.

Calliope Structuring

Their are a multitude of ways to structure calliopes, but here are the 2 most common:

1) Calliope Defense. This is usually one large platoon, including the calliope, 2-3 HMG's, and 1-2 ATG's to defend the calliope. While not very advance friendly, it gives your calliope optimum survival. Only recommended as the first call-in, or a "the shit has hit the fan" call-in.
Example:

2) Calliope Offense. A very mobile alternative, this usually includes a calliope in a single platoon, with a multitude of units in the others. This relies on the units speed to move in and neutralize threats after a calliope barrage. Does not guarantee calliope survival.
Example:

Pershing Structuring

There is 1 common, and 1 uncommon but effective ways of structuring pershings.

1) Last Man Standing. Pershings are almost 99% of the time kept as a single platoon. When they are called out, they usually come with no backup, and represent its either late game, or the allies cant stop the axis tanks. Like this, pershings stay in a single platoon, without support.

2) Beginning Offense. A very rare tactic is to have a pershing called in as the first call-in with an engineer and BAR squad to stop schrecks and repair. While it can be very effective, 2 PAK guns or some schrecks can easily stop it.
Example:

5.2 - Infantry (IN PROGRESS)

There are a few different ways of structuring Rangers:

1) Buddies are Friends. Pair a ranger up with a BAR rifleman. The BAR's can suppress incoming MP44's, LMG's, and KCH while the ranger goes to kill the tank. Optional would be to add stickies to the BAR's to slow down the tank.
Example:

2) Kicking Tank Ass. Pair a ranger up with a ranger and watch the tanks run Shocked

.

Upgrades

1) SMG - The SMG is a close quarters weapon. Decent damage, but big price.

2) Grenades - More expensive then previous ones due to rangers being able to fire up and plop one down the HMG's throat.

Howitzer Structuring

1)All by myself. The low-pop howie is called in by itself, risking no defenses.

2)Friends. The howie has a complement of HMG's and ATG's to protect it.
Example:

Upgrades

1) SMG - The SMG is a close quarters weapon. Decent damage, but big price.

2) Grenades - More expensive then previous ones due to rangers being able to fire up and plop one down the HMG's throat.

5.3 - Airborne

Their is really only one effective way to structure airborne. That is by themselves. If you put airborne with other units they will come out from the side of the map (I believe) instead of dropping in. Put them in groups of two like rifleman.

Upgrades

1) Recoilless Rifle - Albeit an expensive upgrade, the RR can penetrate King Tiger armor. What It has in penetration, it lacks in damage though. Still, a very cost-effective man-packed AT.

2) Satchel - This 1 use puppy packs a hell of a bang for its size. Although it has a 5 second fuse, this has the ability to clear & destroy a building, or severely damage a tank if the tank doesnt move.

3) Grenade - The 2nd best upgrade for airborne, they have all the same properties as the rifleman grenade.

6.0 - Teamplay Tactics (IN PROGRESS)

After word
Yes, I do realize this guide is mostly common sense, but most newbies i see in this mod don't fare so well with it. Also, bear with me on this, I will most likely get better after a few guides.
One final Word - You do not have to oblige on any of this (Except for the very first Tip). How you play EiR is up to you, but these can and will help you. Cheesy

EDITS
1 - Added in Rifleman Upgrades
2 - Added Armor Company Structuring
3 - Added Airborne Company Structuring
4 - Added new Work In Progress Section, "Teamplay tactics". Prettied Up a bit.
5 - Added Infantry Structuring
6 - Moved a few things around, changed Upgrades from bold to underline