What to do with out-of-ammo troops

[RoyAllen]

Howdy all, first time poster and bigtime newb to CMBB.

My question: When a selection of troops run out of ammo (especially arty spotters used on the first move), what do you do with them. I've just been running them to a safe point on the map so they won't count as KIAs or captureds if they were to meet with trouble.

Do you use them as bait or a distraction? What function can they serve?

[Copper]

No functions apart from easy points to your opponent if he gets his hands on them... your doing the right thing by moving as far to your rear echelon as possible... do not move them of the map though as you lose points and your global morale goes down... I think.

Bootie

[Der Kuenstler]

Artillery spotters still have binoculars after they are out of ammo, so if they are in a safe place I just leave them there to help spot. Do not put them at risk of being kiiled or captured, though - they give big points to the enemy.

[Ralph Metzger]

Get them back but not off map. Crawl if you have to. It's better to keep them alive tired than dead rested. Don't give the enemy the chance to shoot at them. Arty spotters should be withdrawn after all rounds are off if you are defending. The guys using wire can't withdrawl fast enough. Spot with a LMG. Leave sqd infantry low on ammo where they are (in cover, or get to it). They may be low on ammo, but they will shoot and toss grenades. Even low on ammo, terrain makes it hard to move them out. They will get pushed out in the end if your opponent dedicates a force to do it, but they can stall the enemy very well. Never use a High value target as bait!

[DerBlitzer]

Well, you might be accused of being gamey, but you can use them in other ways --- and you can always defend such uses by imagining them as the super-brave soldier in a war movie who decides to defend his previously marred honor by going on a suicide mission.

For example, a halftrack that's run out of ammo makes a nice fast scout car. Suicide, but he might uncover a hidden schreck who's got itchy fingers.

An arty spotter with no ammo can still watch out for the enemy (as previously mentioned), so stick him on a flank you're worried about, unhidden.

A low-on-ammo squad or a shot-up crew can help establish control of a flag, or hold a flag, so armed troops can move off it and do some fighting elsewhere. You could also use such punchless troops to rush a flag on the very last turn, if you're desperate to neutralize it.

A crew can run across an open field to draw fire (the war movie comes to mind) while another of your armed units blasts the firing enemy.

If using Extreme Fog of War (I use nothing but), even units without ammo appear as something to worry about to your enemy, who sees them from a distance as Infantry Squad? or Crew? or some such vague term. So it can pay to keep them in cover, but near the front lines.

Punchless troops can hold prisoners (and perhaps torture them), so they don't escape.

You can also hunt mines with them ;)

[The Coil]

If using Extreme Fog of War (I use nothing but), even units without ammo appear as something to worry about to your enemy, who sees them from a distance as Infantry Squad? or Crew? or some such vague term. So it can pay to keep them in cover, but near the front lines.

This is especially true with AT teams. Nothing unnerves an opponent like seeing your AT squad dive in to a clump of trees in range of his armor.

[RedDevil]

If you're fighting the Italians, Low ammo squads have great skills in pinning down whole regiments of them, simply hold the line and shout obsencities at them, you're sure to win.

[Larry Thorne (FGM)]

[gangofmao]

like Larry said...
high quality crews,move back/hide as soon as you can...
others i use to escort prisoners if i get them,which not often...lol
if an Operation,i hide them in closet cover and leave them...



GoM