How to use inferior tank crews?

[RNL Tiger]

Playing Jaegermeister in CMBB the Russians are fielding an entirely credible and capable tank [IS-2] against panthers and tigers. However, these IS-2 tanks are crewed by greens and conscripts and they tend to reverse at the sight of potential danger. So, how do you use these tanks/crews?

Is it best to:
1) Manoeuvre for flank/rear shots, perhaps splitting tank forces to generate more such opportunities
2) Use the tanks against other forces
3) Try an asymmetric attack i.e. use infantry against enemy tank [if possible]
4) Try to get own tanks on tactical defense and ambush enemy tanks
5) Something else

[Soldier]

The answer is.. something else.
Use, "Shoot and Scoot." :-)

[kineas]

Don't try to get involved in a long range shooting contest with the Tigers, you will rarely win even against the AI. Try to win the infantry war and compel the big cats into melee fights.

[herroberst]

I played this recently as Russians and will win the battle. It is a very tough fight for Russians. Reason for the win was primarily I followed the advice above but also I moved a company of infantry around the Russian right flank and engaged his armor that was waiting to pot my amor with hand grenades. Other than that use the Russian tanks to destroy his infantry from positions where his long range tanks cannot see you. Stage the rest of your infantry in the central hilltop scattered woods and then when the time is right, i.e. his infantry is suppressed advance into the central woods using your smg's and tanks as support to clear the woods and town. Some infantry and tanks on the Russian left flank to threaten reinforcements or German tanks that maneuver in close. If he mans the Russian right flank woods then use your tanks to blast him out of there.

[RNL Tiger]

Thanks for that. Two follow up questions:

1) Shoot and scoot - use numerical superiority and try to ALL shoot and scoot at the same time or from different positions with 1-2 tanks to try and get a side shot?

2) If infantry/tank hunters are trying to approach tanks [panthers and tigers in Jaegermeister] in the relative open i.e. the tanks are not close to any cover then I assume it is best to try and approach them from behind [on the 6 o'clock line] rather than the side [9 o'clock] but what about 5 & 7 o'clock - are they just as good? In short, what are the tank's blind spots...

BTW I have seen POS's other thread where some tanks can shoot with an MG behind them. So, I am talking generally where tanks do not have rear facing MGs...

[MGK(FGM)]

shoot and scoot hardly works for green troops :(

[herroberst]

Yeah, only reason I won this scenario this time was sending Russian infantry company around the right flank to engage first his Panthers (behind the second set of woods on the right flank)and then his Tigers (the scattered trees in the German rear) with hand grenades. Infantry swarmed his tanks and within a few turns had destroyed them with hand grenades as they could not suppress all the infantry from every angle. Took some losses to be sure but had enough left to take out most of the Tigers and take the rear objectives too.

[RNL Tiger]

Yeah, only reason I won this scenario this time was sending Russian infantry company around the right flank to engage first his Panthers (behind the second set of woods on the right flank)and then his Tigers (the scattered trees in the German rear) with hand grenades. Infantry swarmed his tanks and within a few turns had destroyed them with hand grenades as they could not suppress all the infantry from every angle. Took some losses to be sure but had enough left to take out most of the Tigers and take the rear objectives too.

Sounds good. How did you approach the tanks and from what direction to get into range? Presumably a combination of "move" or "move to contact" to just outside LOS and then "sneak" to within ~25-35m? How many squads did you send for each tank and what sort of spacing did you have between them?

[I was playing AL-ELBRUS - nice CMBB scenario - against the AI and I had a squad in tall pine cover at 35m and it did not attack a Stuart that was busy shooting up another squad. However, after I moved it to 25m it attacked but unsuccessfully. It was only after I moved up another squad that I got the knock-out]

[Jobu88]

For the record, I have lost this scenario as the Germans, against the lowly AI, and in spectacular fashion, by believing that green Russian tank crews would be easy pickings for Panthers and especially Crack Tigers. Two Panthers blasted at short range by an IS-2 ( have I mentioned my belief that the game is rigged to give Russian 122mm / 152mm guns first-round hits?) And even worse, three Tigers sitting back at 800-900 meters where their high-velocity 88mm guns with German optics and high-quality crews would give them every advantage--- all three killed by front hits from a 122mm. Moral of the story---just because they're green doesn't mean they can't kill you.