Who uses flame throwers and AT rifle infantry?

[Pewpewchewchew]

While these flame thrower and AT rifle troopers are definitely a nice addition, I'm wondering who uses these and more importantly how and when. My preconceptions are that these guys are pretty much out done by existing units. I'd normally flank a bunker and demo charge or bazooka it rather than burn it from the front or side. They have comparable ranges to the flame thrower for sure. With AT rifle infantry I see them being useful if the game was set earlier, however currently I don't really see the point in taking them for their cost.

[DB_Zero]

While these flame thrower and AT rifle troopers are definitely a nice addition, I'm wondering who uses these and more importantly how and when. My preconceptions are that these guys are pretty much out done by existing units. I'd normally flank a bunker and demo charge or bazooka it rather than burn it from the front or side. They have comparable ranges to the flame thrower for sure. With AT rifle infantry I see them being useful if the game was set earlier, however currently I don't really see the point in taking them for their cost.

When it comes to AT rifles the thought that comes to mind is "pissing into the wind". Against HTs or armored cars they have some utility.They certainly will penetrate Hannomags and perhaps kill 1 or 2 occupants, but a panzerfaust, bazooka or Piat will not only easily penetrate a HT, but kill more of the occupants.

I've tried using an AT rifle against a Panther from the second floor shooting at the rear of the tank hoping it would at least penetrate the thinner top armor and at least immobilize it, but no luck. Maybe from the 3, 4 or 5th floors?

I've yet to see an AT rifle break an opponents tanks track.

[BBrus]

AT rifles shells are very prone to ricocheting if it's shoot at a swallow angle. As you said they'd be much more useful against early panzers (II, III, 38t). I like them because they are not very visibe, so you can shoot panzers from a distance without being spotted, forcing them to stay buttoned and probably damaging their optics.

[DB_Zero]

Be nice if the ATR's could also double as snipers. That 14.5mm rounds has a long range and will drop a rhino at a mile.

I really wished BF would have released an Eastern Front game that covered the early part of the war first. While the history books says the Germans made rapid advances in Russia in 41 and 42 and may be true, they also suffered greatly and not all the fights were one sided.

I'm no expert on the Eastern Front, but I suspect that while strategically and operationally the Germans ruled early on, on a tactical level, which Combat Mission simulates, the fights were not always in their favor and would be very interesting to play out as the Russians.

[Jobu88]

I think I recall in CMx1 that AT rifle teams had binoculars, so any time I bought a Russian formation that had a platoon of them I used them as scouts. Occasionally they would pick off a HT or a truck, but mainly their value was in scouting.

[Lt Charles]

Hello,
New to this forum as I have just recently purchase CMRT, have only played a few games but I did use a group of Russian AT's to harass German tanks from across a river. This seemed to keep them button up and changing the turret facing. Tanks could not get sight on AT teams as they stayed hidden in dense forest. Also used them in a similar manner in another scenario to keep German troops pinned in trenches from long distance, again across river.