Anti-Tank Infantry

[Soryn Arkayn]

When I first started playing BtS I thought that Anti-Tank infantry weren't very useful against Tanks because their 100% vs. Armour ability merely made them on par with Tanks, whereas with only 14 they were terribly vulnerable to modern infantry units. For my first few campaigns I rarely bothered with them and instead focused on acquiring Modern Armour and Mech Infantry. But then I realized that if I mass produced ATs I could upgrade them into Mech Infantry tank-killers!

From now on I intend to garrison all of my cities with 1 Machine Gun, 1 SAM Infantry, and 1 Anti-Tank, for full protection. And I'm going to garrison my border cities with plenty of ATs to deter enemy Tank blitzes. Then when I upgrade the ATs to Mech Infantry and I can use them offensively!

 

[KrikkitTwo]

The +25% from Ambush is what puts the over the top
making them 31.5 v. 28
Of course as you noticed it also makes them upgradeable

 

[Jaybe]

When you add fortified & terrain advantages (which armor doesn't get), defending with AT can be tough (countered, of course, by the totally inappropriate city-raider promotions that armor can have).

Of course, AT can also readily attack tanks which are not supported by infantry.

Very good point about building AT for the free ambush promotion when upgrading to mech infantry.

 

[Bino]

Quote you Jaybe, always wondered why tanks seem the best way to get cities...when i feel to need civ be a wargame, i bring infantry and marines to do the job, with artillery of course

 

[Soryn Arkayn]

When you add fortified & terrain advantages (which armor doesn't get), defending with AT can be tough (countered, of course, by the totally inappropriate city-raider promotions that armor can have).

Regarding your point about tanks and the city-raider promotion, since it's been historically proven that tanks shouldn't fight in cities, I don't think that tanks should be allowed to have the city-raider promotion. If anything tanks should incur a penalty for attacking cities (perhaps -25% city attack?). Tanks are intended for open-country battles, not city fighting.

It's okay for Mech Infantry to have the city-raider promotion because -- even though they're represented by an AFV -- they're merely mounted infantry who can fight outside their vehicles, so they wouldn't have any problems fighting in a city.

That said, ALL mounted units (including horses, elephants, tanks, and helicopters) should have city-attack penalties -- but that would be a radical gameplay change; perhaps a mod?

 

[Dida]

Regarding your point about tanks and the city-raider promotion, since it's been historically proven that tanks shouldn't fight in cities, I don't think that tanks should be allowed to have the city-raider promotion. If anything tanks should incur a penalty for attacking cities (perhaps -25% city attack?). Tanks are intended for open-country battles, not city fighting.

It's okay for Mech Infantry to have the city-raider promotion because -- even though they're represented by an AFV -- they're merely mounted infantry who can fight outside their vehicles, so they wouldn't have any problems fighting in a city.

That said, ALL mounted units (including horses, elephants, tanks, and helicopters) should have city-attack penalties -- but that would be a radical gameplay change; perhaps a mod?

While open country battles often take place in real life, civ battles are almost exclusively centered on the city square.

 

[Soryn Arkayn]

While open country battles often take place in real life, civ battles are almost exclusively centered on the city square.

I know, but if mounted units incurred city attack penalties it would radically change Civ4's combat gameplay. It would mean that infantry were the most effective city attackers (as they should be) while mounted units would be better used as escorts and flankers, to screen the infantry and prevent the enemy from reinforcing their cities' garrisons.

But like I said, this would a radical change to Civ4' combat system, and it would certainly be highly unpopular. This would only be possible for a mod, because the Devs wouldn't dare mess with the combat system.