For beginners, or those who want to just play around to see what's possible, set the game to easy and turn off fog of war. It's not really my intention to give away spoilers, but rather, to give an in-promt-to lesson/guide as to what can be done, if you plan things. In fact, you can be down-right DEVIOUS if you plan things correctly.
Baptism by fire:
Part One:
(Enemy Sdkfz ambush.)
Squad composition:
4 men:
2 officers (armed with pistols.) and 2 soldiers ( 1 lmg, 1 rifle.)
Note:
All dead soldiers, russian AND german, are "lootable" for weapons, health, and ammo. (Look at them using the "eye" icon.)
There are 6 tanker's helmets on some of the dead russian tankers. Get them. (You're going to get a KV-1 later. So, you might like to out fit some of your soldiers with new attire.)
I don't think this Sdkfz-223, at the beginning, is capturable. You can only loot it for the weapons and ammo.
(Tip)You should work quickly, though. In case the anti-tank grenade that you used on the 223 has started an engine fire.
The vehicle will explode. You could die if you're standing next to it.
Try aiming for a wheel. You might flip it. It's not easy, and it will prob. take a fair ammount of grenades. But I've done it. The guys inside will fall out!!!!! But there's really not much point, though. If the Sdkfz takes any dammage you won't be able to run off with it. (Because you don't have a repair kit yet.)
........Not to mention all the grenades it would take to "right" it once again.
It IS possible to kill the gunner of the 223 if you throw an anti-personell (pineapple) grenade onto the top of the 223.
This only kills the gunner and does NOT dammage the vehicle. If you can get an anti-personell (pineapple) grenade down INSIDE of the 223, you might kill the driver. If THAT'S possible, you'd be able to commandeer it because it's crew would be dead.
MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!
Patrrrroniiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After all bodies and vehicles are searched for loot, move out.
*********
Part 2:
Pre-mission briefing
Squad composition:
4 men:
2 officers (armed with pistols.) and 2 soldiers ( 1 lmg, 1 rifle.)
After you recieve orders, head to the trenches and recruit some more men.
I've been able to recruit up to 6 more men from the trenches, for a total squad strength of 10 men.
Search all near-by bodies for weapons and loot, equip your men, lock & load, and move out.
*********
Part 3:
Enemy machine gun position
Squad strength:
10 men: Various loadouts depending on loot.
(I recomend 2 lmg's and the rest smg's.)
(IMPORTANT)
At this time, set all soldiers to:
Hold fire.
Hold position.
---
If you looted 2 or 3 lmg's, you can set them up in the buildings near the disabled truck at the right side of the map, just BEFORE you cross the road where the 1st german machine gun position is located. Place them in the windows and check their line of sight on the enemy mg position. Windows can be broken with the butt of your soldier's weapon. Take control of your soldier and by means of direct control turn him around and aim his weapon out the window. He'll break the glass if there's any in the way.
Use these buildings for cover and then place "supression fire" on the 5 german soldiers who are blocking your route.
If you take control of your lmg's, you can kill most of the enemy soldiers from that position alone.
Once you wear the germans down a bit, set your lmg's to fire at will, then click on one of the still survivng germans.
(This will lay down auto-supression fire if your soldiers have a shot AND will have the added benefit of keeping the germans' attention on your lmg's, setting up a basic infantry "flanking manuver" with support fire.)
If you have some smg's, run them up to the building that's next to the enemy position, and flank what germans are still alive. You can use a combo of smg's and grenades.
Run around the corner and overwhelm them.
Search all near-by bodies for weapons and loot, then equip your men, then heal them if you need to.
Put 4 men into the tank FIRST, set it to: hold fire, hold position.
Get another soldier and have HIM repair the tank.
Regroup all remaining soldiers (execpt the repair guy) with the lmg's, south of the road and out of harm's way.
Once the tank is repaired, get it, and the repair guy, out of there!!!! You're about to be shot at by a 45mm atg. You have enough time before the auto-save occurs, to skee-daddle if you just haul-a$$ asap. Head ESE and retreat behind some buildings, out of sight.
CONSERVE YOUR FUEL!!!!!!! Don't move untill you absolutely have to.
You really DO NOT have to use the KV-1 (heavy tank) for everything. Trust me.
--------
At this point:
Take a look at that 45mm gun that has the Sdkfz-223 parked next to it. (It's at the first set of buildings north from where you found the KV-1.)
Note the line of fire. Move the KV-1 to a flanking position so that when you fire at the 45mm atg, you won't kill the Sdkfz, in the event you fire long and miss.
Switch to 76mm HE. DO NOT use 76mm AP.
Aim for a spot close to the atg. DO NOT SHOOT DIRECTLY AT THE GUN or its crew!!!!!
(The HE blast will kill the gun crew but leaves gun intact.)
Then, pull the KV-1 back and hide.
*******
Now bring up the rest of your soldiers to the KV-1.
....At this point, try experimenting with your soldiers. Try to use your soldiers to engage nearby enemy infantry.
Try to cause a big ruckus!!!!! This will lure the Sdkfz-223 to come over and investigate what's going on.
Use your KV-1's
machine gun and shoot the Sdkfz-223's wheels out and immobilize it.
IMPORTANT:
You
MUST do this by means of
direct control. The AI is too stupid to know you are trying to only DISABLE the 223. It will destroy the Sdkfz-223 if you make it do all the work. Make sure the KV-1 is set to
HOLD FIRE and
HOLD POSITION. You must do the driving and the shooting
manually.
NOW, with your KV-1, drive up to the side of the Sdkfz-223 and crash into him. (Like a "T-bone".)
Push him untill he rolls onto his side, causing the crew inside to spill out!!!!!!!!!
As soon as the Sdkfz-223 rolls over, reverse the KV-1 and keep it away from the 223's crew. (They'll try to throw an anti-tank grenade at your KV-1 if it's too close and in range.) Once you're "clear", use the KV-1's machine gun to kill the Sdkfz-223's exposed crew only. Do not destroy the 223.
Roll the 223 back onto its wheels, then secure the immediate area. Keep enemy infantry away AND do NOT advance the KV-1 because if you do, ANOTHER enemy vehicle will interupt your theft.
(Possibly the OTHER Sdkfz-223 that's one block east, or the Sdkfz-251 (half-track) that is 2 blocks north.)
The idea, here, is to lure ONE of the enemy vehicles (at a time) as far south as you can so that you can steal them without having to worry about multiple enemies interfering.
Grab one of your free soldiers and climb into the now abandoned Sdkfz-223 and "man" its gun.
Grab another free infantryman. Go to the KV-1 and get the repair kit.
Repair the Sdkfz-223.
Climb the repair-guy into your newly aquired Sdkfz-223.
Congratulations on your theft!!!!!!!
You aquire the second Sdkfz-223 in the same manner, as well as the Sdkfz-251 half-track. To date, I have been unable to steal the Sdkfz-232 that's in town. But I believe it's possible, if you can destroy its turret, or in some way, cause him to flip over. The 232 has a 20mm cannon that will put a serious "hurt'n" on your KV-1. But if you can get the KV-1 close enuogh to push over the 232, it should be steal-able too. I was thinking about using one of the destroyed "hulks" in the area as a shield for the KV-1. Push a hulk into an enemy vehicle. Like a battering ram, and roll him over that way. But that's easier said than done.
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Note:
ALL enemy light vehicles can be captured in this manner. Either track them, or shoot out their wheels. Then roll them onto their side, etc, etc, etc.
To capture an ATG, just kill its crew and then "man" it. You can "walk-off" with most of the atg's that are spread around town if you don't destroy them.
They can be used later, at the end, for added firepower.
There are a number of Pak-37, 45mm anti-tank guns, dispersed around town that are either lootable for their ammo or for downright stealing. Some are manned by enemy soldiers. Others are not.
There is also a 76mm, ZiS-3 anti-tank gun near the river crossing. It is not capturable but it can be looted for its ammo, to replenish your KV-1's main gun ammo.
Both of the opels can be captured and used to get around town without using your KV-1's fuel. If you can find a fuel can somewhere, then the fuel from the opels can be drained and used to refuel your KV-1 or whomever else needs fuel. But, to date, I have not found a fuel can in this town.
The farm tractor is capturable from the "get-go".
If you capture both of the 223's, you can do some seroius squishy killing. When used in concert with eachother, the two 223's are bad-a$$. They get around really fast. Enemy infantry don't hear them comming till it's too late.
P.S.
To capture a tank, use ARMOR PIERCING rounds from any friendly atg or tank, and target the enemy tank's turret. If you destroy the turret, the crew will abandon the tank, leaving you to only have to mop them up, then repair their tank and steal it at your leisure. If you only track a tank, the crew will stay buttoned up, inside the tank. If you destroy a tank's armor, the tank is considered destroyed and is NOT capturable. Only lootable. Basically, if you want to capture a tank, destroy its turret only.
(good to know tip
AI does not target atg's, scout cars, trucks, tanks, motorcycles, or ANY vehicle, for that matter, if it's unmanned. The AI considers unmanned vehicles to be abandoned. Remember that when you come accross enemy armor, at the end of the scenario. If you pre-position a few atg's you can REALLY come up with some serious fall back/attack possibilities.
P.S.S
If you right-click on a clear section of terrain, you will "clear" the mouse cursor. You can then left-click on an enemy unit to see where he's looking. Use this to plan assaults or to get a closer/better flank shot while your enemy isn't looking.
....Hope this helps.