m8 vs quad .50 half track

[Firesparks]

in terms of getting that nasty mg42 out of the building, it is better to get the quad .50 or the m8?

[Bentguru]

Depends on the situation.

If your opponent has not shown that he's going fast tech to tier 3, usually indicated by 5 squads of infantry or more scattered around the map, then grab the quad .50 1st and m8 later.

if he has gone teir 3 and already has puma's running about, you're going to be forced to build the m8 since the quad will just get run down.

[FatalTheRabbit]

I can tell you right now in my entire experience with axis I have never seen the M8 achieve anything but it's own swift destruction, while I have been sent with my tail between my legs by the half track... only temporarily of course.

The M8 does not help in countering the puma well. It has low damage, low accuracy, and an even lower rate of fire(9 bloody seconds to reload! 3 longer than a sherman). If you need anti light vehicle use sticky bombs, and AT guns... CAREFULLY, because the puma can bring AT guns down pretty fast if you let it.

[DrunkenOne]

m8s own unupgraded axis ACs, can cap points (With raid), and can run into an axis base and drop mines.

[FatalTheRabbit]

Too bad lone M8s don't fight lone unupgraded pumas, and if there are pumas, there are stugs not too far behind. Also, the unupgraded puma doesn't get owned by the M8, it's close, because they both do the same damage against light armor, and the puma has better rate of fire. Raid is not an advantage over the half track, as the halftrack has raid too.

[DrunkenOne]

i suggest you lab an allied ac vs an unupgraded axis ac

[FatalTheRabbit]

I don't need to lab it. I play the game, and I've never lost a puma to an M8, and I've seen the puma provide additional fire against the M8. The suggestion that one actually use the puma in such a manner as you have, makes me scratch my head vigorously in contemplation.

The m8 can't hit shit, and it's rate of fire is slow as hell. unless you just sat there front to front, the unupgraded puma, even in a vacuum, will give the M8 a run for it's money.

[DrunkenOne]

You obviously don't "play the game" if you think that A) M8s are worthless, and B) M8s lose to unupgraded Pumas.

[FatalTheRabbit]

Wow, that really makes your argument strong. If you want to debate with me, how about you actually debate with reason instead of trying to flame me. If you want me to respond in the future give me something better than "nuh uh".


The puma is for killing infantry, and it does it very well. The M8 can't kill infantry for shit, because of reasons I've listed above. With that fact in mind, even if you've got an M8 working on your opponents puma, your infantry will die, and his won't. You show up and you're probably going to immediately take blasts from a shreck or a couple of fausts and you achieved nothing, besides maybe some minor damage to the puma(2 rounds every 18 seconds? very minor damage even if they both hit which is unlikely if the puma is mobile).

I've faced plenty of M8s in my time with CoH, and two fausts will bring them within an inch of their life, and your puma will easily make up the difference if you need it to.

As far as longevity of utility the half track is immeasurably superior to the M8. It will let you reinforce, seems very durable, can cap the points just the same if your an armor commander, and is quite good at routing infantry from buildings, and suppressing ones that are not.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

M8s beat unupgraded pumas, period.

[dommafia]

Did everyone forget what the question was?


in terms of getting that nasty mg42 out of the building, it is better to get the quad .50 or the m8?

halftrack with the upgrade is the way to go to flush out mg42's out of buildings.

[jasaund]

I've ditched the M8 in recent games. I go straight for the halftrack supporting shermans. Halftrack is very good with airborne/rangers backing them up. M8 just sucks IMO.

[Trizzdog]

Quad 50 is love, the m8 is kinda meh, both have their uses though. Quad rapes all infantry and reinforces your own, while the m8 is good for raping obvervation posts (and capping them if you got armour command!) and laying mines around.

Btw, the quad is the better choice for getting inf out of buildings.

[DrunkenOne]

M8s beat unupgraded pumas, period.
Lies, you obviously haven't played the game because you disagree with Fatal, who has played the game.

[hasbean]

I might be wrong, but don't halftracks take more damage from mg's than m8s? Quad is probably better for ejecting inf, but I'd say m8 is more useful.

[dommafia]

m8's and halftracks should be looked at as very diferent units. I dont think you should even consider an m8 to be an infantry "raper". I use them mainly to lay their 50 munitions mines that own mostly anything that steps on them and to capture enemy points with RAID. Hit and run ftw.

[WildeCard]

Just a question, but.. aren't unupgraded pumas just mobile MGs?

[FatalTheRabbit]

No, they damage light armor very well. Try it some time. A puma on the move will bring an M8 down in pretty good time. Each hit deals something like 1/12 or so maybe a bit less of an M8s HP, and the rate of fire is high.

[Busby]

Stugs fire faster then M8s, however, I did mange to kill a Stug with a pair of M8s with careful mine-laying and dancing.

[WildeCard]

I usually forego MP40s on every volk unit to ensure I have enough to outfit Pumas with cannons as and when they appear. I've not really used them without their upgrades.

Which leads me on to another question, should Pumas always recieve upgrades when resources are available?

[AntiCommie]

I personally dont upgrade pumas. Stugs are much better AT and unupgraged, Puma are better AI, so I use Puma to escort the Stugs. I might upgrade them if the allied wen fast armor and I get surprised, but I dont usually plan on upgrading them unless needed. I might be doing it totally wrong though... I tend to find ACs dont last long compared to Stugs/infantry.