PE, which building to go first?

[Question]

PE can go for 2 buildings, one to get squad size upgrade and scout cars, the other for MG and mortar halftracks.

You can usually use the MG HTs to destroy someone's infantry force totally if you get them out early enough. The problem is that even basic rifle fire hurts them very badly, much more than normal halftracks apparently, and they never seem to get better. And you dont get OPs.

But if you go for squad size upgrade and scout cars for resources, you get screwed if he plays defensive, especially if theres a brit player and hes spamming trenches, vickers, mortar emplacements, so on so forth. Sometimes you just cant flank a point and charging forward to try and incendiary nade a trench with all the supporting firepower is sucide.

[formfactor]

Yeah this whole deciding what to build first is what holds the PE back and IMO, keeps them from being quite as OP as everyone screams.

If you know you're up against Allies, it might be worthwhile to send your first kettenkrad to see what he's built. If he went WSC or rifles, you'll know pretty quickly without losing your unit.

[AntiCommie]

I personally like squad sizes best. I go that building, then Marder3. This gives me Marders for AT, and MP44s for AI. The 4th member also lets me last much longer against snipers, MGs, and arty. I might eventually get the other building for HTs, but I suck with mortars, and find grenades good enough for most of my MG killing. I'll usually add shreks if they are brits, since Shreks roll defenses so quickly.

[Virigoth]

PE:
vs US: Kampfgrouppe because: InfantryHT MG has screwed up stats vs vCoH infantry and is too accurate. MortarHT to destroy any WSC units. Then PanzerJadger because it has everything that is OP in PE in one building. AT-HT if US spams rangers to snipe them off.

vs Brits: Kampfgrouppe because: MortarHT has screwed up stats vs OF infantry and kills Tommies like they are volks. Then PanzerJadger because it has everything that is OP in PE in one building.

Throw in some Luftwaffe for the crazy fg42s.

[>Rubberduckie<]

I never build the logistik's command, and always go for the HT building. It is really all you need. The early HT's really help the early game. Then, I go for the marder3.

I would rather have in the field reinforcment early game + the ability to kill enemy units and quick movement. Then have a 4th guy.

[DoctorLee]

I generally go like this. 1 -> Squad Size -> 3 -> MP44 -> Marder3 -> 2 -> Mortar HT(if necessary)

Or 2 -> Mortar HT -> PG spam -> 4 -> Pz4 -> Zeal (Didn't try this that much)

Works pretty well. I tend to build second building first when faced with a Brit player.

Mortar HT just rules. I just love the fact that Axis faction now has "working" artillery options.

[ehwhatever]

Relative to how much an infantry half track hurts riflemen, riflemen dont hurt infantry half tracks...

You would have to be humping riflemen with your half track in order for them to signifcantly damage it.

[tatatank]

1 rifle squad + 1 flamer Engineer squad < PE infantry halftrack. I would be willing to say that the infantry halftrack > 2 rifleman squads, but i havent tested that yet.

[Melonplant]

How does the flamer engineer get close enough? They get suppresed by nearby bird calls.

I personally like scout cars locking down key points. Do it early enough in the game and there is NO way that thing is going down (so long as you give it some support huh?)

[Jaigen]

i always go kampfgruppen building. mortar and infantry halftrack are crucial for building up momentum. logistic group is nice but not vital for success

[Question]

Does the MG42 armored car and the infantry halftrack have the same type of armor, health and weapon? In that case you could go squad size + armored car in the same role as the infantry halftrack with the bonus of securing a sector if you need to, then jump straight to MP44s/Marder. Downside is you cant go mortar HT if you really need to.

[ehwhatever]

scout car has nowhere near the damage of the infantry half track, and is less durable. Theres a reason one costs 15 fuel and the other doesnt.

[fallen soldier7]

infantry halftrack has more firepower afaik. it can also help reinforcing.

i would take infantry halftrack all the time since it's so incredibly cheap. pgrens backed up by infantry halftrack, and then you can also bring in a mortar ht later.

in 1v1's if i'm not doing well with fuel then i just skip the mortar ht. i'll need the fuel for a quick marder to support my pgrens, as they'll have stuarts or maybe shermans.

on my first time playing on one of the 1v1 maps, i was so unfamiliar with it that i let the allied player grab a sherman in the first 10 minutes. life isn't fair :P

[Znuff]

All the HTs and Cars have the same poor armor. All HTs have the same health, scoutcars a bit less and armored car a bit less then that (this is fairly odd realy).

[sparcKy']

pshh get about 5-6 inf squads with early upgrades and build the building to get +squad members then build the building to get Zeal and Marder3 and thats it from then on its GG, 2v2 <-

Half track + enemy arty = worthless half track good early game but late is ewww + you want the zeal so groups is good!

[Melonplant]

A locked down scout car does INSANE damage and awesome suppression. I don't know if it gets extra health or something but it takes at least 3 stickies to go down.

I mean, each building has its imbawesome units, but one has two of them. So i guess infantry halftracks and mortars are safest. Of course if you're going for a defensive aggressive push, logistick is definetly a dangerous alternative...Especially with burnt earth or luft doctrine. Build a turret after the scout cars up and that point will be yours until armor is on the field.

[Stokes52]

I always go for the HT building first. I like to play a heavily mechanized PE game, so I build the HT building, believe it or not, with my SECOND PG that I build. This allows me to get HTs super quickly, before the enemy even has the thought of encountering HTs yet. If you do it right, you can force him to retreat and cap the whole map uncontested if its a small map. Once I've gained enough momentum its a toss up whether I go for Marders or the squad upgrade, it really depends what my enemy is doing, how much map control I have, and how much fuel I have.

If I'm doing well and have a bit of fuel stored I'll tech to Marders, if not I'll go with the infantry squad upgrade building usually for the extra punch with my PGs.