Any tips for cavalry?

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

Any tips for cavalry?

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Steel Panthers World At War & Mega Campaigns >> SP:WaW Training Center >> Any tips for cavalry?

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Any tips for cavalry? - 9/24/2004 4:23:01 PM

Poopyhead

Posts: 612
Joined: 3/17/2004
Status: offline

I thought I would invade Poland (as part of the long campaign against the AI) with a Prussian Cavalry battalion. Anyone have any tips for a cavalry wannabe? Also, if some Japanese squads get a bayonet weapon, why don't cavalry get a saber or a lance (or a flamethrower)?

Post #: 1

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 9/25/2004 9:27:53 PM

sztartur2

Posts: 672
Joined: 7/24/2002
From: Budapest,Hungary
Status: offline

I had a cavalry core force for Balkan crisis campaign. It was a very good choice because of the mountainous terrain. Poland is flat though in most of it's part so I suggest to choose a mech force.

Key to cavalry is forested, rough and mountainous terrain + the urban places.

Artur.

< Message edited by sztartur -- 9/25/2004 8:28:59 PM >

_____________________________

"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.", Sun Tzu

(in reply to Poopyhead)

Post #: 2

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 9/26/2004 5:06:56 AM

Fidel_Helms

Posts: 405
Joined: 3/9/2003
From: North Carolina
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Poopyhead

why don't cavalry get a saber or a lance (or a flamethrower)?

While I don't think that using a flamethrower while on horseback would be a particularly good idea, there is a sabre in weapons slot 1 of the French OOB.

_____________________________

(in reply to Poopyhead)

Post #: 3

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 9/26/2004 7:00:01 PM

Riun T

Posts: 1848
Joined: 7/31/2004
Status: offline

Have to ask the year your exploits are comencing,? the doctrine of calv. has a huge variation depending on the tactics of the time. Russian cossaks don't get a flamethrower but they do get lots of Molitov's. During the Napolionic era the calvalry was used to support in speed, the advance of infantry and as a quick flank runner for areas of the infantry's front that might be failing or leading,the initial thought was to use them as plugs and limiters of the front. be it as the armies of the time all used cavalry to do their communication,{ dispatches and runners, special couriers } they kept the "horse" spread just behind and to one side,to rush out,depending on the progress of the grunts,to engage any heavy guns or hard points of resistance, if the occasion of heavy guns appeared the cavlry would charge the guns usually in a flanking attack to supress the crews till your infantry could catchup and resecure that portion of the front.
In the WWI era the cavlry was used much more like Mechinized infntry,toting their medium eqiup. and weapons around a majoricaly immobil infantry battlefield,still a big enfasis on horse messenger communication.SZTARTUR has the right idea keep them in mind for their mobility in all terrain and that they have a better chance of keeping good communication in there part of the battlefield. RT

(in reply to Poopyhead)

Post #: 4

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 9/26/2004 7:56:56 PM

Goblin

Posts: 5547
Joined: 3/29/2002
From: Erie,Pa. USA
Status: offline

My tip for cavalry? Make it Armored Cav

A 75mm beats a lance any day.

Goblin

_____________________________

http://www.spwaw.com/phpBB2/index.php

(in reply to Riun T)

Post #: 5

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 9/27/2004 5:01:55 PM

Poopyhead

Posts: 612
Joined: 3/17/2004
Status: offline

I also prefer Panthers to ponies, but 1st Cavalry Division was assigned to Panzer Group Guderian in Russia and I thought it might be interesting to try something completely different. So far I've only worked with the TO&E:
A0, FO, Gun team, a CP and two 37 mm Flak with mule teams.
Light Cav company with the platoons replaced with three batteries of 75 mm howitzers (mostly for smoke), an ammo carrier and twelve mule teams.
Three normal cavalry companies with each platoon getting an extra MMG, ATR and scout patrol mounted in a gun team assigned. I'll probably upgrade the scouts to engineers. These are the manuever companies.
Three support light cavalry companies in which two of the platoons were replaced by a mule team drawn 37 mm Flak battery and a section of 150 mm Infantry guns drawn by a gun team. The 150 mm IG has a couple of HEAT rounds with a 189 penetration which should come in handy. Each support company has an ammo carrier and an MMG assigned. Each manuever company gets a support company for scouting and fire support.
I've started the first battle in 1939 and it's an assault.

< Message edited by Poopyhead -- 9/27/2004 4:29:00 PM >

(in reply to Goblin)

Post #: 6

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 9/27/2004 11:55:01 PM

Goblin

Posts: 5547
Joined: 3/29/2002
From: Erie,Pa. USA
Status: offline

Lol, I was just yanking your chain, Poopy. Its fun to cav charge an enemy infantry line!

Goblin

_____________________________

http://www.spwaw.com/phpBB2/index.php

(in reply to Poopyhead)

Post #: 7

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 9/28/2004 6:34:38 PM

Belisarius

Posts: 4041
Joined: 5/26/2001
From: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: offline

Cavalry + flamethrowers generally don't make for a good combo. I can't imagine a horse being too fond of someone spraying fire from its back. Molotov cocktails are a distance weapon (sorta).

_____________________________

Got StuG?

(in reply to Goblin)

Post #: 8

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 9/28/2004 9:45:48 PM

Poopyhead

Posts: 612
Joined: 3/17/2004
Status: offline

Well, it seems that my side remark about Flammenkavalrie has missed its mark, so I won't even mention the mounted nebelwerfer idea. How do you all feel about my unit joining Rommel and Afrika Korps after an upgrade of camels! (Just joshin')

< Message edited by Poopyhead -- 10/4/2004 2:05:16 PM >

(in reply to Belisarius)

Post #: 9

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 10/3/2004 6:26:42 PM

Maciste

Posts: 81
Joined: 3/5/2004
Status: offline

Proud cavalry we are,
trippin'-tap-tooein' fast;
against tanks'n'machine guns
we won't last.

(in reply to Poopyhead)

Post #: 10

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 10/4/2004 6:19:02 AM

listy the treadhead

Posts: 289
Joined: 2/9/2001
From: cambridge,cambridgeshire,UK
Status: offline

easy, CHARGE!

The light brigade came up with a winning idea!

My current score is 30 russian cossacks squads, for 2 companies of german armourd recce. He realy shouldn't have laugthed at them as they came thundering out of the woods on his flank. and the great thing about most GE recce vehicles is that you can slam-dunk a hand grenade, from horse back, into the top of the crew compartment.

(in reply to Maciste)

Post #: 11

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 10/5/2004 6:38:22 AM

pappasmurf

Posts: 55
Joined: 9/27/2004
Status: offline

Until you run into the 220 and 230 series at least.

< Message edited by pappasmurf -- 10/5/2004 4:38:21 AM >

(in reply to listy the treadhead)

Post #: 12

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 10/8/2004 9:10:13 PM

mckenzie

Posts: 7
Joined: 10/8/2004
Status: offline

The Polish cavalry charge against German armour in 1939 did give them a surprise, but once surprise was over the MGs on the tanks proceeded to turn the cav into horse mince. Personally I would rather have a force of Panzer Is and IIs than horse cavalry, especially if you compare the prices in SPWAW. It wouls certainly be an interesting challenge to take cavalry into battle, but I wouldn't recommend it a) against human players (or at least ones with average intelligence), or b) in any sort of long campaign...

_____________________________

Lieutenant General Timothy McKenzie

(in reply to pappasmurf)

Post #: 13

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 10/15/2004 7:30:13 AM

pappasmurf

Posts: 55
Joined: 9/27/2004
Status: offline

There are differing sources on Polish cavalry vs german armor in WW2 did it evenr elaly happen? Even if it did if skilfully used the Pz I's, II's, and 35's would be no match to the ATR the poles possed. The PZ-38's and Pz-III's would be a different story. but tactical manuver under a skille dcomamdner could offset this. The poles had the finest clavary int he world. They beat Russia in the 20's and terrified the German army to the point that it actually considred the SA under Rohm a vital reserve force on the eastern frontier should the poles invade.

The poles had 92 ATR's (7.92 mm Rifle Anti-Tank Mascerzek) per divsion as well as 14 37mm ATG per divsion. The ATR could penetrate At a typical Vo of slightly over 1,200m/s the projectile penetrated 30mm of steel at a range of 100m and still up to 25mm at 300m. This vs a frontal armor of 30mm with sides even lower. If skillfully deployed the Polish cav could have reacked havoc on the Germans and in fact did inflicting 16,343 dead and 27280 wounded. The poles suffered 65,000 dead or about 3.5-1 overall but it was hardly the mythological cake walk everyone seems to beleive.

(in reply to mckenzie)

Post #: 14

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 10/15/2004 10:00:03 AM

listy the treadhead

Posts: 289
Joined: 2/9/2001
From: cambridge,cambridgeshire,UK
Status: offline

LOL Useing an ATR from horse back? Now those are good cavalry!

However if not they're acting as dragoons, that is a differnet kettle of fish.

The main reason why cavalry is so effective is becuase it's so damn scary, and infantry tend to break under the charge, and get cut down in the back. If they stand then its faily even. I don't belive the Whermacht trained its troops to with stand a cavalry charge.

From what I remember the polish Cav first charged an infantry unit and smashed that flat, then followed through into a German tank unit that put paid to the polish cavalry. Or at least thats what I heard.

(in reply to pappasmurf)

Post #: 15

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 10/15/2004 7:40:25 PM

pappasmurf

Posts: 55
Joined: 9/27/2004
Status: offline

I have been doing some checkign and can find no real reports of a Polish cavalry charge.

By the end of the First World War the cavalry charge was a thing of the past. Machine guns even few in number would put horses and men down faster than they could be repalced. Tactics switched to a dragoon type force highly skiiled at raiding and rear area disruption. Charging a group of infnatry with trepeatign rifle swould be suicide. Charge a bunch of mechanics behind the lines would achive far more and not cost as much flesh.

(in reply to listy the treadhead)

Post #: 16

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 10/15/2004 9:22:52 PM

Goblin

Posts: 5547
Joined: 3/29/2002
From: Erie,Pa. USA
Status: offline

From a website about the war in Poland:

The most infamous myth is the fantasy that the Polish cavalry charged at German tanks. These units were thought to be the best horsemen in Europe, but were relied upon mainly for their cost-effectiveness, since few vehicles were available. Despite their antiquated means of travel, Polish cavalry were used primarily as heavy infantry for break-outs or surprise attacks. They carried machine guns, 7.92mm anti-tank rifles, and 37mm anti-tank guns which could easily take out German armor. Cavalry charges were not a standard tactic, but on the first day of the war a Polish cavalry regiment discovered a battalion of Germans in a field and led a charge against them. The Germans were caught off guard and suffered severe casualties, but were rescued by the advancing panzers, who opened fire on the exposed cavalry. The Poles fled, but only lost 20 men, including the commanding officer, Colonel Kazimierz Mastelarz. However, when Italian journalists visited the battlefield the following day, the Germans told them that the cavalry had charged against their tanks and were wiped out. This fabrication was put into print and the Nazi propaganda made sure it was widely publicized, and therefore widely believed.

Looks like Pappa has it correct.

http://www.angelfire.com/ct/ww2europe/1939.html

_____________________________

http://www.spwaw.com/phpBB2/index.php

(in reply to pappasmurf)

Post #: 17

RE: Any tips for cavalry? - 10/15/2004 10:04:58 PM

Riun T

Posts: 1848
Joined: 7/31/2004
Status: offline

Used some Cossacks to really good results in the Heroes of the motherland mini campaign,lured some PzrII's onto a bluff of trees,chaseing an armoured car.Had a full CO. waiting on eitherside of the trees where the A/c would exit.killed 5 PzrII's and a truck carrying PAK 40 in a diagonal rideby attack. in a confined space they actually faired well. RT P.S. only lost 4 riders!!!!

< Message edited by Riun T -- 10/15/2004 8:05:53 PM >

(in reply to Goblin)

Post #: 18

Page: [1]

All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Steel Panthers World At War & Mega Campaigns >> SP:WaW Training Center >> Any tips for cavalry?

Page: [1]