FOW MW Tactical Suggestions – Aggressive US Infantry

I have begun testing various MW Infantry lists and trying to use them as the aggressor/attacker. It is my belief that infantry lists could be played very aggressively and with good effect. To define “infantry list” it means that the majority of the points are put in infantry formations. It is not an “all out infantry list” with no gun teams or vehicles or tanks, nor is it only 1 infantry formation.

I will try to share my knowledge/experiences. Be aware, that it is NOT a “how to”- manual, but simply meant as an inspiration for the readers to develop further, if they are interested in playing infantry lists.

I will use 100 points as my list size. Effects may vary depending on the point size.

US Infantry – strength in numbers?

Initially, I found that the primary strength the US infantry had was in numbers. It seemed to me, that it would be easy to make a horde-like list. My first attempts were quite effective. I quickly found that an assault with 1-2-3 teams would always make my opponent test to counterattack (even if I didn’t hit the enemy teams), and this provided me with a good chance of making them retreat from their position. As an aggressive list, I wanted to be the attacker as often as possible, which means I wanted the opponent to get away from the objective. If I ended up being the defender, I wanted to use Spearhead to ensure that the enemy had to go through a lot of infantry in order to be within range of the objective in turn 6. Be aware, that some players lack the coolness under fire, to remember this.

First lesson: If you cannot kill it, push it!

A quick way to win many games (in eight of the missions in the More Missions Pack) as the attacker is to start within 10 cm of the objective and end up with the opponent being more than 10 cm away from the objective, and you can win at any time. This made me realize that the primary tactic for an infantry list COULD be to simply push the enemy away from the objective. In many games, this actually is a viable tactic.

Second Lesson: Smoke is KING

It is a thing that you have to master with US infantry. When and where to use smoke. Smoke can be used to shield your units and thus minimize enemy fire, or it can be used to help get a good assault in. Remember that it stacks with terrain modifier, so if your opponent stands within a wheatfield and your smoke is in the field, where you attack. He will have a “+2” to hit, making the trained soldiers hit on a 5+ in defensive fire.

Latest lesson: Combined arms = PWN!

Now, I am sure that you are thinking: Combined arms.. so finally he admits that he needs tanks to attack. No, what I mean is.. Armored Rifle Platoons and Rifle platoons are a powerful combination. As it is right now, I recommend you try an upgraded (with the Command Card: Always Prepared) Rifle platoon running alongside the normal Armored Rifle Platoon. Most opponents would see the ARP as the primary threat, and try to eliminate it. This leaves the Rifle platoon able to get close to the enemy with a great number of teams still alive.Important to remember: Movement is permitted and encouraged

To some it makes no sense that the infantry can divide themselves up into small groups and attack, but it is a possible way to play the game. I will let you, dear reader, be the judge of what you want to do and what you do not want to do. But it is possible to spread your infantry out when you get close to the enemy. This can be an advantage as you can then assault different places, tanks etc. Your infantry can move quite fast, if you choose to do so. This means that a turn 1 or 2 round charge is possible. In all the games I have played, I have yet to see a tank player be able to position all his tanks so they cannot be attacked in their flank every turn. It has NEVER happened. So do not be discouraged if other players says it cannot be done. Test it, try it and remind them, every time they put their tanks up so you can attack one in the flank without them giving more than one tank defensive fire. Infantry can move 8″/20cm in their tactical move as a standard. On top of that, a “Follow me” order can be given, to get you into the right position. After that you have 4″/10 cm charge. All in all you have a lot of movement each turn that you can use to get a few teams in position.

Important to remember: spread out if you worry about being hit a lot

It is important to remember that any hit on your platoon has to be within 6″/15 cm of the target team. So if you move a part of your platoon to make an attempt to outflank your opponent. It is good to get more than 6″/15 cm away from the rest of the platoon.

Sample formations that I plan to test

A theory is one thing. Making it work in the game is, in my experience, quite another. A lot of things has a rather big influence on your style of play and what works and what does not work. Be aware that in my perspective the way I build a list depends a lot on how the “attacker/defender” is determined. In this article, I’m assuming that infantry has at least a 50/50 chance of being attacker.

Artillery heavy:

• Rifle Hq: 2
• Rifle Platoon w LMG and Always Prepared command card: 13
• Rifle Platoon w LMG and Always Prepared command card: 13
• Rifle Platoon: 8
• 4 HMG: 3
• 4 37mm AT guns: 6

Command Cards relevant to infantry formations

• Regulars, By God: An expensive upgrade to the Armored Rifle Platoon. Technically a mechanized platoon, but I’ve decided to include it. It makes the Armored Rifle Platoons very expensive. It makes them harder to hit, more skilled but at the cost of Rally 3+.
• Always Prepared: An upgrade to the normal Rifle Platoon. The downside is it removes the Rally on 3+, but increases your skill to 4+ as well as makes you hit on 4+. As another small bonus, it makes your bazookas hit on 5+ in close combat.
• Engineer Combat Company: I consider it a “gift” that this card exists. Makes your infantry and gun teams (in that one 37mm platoon you can have) dig in on 3+. I find that highly interesting! To the best of my knowledge, you can still upgrade your Rifle Platoons in this Engineer Company, making them quite adept at taking out enemy fortified positions, if you ask me.
• Nicholas Minue: A cheap card to make your bazooka incredibly dangerous in an assault. Even though I have asked, I’m still not certain if this is a card that has to be rolled for every time I assault or if I can choose when to roll for this.
• Paul Robinett: Potentially interesting, if you enjoy playing mind games with your opponent. This card does not have to be revealed until the start of the game. I think it can be quite dangerous, if you reposition a platoon from one side of the table to another depending on the mission (for instance better in Meeting Engagement)

Conclusion and recommendations

In my recent game, I failed to do several things, and so I did not win the game. But the lessons learned provides me with a lot of things to examine. I see the US infantry lacking Anti-Tank options, and I hear that from other people. I still believe that US lists can combine infantry with 37mm guns and halftracks and manage all opponents. The use of Armored Rifle Platoons could potentially also be able to handle an assault from Heavy Tanks, and I plan to test the list in order to be the attacker vs. German Heavy Tanks.

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