G.E.V. unit tactics

WyvernKing · 03-05-2021, 02:08 PM

I'm finding G.E.V. units (especially regular and light G.E.V.s) under perform compared to any of the tracked units. I've played both Mark III/V attack as well as cease fire collapse scenarios and I find that regardless of what I'm facing I fare better in the game if I take few or no G.E.V.s.The only situation I've found them useful for is hounding Ogres with damaged treads, but even then they probably wouldn't be my first choice for the job.

What am I missing with G.E.V.s? What sort of situations do they shine in? What sort of force compositions do you use in scenarios where all the choices are left to you?

43Supporter · 03-05-2021, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyvernKing

What am I missing with G.E.V.s? What sort of situations do they shine in? What sort of force compositions do you use in scenarios where all the choices are left to you?

Terrain will kick a GEV where it hurts -- having to pause at every stream hexside; badly slowed by anything which isn't flatland; etc. If there's lots of Forest hexes, and/or Streams, avoid GEVs. Maps with lots of Water, and/or Flatland, GEVs are a decent selection.

woodchuck · 03-05-2021, 04:20 PM

Shoot and scoot, if you're not using GEV's secondary movement you're miss using them. You want to strike fast, pull back, and then move in to strike again. They also work best when you use them is packs and don't stack them if you can help it.

WyvernKing · 03-06-2021, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodchuck

They also work best when you use them is packs

About how many would you recommend in a pack?

HeatDeath · 03-06-2021, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyvernKing

About how many would you recommend in a pack?

Even two will work. The trick is to retreat them in different directions so the target can chase after and do a followup counterattack on, at most, one of them. Never swoop your GEVs into strike range of an opponent without a plan on how to swoop most of them back out.

WyvernKing · 03-06-2021, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeatDeath

Even two will work. The trick is to retreat them in different directions so the target can chase after and do a followup counterattack on, at most, one of them. Never swoop your GEVs into strike range of an opponent without a plan on how to swoop most of them back out.

So, if I'm understanding correctly, a strategy for G.E.V.s against a force of enemy armour units would be to fire and fade in multiple directions in the hopes of splitting their force up and reducing their opprotunities for combine fire, all while reducing my causalties by keeping my units away from each other, yeah?

woodchuck · 03-06-2021, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WyvernKing

About how many would you recommend in a pack?

Ideally enough to give your attacks better than 1 to 1 odds. 3 or more in most cases.

FJCestero · 03-06-2021, 06:37 PM

I'll jump in here to add my $0.02.

GEVs are also about map control. They get there first and control key terrain. If there's any choke-point the enemy has to get through or open flank that leaves their rear vulnerable -- GEVs are your huckleberry. Enemy has some installation that must be protected? Whose defense would pull disproportionate forces away from the front door/main effort? GEVs are your answer. Want to surround an enemy and force them into a disadvantageous fight? GEVs. Want to execute a defeat-in-detail strategy? GEVs. Want to pin an enemy in place or at least keep him from making fine adjustments to his deployment? Who ya gonna call??

Small units of GEVs are also more menacing than small groups of other units. The flip of this is that if there's any reason why the enemy can't just form up into one big clump, your GEVs can greatly influence how many and the relative sizes of the detachments your enemy can form them into: the smallest one better be in the center where the others can support it or have really good terrain...

GEVs can also concentrate forces faster. They're more flexible and can adapt/redeploy to counter changing situations. They're ambushers without peers.

And last but not least, GEVs keep the other guy's GEVs from doing all of this stuff to you.

So yes, while they lack the simplicity of the heavy and missile tank's raw firepower and range (not that there's anything wrong with those qualities...) a GEV's mobility makes them the masters of every other aspect of OGRE warfare that doesn't depend on raw firepower.

HeatDeath · 03-06-2021, 10:14 AM

The core underlying concepts to good GEV use [and really the game as a whole] are "strike distance" and "retreat distance".

The strike distance of a unit is the sum of its movement and its range [first movement for a GEV]. So, for example, a GEV's strike range is 6, and a heavy tank's strike range is 5. If you are within strike range of a unit, it means you are vulnerable because you can be attacked by that unit this turn.

Retreat distance is the sum of a unit's range, and how far it can move after firing. For most units this is the same as the unit's range, since most units can't move after firing. For a GEV, it is 5. This is the range a unit can get to after having fired on you.

Note that terrain will modify the strike range and retreat range of units, and tread unit damage will reduce the strike range of an Ogre.

GEVs really come into their own when attacking units under circumstances where the target's strike range is smaller than the GEV's retreat range. When you can achieve this, your GEVs can attack without being counterattacked at all, which is /the/ recipe for tactical victory.

Example, an Ogre that has lost one movement, and all weapons except SBs and APs, is spectacularly vulnerable to GEVs, since it has a strike range of 4, and GEVs have a retreat range of 5. this means the GEVs can swoop into range 2, attack, and retreat to outside the Ogre's strike range.

Pro-tip: even if you cannot get all of your GEVs out of strike range of their target during the retreat movement, you can disperse them in different directions such that the target is in strike range to at most one of them. Then you regroup the others and do another hit-and-fade.

WyvernKing · 03-06-2021, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43Supporter

Terrain will kick a GEV where it hurts -- having to pause at every stream hexside; badly slowed by anything which isn't flatland; etc. If there's lots of Forest hexes, and/or Streams, avoid GEVs. Maps with lots of Water, and/or Flatland, GEVs are a decent selection.

I've been playing on G1, which might explain why I haven't been able to use G.E.V.s as effectively as other units

03-05-2021, 02:08 PM	#1
WyvernKing Join Date: Mar 2021	G.E.V. unit tactics I'm finding G.E.V. units (especially regular and light G.E.V.s) under perform compared to any of the tracked units. I've played both Mark III/V attack as well as cease fire collapse scenarios and I find that regardless of what I'm facing I fare better in the game if I take few or no G.E.V.s.The only situation I've found them useful for is hounding Ogres with damaged treads, but even then they probably wouldn't be my first choice for the job. What am I missing with G.E.V.s? What sort of situations do they shine in? What sort of force compositions do you use in scenarios where all the choices are left to you?

03-05-2021, 04:20 PM	#3
woodchuck Join Date: Dec 2007	Re: G.E.V. unit tactics Shoot and scoot, if you're not using GEV's secondary movement you're miss using them. You want to strike fast, pull back, and then move in to strike again. They also work best when you use them is packs and don't stack them if you can help it. __________________ Sapor similis pullo.

03-06-2021, 06:37 PM	#8
FJCestero Join Date: Jun 2008	Re: G.E.V. unit tactics I'll jump in here to add my $0.02. GEVs are also about map control. They get there first and control key terrain. If there's any choke-point the enemy has to get through or open flank that leaves their rear vulnerable -- GEVs are your huckleberry. Enemy has some installation that must be protected? Whose defense would pull disproportionate forces away from the front door/main effort? GEVs are your answer. Want to surround an enemy and force them into a disadvantageous fight? GEVs. Want to execute a defeat-in-detail strategy? GEVs. Want to pin an enemy in place or at least keep him from making fine adjustments to his deployment? Who ya gonna call?? Small units of GEVs are also more menacing than small groups of other units. The flip of this is that if there's any reason why the enemy can't just form up into one big clump, your GEVs can greatly influence how many and the relative sizes of the detachments your enemy can form them into: the smallest one better be in the center where the others can support it or have really good terrain... GEVs can also concentrate forces faster. They're more flexible and can adapt/redeploy to counter changing situations. They're ambushers without peers. And last but not least, GEVs keep the other guy's GEVs from doing all of this stuff to you. So yes, while they lack the simplicity of the heavy and missile tank's raw firepower and range (not that there's anything wrong with those qualities...) a GEV's mobility makes them the masters of every other aspect of OGRE warfare that doesn't depend on raw firepower.

03-06-2021, 10:14 AM	#9
HeatDeath Join Date: May 2012	Re: G.E.V. unit tactics The core underlying concepts to good GEV use [and really the game as a whole] are "strike distance" and "retreat distance". The strike distance of a unit is the sum of its movement and its range [first movement for a GEV]. So, for example, a GEV's strike range is 6, and a heavy tank's strike range is 5. If you are within strike range of a unit, it means you are vulnerable because you can be attacked by that unit this turn. Retreat distance is the sum of a unit's range, and how far it can move after firing. For most units this is the same as the unit's range, since most units can't move after firing. For a GEV, it is 5. This is the range a unit can get to after having fired on you. Note that terrain will modify the strike range and retreat range of units, and tread unit damage will reduce the strike range of an Ogre. GEVs really come into their own when attacking units under circumstances where the target's strike range is smaller than the GEV's retreat range. When you can achieve this, your GEVs can attack without being counterattacked at all, which is /the/ recipe for tactical victory. Example, an Ogre that has lost one movement, and all weapons except SBs and APs, is spectacularly vulnerable to GEVs, since it has a strike range of 4, and GEVs have a retreat range of 5. this means the GEVs can swoop into range 2, attack, and retreat to outside the Ogre's strike range. Pro-tip: even if you cannot get all of your GEVs out of strike range of their target during the retreat movement, you can disperse them in different directions such that the target is in strike range to at most one of them. Then you regroup the others and do another hit-and-fade. Last edited by HeatDeath; 03-10-2021 at 10:01 AM.