Half-tracks were used extensively in World War II by all sides, especially the Germans and Americans, but fell out of favor soon after, replaced with fully-tracked or fully-wheeled vehicles. Half-tracks were used primarily as armored personnel carriers, but also saw duty as mortar carriers, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, self-propelled anti-tank guns, artillery haulers, armored fighting vehicles and many other tasks.
One of their main advantages is that they could be driven by anyone able to drive a conventional car or truck, with additional steering automatically being provided by track braking applied from the steering wheel.
Description
The Allied M3 Half-Track is a unit available from the Motor Pool. It's primary purpose is to provide a safe and reliable way for infantry to be protected from enemy fire, such as MG-42s. With a maximum capacity of 12 units the Hal-Track is capable of transporting 2 squads and recieves a machine gun on top when it is occupied making it capable of combat, to some degree. Unit's can be reinforced when near a Half-Track similar to the way they reinforce near a headquarters or forward barracks. Like most Allied vehicles, it is capable of being upgraded with what many consider to be an infantry killing machine.
Vital Stats
Hit points: 315 Build time (seconds): 40 PopCap Modifier: 4
Acceleration: 3 Deceleration: 5.5 Rotation Speed: 50 Max Speed: 7
Resource Cost
Manpower: 220 Fuel: 20
Abilities
Ability 1: Upgrade to Quad .50cal Anti-Aircraft Gun (125 munitions)
Veterancy Upgrades
Veterancy 1: Max Speed increased by 25% Veterancy 2: Weapon accuracy increased by 25% Veterancy 3: Weapon damage increased by 25%
Weapon Ratings
Halftrack Front-Mounted M2 Machine Gun: 4 vs. infantry Quad .50cal Anti-Aircraft Gun: 5 vs. infantry
*All stats taken from PlanetCoH.com, and may be out of date due to patching!
When to get a Half-Track: The best time for a half-track ot take the field, is, in essence, as soon as you can get it out. You want to have one ready as soon as you can if you need to counter an infantry-heavy strategy.
Below are some different techniques players use with a Half-Track:
Raiding
Since it is classed as a light vehicle, the Half-Track is capable of taking advantage of the Armor Companies 'Raid' ability that allows the players light vehicles to "Advance and capture territory" as the in-game voiceovers like to say it. Using its speed and protection from most small arms fire, it can capture points with little or no fear of being attacked depending on your enemies tech level, and then quickly move on to the next point.
Fast Response
When you upgrade the .50 Cal Quad, the M3 becomes an infantry killing machine, even Grenadiers with Panzershreks WILL suffer losses unless they are extremely lucky or the M3 is microed extremely poorly. This makes it an ideal unit to blitz across the map to give your forces that extra firepower they might need to attack a territory successfully, defend themselves, or deal the maximum damage they can inflict upon their enemies. Field Reinforcements
This is the M3s second most useful ability, unless you have not bought the upgrade for it. The M3 can reinforce squads anywhere on the map as long as they are relatively close to it. It can give you the extra manpower you need to be successful in a battle you might of otherwise lost due to being outnumbered.
NOTE: This ability remains active when you get the .50 Cal Quad, you just can't load squads into the vehicle!
Covering Fire
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your opponent has taken over your AT Guns simply because your Rifleman just could not hold the line? The M3 can provide a solution to that with its .50 Cal Quad Cannon. The Quad Cannon acts in a very similar way to a machine gun, suppressing and pinning enemy troops, as well as inflicting heavy damage/losses. This is a very deadly combination that many players overlook when they go Motor Pool.
Micro
The M3 handles in a similar way to a tank. It backs up, turns around, and has a rotating gun on top of it that can fire in all directions if needed. Its speed in reverse is the same as going forward, so try and keep the front of the vehicle facing the enemy, since it will take extra damage when hit from behind. Shift + Click is a very usefule technique to master to get the full micro potential out of this vehicle.
"When dealing with Panzershreks, they have terrible accuracy at a distance and will have to reload if you keep moving out of their range, effectively kiting in a similar way to the Puma." - ShizzlePizzle
That's the end of this one, with more to come on other Allied Units!
Kleatus
NOTE: Will update with screenshots, I played a great game with a quad and forgot to save it
This post has been edited by Kleatus: Jul 31 2007, 04:17 AM
The M3 is one of my favorite units. Get that baby out ASAP and waste enemy MG's, harrassing engis and volks, and support your rifles. It's an incredibly versatile unit. I usually only make one and try to keep it alive the entire game.
But maybe explain how to micro them? I usually stay on the range limit of shreks. They usually take their time to aim, so when hes aiming for like 1-2 secs i get out of range, and they start walking and have to reaim. I usually keep long distance from grenadiers untill theyr half dead and then i start circling around them untill theyr dead or retreated.
Also I would include that it is a very good unit to take if hes going tier 3. If you can kill his pioneers before they finished the sturm armory its gg. Very good baserush unit.
Thanks for the guide Kleatus! And also for the Jeep guide. Reading about the Halftrack is helping me understand the benefits of not skipping the Motor Pool.
I don't want to put pressure on you, but it would be icing on the cake if you did a guide on the M8 Greyhound too!
Nice guide on the HT. Shizzle did add something useful too, I think. Shrek accuracy rots at distance. You can kite Grenies w/a HT the same way Axis kites w/a Puma.
Really good about the suppression, too. You are right that most people don't realize it's like a mobile MG. I certainly didn't.
nice guide, Kleatus! maybe you should add a segment on how to counter it?
It is very weak against at-guns, shreks and it dies from 2 mines. Its very good to use againts whith at guns.(at guns killing the tanks, while the .50 cal is pinning the infantry). good for baserushing, as shizzle said.
yea very good guide i knew how good the hal/track was dunno why i havent used it before but i usually do the stupid thing and miss out the motor pool.
and by the time i get 1 sherman they have taken my fuel point and have pumas and stugs botherin me i will use it 2 take out engerneers and rifles of the axis thnx
Hoping this isn't too old to bump. Would a Halftrack stocked with a flamer (and perhaps another eng) & a rifle be better or worse than a .50 cal upgrage? My thinking is I get mobile repairs, building destruction, and potentially equal or greater firepower (armed M3 + Rifle). Of course, you have a lot of manpower tied up in a single unit at that point, but at least it's a fairly survivable unit.
Just throwing ideas out there. Having demolitions avaible would also be nice for the opportunistic base rush perhaps.
A question to experienced players: when short the 100 muni for quad upgrade, is it common practice to stick an engi in it and use it as a mobile mg, or is the risk to the halftrack combined with tying up the engi not worth the firepower?
I generally don't get halftracks unless I want to do some sort of demo charge rush or already plan to upgrade it to a Quad.
I'm with you on this one Gol. You should always have a plan for it when you get it. I do occasionally use one as a fall back point against a defensive player if I need it (On Semois, Ango is to open so Flak > HT).
by Kleatus
The Unit
Background
Half-tracks were used extensively in World War II by all sides, especially the Germans and Americans, but fell out of favor soon after, replaced with fully-tracked or fully-wheeled vehicles. Half-tracks were used primarily as armored personnel carriers, but also saw duty as mortar carriers, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, self-propelled anti-tank guns, artillery haulers, armored fighting vehicles and many other tasks.
One of their main advantages is that they could be driven by anyone able to drive a conventional car or truck, with additional steering automatically being provided by track braking applied from the steering wheel.
Description
The Allied M3 Half-Track is a unit available from the Motor Pool. It's primary purpose is to provide a safe and reliable way for infantry to be protected from enemy fire, such as MG-42s. With a maximum capacity of 12 units the Hal-Track is capable of transporting 2 squads and recieves a machine gun on top when it is occupied making it capable of combat, to some degree. Unit's can be reinforced when near a Half-Track similar to the way they reinforce near a headquarters or forward barracks. Like most Allied vehicles, it is capable of being upgraded with what many consider to be an infantry killing machine.
Vital Stats
Hit points: 315
Build time (seconds): 40
PopCap Modifier: 4
Acceleration: 3
Deceleration: 5.5
Rotation Speed: 50
Max Speed: 7
Resource Cost
Manpower: 220
Fuel: 20
Abilities
Ability 1: Upgrade to Quad .50cal Anti-Aircraft Gun (125 munitions)
Veterancy Upgrades
Veterancy 1: Max Speed increased by 25%
Veterancy 2: Weapon accuracy increased by 25%
Veterancy 3: Weapon damage increased by 25%
Weapon Ratings
Halftrack Front-Mounted M2 Machine Gun: 4 vs. infantry
Quad .50cal Anti-Aircraft Gun: 5 vs. infantry
Vehicle Weapons
M3 Halftrack M2 Machine Gun
Firing Range
Max: 35
Distant: 35
Long: 35
Medium: 22.5
Short: 11
Accuracy
Distant: 0.2
Long: 0.2
Medium: 0.45
Short: 0.45
Accuracy Whilst Moving: 0.5%
Damage
Max: 7
Min: 7
Weapon Penetration
Distant: 1.0
Long: 1.0
Medium: 1.0
Short: 1.0
Reload (Seconds)
Max: 6
Min: 5
Weapon
Quad .50 cal M2 Machine Gun
Firing Range
Max: 45
Distant: 45
Long: 45
Medium: 22.5
Short: 11
Accuracy
Distant: 0.2
Long: 0.2
Medium: 0.4
Short: 0.4
Accuracy Whilst Moving: 0.5%
Damage
Max: 5
Min: 5
Weapon Penetration
Distant: 1.0
Long: 1.0
Medium: 1.0
Short: 1.0
Reload (Seconds)
Max: 12
Min: 10
Weapon Rotation Speed: 75
Weapon Vertical Speed: 60
*All stats taken from PlanetCoH.com, and may be out of date due to patching!
When to get a Half-Track: The best time for a half-track ot take the field, is, in essence, as soon as you can get it out. You want to have one ready as soon as you can if you need to counter an infantry-heavy strategy.
Below are some different techniques players use with a Half-Track:
Raiding
Since it is classed as a light vehicle, the Half-Track is capable of taking advantage of the Armor Companies 'Raid' ability that allows the players light vehicles to "Advance and capture territory" as the in-game voiceovers like to say it. Using its speed and protection from most small arms fire, it can capture points with little or no fear of being attacked depending on your enemies tech level, and then quickly move on to the next point.
Fast Response
When you upgrade the .50 Cal Quad, the M3 becomes an infantry killing machine, even Grenadiers with Panzershreks WILL suffer losses unless they are extremely lucky or the M3 is microed extremely poorly. This makes it an ideal unit to blitz across the map to give your forces that extra firepower they might need to attack a territory successfully, defend themselves, or deal the maximum damage they can inflict upon their enemies.
Field Reinforcements
This is the M3s second most useful ability, unless you have not bought the upgrade for it. The M3 can reinforce squads anywhere on the map as long as they are relatively close to it. It can give you the extra manpower you need to be successful in a battle you might of otherwise lost due to being outnumbered.
NOTE: This ability remains active when you get the .50 Cal Quad, you just can't load squads into the vehicle!
Covering Fire
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your opponent has taken over your AT Guns simply because your Rifleman just could not hold the line? The M3 can provide a solution to that with its .50 Cal Quad Cannon. The Quad Cannon acts in a very similar way to a machine gun, suppressing and pinning enemy troops, as well as inflicting heavy damage/losses. This is a very deadly combination that many players overlook when they go Motor Pool.
Micro
The M3 handles in a similar way to a tank. It backs up, turns around, and has a rotating gun on top of it that can fire in all directions if needed. Its speed in reverse is the same as going forward, so try and keep the front of the vehicle facing the enemy, since it will take extra damage when hit from behind. Shift + Click is a very usefule technique to master to get the full micro potential out of this vehicle.
"When dealing with Panzershreks, they have terrible accuracy at a distance and will have to reload if you keep moving out of their range, effectively kiting in a similar way to the Puma."
- ShizzlePizzle
That's the end of this one, with more to come on other Allied Units!
Kleatus
NOTE: Will update with screenshots, I played a great game with a quad and forgot to save it
This post has been edited by Kleatus: Jul 31 2007, 04:17 AM
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