Transport Tactics in Panzer Grenadier
by Jason Rahman
August 2019

In Panzer Grenadier, transport units play an important, but often under appreciated role. So here are a few tips for new Panzer Grenadier players in APC and transport unit use. Like all tactics and tips, you need to take into account the situation at hand before choosing one tactic or another.

APCs

Armored personnel carriers have the benefit of a good amount of firepower, and enough armor to protect them against direct and bombardment fire, as well as high road mobility. On the other hand they have thin armor that AT gun and tank shells will just go right through and they are open topped so they can still take step losses from intense direct and indirect fire.

On the Attack

If your enemy possesses a strong anti-tank capability then your APCs will just have to unload your troops short of anti-tank fire range. Your APCs will have to sit back out of AT range and provide covering fire or risk being wiped out if they move forward.

When enemy defenses are moderate to weak in strength, drive your APCs to within 4-6 hexes of the line then unload your troops. Have your infantry and APCs move forward at the same time using your APCs for medium range (2-4 hex) suppressive fire.

During a night scenario or if enemy AT defenses are nonexistent, then you may be able to use your APCs to drive your infantry adjacent before unloading, thus sparing you from opportunity fire. If so, your APCs can then assault the enemy with the infantry, effectively doubling your firepower.

Carry your HMGs on your APCs with a leader that has a combat modifier so that you can form powerful fire teams to soften up enemy positions. Two German HMGs and APCs being lead by a leader with a combat modifier of 2 can fire 30 points of direct fire out to 5 hexes.

APCs can very effectively be used against a fleeing and broken enemy, as long as his AT capability has been destroyed. That last push by unloading infantry and their APC transports is often enough to secure victory.

Use limiting terrain such as hedges and light woods to get your APCs as close as possible to the enemy.Elsenborn Ridge is a good example of a game where you can do this.

On the Defense

In the defense, APCs can add extra firepower to your defensive line. Use APCs and HMGs together to wreak havoc with powerful long range opportunity fire. An American HMG and M3 APC can fire 16-value opportunity fire out to 5 hexes.

As a reserve unit, APCs loaded with infantry can be very effective, as APC/infantry reserves possess a great deal of firepower and can either counter attack, or bolster a critical section of the line. Also, interdiction fire against them will have little to no effect.

Using APCs to carry AT guns is a great idea, as the APC can add its direct fire value to the AT guns direct fire value to ward off infantry. Also the APCs armor value can protect the AT gun as it's being transported, as the enemy will receive a +1 modifier for bombarding a valuable loaded AT.

Trucks

Trucks are most mobile on roads, so try to keep your trucks on the roads if possible. If the battle is off the road, then just get as close to your objective as possible before unloading.

Keep your trucks out of enemy AT range, as trucks actually have negative armor and will not stand up to a barrage of AT gun and tank shells for long, if at all.

Avoid getting your loaded trucks within 3-4 hexes of the enemy line, if you do, the enemy can charge your transports and get adjacent without being hit by opportunity fire.

Try to avoid triple or even double stacking your loaded trucks if your enemy has heavy indirect fire support. If he fired at your trucks with it he gets a +1 modifier for loaded transports.

Wagons

Remember that wagons have better harsh terrain mobility. They can move through harsh terrain such as swamp, hedgerow and Minor River hexes that trucks cannot enter or pass through. They can also enter Major River hexes, but need an ENG unit to cross it just like any other unit would.

Wagons cannot be targeted by AT fire like trucks and APCs can. One good use for this would be to transport artillery and AT guns within range of enemy tanks.

Despite the fact that wagons are immune to AT fire, they are still just as vulnerable to direct and bombardment fire, so don't get careless with them.

Avoid triple or even double stacking your loaded wagons if your enemy has intense artillery support, as the +1 bombardment modifier for loaded transports can be deadly.

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Put these ideas into action! Pick up some Panzer Grenadier games today!