Re: Tanks and engineers

**John CANavar** · 03-21-2006, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by PanzerHans

I've found having a repair truck(so to speak), that is a FAV with an engineer, move around with a dual role of minelayer and repairman works quite well.

A very nice idea. I also like to play these kind of "support" roles a lot...

**jepzilla** · 03-27-2006, 10:38 AM

Best tank crew is a medic as driver and engineer as .50 cal gunner. That way when the engineer is out repairing the tank, the medic inside is healing him. Doesn't everyone know this?

**Thierry** · 03-29-2006, 04:35 AM

2 tanks side by side with an engineer in both and a guy watching out for Spec Ops = god mode

**Kilrogg** · 03-29-2006, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by perry

Something that's been bugging me for a while is how we insist on making an engineer drive the squad's tank. The SL will say, and I'm sure I've done it too, "Joe Bob, spawn engineer and take the tank." What good does the engineer do when he is sitting inside the tank as the tank is getting shot at? Wouldn't he be better off outside the tank repairing it? I'm thinking of all the times I've had to back off, pop smoke, and try to repair as my squad carries on the assault. Wouldn't the squad be better off if someone else was driving the tank and I was outside of it keeping it healthy? The eningeer outside the tank would also help maintain close up security for the tank to keep the sneaky spec ops dudes away. Maybe, instead, the tank driver should be a medic to keep the engineer healthy, or support to provide a roaming ammo crate (after, all, does the squad need suppressing fire from a support gun if they have a tank?).

Another thing about tanks while I'm blabbering.. how can a squad better support its tank? We all know that the tank can clear out a bunch of infantry to help the squad out, but how can the squad help the tank out? It's gotta be a two way street. Too many times I've felt like my squad has left me alone in my tank, thinking I'm invincible, only to be blown up by C4 or killed by a couple AT rockets. What should I be asking my squad to do so that I can stay alive and help them out longer? How should a squad's behavior change when they become mechanized?

I'm mainly concerned about maps where vehicles are somewhat limited, not on maps where there's enough armor for everyone to have two vehicles.. but, discuss whatever.

If you don't play like your tank is made out of some magical indestructible material, you can easily jump out and repair it when it gets damaged, I do it all the time. Use the tanks as long range support and always near cover so you can get behind it when you see the rockets coming at you.

The worst way you can play a tanker is to drive right into a base thru the front door.

**JMJ** · 03-29-2006, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by jepzilla

Best tank crew is a medic as driver and engineer as .50 cal gunner. That way when the engineer is out repairing the tank, the medic inside is healing him. Doesn't everyone know this?

That's exactly how me and a buddy do it as a two man team on pubs. Best combo for a two man armor squad. However, we both go engi if we can both get armor

**BigGaayAl** · 03-29-2006, 06:53 PM

My tank squad:

1) Optimal configuration

Tank: driver: engineer & squadleader

APC (or 2nd tank): driver: engineer
passengers: any squadmembers that spawn on SL

2) Plan B

Tank : same

Humvee or equivalent (because of the armor) with an engineer as a driver, and one gunner that concentrates on protecting the tank.

Plan B is optimized for taking advantage of opportunities to take/steal armor on the way, moving the team to the optimal configuration.

I've tested these plans quite alot lately (mostly on pubbies thoug) and they are very effective. One of the good things is that this team can be very effective with 2 to three members, but is also fully capable of moving a full squad fast. It is generally a good basis to stry and get an armor column going.

Another advantage is that you are always able to pull back WITH the engineer that repairs the tank.I advise repairing from outside the tank only when you have no vehicle or when the tank is almost dead and you feel it is possible to save him by repairing manually (faster).

It can be quite effective to repair from a jeep, but this requires close coordination and probably practice too. You really have to know what the other driver is going to do.

So what do you guyst think about this setup?

**jepzilla** · 03-30-2006, 11:43 AM

Yeah, when you've got multiple pieces of armor it's time to all go engi. And when you see a squad like that rolling in, it's time to hide and call in the air support.

**Lemanski** · 05-02-2006, 03:38 PM

Right, well, I just registered here and Im so very glad found this thread.

Indeed, in most maps having a sqaud with 2 Units mutually supporting one another in terms of repair is frankly, essential. Any team can operate this strategy. Recently Ive grown brilliantly frustrated as an engineer by having the APC's tanks nabbed from under my nose by a medic or spec op soldier only to get it trashed.

As far as I'm concerned no one has any business driving in an armoured vehicle who is not an engineer or accompanied by one.

Im looking forward to playing on the TG servers. I really need to start enjoying BF 2 again.

**matt_g_geier** · 05-02-2006, 09:45 PM

How about this.

Have an engineer man the .50 cal. The driver, can really be any kit. The driver needs to make sure he can communicate with the engineer perferrable over VOIP or TS.

When under attack turn the tank to the left, have the engineer exit, get out of the tank. FYI, the engineer will always exit to the left of the tank, in every case. By turning the tank to the left you are not exposing him to enemy fire and he is sheilded by enemy tank hits. Have him stand there and repair the tank, this can occur for quite sometime, even long enough to destroy other enemy armor with much less effort worrying about the health of your tank.

See what I learned in Irregulars Practice

**Dick Blonov** · 05-02-2006, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by WhiskeySix

step 1: press B - tell tanker, you're with them, so don't drive a mile away
step 2: repair from corner of tank away from enemy = you don't get run-over and tank shields you from small-arms fire

easy

Well, that's basically what we got to practice with Shafik:

Engineer in turret. Tank driver positions the tank so when the turret is pointing at the threat, the right side of the tank is exposed (turret 12 o'clock, tank 10 o'clock). When the engineer exits (left of vehicle), he is protected. I found that worked out pretty well.

**Lemanski** · 05-09-2006, 04:00 PM

Ideally though, Id say you would want two engineer driven units mutually repairing each other, right?

**Dick Blonov** · 05-09-2006, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by Lemanski

Ideally though, Id say you would want two engineer driven units mutually repairing each other, right?

With an Armour column, I guess it makes a lot of sense. Assuming you have a single tank, what do you think about a Medic driver and an Engineer on the .50 cal (using the repair method we practiced) ?

DB

**Lemanski** · 05-09-2006, 06:07 PM

Yeah, its an inspired idea actually. Its the best contingency plan there is if you cant get any other engineer to cooperate in a vehicle. It also has the added benefit of keeping the engineer healed in the pintle. Thats what I like about this place, you can really learn something. I havent played in a TG yet where Ive seen such stratgies employed. Looking foward to when I do

**Dick Blonov** · 05-09-2006, 09:04 PM

Originally Posted by Lemanski

Yeah, its an inspired idea actually. Its the best contingency plan there is if you cant get any other engineer to cooperate in a vehicle. It also has the added benefit of keeping the engineer healed in the pintle. Thats what I like about this place, you can really learn something. I havent played in a TG yet where Ive seen such stratgies employed. Looking foward to when I do

Maybe we should set up a tank battle pub raid and try some of these tactics (I can think of a couple of EF maps...)

**BlackIce** · 05-10-2006, 04:23 PM

Get a team of about 10 engineers and take a anti air tank out.. you'll rock peoples worlds

Thread Tools

Display