Basic Heavy Weapons 101

Heavy Weapons Fire Team - 2 or more Grenadiers &/or 1 or 2 Commanders - they usually need a Grunt or two along to keep them covered. Since they usually draw a bunch of fire, but have the ability to withstand it, going against the conventional wisdom of deploying Medics with the Fire Team works. I recommend keeping them away from Medics as much as possible, then rotating them out with fresh units when they take damage.

Heavy Weapons Fire Team In Action

As the enemy started flanking, friendly troops which were either reloading or healing were rallied into an ad hoc Heavy Weapons Fire Team. This Heavy Weapons Fire Team was quickly assembled from a scouting Commander, a wounded Sniper, and two Grenadiers one just finished resupplying from a Marine HQ, the other just finished Medic treatment. No Grenadier had a full load, so it was imperative to quickly kill the enemy threatening the HQ.

Defending Against A Heavy Enemy Force Flanking Attack

This Commander stumbled into an enemy flanking attack with a Sniper, two Commanders with a Medic, and a Grunt and Grenadier backup. This opponent had a good squad set up to storm the safe house - long distance accurate firepower mixed with a full Assault Element.

Note: This is a classic example of why Fire Teams work well in urban combat - there are only four positions to fire from and the enemy is behind the line of sight, meaning next turn anything could happen. With enemy grenadiers around you can't cluster your forces too much or they will be wiped out with grenades or Suppressive Fire. Fire Teams allow you to keep minimum exposure with maximum maneuvering.

The turn started out with the Grenadier nearly getting killed from the enemy Sniper, and a Commander Duel. Luckily our hero the Commander wasn't killed by this brutal attack and was able to return fire and knock out one of the Commanders and a Sniper (seen at corner of screen).

The other enemy Commander ducked behind the wall to a waiting Medic.

Heavy Weapons Fire Team - Counterattack Plan

Sniper - Security Element

The Security Element sniper set up to keep the enemy from popping out of the doorway was injured and was being worked on by the medic.

Grenadier 1 & 2 plus Commander - Assault Element

Since there was no direct line of fire a plan originated to breach the walls for the two Grenadiers to fire through. If timed just right multiple Grenadier fire will bounce in to explode in the enemy's laps.

Medic - risking neck by Supporting Injured Units

Detail of Breach orders - Orange line denotes breach attempt. Line actually represents four Terrain Fire orders, redundant but they eliminate and proceed to the Opportunity Fire orders if the first one succeeds. Examine the plan and compare it to the next picture, which is the end of the planned move.

Heavy Weapons Fire Team - Results

A total of three Grenadiers put rounds downrange, one severely wounded and one only reloaded with two of eight grenades (a rush job) who rushed in to back up the wounded Fire Team Grenadier, firing one last grenade before the end of the turn.

Note that the injured grenadier is retreating now that the replacement has arrived, and is getting out of the line of fire first, then will retreat back to the medic offscreen to the left (by the sniper shown above).

This turns out to devastate the enemy flanking maneuver, killing the sniper, commander, medic, grenadier, and grunts which were trying to set up a rush into the safe house. The enemy rush ran directly into massive grenade spamming by the Heavy Weapons Fire Team, effectively ending what could have been a very successful enemy counterattack.