Blitzkrieg Mod Forum

Let's talk about the American ranger captain.

While it's available to all US doctrines, it's a defacto Infantry doctrine exclusive. The captain doesn't affect airborne units and armor doctrine doesn't build enough infantry units to make it worth it.

Even for the Infantry doctrine, unvetted his command aura can only buff a single squad without risking a high chance of an unfortunate incident like an insta gibbing mortar hit. Not particularly useful, probably would have been better off spending 250 manpower elsewhere.

However, once vetted such that his command aura grows in size, he becomes a very useful option for an Infantry doctrine player as his command aura is now large enough that he can buff multiple squads using 'fire and manuever' tactics. This is excellent as it is encouraging a realistic infantry tactic.

Now here's the problem. The captain is a pretty frail unit and it takes quite a lot of work to level up the captain. It's also very difficult to do once the late game is entered so once he's dead it's not worth rebuilding him.

So, for the benefit of Infantry doctrine I think the cheap infantry upgrade should also give the captain free veterancy so he has the command aura to manage all those new recruits.

Secondly, I think there should be a more useful ability than an expensive rifle squad for the US captain so as to tempt Armor and Airborne doctrines. In comparison consider that the PE have a durable elite 3 man squad, UK's officers have binoculars, Wehr Officer can call-in an excellent mortar barrage without any onmap artillery/mortar requirements.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

But i think the Captain has 3 auras. first one being the standard aura he betgins with. 2nd aura is when he vets up. And then the third aura that the one you get from vet 4 has increased range.
I think it's only the third aura that is actually affecting your troops at range which gives a 0.5 recived suppression, which is quite good.
I'm posting this just because i'm curious if this actually is the case.
If he got some extra protection I think he would be too powerfull as a detection unit that can also lead the charge. And I think you're right about better spending 250mp elsewhere.

I agree with the secondly as compared to other officers they just stand around too much, but I like the 7 man rifle squad call in. an additional 60mp for 1 extra person and 2 BARs is worth it I feel

speeddemon02 wrote:I agree with the secondly as compared to other officers they just stand around too much, but I like the 7 man rifle squad call in. an additional 60mp for 1 extra person and 2 BARs is worth it I feel

When I said it's expensive, I was thinking of how Tiger added the cost of the haupt squad to the Waffen-SS call-in to compute it as the most expensive squad in the game. The same applies to the Rifle callin, unless you're planning to call in numerous 7 rifle squads to amortize the cost. If you're buying only one or two rifle squad call-ins you're paying a manpower price in line with elite Axis and British infantry (850 manpower for 2 rifle squads is a bad deal).

I think the ability would be more interesting if it called in a 7 men rifle squad riding a M3 halftrack with a manned turret when empty. Then you would have a unit that would be of interest to all the US doctrines.

Sounds interesting.

Maybe we could give him passive cmao when inf doc unlocked ranger vet?


The 7 men squad has two BAR for free and the reinforcment cost are lower as those of basic rifles. basic cost 24 per men. The 7 men squad 20 or 18 or something. For inf doc after that cost decreasing upgrade even less.
Not sure if its still the case but it has been that way. So the 7 men squad pays off in the long term. But if you play inf doc it makes afterall more sense to get squads for 175 MP or from medic trucks.

The 7 men squad 20 or 18 or something. For inf doc after that cost decreasing upgrade even less.

They cost 18mp reinforce and doesn't get affected by reduced cost. Which is the same cost as redcued riflemen.

Redgaarden wrote:

The 7 men squad 20 or 18 or something. For inf doc after that cost decreasing upgrade even less.

They cost 18mp reinforce and doesn't get affected by reduced cost. Which is the same cost as redcued riflemen.

K. But in old versions they got even cheaper by that. But might be that this got changed.