M3 Halftack - USF

So, I've been playing around with the Mechanized Company Commander. The M3 Halftrack Assault Group is really nice, it's the only other way to get Assault Engineers outside of Armor Company. The .50 cal HMG on the M3 Halftrack is also nice for supporting your infantry.

But alas, the M3 Halftrack itself suffers greatly. Compared to other halftracks, the M3 Halftrack has fewer hitpoints, costs more, and has much, MUCH less armor. It's left limping on about a quarter health if it's shot by any AT weapon. The armor is so pitiful that it might as well not even be there. I feel as if it's an overpriced and glorified version of the M3A1 Scout Car. The only saving grace is that it can reinforce squads while in combat, something the USF lacks non-doctrinally. But since it's so flimsy, why should it be in combat in the first place?

I feel as if the M3 Halftrack needs a buff of some sorts. Now note, if the M3 Halftrack is buffed, then up the price of the M3 Halftrack Assault Group accordingly. I'd suggest to buff the health to at least 280, a bit more than the German 250 halftrack and less than the Soviet M5 Halftrack (which is considerably bigger the both, and thus deserves that healthy 320 health). The armor might be raised from 5.4 to at least 11, same as the German 250 halftrack. The .50 cal HMG should stay as-is, it's fine. To compensate, the M3 Halftrack Assault Group would be raised from 270 Manpower to 300 Manpower and fromm 35 Fuel to 40 Fuel.

This "Purple Heart box" really does need to be less of a Purple Heart box and more of a Medal of Honor box, no?

It's not really meant to face down any sort of AT.

Blop it behind some hedges or a building and just use the reinforcement. It's absurdly powerful for Americans to reinforce in the field. (Although they can if medic truck is out of combat and in their own territory.)

The option to use it as a flamecar is tempting, but it's much better to keep it for the long term.

It already costs more than the m5, but it is still vastly inferior to it.

Yea, it is tempting to go flame-happy with the M3, but I try my best to get away from it.

Regardless, the 3CP requirement and the heafty 35 Fuel price simply isn't enough to justify it's flimsiness. The M3 is just so much weaker than it's next-generation cousin, the M5 Halftrack.

relic should change it to a m5 with a 50. Cal on top. At the moment the m3 is a waist of fuel and mp and come out way to late to make any real impact. M5 would be more appropriate for the cost and timing. What does the soviet m5 cost?

relic should change it to a m5 with a 50. Cal on top. At the moment the m3 is a waist of fuel and mp and come out way to late to make any real impact. M5 would be more appropriate for the cost and timing. What does the soviet m5 cost?

30 fuel, 270 mp.

The coh2stats site says the m3 halftrack alone is only supposed to cost 25 fuel, but the call in assault group costs 35 fuel...

Yeah, it's pretty bad. Too expensive and not really effective in combat. If you want on-field reinforcments, you are better off getting the medic truck to save some of your manpower.

The non-assault group M3 Halftrack actually has more armor and more health than the assault group one, in addition to being much, much cheaper.

I can accept Doctrinal vehicles having a higher fuel cost (as there's no need to tech for it), but the unit performing like a Soviet M3A1 Scout Car 15 minutes into a game simply isn't worth it. In fact, the Jeep that you get in the very same doctrine has virtually the same armor and 20 less health. You might as well get that over the M3 because the M3 can't withstand combat, while the Jeep as least has a fighting chance to get out of it.

Bump to 40 fuel and make it an M5 at that point, not much balance to be done if done that way.

The M5 Halftrack wasn't used by the US, rather by the allies of the US (Canada, UK, Soviet Union, etc.). I'd rather stick to some historical aspect and buff the M3.

It's not really meant to face down any sort of AT.

LMGs shred it to pieces and its more expensive then soviet M5.

The M5 Halftrack wasn't used by the US, rather by the allies of the US (Canada, UK, Soviet Union, etc.). I'd rather stick to some historical aspect and buff the M3.

Well i guess you are right, it could maybe keep the M3 model but have stats similar to the M5. Maybe a little it less.

Also i just bought that commander using the money i got from those steam cards, well have to put it to the test! at least i will.

LMGs shred it to pieces and its more expensive then soviet M5.

eh, then use the refund ability if you dont like It.


Just stick It way back and ride the renforcement train to victory.

I agree 35 fuel is a lot for something you can really only use for reinforcement / light skirmishes.

How about a fuel reduction?

I think buffing would lead to more clown-car capers.

double post, sorry :/

I've yet to use that Refund ability, although I have seen it in use. It seems to give back a good chunk of the resources used for that vehicles, I've heard upwards of 75% of the original price.

Regardless, the M3 Halftrack still needs some sort of survivability buff. It should be at least somewhat bullet-proof.

Since the US have no better troops transport, this company really needs a better half-track. It can't be called mechanized for nothing!

@Bulgakov

Eh, not exactly thrilled about reducing the fuel price and leaving it at that. I'd rather make the M3 useful rather than spammable.

eh, then use the refund ability if you dont like It.


Just stick It way back and ride the renforcement train to victory.

I'm not saying I don't like it, I'm just saying its more expensive then soviet M5 and dies faster then M3 scout car

I'm not saying I don't like it, I'm just saying its more expensive then soviet M5 and dies faster then M3 scout car

Fair enough.

I'm more concerned that the hotkey for Overdrive is the same as "unit get out of the vehicle". The amount of times I've left people behind to vroom away accidentally...


Oh and that "get out of vehicle" is the same as "retreat". I've gotten out of a vehicle and instantly retreated before too only to find my enemy had found my truck.