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Opinions of Penal battalion

18 Aug 2015, 21:24 PM
#1
avatar of Silentkabob

Posts: 68

I kinda wanted to know the general consensus for the penal squads. I rarely ever see players use them and ussually just skip T1 all together. I was wondering what makes them so undiserable. I ussually will have at least 2 squads of Penal and 2 squads of conscripts because I find they work well together (conscripts handle utility and penal handle anti infantry) but if my teammate sees them he'll ping my T1 building followed by something anti-semitic so maybe there's something I'm not seeing.
19 Aug 2015, 00:08 AM
#2
avatar of jugg

Posts: 41

yeah they do have very good anti infantry capability, you will win your early game engagements vs those sturms and volks, as well as pions and grenadiers, but after a while theyll start blobbing them up and penals start to fall off fast.
since you didnt tech for t2 i dont see how you can do blob control if you have very little muni income and no mgs, you also dont have indirect fire or any actual anti tank until t3 or you backtech to t2 and get yourself a zis, its the main reason i only make t2
19 Aug 2015, 12:39 PM
#3
avatar of Just easy

Posts: 110

If you're going t1 anyway 1 or penals are good, but I would never personally go t1 just for penals, as mentioned, their scaling is pretty poor.
19 Aug 2015, 17:50 PM
#4
avatar of ThatRabidPotato

Posts: 218

Penals and Clown Cars have both been nerfed heavily, they no longer really serve much purpose.

Sniper is pretty much the only reason to go T1 as Soviets, and that should only be done in very specific circumstances (e.g. your opponent gets his own sniper).
20 Aug 2015, 00:45 AM
#5
avatar of Grumpy

Posts: 1954

"Real soldiers are busy, you must do this."

Penals used to be useful when some OKW had huge reduced accuracy bonuses and before the nerf to them firing from clown cars. They're still somewhat okay, but they work well in late game unless vet 3. I used to use them a lot but usually go T2 and skip T1 unless I think I need a sniper.
22 Aug 2015, 07:56 AM
#6
avatar of Glassfish
Benefactor 340

Posts: 88

Penals against OKW I find works well you have something that can stand against strums and that satchel charge is suprisingky useful against OKW flak half track due to its set up time the enemy has to speedily withdraw it before the charge goes off
22 Aug 2015, 09:07 AM
#7
avatar of __deleted__

Posts: 830

Penals against OKW I find works well you have something that can stand against strums and that satchel charge is suprisingky useful against OKW flak half track due to its set up time the enemy has to speedily withdraw it before the charge goes off


This, penal spam works well vs OKW. Plus they can get a flamethrower, which has been buffed since you can't lose it unless you have one model left. Usually an OKW player puts their HQ trucks behind shot blockers, you just move up to it, throw two satchels to the other side and kaboom bye bye.

They also counter the Kubel pretty well.

Penals <444>3

22 Aug 2015, 18:37 PM
#8
avatar of pigsoup
Patrion 14

Posts: 4301 | Subs: 2

they ar good at late game, too. the flamers will definitely help you when fighting vetted germans.
22 Aug 2015, 19:50 PM
#9
avatar of Stafkeh
Patrion 14

Posts: 1006

I prefer going T2 because of the AT gun. I don't really like Penals because they dont have AT nades. However, I do use them a lot on Stalingrad.
22 Aug 2015, 19:51 PM
#10
avatar of WiFiDi
Honorary Member Badge

Posts: 3293

tbh i think they need to remove the unit and replace it with somthing else at thsi point.
22 Aug 2015, 20:39 PM
#11
avatar of Skabinsk

Posts: 238

Penals Battalions are awesome, They can kill any Axis infantry other than STG OBERS. Once you get VET two, you run up to them and burn dem out.

Penals also blow up OKW trucks with 3 charges.

Flames are scary and negate axis cover and building usage.

Only draw back is no AT Nades so you have to get guards.
23 Aug 2015, 08:37 AM
#12
avatar of Maschinengewehr

Posts: 334

Yeah I find Penals only of use against OKW. If you chose a commander that doesn't have Shocks they fill that more-potent AI capability that Cons just don't provide. Works well with Lend Lease I find. T1, 2 cons, if kubel M3, penal, penal. Call in a DshK. By this stage if you have the advantage with map control tech T3 for an Su-76. If not tech T2 for a couple Zis-3s then hold out for the Shermans.

Against Ost they suck massive balls. Just opt for a sniper (or two) instead.
24 Aug 2015, 04:30 AM
#13
avatar of FestiveLongJohns
Patrion 15

Posts: 1157 | Subs: 2



Plus they can get a flamethrower, which has been buffed since you can't lose it unless you have one model left.


Interestingly enough, the Penal flamethrower upgrade used to be the only flamer in the game that would never explode. So the change to flamers actually took one unique trait about them and made it redundant.
27 Aug 2015, 11:13 AM
#14
avatar of Mr. Someguy

Posts: 4928

I like them as a unit even though they don't make a lot of sense realistically. People don't expect them, or their satchel charge. Which is great when someone 'set and forget' an MG 42 in a building, and suddenly the building is missing! I love using the satchel, buildings, bunkers, caches, Pak's, if I want it gone, it's gone.
27 Aug 2015, 12:26 PM
#15
avatar of robertmikael
Donator 11

Posts: 311

I like to use Penal Battalion squads to blow up buildings with troops inside (for example MG-42), or to use several penals with flamethrowers against blobs of panzergrenadiers or volksgrenadiers with schrecks, or to blow up OKW trucks or Ostheer caches.
30 Aug 2015, 05:26 AM
#16
avatar of hannibalbarcajr

Posts: 503

Agree about Penal satchel. Much underrated ability. Can also be used to finish a badly damaged medium tank or light vehicle. And of course can blow an MG team or Pak out of the enemy isn't careful.
30 Aug 2015, 16:52 PM
#17
avatar of momo4sho
Senior Caster Badge
Donator 22

Posts: 466 | Subs: 1

I rarely load into a serious game and think to myself "penals". The reason being, at least in 1v1, is that a heavy T1 opening is very exploitable and easy to counter by a competent axis player. It doesnt mean penals themselves are terrible, which they arent, they make it a nightmare for OKW in good numbers. If i do open T1 in a game, most likely in a 2v2, i usually make a penal or two so that my engineer can sweep for my win condition ( quad )
30 Aug 2015, 17:13 PM
#18
avatar of iTzDusty

Posts: 836 | Subs: 5

Usually get 1 or two against OKW. Volks can't really compete, flamer is nice, vet is good.

Pretty garbo against ost though.
31 Oct 2015, 11:34 AM
#19
avatar of kafrion

Posts: 371

perhaps penals and t1 in general is meant to be used withsoviet defence and urban commander which gives you a stopgap at unit and other substitutes for mg and mortar untill you can advance into more specialised units
31 Oct 2015, 11:45 AM
#20
avatar of Jadek

Posts: 80

wich patch nerf the explosiv bag of penals ? Atm this thing does no damage to buildings. So, to relic, it's just a grenade ? We are supposed destroy bunker with this stuff ...
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