Tips for HMGs gameplay.

How do you manage your HMGs ingame. Depending on the faction you are playing the HMG has crucial role in your strategy.
I would like to share my vision, how I manage them and why and would like your tips to improve my own skills, to see if I miss something.

There are two types of HMGs in my opinion, those used aggressively and those used defensively. My vision of HMGs roles is the following:
Aggressive HMGs = Maxim, DHSK and .50
Defensive HMGs = .42, .34, Vickers
Please do not deviate the topic on which ones are good, which ones are crap, this is irrelevant here. the question isn't if they perform enough well in your opinion but how to make them perform better in your hands.

As I mainly play Ostheer and USF, my comments will be focused on the HMG42 and .50 but many tips can be share for any HMG playstyle.

TIPS for HMGs gameplay

There are 3 different commands allowing you to use your HMG, each having different result in your HMG behavior. Each of those commands should be use appropriately in regards of the situation your are facing

• Pre-define Setup
  You are pre-positioning your HMG in a direction. Usually behind a cover. If you do so, it is because you know the enemy is coming from the facing direction.
  This is the most basic command and probably the one used when you are still discovering the game and its mechanisms.
  This command works well when you want to protect a point cornered by the map edge or shot-blockers. You know your enemy can't come from your flank.
  
• A-Move
  You are sending your HMG in a direction and it will stop where you clicked if it didn't met any enemy on its path. If it met enemies in range, the HMG behavior is to setup and shot whenever it has been attacked or not. So in other word the HMG enter automatically in Combat mode when an enemy is in range, setup and fire.
  It is probably the most common command of HMGs, and also the easiest way to manage them. With those automated actions, you gain more freedom to manage your other units around.
  
• M-Move
  The HMG goes to where you sent it but doesn't setup at enemy sign and will not until it reach the point you where you sent it.
  If your HMG is already at the point it will setup only if it has been attacked. It is important to note that having enemy in sigh and in range isn't enough, the HMG squad must be attacked to position itself.
  

Those are the 3 different commands used to manage HMGs in game. As each of them result in a different behavior, each of them must be used accordingly to the situation faced in game.

Before going into those situations, some Tips to use HMGs:
If you decide to use HMG and this is more true for Ostheer play, you have to consider your HMG as the backbone of your army. Where your HMG is facing is where your army is facing = where is the center of attention. Your HMG isn't there to protect your flank because at the moment you redeploy your HMG to cover it (the flank), this direction becomes the main direction and the rest of the map, your flank.
This is something I still have a lot to improve in myself but looking at the battlefield with this idea in mind helps a lot to take the right decisions at the right times.

• Never let a HMG alone. This is more true for your HMG42,34 and 50. Never let them alone on the battlefield because they can be easily flanked by two squads. If you have been pushed back, your HMG shouldn't be the last unit you keep in the middle of the map.
  
• If you are attacked at by indirect fire, leave your cover. Seems crazy but out of cover your HMG squad models spread better. Do not put them on red cover but neutral cover is better than green if a mortar is firing at you.
  
• Use AP round whenever you can. Reaching vet1 with a HMG isn't something difficult, if you do so do not forget to use AP round, your suppressive power will increase greatly.
  

When and Which command to use in situation.

As I stated before, Pre-define setup command should only be used on really specific occasions and locations. And most of them is to protect a side point, on the edge of the map, from capping. The map edge offers a great anti-flank protection. It will force your opponent to come with a vehicle or a greater force to deal with it since he cannot really flank you.
So let's leave this command here as it has little value when considering the HMG has backbone of your army.

This leave us with A-Move and M-Move commands to manage your HMGs in 99% of cases. Now when it is better to use A-Move and M-Move is what I'll try to describe below.

I though a lot about when should I use A-Move and when should I use M-Move command and most of situation are almost equal.
To be honest it is more a question of skill than situation. Yes it requires more skill to use M-Move than A-Move command, more skills and more APM since you'll have to micro more your HMG to make it attack where and when you want. But it also provide you much more control on your unit.

To develop a bit this idea, let me share you one of the biggest cons A-Move have over M-Move, both commands has this cons but A-Move is much more impacted has it gives you little room to react.
Letting your HMG auto-deploying has a great cons, and this cons is about where does the HMG face when un-deployed (aka where the HMG carrier model is facing). If the first enemy unit in sigh is at the edge of the virtual cone of fire of your HMG, it will deploy but your enemy will only have to move a bit left of right to get out of the cone and flank you.
One other situation which is even worst is the enemy flanking unit comes in range of your HMG, your HMG deploy to face it and turns its back to your enemy main force.
Obviously the quicker your HMG deploy the less reaction time you have to avoid this situation. It happens more than often that your HMG auto-deploy in the almost-wrong direction forcing you to unpack and repack, losing precious time and maybe having to instant-retreat since your cannot stop your opponent army anymore.

To avoid those situations, make sure your HMG carrier is facing the general direction from where your enemy comes, make sure your HMG is well supported with spotters on its flank so you can control your HMG and avoid unnecessary auto-deploy.

So of course M-Move share this cons, but the HMG will only deploy if it is attacked which give you more time to react here again if you have spotters.

Another cons A-Move has over M-Move is the effective zone of fire. As we know A-Move make your HMG deploy automatically when an enemy enter in range. But is it really what you want?
If your enemy isn't blobbing (or blobbing intelligently), he may have 1 unit in front of the others, all fighting vs your units. But using A-Move your HMG will only suppress the first one in range leaving the other free of their movement.
A-Move offer great automation but those can be used against you.

In Conclusion using A-Move or M-Move is, in my opinion, mostly a question of urgency.

Before the battle start, use M-Move on your HMGs and micro them.
When the battle has started, use A-Move on your HMGs to freed you from micro if you need it.

Managing HMG is all about avoiding unnecessary and wrong deployment. This is crucial when the battle start so you M-Move to make sure you HMG is deployed when, where and facing the direction you want.
When the battle is ongoing, you know there will be no more flank and you are busy managing all your units, A-Move becomes a good option to reduce the time spent on your HMG and let you focus on other units of your army.

Following this conclusion, some Tips:

• Do not click A-Move too far from your position.
  HMGs have great range, there is no need to click A-Move too far forward. If you have spotters your HMG will always be ready in time.
  
• Do not click M-Move too far from your position.
  Same and worst result will happens if you click M-Move somewhere out of position than A-Move.
  
• Always unpack your HMG after a fight.
  The fight is over and you won? Unpack your HMG and make sure it faces the right direction again. So you can setup it in time for the next fight.
  
• Have Spotters.
  Never let your HMG alone on the front line, the best way to succeed in managing your HMG is to know where your enemy is before starting the fight so you can manually setup it.
  

Do you want this to get published as Totw or keep it as open discussion here ?

If you want to make it to TotW with this one, PMme and well see,together, what we can do.

Great guide, thank you Esxile!!

Few questions though:

Always unpack your HMG after a fight.
The fight is over and you won? Unpack your HMG and make sure it faces the right direction again. So you can setup it in time for the next fight.

So you always keep your MGs packed up and ready to move? Basically let enemy engage first, unpack, shoot back?? My instinct would be to always have MGs ready to fire. Or do you mostly mean the "offensive MGs" in this tip?
I like the idea that one should move the MG with the infantry, pin enemy with MG, while using infantry to flank. To use the MG in the attacks. nice.

I'd like to discuss more about using MGs as part of infantry, and the likes. Is it useful to keep a infantry squad with the MG to counter flanking, or even use 2 MGS with widely spread fields of fire to cover about 180 degrees to avoid flanking... 2 MGs, one house (not to be confused with a rather nasty video about a cup and young ladies...), using wire to secure flanks, using bunkers to house MG squads etc..

Great guide, thank you Esxile!!

Few questions though:



So you always keep your MGs packed up and ready to move? Basically let enemy engage first, unpack, shoot back?? My instinct would be to always have MGs ready to fire. Or do you mostly mean the "offensive MGs" in this tip?
I like the idea that one should move the MG with the infantry, pin enemy with MG, while using infantry to flank. To use the MG in the attacks. nice.

I'd like to discuss more about using MGs as part of infantry, and the likes. Is it useful to keep a infantry squad with the MG to counter flanking, or even use 2 MGS with widely spread fields of fire to cover about 180 degrees to avoid flanking... 2 MGs, one house (not to be confused with a rather nasty video about a cup and young ladies...), using wire to secure flanks, using bunkers to house MG squads etc..

first point, unpacking the HMG avoid unnecessary lose by mortar barrage, you opponent knows it location so he is going to flank it. In my opinion, a HMG deployed for no reason is a half dead HMG, because your opponent will see it and flank it.

Second point, packing and unpacking a defensive HMG take a lot of time. So if you have been flanked it is usually result in ordering a retreat. But if you HMG is already unpacked and waiting for your order, you have enough time to deploy it in the right direction. All of this of course requires to have spotters, do not let your HMG alone.

first point, unpacking the HMG avoid unnecessary lose by mortar barrage, you opponent knows it location so he is going to flank it. In my opinion, a HMG deployed for no reason is a half dead HMG, because your opponent will see it and flank it.

Second point, packing and unpacking a defensive HMG take a lot of time. So if you have been flanked it is usually result in ordering a retreat. But if you HMG is already unpacked and waiting for your order, you have enough time to deploy it in the right direction. All of this of course requires to have spotters, do not let your HMG alone.

First one is a good point. One should always move HMGs after the engagement is over, to keep up the pressure, and to keep the enemy guessing. I like that. I wish i could micro that good...

On the contrary to the second point, if the HMG is packed up and ready to move i'd feel it's more prone for assaults? I mean, if enemy team waltzes in front of packed HMG squad, it takes time to set up and start firing. Enemy can use those seconds to sprint and toss a grenade, thus taking out the gunner/squad. Compared to the situation when enemy appears behind MGs sights, and gets fired at right away, possibly pinning them down... Usually HMG wins.

A little step off topic: if i activate armor piercing ammo, the HMG will switch ammo cans. Does this ability stay active, even if the timer stops? I mean: could i switch AP ammo, and just wait until next engagement, even though i don't know when it comes? Can the ability be queued? I activate AP ammo, wait timer, activate again, do i have 2 cans of AP ammo ready for HMG?