Grand Battleplan templates

[GermanDave]

What templates are you guys using for Grand Battleplan?
As Japan a cheap strat (in SP) was to just put LArm into 20w Inf early-game (using the right path of the doctrine tree) but that is very very China-specific. For the Uk and Italy who defend Africa that is different since Britain has an innate need to produce some form of AT.

So how do you guys make the planning doctrine work for you?

 

[Zauberelefant]

What templates are you guys using for Grand Battleplan?
As Japan a cheap strat (in SP) was to just put LArm into 20w Inf early-game (using the right path of the doctrine tree) but that is very very China-specific. For the Uk and Italy who defend Africa that is different since Britain has an innate need to produce some form of AT.

So how do you guys make the planning doctrine work for you?

As GBP gives high bonuses to planning and thus, breakthrough and attack, you can get away with slightly worse equipped Divisions, apart from that, the usual applies:
Use CAS and air superiority whenever possible
Build armour divisions that are hard and armoured enough
Design infantry according to Situation

GBP starts very infantry centered and becomes later as good as MW imho.
Simple difference is you need a higher tank ratio in armour divisions.

 

[sekelsenmat]

GBP starts very infantry centered and becomes later as good as MW imho.
Simple difference is you need a higher tank ratio in armour divisions.

Which side of GBP do you use? I think the extra planning bonus is useless, it takes so long to grow that the whole situation changes. But the left side has the best tactics (breakthrough) and the right side has -10% supply and night attack bonus.

 

[Deinhardt]

It's just the same as with any other Doctrine. The only difference probably is, that the beefier your division gets, the more the planning and general breakthrough boni apply. I had great success with heavy tank divisions for assaults and breakthroughs as Japan and Italy. In general I think also a investment into Special Forces is worthwhile, due to their higher base stats and org. Especially the right branch is tailored to infantry attacks and those bonuses can turn your Mountaineers, Marines and Paratroopers into absolute lunatics, if used correctly.

 

[Zauberelefant]

Which side of GBP do you use? I think the extra planning bonus is useless, it takes so long to grow that the whole situation changes. But the left side has the best tactics (breakthrough) and the right side has -10% supply and night attack bonus.

I take either depending on nation, Japan right, anyone else left.
And planning bonus isn't useless, as long as you care to employ it.

 

[Vohen]

I find GBP to be quite understated.
It rewards speed more than anything else, to make the best use of your planning.
So it's the only doctrine I tend to favor light tanks even late into the war.
Make a couple of heavy tank hard hitter divisions to breach the enemy line, then let your nimble armour pour in to close the pocket before your enemy has time to react.
Other doctrines would favor MARM for their balance, but with GBP even your lights can do some good damage, especially if they are behind enemy lines, so I'd say mediums are the least useful tanks in this doctrine.
Even when not using armor at all, GBP is especially useful in rough terrain, as planning can allow you to negate some of the penalties, and for minors, as you can punch far above your weight and defend with less men/equipment.

Also, I'd say the left branch is superior in pretty much every situation.
I mean, if you're going to use the planning bonus, might as well make the most of it, and if you're not, you shouldn't even be using this doctrine in the first place.

I don't play MP, but I guess its usefulness is much more limited there, as parking your tanks in the frontline and waiting several days doing nothing will likely give your enemy plenty of time to prepare, and will reduce significantly your flexibility with micro if you want to keep the bonus.
Though the entrenchment bonus can be useful even there, I suppose.

 

[qqmagnuz]

It's just the same as with any other Doctrine. The only difference probably is, that the beefier your division gets, the more the planning and general breakthrough boni apply. I had great success with heavy tank divisions for assaults and breakthroughs as Japan and Italy. In general I think also a investment into Special Forces is worthwhile, due to their higher base stats and org. Especially the right branch is tailored to infantry attacks and those bonuses can turn your Mountaineers, Marines and Paratroopers into absolute lunatics, if used correctly.

Do you manually micro each division or do you just use the battle planner?

 

[qqmagnuz]

What major country can most effectively use it?

 

[sterrius]

Also, I'd say the left branch is superior in pretty much every situation.
I mean, if you're going to use the planning bonus, might as well make the most of it, and if you're not, you shouldn't even be using this doctrine in the first place.

the only reason (And a very specific one) for you to go Right branch is if you're purely on the defensive and aiming for a Pure infantary army.
Also a option for those starved of factorys/resources.

On the defense planning can´t help you and the passive recon + Passive supply + Passive reinforcement are nice additions for a country that can´t aford nice things in mass.

Night attack also is quite powerful when you're on the defensive. (Not so much on the attack).

Very late game, you can add some LT´s recon, rocket art and good rifles to make a small but powerful elite infantary that is actually kind scary in how much breaktrough they can have at full planning.

A medium power that benefit from this is RAJ.

What major country can most effectively use it?

England (You make the "Anvil" with hard to remove infantary divisions and US comes with SF tanks to be the hammer).
After you both have a front on france, your 110% planning tanks will easily beat the german ones.

Japan (they do need every bonus they can get to beat all that terrain, also its a very nice continent for Light tanks).

France (most of the game on defense, hard terrain and slow moving fronts on africa).

Italy/Spain (IF defending the European Coastline is a priority, with a good division they actually have a chance to hold). On Offensive its mostly on africa or trying to help germany to push the Riverline. Places where 110% planning is helpful.


I do think all nations above already start with the doctrine.

 

[porta80]

the only reason (And a very specific one) for you to go Right branch is if you're purely on the defensive and aiming for a Pure infantary army.
Also a option for those starved of factorys/resources.

On the defense planning can´t help you and the passive recon + Passive supply + Passive reinforcement are nice additions for a country that can´t aford nice things in mass.

Night attack also is quite powerful when you're on the defensive. (Not so much on the attack).

Very late game, you can add some LT´s recon, rocket art and good rifles to make a small but powerful elite infantary that is actually kind scary in how much breaktrough they can have at full planning.

A medium power that benefit from this is RAJ.




England (You make the "Anvil" with hard to remove infantary divisions and US comes with SF tanks to be the hammer).
After you both have a front on france, your 110% planning tanks will easily beat the german ones.

Japan (they do need every bonus they can get to beat all that terrain, also its a very nice continent for Light tanks).

France (most of the game on defense, hard terrain and slow moving fronts on africa).

Italy/Spain (IF defending the European Coastline is a priority, with a good division they actually have a chance to hold). On Offensive its mostly on africa or trying to help germany to push the Riverline. Places where 110% planning is helpful.


I do think all nations above already start with the doctrine.

Your knowledge is outdated, planing bonus is just +30% on gbp left not 60% anymore.

And left is not only for defense its also offensive, very good with infantry.

The night attack bonus is the best bonus on a single tech ingame, its basically a ~16% increase of your overall attack value.
Not to forget -10% supply usage.
You can be both hammer and anvil.

 

[sterrius]

And left is not only for defense its also offensive, very good with infantry.

The night attack bonus is the best bonus on a single tech ingame, its basically a ~16% increase of your overall attack value.

i did mention the supply.

As for the night attack the bonus is usually not enough to make you surpass the defense of a enemy during the night. So much of that extra attack is wasted.
But its very very good to allow your offense to surpass the Breaktrough of most units.

Thats why it benefits the defense better.


and yeah, outdated on planning bonus Lol.

 

[porta80]

i did mention the supply.

As for the night attack the bonus is usually not enough to make you surpass the defense of a enemy during the night. So much of that extra attack is wasted.
But its very very good to allow your offense to surpass the Breaktrough of most units.

Thats why it benefits the defense better.


and yeah, outdated on planning bonus Lol.

Additional Soft or hard Attack value is never waistet, the more the better! Even if it does not overcome defense or breaktrough, it benefits both attack and defence!

 

[Crispin]

I take either depending on nation, Japan right, anyone else left.
And planning bonus isn't useless, as long as you care to employ it.

Why do you prefer the right side with Japan?

 

[GhostsofWar]

Why do you prefer the right side with Japan?

The right side has more benefits for infantry, which Japan being rather small industriously, is better suited to use. A 10% reduction in supply use, for example is amazing for the starting 10/0 Japanese Infantry template. The left side give you a +15 infantry organization compared to the right side, +10, but the right side also gets Leg Infantry Breakthrough: +10%, were as the left side gets, Army Breakthrough: +10%, so the left side favors the Army as a whole more, which would be better used with Armor/Motorized, something Japan will lack for a while, until they take on China or Soviets.

 

[Zauberelefant]

Why do you prefer the right side with Japan?

Because Japan tends to fight in terrain favouring infantry - mountains, jungles, islands.