Engineer Sapper Brigades SU type.

[Michael T]

What is the go with these Engineer Sapper Brigades? I have been running some tests with them as SU attached to HQ's (there are two types, combat units and support units). I cannot get them to be committed to an attack. I have run a multitude of tests with various HQ SU mixes, even with a HQ that had nothing but these Eng/Sapper Brigades and I cannot get them to commit. What is their purpose? Is this WAD or possibly a bug. Has anyone ever seen these dudes committed to an attack?

[Flaviusx]

They're construction units.

[Michael T]

Thanks, that explains it. They seem to have a bit of a misnomer. You have to get in to the editor to see that they are classified as construction types, or is there a way in the game itself?

[hfarrish]

Is there any value at all really to building them as opposed to RR Brigades (the other non-combat "construction" unit)? Do they have any rail repair functionality or are they just bigger versions of the construction battalions?

[Flaviusx]

The nomenclature is deceptive, yeah, and I'll admit I also built them at first thinking they were a combat unit. Then I saw them showing up doing rail repair.

The tip off is in the TOE: it includes 10 labor squads. Any unit with such squads is non combat. Annoyingly the bulk of the TOE is actually made of sappers, and if it weren't for that handful of labor squads, it would be treated as a combat unit.

They're pretty good at repairing rails btw, and worth building for that purpose. Very high construction values.

[hfarrish]

...but is there any reason to build them if you already have plenty of RR Brigades?

[Flaviusx]

I think they have better construction values than the RR brigades, especially as the sapper elements get more experience. But they do come in rather late. Probably the best thing to do is cease making RR brigades once the engineer sappers become available, and switch over to them if you feel you need more construction assets. These guys make good diggers, too.

[gingerbread]

What if they are assigned to a Cav Corps? Will the sapper squads fight?

[Michael T]

This was my original intention. But no you can't assign them to corp.

[gingerbread]

OK.

As to construction value, per some details given by Pavel in this thread, RR Brigades are better due to that labor squads ConV is not dependent on experience, they but do use more manpower.

[Schmart]

So maybe the Engineer Sapper Bdes should be used more as HQ digging assets while the RR Const Bdes should be more for actual RR? Eng Sap Bdes attached to Army HQs for digging, RR Const Bdes at Front HQs and/or Stavka for RR... (?)

[sillyflower]

but the player does not control either function so the point is moot................