Field Support Truck

; Field Support Truck
	; A Field Support Truck busy producing units
Army	British
Role	Mobile Production Structure
Unit Cost	185; 30
Upkeep per Minute	−1.34
Prereq.	At least one Lieutenant on the field
Produced By	Headquarters Command Truck
Primary armament	None
Health	750
Armor	Heavy
Max. Speed	3 m/s
Produces (3)
	Sappers A construction / repair squad with optional anti-tank capabilities; Costs 320, 4; 32 seconds to produce; ; Captain An officer unit that increases the defensive strength of infantry and emplacements; Costs 300, 35, 1; 60 seconds to produce; ; Stuart Light Tank A fast and lightly-armored tank with anti-vehicle and anti-infantry abilities; Requires a Captain on the field; Costs 280, 45, 6; 45 seconds to produce;
Abilities (3)
	Become Mobile Allows the Truck to relocate to a different position; Requires the vehicle to be already Set Up; Costs nothing; Takes 10 seconds to complete; No Cooldown; ; Set Up Sets the Truck in a sector, allowing production and a resource bonus; Requires the vehicle to be already Mobile; Costs nothing; Takes 10 seconds to complete; No Cooldown; ; Reinforce Squad Can reinforce a nearby Infantry unit; Requires the vehicle to be already Set Up; Costs vary by unit type;
Upgrades (2)
	Secured Resourcing Increases rate of Fuel or Munitions gains in the sector where the Truck is Set up; Unique; only one truck can have this upgrade at any time; Costs 250, 25; ; Speed Governors Increases the Truck's maximum speed considerably; Costs 150, 10;

The Field Support Truck, also called the Support Truck for short, is a mobile structure that acts as a secondary production facility for the British faction in Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts. It produces the basic British anti-tank infantry unit known as the Sappers, a high-level commander known as the Captain, and a Stuart Light Tank. Like the other trucks, it can move about the battlefield to bring it closer to the front lines when required, though it has no offensive capabilities of its own.

Overview[]

Instead of stationary structures, the British use Command Trucks as the primary production facilities for their army. These are essentially vehicles which can set themselves up in any occupied territory to begin production of other units. These vehicles also double as resource-gathering units that can increase the output of Munitions- and Fuel-production in the sector where they are placed.

The Field Support Truck is the second-tier structure in the British construction hierarchy. It only becomes available once the British have created at least one Lieutenant, and is then called from the Headquarters Command Truck for the price of 185 185 and 30 30.

The Field Support Truck is a vehicle, not a structure. It can be instructed to relocate from one sector to another, bringing it closer to the front lines or away from enemy troops as required. This allows the British to produce Support units where they are needed, and protect the Truck from enemy advances. The Truck must be "Set Up" in order to produce any units or collect resources.

There can only be one Field Support Truck on the field at any time. If it is destroyed, the player can call in another truck from the Headquarters Command Truck's "Call for Additional Support HQ's" menu. The truck itself does not consume Population Cap points.

Once set up, the Truck's primary purpose is producing the British Construction and Anti-Tank Infantry unit known as the Sappers. Additionally, it will eventually produce a Captain - a high-level officer unit - in order to allow the Headquarters Command Truck to call in the last British Command Truck: the Armor Command Truck. Once the Captain is created, the Field Support Truck can produce its final unit, a Stuart Light Tank, which is excellent for mobile defense and offense against infantry and light enemy vehicles.

Additionally, the sector in which the Field Support Truck is Set Up will produce either +1 Manpower, +80% Munitions, or +80% Fuel, depending on the type of resource point in that sector.

Properly protecting the Field Support Truck is paramount, mainly because it has no weapons to defend itself, though it is about as well-armored as a heavy tank. Whenever the truck is in motion, it is more vulnerable to enemy attacks.

Production[]

The Field Support Truck can initially produce only two units: the Sappers squad (an important construction and anti-tank infantry unit) and the Captain (a high-level officer). Once at least one Captain is produced, the truck can then produce Stuart Light Tanks.

Production of any unit is only possible if the Field Support Truck is Set Up in friendly territory.

Sappers[]

Costs 320 320, 4 4
Takes 32 seconds to produce

Like the basic Infantry Section, the British Sappers are multi-purpose defensive infantry that form the back-bone of the British army. Initially capable of heavy construction work, they are deployed to erect powerful emplacements to defend sectors from enemy vehicle and tank assaults.

Sappers can build Slit Trenches, Barbed Wire, Sand Bags and plant Mines. They can also create the awesome 17 Pounder AT Gun to defend sectors against tanks, Bofors 40mm cannons for anti-vehicle and anti-air protection, and finally a 25 Pounder Gun Howitzer emplacement for long-range offensive and defensive artillery attacks.

Sappers can also specialize in one of three different fields of work, which will increase their usefulness considerably. They may be equipped with PIAT launchers to turn them into an Anti-Tank squad, specialize in mine-sweeping and demolition, or enhance their repair capabilities to rapidly repair vehicles and emplacements to over 100% of their original health maximum.

Sappers are used primarily for defensive purposes, as they are slow to move and are not as powerful as most other units on their own. Nonetheless, they can be used in attacks to provide anti-tank or anti-building capabilities when necessary.

Captain[]

Costs 300 300, 35 35, 1 1
Takes 60 seconds to produce
Only one Captain can exist on the battlefield at any time

The Captain is a high-level officer, whose primary purpose is to provide defensive bonuses to any unit or emplacement situated in the same sector as himself. This bonus can make a portion of your defensive line extremely resistant to attacks.

The Captain is one of the few British units who accumulates Veterancy. As he gains levels, the bonuses he bestows on nearby troops increase, and he can eventually even increase your Population Cap, allowing more units to be recruited.

The Captain also possesses the ability to concentrate artillery fire on a single spot, creating a mass of explosions that will knock out any advancing enemy army. This can also be used to soften up enemy positions during at advance.

The Captain is armed, but should be kept away from the fighting, preferably by placing him on a Bren Carrier to give him good mobility. Place him in whatever sector needs reinforcing.

Production of a Captain is absolutely necessary, both for the creation of the Stuart Light Tank, but also for the creation of the Armor Command Truck, which produces the British offensive armor.

Stuart Light Tank[]

Costs 250 250, 45 45, 6 6
Requires a Captain on the field
Takes 45 seconds to produce

The Stuart Light Tank is likely to be the first tank produced by a British force. As its name suggests, it is lightly-armored, but also quite fast for an armored vehicle.

The Stuart's small cannon is useful against enemy light vehicles and armored cars. When it comes up against infantry, it can deploy a Canister Shot to kill large groups of them with ease.

If the Stuart is threatened, it can temporarily increase its speed even further to allow it to escape. It can also use this ability to flank enemy positions or units, attacking them from the rear. It can even fight enemy tank destroyers or medium tanks this way, by attacking their weaker rear armor, to some limited effect.

In the early game, Stuarts are built to provide anti-vehicle defense along the entire front line - while Sappers are still busy erecting defenses before they can be upgraded with PIATs. Later on, the Stuart can tag along on an advance, guarding the flanks and providing flanking maneuvers, though it is often outdone by heavier British Armor.

Abilities[]

The Field Support Truck's most defining trait is its ability to relocate from one sector to another, unlike the production structures of other factions. In addition, it can reinforce any nearby infantry unit in the same way as the other Command Trucks are able to.

Become Mobile[]

Costs nothing
Activation: Immediate
Takes 10 seconds to complete
Requires the truck to already be Set Up

When this ability is selected, the Field Support Truck will begin releasing itself from its own defensive emplacement. Once the process is done, the Truck will have become a vehicle instead of a structure, and can move freely as any other vehicle.

While Mobile, the Field Support Truck is very vulnerable, suffering significantly more damage from enemy attacks compared to when it is entrenched. It is vital to keep it away from enemy territory, and make sure to set it up elsewhere as soon as possible.

Finally, while Mobile, the Field Support Truck cannot reinforce nearby infantry or produce any units.

Set Up[]

Costs nothing
Activation: Target Ground (friendly territory)
Takes 10 seconds to complete
Requires the truck to be already Mobile

When this ability is activated, select a point on the ground inside a friendly territory, and then a direction relative to that point. The Field Support Truck will proceed to the selected location, turn in the specified direction, and then begin entrenching itself into the ground. Once the process is complete, the Truck will have become a structure instead of a vehicle, and can begin producing units as normal.

Any territory secured by the Field Support Truck will produce extra Manpower, Munitions or Fuel, depending on the type of resource point in that sector. The Truck does not have to be parked next to the resource point to acquire this upgrade. The bonus is equivalent to about +1 Manpower, or +80% Munitions/Fuel as appropriate.

While Set Up, the Field Support Truck is more resistant to damage than when mobile. In fact it is one of the tougher structures in the game. It can also reinforce any nearby infantry unit up to a range of about 20 meters away.

Note also that the sector in which the Truck is Set Up will also produce an increased number of Munitions or Fuel (if it produces either at all), especially if the Truck has the Secured Resourcing upgrade.

Reinforce Squad[]

Costs vary based on reinforced unit
Activation: Through the target unit's menu
Duration varies based on reinforced unit
Requires the truck to be Set Up

Any infantry squad within 20 meters of the Set Up Field Support Truck can replenish lost men for a specific cost and duration determined by the type of unit being reinforced.

Note that the Truck does not heal wounded infantry - it can only replace men who have fallen in battle.

The truck must be Set Up for this to work.

Upgrades[]

Like the other Command Trucks, the Field Support Truck can receive two different upgrades to enhance its performance. One is the Secured Resourcing upgrade, which enables the truck to gather more resources from the sector where it is Set Up. The other is the Speed Governors upgrade, which increases the Truck's maximum speed while Mobile.

Secured Resourcing[]

Costs 250 250, 25 25
Takes 35 seconds to complete
Requires that no other Truck currently has this upgrade

With the Secured Resourcing upgrade, the sector in which the Field Support Truck is Set Up will produce +80% more Munitions or Fuel - provided that it produces either of these at all. This bonus is cumulative with the basic resource bonus provided by the Truck, giving a total of +160% Munitions/Fuel production in those sectors. Strategic Point sectors do not produce extra Manpower in this way, though they still get a +1 bonus for the truck's presence as normal.

Note that this upgrade can only be installed on one Command Truck at a time. Once installed on a Truck, no other Truck can receive the same upgrade until the original Truck is destroyed.

Speed Governors[]

Costs 150 150, 10 10
Takes 10 seconds to complete

With the Speed Governors upgrade, the truck's maximum speed is increased by +150% (!), making it 2.5 times faster than normal. Additionally, its acceleration and deceleration are doubled.

This upgrade allows the truck to move much faster across the battlefield, to secure necessary resource sectors for increased production, and deploy units in a different part of the map. It also allows the truck to spend less time in Mobile mode, where it is more vulnerable to damage.

Weapons[]

The Field Support Truck is completely unarmed. It has no offensive capabilities. While it is heavy enough to drive through some obstacles (like low walls and hedgerows), it cannot crush human targets either.

Tactics[]

The Field Support Truck is one of the primary units available to the British Army. Without it, the British cannot create their back-bone Sappers, nor the Captain that is required for British Armor force production.

The British rely on a defensive strategy, where a defensive line is established and slowly moved forward as more territory is acquired - often in a piecemeal fashion. To support this strategy, British support logistics can be moved together with the defensive line. The ability to relocate the British production centers at will allows the British player to react to enemy offensives, keep supply lines short, and reinforce troops where required.

Therefore, you should try to keep the Field Support Truck stationed in a sector that answers as many of these criteria as possible:

A resource sector with high production, to capitalize on the truck's resource bonus.
Close to the front lines, where retreating infantry can go to replenish their numbers, and new units do not need to travel far to reach your defenses.
Far enough from enemy lines to prevent the Field Support Truck from being overrun or shelled with artillery.

If the enemy discovers the position of your Command Truck, you can always pack it up and retreat to another position. This is a great boon, especially if the truck has been upgraded with Speed Governors, in which case it can zoom away very quickly. However, remember that the Mobile truck is far more vulnerable to damage than when Set Up.

Also remember to spread out your Command Trucks. They are easier to defend while huddled together in a single area, but at the same time present a conventional "base" for the enemy to concentrate its attacks on, and also diminishes the Trucks' potential for gathering resources. Each Truck should optimally be set in a different resource-producing sector (preferably high Munitions and Fuel points), so that each Truck can provide its resource-enhancing bonus. This is because the bonus is not cumulative, so when all trucks are set-up in the same sector, only one truck provides a bonus to resource income, while the others do not.