Armored Support and Armored Trains Strategy

[Rasputin's Own Bear]

So far I only tried to use armored trains as sort of a strategic reserve, - most of the time they are concentrated under direct army command, with an occasional rush or two to reinforce some other far-away stack in need of assistance. Every time I tried them alone against weak enemy garrisons they got slaughtered.
But I have a feeling that I'm missing something. I mean, it's the most mobile unit in game - there should be a potential for daring raids and rapid breakthroughs, I just can't figure the right way to do it.
So, how do you employ your armored trains?

Also, does "armored support" ability give the bonus to the elements of the same division only or to the whole stack?

[caranorn]

I no longer use armoured trains much, mostly because their replacements are rather expensive. I still occasionally use them in small raids over short distances where I expect little to no resistance. Or to escort supply wagons between the front and my rear (obviously the wagons go by rail). I haven't found much other use, though at first I used to have some in my offensives along railroads, but at times they slow down movement, also if armoured cars are present those seem to be more useful as they can be attached to divisions and are not restricted to the railroads...

[Lilan]

Actually, the offensive skill of armoured trains applies to the stack (logical since A.T.s can't be added inside divisions.

I do think that you can make 3 good uses of armoured trains :
- HQ mobile support : if you stack trains in the army HQ, standing in the middle of its corps, you do have a mobile reserve packing a lot of punch which you may eventually redeploy fast.
- Charriot escort : as stated, supply usually travels by rail. With an armoured train, they're protected from cavalry raids and railway sabotage.
- Infantry support : to make the best use of that offensive skill, i'm trying tonput at least one train in my corps. Combines quite well with infantry leaders.