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Dragoon v. Pansergrenadier
Both motorized infantry units, but yet two different roles and styles. One heavy and one light, the other to be attached to a Panser unit while the other is a fast, independent unit. What are the actual differences between these two modern military unit types? In this volume of the High Marshal's Guide, we explore these two units, their similarities and their differences.
In the Nordic Union's military the Dragoon unit is a light and fast motorized unit best suited for low-profile operations such as reconnaissance or scouting. Lighter armored vehicles and more basically trained infantry make them a light cavalry unit above anything else. It would be foolish to utilize a Dragoon unit as the spearhead of an assault or as part of the main assault force. You would, however, utilize it in scouting or perhaps as part of a "clean up force" whereby they trail in behind the main assault units to secure the area and finish off any remaining enemy units which have been left otherwise crippled. But do these smaller, lighter roles indicate that the Dragoon is a weak unit? Not at all, what it does is fill the rather large gap between the basic Infantry Battalion and the super-heavy motorized assault battalions that are the Pansergrenadier Battalions. The Dragoon units are fully capable units which can take on those middle-ground roles which require fast movement but a little more firepower than a standard Infantry Battalion.
The Pansergrenadier unit is on the exact opposite end of the spectrum - they are very heavy assault units which utilize heavy firepower and highly trained infantrymen to brute force their way into and out of combat situations. Unlike the Dragoons, a Pansergrenadier unit would in fact be one of the main units of the spearhead of any attack. Meant to be appended to a Panser Battalion, their simultaneous tank support-direct assault roles make them a particularly lethal force when utilized with their full potential. The extra training and extra firepower make the Pansergrenadier units experts in heavy firepower with mobility. Though not as mobile as a Dragoon unit, they are still a fast unit - the focus is just shifted more towards strength than speed. This is a necessary shift in the spectrum to create a well balanced military where no one role is left to be filled by a unit which might not otherwise be suited to that role.