New Player Question

[blitzkreig]

I have recently discovered WinSPWW2 after playing the original series of games many years ago. What a discovery to! I have been very impressed with the detail and historical accuracy of this "new Game"!

I tend to favour playing the Germans due to thier penchant for manoeuver warfare. The problem problem I've encountered relates to the early war years. Invariably the Poles in particualr get shed loads of infantry due to their lack of mechanised kit. I've tried increasing the size of the map in my games in order to allow me to try more outflanking tactics but envariably strugglre to hold key areas on my side of the map due to a lack of troops (just like real life I guess!). My Question is:

1. What size area or map in game terms would a company or battalion Kampfgruppe be expected to realistically hold/fight over?

[desh44]

I tend to use a 80x80 map for a battalion sized unit at a minimum. Also when facing infantry heavy armies mortars and artillery are almost essential. With the burst radius now in effect medium and heavy MG's and tanks with 75mm guns can tie down large infantry formations. On assault scenarios I increase the height of the map to allow room to move.

Tom

[blitzkreig]

Thanks for a quick response!

I have been using the 80x80 map as a start point giving a area 4km2 I think. I have been trying various combinations of a battalion kamggruppe from a Panzer Division based arond a PzGren Battalion. Don't have to much trouble keeping the hordes at bay in open terrain using Arty, mortars, Inf gun, MMG, and light flak, its the wooded areas I struggle with as I like to try and flank with at least 1-2 compnies of PzGrens supporting an armoured thrust.

I know these are all problems encountered in real life! Presumberly there is a doctrine type ansewer to this if I knew where to look! Would the size of the "battle space" increase for a SPW mounted unit I wonder?

[pdoktar]

You can also lenghten the map to allow deeper thrusts with your motorized and mech units, as in real life. The hords of foot infantry can´t keep up, or reclaim the objectives, after you breakthrough in one point and penetrate deep. Before I used to first heighten the map to give moore room, but nowadays I increase its lenght even more. Like Battalion size would be 80+ wide and maybe 120 long. And never drive your vehicles into forests without adequate infantry support.

[serg3d]

Cavalry rule in the forest.