close combat tactics/ideas

[codman]

Looking for some ideas on how to move through a forest or town when you can't know where the enemy is. Currently moving through heavy woods/forest and moving to contact by braille is painful. I'm trying to avoid clear areas as they would be the easiest to over watch but bumping into a hidden unit usually results in a bunch of casualties and a hasty retreat.

Thanks

[Mobhack]

Lay a belt of light artillery - mortars, 25 pounder etc a couple of hexes in front of your advancing line. If you have some extra tubes, put some a little further behind the barrage line and use to "pepperpot" the deeper zone.

Large arty (>1 hex blast zone) - is a bad idea here since the closeness of the explosions will suppress and kill too many of yours. The British used 25 pounder for a reason - and the lower quality steell used in the shells was deliberate, as it meant you could stay close to the barrage line (less splinters).

Advance towards the shelled line once it falls at the start of the turn.

As you advance you will find stunned or retreating enemy which you can deal with, or leave the artillery to play on a litle longer if desired (if some are stubborn).

You will also get own troops killed or suppressed by "drop shorts" - tough, that was a recognised British tactic such that it got its own term - "leaning into the barrage". Keep right up with the creeping barrage and accept a few own blue on blue casualties since being close to the falling shells means you get to blast the neutralised enemy, hopefully for free (no/few enemy shots back at your advancing line).

When done with that turn, advance the barrage line the 2 hexes allowed by adjustment.

Repeat till you are through the cover, or out of fresh meat on your side...

[codman]

Thanks Andy. I'll give it a try!

[Dion]

Another idea when moving through a town or forest would be to move your entire force slowly though the area, preferably all in one hex, moving one hex per turn, so that when you encounter enemy troops your troops will be able to spread out at a fast pace, covering a lot of ground, moving as quickly as possible and easily supporting each other. In-fact moving this way works so good you'll win most firefights and you will be able to keep moving because the firefights will be at close range, lasting for only a short amount of time.

On the other hand you could simply use artillery to blast a path through the area. The only thing is you have to remember that if you use all your artillery you won't have it later in the game, plus artillery has the habit of starting fires and your troops will instinctively take cover from the noise and falling debris.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Dion

Another idea when moving through a town or forest would be to move your entire force slowly though the area, preferably all in one hex, moving one hex per turn, so that when you encounter enemy troops your troops will be able to spread out at a fast pace, covering a lot of ground, moving as quickly as possible and easily supporting each other. In-fact moving this way works so good you'll win most firefights and you will be able to keep moving because the firefights will be at close range, lasting for only a short amount of time.

On the other hand you could simply use artillery to blast a path through the area. The only thing is you have to remember that if you use all your artillery you won't have it later in the game, plus artillery has the habit of starting fires and your troops will instinctively take cover from the noise and falling debris.

Hi, this is Dion again, I would like to add scout teams to the above statement: if you also use scouts when moving through a town or a forest, and have a one hex, multiple unit infantry group following the scouts, keeping the infantry group out of sight, they will be able to divide, fan out and fight any encountered enemy units that the scouts discover. This will work even if there are multiple contacts because you will have multiple units in the one hex, a multiple unit infantry group. Also you will be confident that you have cleared the entire area being sure you haven't accidentally missed a hidden enemy unit hiding somewhere.

[Ts4EVER]

Personally I have moved away from using the scout teams to a degree. Considering their cost, in my experience taking 1 -2 casualties on an infantry squad and then moving up more support after breaking contact with smoke is usually more efficient.