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Best use of combat engineers


Bahger

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In a MOUT attack mission I have just received a CE platoon, divided into a squad and two teams and mounted on two M2A3s.  I am unsure about the best way to leverage this asset.  I wonder if I should just be using them as another assault force or whether there is some tactically useful deployment of their breaching capabilities that I might be missing.  There are no minefields briefed (which, of course, isn't to say they do not exist) and I would much rather bypass buildings on my way to the objectives rather than push infantry through them except where I feel I will get a very useful OP with good LOS for Javelins and SAWs.  

 

As far as minefields are concerned, I know my CEs can move through a suspected minefield using a "Mark" order, thus enabling follow-on units to follow a safe path through, but if minefields are not briefed, is the only way to discover one getting hit and possibly killed or immobilised by one, or can CEs both on foot and mounted reveal mines without being killed by them?

 

As always, many thanks.

 

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Send a two man scout team through the area you suspect might have been mined. If they make it through, chances are it is safe...or they've been exceptionally lucky. As for the rest of your question, using CEs as breaching teams is probably their most useful function. Use them in collaboration with vanilla infantry so that the CEs blow the hole, but the grunts are the ones who rush through it. Safeguard your CEs at least until they have used up all their breaching kits.

 

Michael

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In a MOUT attack mission I have just received a CE platoon, divided into a squad and two teams and mounted on two M2A3s.  I am unsure about the best way to leverage this asset.  I wonder if I should just be using them as another assault force or whether there is some tactically useful deployment of their breaching capabilities that I might be missing.  There are no minefields briefed (which, of course, isn't to say they do not exist) and I would much rather bypass buildings on my way to the objectives rather than push infantry through them except where I feel I will get a very useful OP with good LOS for Javelins and SAWs.

 

Use them as your reserve?

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Engineers can spot minefields faster than ordinary troops if they're left immediately adjacent to them for a little while; they won't see a minefield they've entered any quicker than the mines will "see" them... :)

Best use for engineers is changing the battlefield. Blowing tunnels through buildings, knocking down walls to allow you to bypass buildings, or generate firing opportunities. They're a bit like a reverse smoke screen... If you have plenty of demo charges, they make clearing enemy out of buildings a lot easier. Any blank wall, including party walls is a huge vulnerability for the defenders.

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Sometimes, but not always.

 

Man I find it tough *not* to use combat engineers once I have them. They're so useful I end up carefully deciding when I want to throw them into the action for fear of expending them too early. They're absolutely indispensable for clearing buildings and towns. So much so that I consider it plain cruelty when scenario designers doesn't give me any. You know who you are!  ;)

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