"Assault" order anybody?

[PEB14]

It seems that the "assault" movement order is not used that much… I like it to cross open terrain as it synchronizes movement/support between teams in a way that is difficult to achieve manually with split teams. Do you like it? How do you use it?

Edited May 29 by PEB14

[Brille]

Mostly I use it when I don´t feel like micromanaging split teams. As you said you would have to put some more thought into it than just doing the movement order.

Usually I set it when I expect enemies close by but want my soldiers to cover some ground. One team will provide support, while the othere one will move to the next cover. Always be aware that you have to put it like 30 to 40 m max. Otherwise the "holding" point(s) becomes a little bit unpredictable.

I really don´t like to use it with a 3 team squad, as it takes ages for them to get to a point. Plus it can so happen that the "most valueable" team is the first to go and then shot up. ("No Hans you are all precious to me, you are not canonfodder !" *...more like meatshields...* )

[thilio]

I use it few. Almost exclusively for attacking at close range with a single squad.
If I have several squads at my disposal, then I use a combination of shooting and movement with whole squads.

Edited May 29 by thilio

[Centurian52]

I mostly don't use the 'assault' order at all. I generally prefer to micromanage the bounding of individual teams. I get better control over who moves first and where they bound to that way. And I can have greater dispersion between bounding teams that way. The trick is working out how long the pause orders need to be between bounds. I figure about 5 seconds for each action square that I want the teams to cross per bound (assuming a 'quick' movement order) on most terrain types. That's a bit of an overestimate, but the slight timing errors that will accumulate can be corrected between turns. So for my standard short bound (3 action squares, or 24 meters) I'll give 15 second pause order on each waypoint, and for my standard long bound (6 action squares, or 48 meters) I'll give a 30 second pause order on each waypoint. The team that I want to move second will get either a 15 or 30 second pause order at the start of the turn.

I'll generally only place a couple waypoints each turn (about the number I expect my teams to actually reach during the turn). That way I only need to guess one minute's worth of timing, and the timing errors that accumulate over a single turn will generally be negligible. Since my teams have usually reached all of their waypoints by the end of the turn, the timings for the next turn are starting on a clean slate. You may need to adjust timings on certain terrain types. I'll sometimes deviate from my standard 3 and 6 tile bounds if there is a particular feature I want that team to bound to that is an action square further or closer (adjusting the timing accordingly, so 10 seconds if they're only bounding two action squares this time, or 20 seconds if it's four action squares). In dense woods I'll generally do very short bounds of only two action squares (16 meters) with 15 second pauses between each bound (the terrain tiles that frequently accompany dense woods will tend to slow infantry movement). You can give target orders from each waypoint if there is a particular position that you want to keep suppressed while you're moving.

[Erwin]

Wot Centurian said.  Good summary.  My sense is that as one gains experience as to what units can accomplish in a certain time, one handles assaults manually and not rely on the ASSAULT command.  Whenever I have experimented with the ASSAULT command the units seem to tire a lot quicker and the overall "result" is less satisfactory.

[A Canadian Cat]

On 5/29/2024 at 3:08 PM, Brille said:

Mostly I use it when I don´t feel like micromanaging split teams. As you said you would have to put some more thought into it than just doing the movement order.

I do that too.

It is also super useful for pathing around through obstacles. For example a small gape in the bocage can cause guys on other teams to get tried of waiting and seek another way around. If you use the assault command the only one team at a time is trying to go through the gap. Cuts down on taking the long way into trouble.

For the same reason it is my default for building entry too.

[chuckdyke]

I use it for Soviet submachine gun units. They have two fire teams and a range of 6 or 7 action squares with a direct fire order on the objective. With allied it doesn't works as well. They have three fire teams and the LMG is often with the first party which is rushing the enemy, and they leave four rifle men for the covering fire. 

[Artkin]

I use it along fencelines

[OldSarge]

I use it occasionally and it depends upon the situation, but mostly on buildings or hard points. Especially if I have very good reason to suspect the position is manned. I also throw in a target command which keeps allows the non-moving teams to fire upon the position - hopefully suppressing the occupants sufficiently that the squad is successful.

[Chibot Mk IX]

Most of the time I will just split my squads into teams. So I am doing a "manually" assault. Let one team stay behind, the other team use several move quick orders to advance. I put pause on each of the waypoint. 

Just same as Centurian52's tactics.