I am WOEFUL at defence :(

[PacifistButLikeWarGames]

I am not too bad on the attack, but the waiting game of defense has me a little flustered. I tend to either sit too long or start blazing too early, and my identification of good defensive setups leaves much to be desired.

Any Defense for Dummies tips?

[This message has been edited by PacifistButLikeWarGames (edited 07-31-2000).]

[Guest Michael emrys]

1. Set up an outpost line to give you early warning.

2. Locate your support weapons where they can lay down fire on terrain that the enemy has to cross to reach his objectives, but preferrably can't be fired at from many locations.

3. Organize a mobile reserve where they can get safely to threatened parts of your line and perform counterattacks.

4. (This is the hardest part.) Develop a keen sense of timing. You have to be able to intuit when the enemy has committed to his primary attack and then go after it. Don't get faked out by feints. Don't reveal your positions too early by firing. Don't wait too long though.

5. If all else fails, cheat.

6. If cheating fails, run away and fight again another day.

Michael

[Guest tero]

"Play" against yourself.

Imagine you are the attacker and how you would execute the attack. The place units where you think they would do your force most harm.

Place AT guns so their field of fire is effective (flank shots are the best). Head on shots often invite withering suppresive fire. If that can not be avoided place your guns so they have interlocking fields of fire.

Try to commit your armour as late as possible. Place it so that in can open fire on enemy armour when it emerges from cover or is just coming over the crest of a hill. (this goes for the AT guns as well). That first shot is sometimes critical. When the going gets hot, pull your armour back to regroup and counter attack/fire at the attacker from a different position. Keep him guessing your force strenght.

AA-HT's are surprisingly effective against armour.

Use minefields to channel the attack or to slow it down.

Defence in debth: depending on the size of the map dig your infantry in so that they can absorb the attack in layers.

Place your units so that they can support each other both in counter attacks and when they need to pull out.

[gashford]

Just a few pointers that may help, but only in certain circumstances, some are game related some are real life related, either way I am only trying to inspire you with a few thoughts on the subject.

If the map is large with high points for both sides consider defence in depth, rather than just a straight line. You can confuse the enemy to the size of your defences by splitting units up so that you appear to have more troops than you actually do, which can lull the aggressor in to a sense of false security later, if he rolls over your first line, because he will assume you do not have much left in reserve?

If the map is small you should try a standard ambush tactic, have a central group with a killing ground over the bottle neck that the enemy have to cross, have a flanking unit either side of the 'killing group' made up in total of the same size as the killing group and have a rear guard out of sight that can quickly reinforce either of the flanks should the 'bad guys' come from a different area. In these it is generally good to have AT teas in teh flanks as it allows for some good side armour attacks should he roll the tanks forward. In these cases make sure that the killing group (if it goes well) fires first and draws a good amount of attention to itself before hitting him in the flanks.

Support weapons can be behind one of the flanks, between them and the killing group.

Town defence allows for some excellent narrow angles between buildings for AT teams to get 'the drop' on approaching armour.

Something that very few attackers consider is the possibility of a flanking attack made by small mobile defenders. Used to great effect this form of defence can be devastating if successful, or completly useless and instremental in your downfall. You need to be very careful with this and be sure that the terrain allows you to move like this, if not some smoke might do the trick (but unless thoughfully placed it will give the game away). Run a mobile group in as wide a flank as you can get, best to use troops as tanks may give away a sound contact, and sting the enemy in the rear, if attacking he will probably have spotters or artillery pieces hidden well back there, if not you can attack with the mobile groups in his rear. A dangerous mission (not one to volunteer for in real life!!) but it can be very effectual if pulled off. If your enemy enjoys using tanks as artillery then be sure to take some form of AT team with you, because he deserves having them pounded for this sort of underuse! =)

Hope this is useful in some small way, I have used all these tactics and with a bit of skill, a lot of luck and a fair wind they should help you immensly.

[deanco]

Thanks you guys. Really helpful stuff here for newbies like me.

DeanCo--

[Mannheim Tanker]

One big deciding factor in most of my defensive battles is proper use of artillery (if I have it). I like to wait until I have a nice concentrated target before I open up with the big guns. I've noticed that you can often get the attacker to bunch up his infantry in clusters of woods, small depressions, or clusters of buildings by firing some MG's or infantry guns at them. Once they're hunkered down in one place - lambast them with as much arty and mortar fire as you can muster. You can completely stop a concerted attack with this tactic if you time it right. I even follow up with a counterattack if my flanks are secure.

Another good tactic in QB's (where you can customize your forces) is to buy some minefields and wire. You can set minefields and wire in such a way as to force units to hunker down and bunch up in woodlines, thereby making a sweet arty target. This usually means putting the minefield just in front of the woods (the enemy will enter, lose a few guys, and retreat to the woods).

[Mannheim Tanker]

Another trick is to use a few sharpshooters to disrupt portions of an attack (this was a real tactic, often used by the Germans). When the battle begins, sneak a few snipers up the flanks to where they can snipe away from BEHIND the enemy lines (at some distance). I've seen more than a few AT teams, mortars, tank commanders and spotters get knocked down this way

[Oberst Angsthase]

If you are buying your units, add a couple of TRPs to your artillery observers. Usually you can discern the attack path—the line of approach with the most cover. Set up some resistance to make the enemy pause on the big X (not unlike the old roadrunner cartoons) and let death rain from above. The ability to call in support without delay lets you strike at the best possible moment. A correctly placed TRP is a thing of joy.

[Fionn]

I would strongly suggest reading the AARs and viewing the movies at CMHQ and seeing what works and doesn't work in CM.

EVERYTHING mentioned here can be seen in action in these AARs.

[Kingfish]

Here you go.

http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/003757.html

Hope this helps

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The dead know only one thing - it is better to be alive

[Havermeyer]

BIG BELIEVER IN SHARPSHOOTERS!!!

They are great little devils for recon and disruption. They can button up tanks (and/or kill the commander), and as mentioned previously good for flanking.

I follow the sharpshooter rule. Once in position, he has 1 minute to acquire and kill before he moves.

Another nice feature-- he can be used to create infantry markers which can be used to decoy an opponent into believing a force exists where one actually does not.

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"Two World Wars and One World Cup, do da, do da!"

--British Hooligan, sung to Camptown Races

[TexasToast]

One thing that helped me on defense was practice vs the AI defending assaults. Play quick battles where you buy your own forces, 500-600 points, let the AI come at you with an assault force. Try different combinations of weapons, etc. At first I got slaughtered but now things are much better. Of course playing a human will be much different, but the AI does fine at supressing fire, using artillery and smoke, and basic things that you need to learn to handle.

[Von Brizee]

I was playing a battle against my friend, and I had 6 Volksturm snipers head into his rear. 2 died on the way over, but the other 4 got there perfect. Their tally: 3 mortars knocked out, 2 arty spotters killed (one was out of ammo though, so kind of useless) , one jeep killed, one truck killed,one tank commander killed, one halftrack commander killed, one bazooka routed, and the cream of the crop: The USA battalion HQ. He was sitting by himself in a truck in the American rear. 2 Snipers took turns firing at them, and the only cover they could get to was a wall, but I had snipers on both sides of it so they were screwed. To do all that, I only lost 4 snipers total. They eliminated most of the Ami artillery threat, and dropped their morale nicely with the battalion leader dead. Plus my enemy was so confused as to what was going on he sent an entire platoon plus change out to hunt down my men. Snipers can be battle winners I tell ya.

[John Erickson]

Something that I don't think has been mentioned. Pay attention to your leaders skills. I've found that a veteran platoon led by a platoon commander with a morale bonus can take a huge beating and keep on fighting. Try infantry battles. That will allow you to concentrate on indirect fire and ambushing without having to worry about vehicles zipping around all over the place. Once you have that down switch to combined arms and go from there.

One last tip, the 81mm FO is well worth the points for Amis or Germans. They can call down fire for about 4 full minutes. If you trap a platoon or a company in some woods and subject them to 3 minutes of airbursts, well the battle just got whole lot easier.

John

[Priest]

One thing that I have not seen mentioned is harrassing fire. HMG teams have large quantities of ammo and in large point games are very economical. Find a position that gives you a good long field of fire (ie. second story hardened building) and allow the MG to open up on advancing troops. The team should be pretty protected. Now this may not seem the the most useful tactic but it has helped me a million times. First it can slow an advance (squads may duck or run for cover going sideways instead of forward) Also you may kill one or two. But the most important thing is what it does to the opposing player. Most people do not like losing men at long range at the beginning of battle. I have seen some players change their entire plan. I like to hide the rest of my forces except for some machine gunners and then let them approach not knowing where my strength lies. Also it gives the enemy a focus and commanders will be drawn to the obstruction. This has allowed me many times to sneak units into the rear of the attacker. And most importantly it takes the initiative. The attacker is reacting to you not the other way around. Of course you have to have the positions available to you to do this. Okay that was supposed to be shorter....oh well

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Sir are you sure you want to go to red alert...it would mean changing the bulb

-Priest