Ash Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 I've played several PBEM games of CM. The biggest mistake I've noticed is that people don't wan't to move there squads. They find a lovely tree line. Setup and hammer away. Meanwhile I'm slowly advancing squads towards the flags or the flank of the squad. When I ask people about this they usually say that there afraid there squads will get slaughtered moving from spot to spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendellM Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 Interesting observation. In my PBEM games, which are admittedly limited to one partial-newbie fighting another, I've found the opposite to be true. We were both used to fighting the less-than-formidable AI, and so we both had rather over-aggressive tendencies at the start. I managed to curb mine first and won our first two battles (through necessity I was largely defensive in our first battle, but we both maneuvered considerably in the later two). In our third, I was overly aggressive, and paid the price (though it's not yet over and I may yet win, things look grim). This isn't meant to contradict you, just to offer a different view. Wendell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIJim Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 If your talking about troops on your 'front' line, without the benifit of intervening cover, then yes it can almost be suicide to simply start marching them towards the enemy positions. The only time I will recklessly advance my troops is the first turn of a meeting engagement where getting your troops to a particular terrain feature first just might tip the balance of the game in your favor. Otherwise, I am usually cautious with advancing my troops till I am pretty sure that whatever is to their front has been seriously softened up. In playing I have come to appreciate being able to hold one platoon in reserve, if possible, for 'end game' manuvers to seize that victory location. If I do need to advance my infantry I will scout ahead to see if I receive any fire, or simply blanket the area with smoke through which my infantry can move a bit more safely. It does not pay to needlessly moove your trops around. If you are going to do an infantry charge I've always liked the motto 'go big or go home'. Or perhaps you like 'When deciding between quality or quantity remember that quantity has a quality all of its own'. Or even the more esoteric 'when the time comes to **** or go blind, you better not cover one eye and fart' Anyway, I love this game [This message has been edited by GIJim (edited 08-14-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Germanboy Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 If you don't move, and OPFOR has brought arty to the party, you'll regret it. Or even puny 2in mortars. Movement can be defensive as well as aggressive. With the amount of potential harm flying around a battle-field in CM, you are either well dug in, nimble, or dead. So if you play against me, don't move... ------------------ Andreas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendellM Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 "If you don't move, and OPFOR has brought arty to the party, you'll regret it." Heh, good point Germanboy/Andreas! I've both "suggested" my opponent move by dropping 81mm rounds on him and "accepted his suggestion" when he dropped 81mm on me. It's a very powerful "invitation"! We both agree that we hate 81mm "rain"! Wendell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geier Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by WendellM: I've both "suggested" my opponent move by dropping 81mm rounds on him and "accepted his suggestion" when he dropped 81mm on me. It's a very powerful "invitation"! We both agree that we hate 81mm "rain"! Wendell<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Well, moving when the barrage has already begun to rain is a very good way to get killed. If you are already receiving fire, hide (ie make em put their heads down) your targeted troops until it stops. Standing up and walking out of a barrage is very rarely a good idea. The trick is rather to no longer be there when the shells come in, or even better, to kill the FO. ------------------ Johan "The succesful execution of a well devised plan often looks like luck to saps." Dashiell Hammett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 Maybe I'm stating the obvious, but if you're going to charge over open terrain, you better have covering fire to suppress the enemy, and if possible artillery and smoke. Charging a full-strength rested enemy platoon over the open is a good way to commit suicide... Henri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendellM Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 "If you are already receiving fire, hide (ie make em put their heads down) your targeted troops until it stops. Standing up and walking out of a barrage is very rarely a good idea." Good advice! However, we were mostly aware of that, so we had a desire to move out just based on spotter rounds (that sound: "shoo-whap!") You're right, though - sometimes the "evacuation" didn't go right, in which case just "hunkering down" was the only alternative (though more MG teams tend to break under such abuse - based purely on my observation) I'm sure it's chaotic! > The trick is rather to no longer be there > when the shells come in, or even better, > to kill the FO. Heh, you're *quite* right! My job, though, was to a) present other forces to fire on them (not often successful) and to hide my spotter/FO (often successful). While preserving other forces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old_Airman Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 You have to move to win. Offensive is the key to victory. Standard military doctrine. A good rule of thumb to use is the 2:1 fire support ratio. In other words, lay a base of fire with two squads and move (crawl, sneak, move, run) the other squad against the objective. Once the attack squad is engaged, then move a squad that is in support to assist. Remember, fight platoons against squads, and companies against platoons and use a 2:1 fire support ratio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendellM Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 "You have to move to win. Offensive is the key to victory. Standard military doctrine." Bloody true-life! [This message has been edited by WendellM (edited 08-15-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jadayne Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 good advice all around. I think the problem of when to move your troops and when to hunker down has been a problem that has plagued generals throughout history, deciding battles and careers. People new to the game, and commanders new to combat will always be hesitant before moving out of an area deemed "safe" until experience teaches them when and how to move in a way that won't result in "10 soldiers out, 1 soldier back". The fact that the same problems are being faced by CM beginners (and not so beginners) I think is a testament to how well the AI simulates real life situations. Those of us that have a military background find that real life tactics work. And those of us that don't have that background find out (albiet the hard way) the same. man, i love this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted August 14, 2000 Share Posted August 14, 2000 You have to move to win There could not be a truer statement... Risking there little cyber/digital lives is what you have to do to engage and kill the enemy. Same for AFV's, Move them to win, if they can target the enemy, the enemy can, MORE than likely, target them back and then it usually just comes down to a matter of Luck! (given more or less even strength units). "Remember that no dumb bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." G. S. Patton -tom w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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