Heavy Weapons Groups when attacking

[JasonC]

This was originally a post on another thread in response to a question. I thought it might be of more general interest as a "tip-trick". The subject is using the slower heavy weapons teams properly when you have to attack. On defense you can just locate them properly, at most making small repositionings to adapt to the attack. But on offense, getting these slow guys to "dance" well enough to help the attack, is a little harder to get right.

Moving heavy weapons groups on the attack does take some learning and effort. What doesn't work is just putting individual heavy weapons down wherever, finding they don't have targets, and trying to move them along to keep up with the advance without any specific plan. As you've probably noticed, if you try that they draw fire crossing even small areas of open ground. And don't take too well to being shot in the open. You get destroyed mortars, HMG teams exhausted and sneaking the wrong way. Nobody gets set up or provides meaningful fire support.

To avoid all that you need a heavy weapons plan. I typically organize fire support groups around a weapons HQ or company HQ. They wind up about platoon size formations in manpower or number of unit terms. They move from fire base to fire base in definite, coordinated shifts, properly prepared. And integrate those movements with the overall attack plan.

What goes into a fire support group? A typical small example is a pair of HMGs, a single 81 or 82mm mortar, and an HQ. Sometimes it will be 2-3 light mortars instead of one large one. Sometimes there will also be an FO, or a sharpshooter. And there may be associated vehicles - an HE chucker AFV, or halftracks, or just a jeep or two. The basic idea is a long range "bag of tricks" to deal with many different types of enemy, using the proper weapon. Notice, it is not a matter of massing tons of firepower of one type, but of having a "full toolbox" to handle individual targets.

The right range for these overwatch groups is usually 300 to 500 yards from the enemy. That far away, enemy small arms aren't very dangerous, and aren't dangerous at all if you've got cover. But it is close enough for mortars and HMGs to hit things. Occasionally it helps to get one closer, like 200 yards, when the terrain permits (covered route, good cover). But mostly the covered areas that close to defenders are allocated to the ordinary squad infantry.

The main protection of the heavy weapons comes just from the position in your own formation. Squad infantry goes first, and stays around 200 yards ahead of the heavy weapons groups. That distance may oscillate, 300 yards before a heavy weapons group moves, or 100 yards right after a repositioning. But they don't try to stay "on line" with the squad infantry.

Repositionings are always from one area of cover to another, which the squad infantry have already reached and cleared of the enemy. The squad infantry might be there at the time the move starts, but is farther on by the time the heavy weapons actually arrive. Typically the enemy is "one field" ahead of the squad infantry, while the heavy weapons are "two fields" away. Before the squad infantry gets that close, there usually aren't fully IDed targets for the ranged weapons to shoot at.

At set up, the groups try to have LOS to some place the squad infantry will try to seize first. They don't need LOS clear to the far side of the map, although if available that helps FOs and towed guns, obviously. MG teams want LOS to open ground areas between bodies of cover in the defender's position, because their main role is restricting reserve movements.

The timing of a move is determined by LOS to enemies. When the heavy weapons group still has targets that are within 500 yards (or a bit less), there is little reason for them to move. They just need something to shoot at. If they've got it, their position is usually OK. The only partial exception is in the first "closing" portion of the battle, where they might be too far to hurt anything, defenders are unspotted or just sound contacts, etc.

The method of moving is first of all to use dead ground as much as possible. You've located some of the defenders and the squad infantry has cleared some areas. So you should have a decent idea which places are under enemy observation and which are not. The cover you are moving to usually creates a blind spot behind it. To shelter a whole overwatch group the cover has to be a decent size, and that usually means a large blind spot behind it. Low ground can also create good avenues.

Ideally, there is no LOS where you are (or you wouldn't be moving, you'd be shooting), and LOS is not re-established until you move to the forward side of the next bit of cover. If you have a squad along (with a company HQ e.g.) it goes first, otherwise the HQ and and sharpshooters. They are fast. They use "advance" over open areas to press on to cover and resist enemy fire a little better, and their passage will generally discover enemies with LOS to the route and orders to fire. If the squad infantry already took the route, you can dispense with the delay.

Next the teams themselves move out. The distance of the repositioning should be 200m or less, even with a covered route. If any part of it may be observed, try to keep the distance 100m or less. Vehicles can help longer moves. German HMGs and 50mm mortars are transport class 2 and can ride on the back of AFVs. The best movers of German 81mm mortars are SPWs. For the Russians, jeeps are good, but unfortunately can't fit a 82mm mortar (7 man crew). Drive to the back side blind spot of the cover you plan to use, disembark, and then re-use the vehicle. For foot moves, allow ~5 minutes for a repositioning.

Everyone goes to the back side of the cover first. You don't want to draw fire until set up. The HQ can move and sneak the last few to get LOS and spot for mortars. FOs likewise. MGs move not to the edge of the cover, but a ways in to limit exposure. Wait for everyone to get set up before "going active" (just use shortened arcs, you needn't hide), unless you'd got an emergency ahead.

You "walk" the LOS picture of the support group just ahead of the squad infantry. Pick cover areas on that basis, and on the basis of covered routes available to the new spot. Both are more important than wide fields of view. You don't need a wide field of view, you only need to see some defenders, any defenders. If you get to a spot with a very wide view, make sure it is one that is 300-500 yards from the last likely enemy positions, because you aren't likely to move beyond it.

If you take fire during a repositioning and can see and ID the shooters, stop the right weapon to deal with them right where it is, even in the open, and fire back. Weapons that can't hurt that type of shooter seriously can press for the nearest cover. If you can't ID anybody (e.g. MG at range, only a sound contact), then halt anybody in "pin" morale or currently targeted, and "move" anybody in yellow morale or better who is not currently targeted.

You will get free, at least most will. Long range is cover, just not great cover, as long as you don't also try to move. The morale of moving weapons teams is lowered for inability to fire back, and you are more likely to draw the fire when moving.

If you see a unit with a sideways "sneak" order, understand that is "cover panic", a particular reaction to being shot in the open. Do not try to give them faster orders in a different direction. If the "sneak" is going to get them to good cover in 10m, let them do it. Otherwise, halt them and do not give them any move order. They can fire back if they have a target, just sit still for a minute otherwise. Keep them in command if at all possible, so they can rally as they sit.

Takes some work and some prior planning. And sometimes you may still get "caught" making a move that was premature or wasn't safe. But that needn't be a disaster, if you don't panic but react sensibly as explained above. Naturally, if other units can suppress the shooters or get them "off" the heavy weapons, do so.

[lcm1947]

Outstanding topic there JasonC. As always I get a lot out of your posts or at least enjoy them. In this case I learned something that I have had problems with like forever. I am dying to try your suggestions on moving these short lived troopers. They are always and I mean always either late to battle if they get there at all and/or dead before going far. Anyway thanks for the tips. I plan on using them tonight in some of my pbem games.

[Cpl Carrot]

Just as well I read this post then

Edited for speeling

[ March 27, 2003, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: Cpl Carrot ]

[laxx]

jasonC, excellent. i am printing this out for a detailed analysis of your work....

[Nekander]

Thank you!

[MAsta_KFC]

JasonC, you are the God of Combat Mission. =)

[Holien]

Cpl stop reading this sort of stuff. It just makes my life harder!!!

H

[Frunze]

Good ideas.

I'd add, if you're stopping a unit in the open as JasonC recommends doing in some circumstances, it may be a good idea to put them on hide. (Unless you want them to fire back.) They'll recover from suppression more quickly, and are less likely to start sneaking towards cover again and exhaust themselves. On the downside, they won't help with spotting as much.

[lcm1947]

Good note Frunze thanks. I need all the help that I can get. Getting tired of everybody pushing me around in my Pbem's. Their all just a lot of bullyboys.

[Slappy]

Great post as usual.

I tend however to group support weapons by type rather than into mixed bags althoug it obviously depends on the number of spare HQs, an types of weapons. I find that Company COs with the three 50mm mortars from their platoons makes a very effective gun hunting and suppression team. These teams are very mobile in a way that they coulden't be with a HMG in the bundle. Two HMGs and 81mms or spotters tend to work better together as they're all fairly slow and long range. I also try to buy some transport for my MGs if possible so they can be moved up to supress pockets of resistance quickly.

[JasonC]

It is a fair point about 50mm mortars being slowed by HMG teams, if the latter don't have transport. I prefer 81-82s for their hitting power, but often you have the 50s organic. I've got two different ways I handle that.

Sometimes I'll use a "fast" fire support group, all types within it medium speed or better. 50mm, sharpshooters, ATRs, radio FOs (as opposed to slow phone ones), LMGs if I have any.

Sometimes instead I use a pair of 50s in an "ordinary" slower overwatch group. (Incidentally, I find 2x50 is the smallest "fire group" that gets decent effects. Single 50s don't have enough punch).

But they move out the same time as the HQ, and so typically arrive before the rest. The HQ spots without revealing itself, and the 50s set up behind the cover. The whole overwatch group isn't in place yet, but I can still shoot things.

It is true a good player can watch the fall of the mortar rounds and guess the shooting location. But it isn't perfectly accurate, and the rest of the group arrives in a couple of minutes anyway.

The reason for the "grab bag" approach instead of uniform weapons is to deal with lone enemies regardless of type. You don't need a ton to hit one point target. You do need the right weapon, to hit it "assymmetrically" and hard enough to do something.

Then you just switch to the next target after you've dealt with the first - in sequence rather than in parallel. Typically it is the one enemy that is doing the most to hold up the squad infantry ahead of the support group.

I don't have to know beforehand what that defender unit type will be. Which is good, because just looking at the terrain beforehand and planning out the route, I don't know what the defender will have along it. I can guess, but it is just a guess.

[laxx]

interestingly, the main points to me when I read the first post were:

- doan forget the support group. focus on the purpose, then the composition, and work out the movement order with the appropriate terrain

- use a squad level recon/protection to scout

- hq support units should be 100-200 yrs/metres away from the main group

one of the maps I have been using is the Ponderosagrad (Axis Attack) found in map pack 1. nice map to practice Heavy Support Group.

[markl]

Thanks for your posts JasonC, I look forward to reading them and always learn something.

I appreciate the time it takes to write them.

Cheers MarkL

[lcm1947]

This is great stuff guys. Thanks to all for the info. I have always had problems with these weapons. Either what to do with them or how to get them where they should be etc. so this is extremely helpful stuff. Good oh JasonC for starting it.

[rlh1138]

JasonC,

Very helpful (as your comments have been in the past). I'd just moved up to higher point fights, using battalions for the first time, and had been dealing with exactly that question. 'How do I get this Heavy Wpns. group into the fight'. This will help alot thanks again.

rlh1138