Advancing in Low visibility

[Der Kuenstler]

I've seen a lot of helpful threads on using split squads when advancing - 1/2 to scout and 1/2 to cover - but I have not had success doing this in low light conditions. (night time and fog) Any advice?

[GS_Guderian]

In Reality you stay very very close together when it´s dark. But since you can´t get lost in this game, I doubt you need to do that.

[junk2drive]

The challenge of night battles is friendly fire incidents and troops "spooking" from shots fired.

Try to keep your troops aligned to the sides lest a shot from behind spooks them or worse.

[Joachim]

Split squads get a morale penalty.

Low viz means a morale penalty.

Shooting nearby means a morale penalty in low viz.

Low morale does cower quickly.

Cowering troops don't see a thing.

You will probably lose your scouts as you can't cover them and they won't give much intel as the firer is either not spotted at all or vanishes when the scout panics.

In low viz I try to probe in force or on a very broad front. Broad front will find a weak spot in some place. Force might overpower the defenders - especially when you have vehicles following the inf. Those don't panic. The huge problem is ranged inf AT weapons.

Try an advance operation or exit scenario in low viz - the defender can't cover every part of the front and you will break thru somewhere.

Then try a battle with only a few flags on which the defender can dig in and you have to come at him.

So the trick is to break thru on a small axis, secure your gains and pour massive forces thru the small gap - with the enemy usually unable to exploit you bunching up:

a) FOs need TRPs which in turn can't cover every part of the front.

if he moves in reseves, he suffers the same problems as you - but you have attacker odds. Your initial breakthru might suffer heavy losses. But lots of them should be only panicked troops that recover again once the shooting in the area stops.

So a plan could look like this:

a) Scout on a broad front. Scout those areas where you don't expect enemy troops. Prepare to take losses.

Exploit those areas where you found no or few enemies.

c) Secure the area.

d) Break thru.

e) Then try to move into positions where the enemy must come at you.

If the enemy is only at the flags and you must attack those:

a) Some preplanned barrage timed for your arrival there might help.

Block likely routes for enemy reinforcements before attacking the flags.

Gruß

Joachim

[junk2drive]

When you get CMAK, try "Raid on Tileste" from the Scenario depot.

[Der Kuenstler]

Very helpful - thank you - wish I'd known this before starting some of the battles I did!

[Generaloberst Guderian]

The Golzow scenario in CMBB is also an interesting example of low-visibility close quarters conflict set in heavy fog. If you're more worried about advancing, I suggest playing as the Russians.

[Alkiviadis]

You can also try "Hitler's Son" - CMBB, at the Boots & Tracks web site. Heavy fog, it simulates the Soviet attack on the SS Walloon brigade at Novo-Buda during the final phases of the Korsun Pocket operation.