How to defeat reverse slope defense?

[istari]

Arrrgh.

** SPOILERS ABOUT APPROACH TO SEVASTOPOL **

Just finished "Approach to Sevastopol", and I'm feeling depressed. I like to think of myself as a student of tactics - but I got my ass handed me to on a platter, pulling only a DRAW against the AI.

I'm just not sure how I would have dismantled the Russian defense without knowing exactly where the enemy was. I didn't have enough artillery to really pound the rear slopes, and when I tried to sweep my German armor en masse around the right flank of the Soviets, I got caught in a vicious crossfire between the guns on the rear slope and the far AT guns on the far side of the valley. If I had come over the top of the hill, I would have faced close assault by infantry and layered AT guns.

So...How do you attack a reverse slope defense? Any tips are welcome, I'm just frustrated.

Istari

[ September 14, 2003, 04:42 AM: Message edited by: istari ]

[walpurgis nacht]

I have not played Approach to Sevastopol, so I can't commit specifically on that scenario.

But, there is a general, absolute answer to your question:

You must flank the reverse slope in order to get direct fire support onto the enemy positions. How you do that just depends on the situation, but it is crucial that you do it.

[Fredrock1957]

Hey istari

I agree with the Walpurgis Night... you gotta get on the flank... without doing that then "you got cant beat em" I always try to flank even with a split squad or so <just for observation>, hell sometimes by the time i do it the game is up <smile>... but if not for that you can't really bust them... <why do you think this is the great tactic that it is>....

IMO

FredRocker

[TufenHuden]

arty always does well.....

[Björn Eriksson]

Read this!

[dieseltaylor]

Do not fear I have tried about three times and been kicked about a bit. The Sevastapol map does not allow any outflanking and is a bit of a bugger scenario- even against the AI.

I will try it again as I was recently challenged by someone to play as the Russians as he HAD won twice as the Germans [his 4 and5 attempts]. I am afraid he got slightly squashed as the Russians are very strong , as they would need to be if played by the AI.

I normally, in QB games, get at least three off-board mortars so that I can always use smoke to go over the top and it is very effective - you can of course use them for HE if no reverse slopes are a problem!!

[istari]

Thanks to all for the initial replies!

WalpurgisNight & FredRock - while flanking is a good general strategy, how do you deal with the counterslope defenses? I did try flanking the Soviet position (going to the L through the forest and around the hill), but ended up in a crossfire between the weapons on the reverse slope, and larger AT guns on the far slope across the valley (the counterslope). I tried to burst out with a host of armor at once to overwhelm them from the flank, but still got shot to pieces in the crossfire. I'm not sure that flanking between the two defense lines is a good idea.

Bjorn - That linked thread by JasonC looks particularly good- I'm going to read that over more carefully and post some thoughts. As always, he offers a superb analysis.

DieselTaylor - Thanks for the moral support, mate. Nice to hear others had problems with this scenario as well. How does smoking the summit help with attacking a reverse slope defense? It seems to me that the whole point for the defender is to shorten the range so you can offer a point-blank volley, and smoking the ridge would seem to offer exactly the same benefit to the defender. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding your use of mortar smoke?

Istari