How should heavy weapons move on the battlefield?

[Teggy]

I'm definitely a bit of a newbie in understanding battlefield formations. I just purchased a copy of "The Oxford Companion to World War II," and was reading up on platoons, squads, etc. I don't have the book in front of me, but I believe it said that rifle companies often included a heavy weapons platoon composed of two MMGs and two mortars. If this is the case, how are these platoons used in battle?

In addition, how were HMGs generally deployed? What about anti-tank teams? Artillery spotters?

Lay it on me...

[Barrold]

The best advice I can provide off the top of my head would be to look through some of the threads and follow links provided with some of these guys who answer regurarily. There are some nice sites in which tutorials of the exact nature you might be seeking. A lot of effort has been put into the thought and the theory of doing well at this cool game.

Anyway, welcome to the community and to the often useless and entertaining conversations held here.

BDH

[Keith]

You might want to post your message in the Tactics and Strategy message board for more responses. Generaly speaking, on the defense support weapons such as mortars, AT guns, infantry guns, etc. should be deployed behind a screen of infantry. MGs can be deployed on the flanks with converging, interlocking fields of fire.

On the offense, support weapons should only move once the rifle squads have cleared the way. Support weapons can provide a base of fire using overwatch to cover an infantry assault.

Check out the following website for thorough discussions on tactics from a REAL professional

http://www.geocities.com/fpd131/

Go to the archives section and download his series of articles on infantry on the attack.

[ February 08, 2002, 02:22 PM: Message edited by: Keith ]

[CMplayer]

Here are a few pretty standard (I believe) ideas:

Give your MG teams long fields of fire, and engage with them at range. On the attack, they may need to move forward to reach a good support position. Don't put them in the first wave, as they can't run. The 50 cal, and to a lesser extent the vickers and HMG42 can penetrate lightly armored vehicles. If you have 50cal teams think about placing them to kill halftracks, thin skinned SP guns and the like.

Set up on-board mortars in groups (ideally with an HQ to spot for them) and use them together 2-4 barrels at a time to take out guns and suppress infantry in woods and jobs like that. This doesn't apply as much to the brit 2" mortar which can hang with the platoon HQ and then go right onto the line with a rifle section to support a standoff firefight with enemy infantry. And if you're british infantry you'll be needing that extra bit of umph.

Depending on terrain and the lethality of the fight you might want to have your OBA spotters keep up with the second wave of infantry, or you might put them in cover on a hill, or in a 2 story building with good LOS.

AT teams (shreck, zook, piat) can advance together with platoon HQs, and be deployed first when they have a purpose. They can do more than just kill vehicles. The are good against bunkers and guns, and can set light buildings on fire if you're lucky and pump all your ammo into it on area fire.

[MikeyD]

after all this time I still have trouble using my light on-board mortars, especially if there's lots of ground cover. Often the enemy will appear suddenly one hedge over and I find my mortars are too close to use. Then, when I reposition them further back the enemy's out of LOS again! Grrrr...

Two tricks you have to learn with those mortars. How to keep them from lagging too far behind the infantry, and where to place them for most effective coverage.

[Teggy]

Thanks very much for the tips. I see I very much misunderstood how these assets should be used.

[Urban Shocker]

Read Rommel's book "Attack" for ideas on how to use MG's on offense and defense. The book is about his WWI experiences but the lessons are applicable to WWII.