Building Demolishing

[Horncastle]

I was wondering about the validity of some of my tactics. Regardless of what side I play generally I try to demolish as many buildings as possible. I generally use my tanks as artillery, holding a line and blasting any buildings that could hold infantry, and open up LOS then slowly advance repeating the procedure. Is this a bit unrealistic, my concern is if the objective is to take a town, is flattening it going to leave in realism terms a useless objective?

[PeterNZer]

Nope, I don't think it's unrealistic

Oh, an annecdote.

My grandma lived in west germany as the allies approached. As they got to a town they'd say "surrender or we'll blow ya up".. and if the town surrendered, the troops would walk in (including scary black men.. scary till they handed out chocolate haha). If the town was staunchly Nazi, then it would just get blown to crap, THEN the allies would walk in.

I dont think flatening the town is unreasonable.

PeterNZ

[This message has been edited by PeterNZer (edited 10-16-2000).]

[Popper]

This is a particularly Russian tactic. They were rather famous for wheeling Katyushas up and demolishing anything and everything before rolling over it with T34's and pssh pssh brigades.

Can't wait for CM2.

[hughesjo]

I'd say it's a valid, if nasty tactic. My grandfather fought in the european theater and his group had the attitude of "Hey, we'd rather not fight, but if you make us, kiss your town good bye". Usually after destroying half the town they'd surrender, except in a few circumstances

[Bertram]

The tactic is frowned upon though if you are fighting in friendly territory, e.g. french, begium or dutch. You are there to liberate them, not to blow their houses apart.

Bertram (from the Netherlands)

[This message has been edited by Bertram (edited 10-23-2000).]

[PeterNZer]

I've been reading a few AARs (real life ones) where blowing buildings was a standard tactic.

In Casino, in their words, they "sniped with the 8inch". Yup, one howitzer, good fire control.. slowly move it on taget and then blow the **** out of the enemy across the street.

any kind of city/town fight most would assume the civilians are gone, and if the enemy is in the town, no holds barred.

PeterNZ

[Jackal]

While on active duty this tactic was preferred. If available, Naval gunfire, Air strikes, artillery, tanks, and then local means (hand grenades, AT weapons). We always trained blowing the hell out of a building prior to stepping into it.

[109 Gustav]

When on the offence, I often destroy buildings that are right by victory flags if my tanks have lots of HE and if they aren't occupied at the moment It's almost a sure bet that the enemy will have troops in there to hold the flag, and when the building collapses, units take 60-95% casualties, depending on which floor they're on.

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There is no teacher but the enemy. No one but the enemy will tell you what the enemy is going to do. No one but the enemy will ever teach you where you are weak. Only the enemy tells you where he is strong. And the rules of the game are what you can do to him and what you can stop him from doing to you. -Ender's Game