How to counter smoke?

[markshot]

I am playing as the Axis against the AI.

I am advancing up a road with my armored column of a couple of tanks and such.

The road is flanked on both sides with woods. At a bend up ahead, the allies have a strong point on the far side of the bend.

I've done fairly, well and have advanced my infantry up to the near side of the bend. My armor has neutralized a tank and a couple of tank destroyers which were around the bend.

So, I thought I would be able to pound the defenders on the far side of the bend with my tanks to reduce their numbers, supress them, and demoralize them. Then, I would bring my infantry across the road while covered by my tanks.

The AI put a crimp in my plans by dropping smoke on my tanks. Thus, they went blind. I advanced beyond the smoke and the AI just moved the smoke to match my tanks. Of course, I could keep moving my tanks up, but this would put me in range of bazookas hiding in the tree line.

So, how can I counter this smoke tactic? Due to the woods on both sides, I am unable to maneuver to other positions which might give me a LOS around the smoke. My infantry forces are not strong enough on their own to storm the enemy defenses. I realize that if I found the mortar team or FO that I might be able to put an end to the smoke, but I don't have any idea where they are.

What to do?

Thanks.

[MoatnGator]

Did you buy the tank with the big fan on it?

All kidding aside you have two options.

Wait with the tanks and manuever the infantry, or take out the FOs.

I choose both. I don't like to lose turns so try and bound around the village with a half squad. Go wide and follow with a the other half and another squad. Try and think like them and where you would put your FOs. If you have FOs of your own or mortars try and use them as well. Maybe put a mortar on the back of your tank and have the officer hide in the brink of the smoke in the trees. That way he can call fire support for the bounding Infantry squads.

All else fails, charge with the tanks and squads combined. If you already knocked out what you said, then there should not be too much left. I remember in the Army, we would lose a tank or two rolling through the smoke. It would give the infantry enough time to assault the objevtive though and take out the resistance,

[CrapGame]

Smoke them! Use your FO to drop smoke on their positions. They will not be able to tell when their screen dissipates, and thus will throw off their response. You may be able to use that lull as your opportunity to take their position.

[CombinedArms]

Another way to think about it:

If the infantry is too weak to assault, it's not necessarily too weak to SCREEN. Slip the infantry forward as a screening force to guard the tanks against zooks. Then bring the tanks in behind the infantry to provide fire support on the targets the infantry has identified. You could inch your infantry just to the edge of the smoke or beyond, then slide in the tanks. If the smoke keeps falling back toward the enemy position, that's also screening your advance.

Also, smoke doesn't last forever and it may be better than getting your infantry plastered by HE. Generally, I'll take smoke any day. So be patient, and forge ahead methodically with a screen of infantry and tanks behind.