ambush markers? and best practice

[ned lud]

Im trying ambush markers for the first time without much luck.

How do you cancel ambush markers once they have been placed on the ground ??

Maybe the 'vets' out there could share some best practice knowledge...?

[Scott B]

Short answer: ignore them, and they'll go away.

Untargeted ambush markers disappear at the end of the turn.

[CombinedArms]

I have to say that I've found it hard to use ambush markers effectively. Often, when, for example, your tank is waiting for the enemy tank to reach the ambush marker, the enemy tank takes a slightly different route, and it plugs you before you can shoot it. If your tank had been free to fire, it would have killed the enemy tank, but because of the ambush command, it loyally held fire and died as a consequence. Also, an enemy infantry squad can accidently trip your ambush marker and blow your ambush on the AFV.

So, my conclusions:

1. Don't use the "ambush" command in tank to tank (or other AFV) bushwhacks. Instead, either leave your tank free to choose its own target or simply pre-target the enemy tank you want to take out and wait for it to come into range. Your tank will lock on that target unless a more immediate threat appears.

2. It's a bit safer to use "ambush" with a hiding AT gun, since the ATG is likely to stay hidden if the ambush is evaded and you can then retarget next turn.

3. You can use ambush with a hidden zook team, but it's probably not necessary and may be harmful. A hiding zook will usually fire when it has a reasonable chance of killing enemy armor. And I think it's both safer and more effective to give the unit freedom of action (unless maybe Green or Conscript?).

4. Maybe the best use of the ambush command is actually anti-infantry, in conjunction with, say, mortars. You can set up an ambush combining hidden small arms and mortars that can really clobber an approaching infantry force. Even this has its limits, though, since all the fire will come down on the ambush point, and the enemy infantry is likely to pull back quickly from that point--like a cat jumping off a hot stove. So even here, you may be better off waiting for the infantry to come in while you stay hidden. Then either the inf will get in range and you can target it next turn, or your hidden units will feel threatened and start shooting on their own. That fire will stay on real targets, rather than hammering an empty point.

In sum, there are few situations where the "ambush" command doesn't seem to do more harm than good, and none I can think of where it's really essential. Hidden AT guns vs. tanks may be its best use, as long as you're pretty sure infantry won't trigger it.

Just my current views. Maybe someone else has had more luck with the "ambush" command, or has some better ideas for how to use it?

(BTW, if you cancel the targeting of an ambush, the marker stays there for the balance of the turn but it won't actually be used. It goes away next turn.)

[olandt]

Hi,

If you want a nice scenario for an ambush, try Xmas at Hemroulle (comes with the game) as the Americans. Be sure to hide you hellcats and try to ambush the germans along the main road down the middle with your howitzers. You may need to give the germans some inticement to get them down the road. Engage with a hellcat and retreat it before it dies. If your ambush works right it can be very satisfying. You don't actually NEED the ambush command to do this, but it's the best example I've seen so far.

Pete

[Agua]

Armour ambush has worked pretty well for me, but I have been pretty discriminating as to when I employ it. I *think* I have read somewhere on this forum that the unit will fire on anything that comes within something like 15(?) meters of the outter edge of the marker (that number could be wrong as hell, but there is a periphery outside the contours of the visible marker). If you reserve armour ambush for spots where it is *really* obvious where the opponent is going to go, OR the opponent has only one option of advance, then the use of armoured targets for ambush works real well (duh!). I resoundingly agree with CA though to the extent you've got a situation where you'll end up in plain LOS and you're just *think* the enemy will probably pass through a certain spot. Yeah, in that situation, you'll be better off not plotting ambush and/or specific targetting.

Note however, if you're expecting the enemy to appear from a specific direction, if you're NOT concerned with giving away your position, you can choose "area fire" on the tank and then when the dialog box requests whether you want to use the main gun, choose "NO". The tank will use its MG to fire at that area so you won't have a problem with delay due to the turret being in a different direction from the axis of the enemy's armoured approach.

[Cybeq]

I usually use ambush with infantry AT units. Order them to hide then have them target an ambush marker. To cancel an ambush simply cancel their targeting order.

The main drawback of the ambush command is lack of flexability, i.e. your ambush is at 12:00 and enemy approaches from 6:00. That's bad news. So, in situations demanding flexability I just hide my units and let them open up when they want to. I save ambushes for road intersections and bridges in defend situations only.

[CombinedArms]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Agua:

Note however, if you're expecting the enemy to appear from a specific direction, if you're NOT concerned with giving away your position, you can choose "area fire" on the tank and then when the dialog box requests whether you want to use the main gun, choose "NO". The tank will use its MG to fire at that area so you won't have a problem with delay due to the turret being in a different direction from the axis of the enemy's armoured approach.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agua,

This is quite interesting. Does this mean the hull MG will remain locked on the area target, while the turret will be free to rotate in response to threats? I almost always tell the tank to use the main gun, so maybe I've been overlooking something.

Not sure how it would actually be used in an ambush situation, though, since disclosing your position would more or less negate the possibility of ambush. Were you thinking mostly of non-ambush, here?

[Agua]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CombinedArms:

Agua,

This is quite interesting. Does this mean the hull MG will remain locked on the area target, while the turret will be free to rotate in response to threats? I almost always tell the tank to use the main gun, so maybe I've been overlooking something.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually, I didn't specify that this works only with tanks that have a turret mounted MG such as some Sherms. The turret will spray MG fire at an area. The advantage gained is that the turret is already facing the area you are expecting the approaching enemy armour from, while still free to choose some other target if an immediate threat presents itself from an unexpected direction.

Not sure how it would actually be used in an ambush situation, though, since disclosing your position would more or less negate the possibility of ambush. Were you thinking mostly of non-ambush, here?

[Brujay]

Interesting. I just today (in an email game) had my first success with a tank-to-tank ambush marker. As has been said above, usually the rat avoids the trap. But when you get lucky and an enemy tank rolls right on to you marker, it's beautiful. There's almost no firing delay, maybe 1 1/2 - 2 seconds. Of course if you don't get a kill all bets are off.

[nedlam]

Using the markers are only 10% of what's required to set up and effective ambush. location, timing, execution, escape. All these have to come into play when your trying execute an ambush.

Ambushes are a great tool too, one which cannot be ignored. I once laid waste to an entire armored column with just one platoon of regular SS troops. Of course that depends on how you calculate a victory. I destroyed a few large pieces of armor, several light vehicles and cause some casualties to his infantry. The big victory was in the delay I cause and the mass confusion that followed my attack. (note: It wasn't just the one platoon per se, I did coordinate the attack with a FO dropping rockets on the area right after I got my men out of there. It was so close a few rockets made my boys duck as well)

Besides it's fun to watch it all come together and watch the other guy panic (I've been on the receiving end of an ambush and it aint fun)

Nedlam

"I soiled my armor!"

~Sir Robin