Assaulting a trench

[Valgua]

Well, as an old CC player (how many are we on this forum?) I miss the ambush feature. The enemy tanks spots my AT guns immediately. Id like to have more options for the infantry as well. I played the first battle in the German campaign and I had problems using my infantry against the enemy trenches. In CC the normal approach would have been to launch a smoke granade and assault with various squads. Without smoke this tactic is a suicide. How do you behave? Do you simply avoid contact with entrenched infantry? Do you assault from various directions (didn't work in my case)? I tried to soften the resistance with artillery but that didn't work either. By the way I'd like the possibility to be notified when my soldiers kills someone (as it is, if I've not missed something, you get a message only when a unit of yours gets killed).

Filippo

P.S. I've downloaded the game but I've still to recieve the e-mail from BFC...

[Artie]

I soften the defend with the artillery and advance with infantry behind tanks. (Left flank, front squad was providing covering fire). It works fine

[Elmar Bijlsma]

If you haven't the supporting fire to take those in the trench out then at least provide suppressing fire of some sort. It might not kill any defenders, it'll weaken their fire.

Anyhow, taking a trench solely with infantry can be a costly business. Just as you would expect in RL, why do you think people keep digging them?

[DeLaVega]

Trenches.

At first I played the Whirlwind Mission. It was the one from the video (what I realized afterwards) and had a hill with ...trenches.

Then I started the german campaign, I am in the fourth or fifth mission now and everytime you have to attack trenches. The only change is the scripted arrive of reinforcements which brings some sort of small tank battles.

As I posted somewhere else, I really hope that not all missions include trenches. What about meeting engagements? Did someone have such kind of mission yet?

If there should be only missions with trenches it would be really a lack of replayability, fun and ... mission design. :-(

[Valgua]

Originally posted by Elmar Bijlsma:

If you haven't the supporting fire to take those in the trench out then at least provide suppressing fire of some sort. It might not kill any defenders, it'll weaken their fire.

Anyhow, taking a trench solely with infantry can be a costly business. Just as you would expect in RL, why do you think people keep digging them?

Of course, but in RL I would use a smoke screen (in all honesty I don't know how much smoke screens were used in WW2) or a base of fire to protect the advance. My experience with ToW is still very very limited (2 battles) so I was just asking how you use the in game tools, so to say. What I didn't realize was (but please confirm) that you can in fact implement a base using the area fire option.

Filippo

[Cameroon]

Originally posted by DeLaVega:

Trenches.

At first I played the Whirlwind Mission. It was the one from the video (what I realized afterwards) and had a hill with ...trenches.

Then I started the german campaign, I am in the fourth or fifth mission now and everytime you have to attack trenches. The only change is the scripted arrive of reinforcements which brings some sort of small tank battles.

As I posted somewhere else, I really hope that not all missions include trenches. What about meeting engagements? Did someone have such kind of mission yet?

If there should be only missions with trenches it would be really a lack of replayability, fun and ... mission design. :-(

I haven't run into any trenches yet in the Allies campaign (2 battles in).

[Cameroon]

To address the question of AT guns - de-crew them at the start and then crew them when the tanks get into range. I'm going to build a test mission to see how well they actually hide and whether or not bushes and trees help.

I have had success with them, however. It was more of a meeting engagement type battle so they were hooked to transport. Both got off a good number of shots that hit and one managed to survive.

[Redonmyhead]

the first 2 training missions, my infantry always expire rapidly. my tanks survive but none of my infantry. I advance with my tanks to the trenches while my troops are catching up. but they just perish so quickly and never make it to advance where the tanks r at. Do I need to set my light tanks back to suppress fire instead of trying to flank? Do I need to crawl with my infantry? Should I avoid hitting the assualt button till they're close to the trenches? I've tried to move my infantry to the left side and then go up and flank the enemy but they still all die. Do I need to hold fire or change my formation (which I have)? I know I'm a noob, is this normal? any pointers?

[Redonmyhead]

never mind, went through the walkthrough preview.

[DrD]

I've not played yet but I have some tips from RL and other games:

Suppressive fire is the most important concept. AT LEAST 1/2 your troops should be in a good position laying down covering fire while the other half advance. I've often used a ratio more like 1/3 advance, 2/3 base of fire.

I've not seen the map, but if possible the trench should be flanked by the assault group and taken from the side or rear.

Remember the 4 F's:

Find

Fix (suppress)

Flank

Finish

[FinnN]

Bah! Mass as many troops together as possible and precede your full frontal assault with a heavy bombardment (if available, not forgetting to cease fire soon enough so there's no chance of any friendly fire incidents). Once you punch a hole through the front line your cavalry can mop up the retreating enemy who simply don't have the nerve for an old fashioned bayonet charge.

[Elementalism]

I got smoked in my first trench assault. Then i decided to think it through a bit. I did the old CM tactic of laying down area fire on positions with my tanks at range and flanking with infantry.

This greatly reduced my casualty rates.

It is funny because I am so used to CM where you watch for 1 min, then spend an hour making your next decision. I keep forgetting I need to micromanage my troops a bit better and keep those tanks changing targets

[Jacques Lacan]

Originally posted by FinnN:

Bah! Mass as many troops together as possible and precede your full frontal assault with a heavy bombardment (if available, not forgetting to cease fire soon enough so there's no chance of any friendly fire incidents). Once you punch a hole through the front line your cavalry can mop up the retreating enemy who simply don't have the nerve for an old fashioned bayonet charge.

This has a strangely familiar ring to it.

[ParaBellum]

Originally posted by FinnN:

Bah! Mass as many troops together as possible and precede your full frontal assault with a heavy bombardment (if available, not forgetting to cease fire soon enough so there's no chance of any friendly fire incidents). Once you punch a hole through the front line your cavalry can mop up the retreating enemy who simply don't have the nerve for an old fashioned bayonet charge.

[gunnersman]

First...put the game on easy...