Field fortification (manual - how to do)

[Alex]

I want to show some variants of field fortification objects that I use in my scenarios. And I suggest to post here your ideas of field fortifications.

1st it's a caponiers (tank trench) it gives additional protection for vehicle from the front and full protection from the sides. Also caponier complicates spotting to enemy, and give some more protection from the air strikes.

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I try many different variants of this object and only this type works good.

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Also need remember, that different vehicles had different profile height, and to BMP-1/2 need trench smaller depth.

[Alex]

2nd here additional protection for bunkers. It give same effect.

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"blindages" (shelters), it should placed in trenches for hiding from artillery and air strikes.

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If shelter placed not far then 30-40m, from front line, infantry can hide there automatically (AI can send them there), when fight will be is too hot.

[Alex]

And here some info how all it fortification used at soviet FM:

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And here http://www.battlefront.com/community/showpost.php?p=1158029&postcount=44

I hope it will be useful for scenario designers.

[Ryujin]

Very nice! This will certainly come in handy, especially with setting up static AI so that they stand something of a chance.

Thisis probably more western, a hull- and turret-down position (probably best for human players). Adjust the depth of the turret down section based on vehicle optics, the idea is to allow observation with minimal exposure, so either leave the highest optics (like the thermal GPS and commanders vison blocks on this T-72 pictured) exposed. For more protection or if there are no good optics (T-62 for example) you can make the tank completely hidden at the turret down position, so that the commander has to turn out to look over the top.

Use: You start with the tank in the turret down section looking for threats, when spotted, reverse up enough to fire, then move forward again to the turret down position to reload and observe for the next shot.

[Alex]

2 Ryujin

It's important moment, I don't know why, but 'caponier' give good protection only if it have ground wall at front (how it showed in my 1st post), if not enemy hit and spot tank faster (maybe it's some CM engine bug) I was tested it many time.

Idea with down position is good, for human.

Also need to remember, that lite vehicles (BMP, BTR) try to go back if they see a strong enemy (tank for example), and human player can return it back, but AI can not.

[Ryujin]

That seems odd, you would think that since all the shells have good ballistic calculations they would still strike the front 'wall' of the position, even if the tank was a little further away from the wall. I'll probably try a few tests to see how it behaves.

I didn't think of the AI's tendency to reverse when seeing a threat, I guess this makes it pointless to entrench anything other than a tank, especially with AI.

[Alex]

I don't know, I just do many test, where I do a different caponier types and tank in "my" type live longer, then in another types (enemy faster spot and hit it).

And by the way I suggest use for tests only old soviet tanks, because they have no so good optics and gun and you will see more clear who live longer.

[c3k]

Thank you!

[Thomm]

Good work, guys! Very interesting!

Best regards,

Thomm

[Alex]

some more:

At first - illustration of 'caponier' effective protection:

T-55(1974) at screen, take a 4min fight with 3 Chellendger-2 at range about ~1000m, kill one of them and take 1 hit (not fatal) and many other was miss, and only after that was destroyed.

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Miss me!

And new fortification idea strengthen a building:

You can strengthen a building by low walls, it give more protection from small arms to infantry.

Also if you do special fortification building (checkpoint / blockpost at rus) you should use narrow windows type.

like it

[Splinty]

Really good ideas! And based in actual doctrine too, will try to build a scenario based on this!

[souldierz]

The low walls around buildings I think is a good idea for fortifying a building better.It does make engagements last longer as the soldiers become hard to hit.It can force you to take another approach to the situation instead of just area firing until everyone is dead and gone.These are some good ideas and as a player of missions designed by everyone, I would love to see new tricks and fortifications used.The more ideas the better and anything that can keep a player on his toes and pondering is welcomed.

I wonder what other little tricks people come up with,because these are good.

[theFightingSeabee]

Great!

I'd also like your thoughts on crew served weapons positions. How would you fortify a position for a .50 cal or Mk19?

[Alex]

Ok, take new fortification ideas:

Trench's

this object have one lacks - trench not so deep and infantry have insufficient protection, especial when you need change your position (at back or at another position). This lack can be eliminated - need do a low ground walls/embankment (in Russia we call it "brustver", I don't know how it calls at West) at sides of trench, at passes (not at front because infantry cannot fire through a wall):

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Now about heavy infantry weapons, I think you can do 2 variants:

1st how it can be done at trench:

2nd at open ground (this is not my idea, it was in Marines campaign)

[Alex]

"Brustver" illustration:

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Also you can use sacks with sand to give more protection from the small arms to your infantry in trench:

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Here an example of fortification MehINF platoon positions:

[Alex]

Also I want give a link on Alek post, where he write about soviet defense tactic http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=88746&page=10 (it's interesting :-) ) .

[Jonny(FGM)]

Great tips alex, i'll make sure to use them at some point

[afreu]

Great idea. I especially like the layout for the MehINF platoon defensive position!

[theFightingSeabee]

Thanks Alex! This is a very good tutorial. I have an old scenario that I never released because my fortifications were nearly worthless. Next time I decide to work on it, I'll use your ideas.

[Alex]

You are welcome ;-)

[snake_eye]

Hi, Alex,

Very useful tips. I had used some you gave me, at the time, for the scenario about the Taliban's tactical assault.

It is easier thought to reinforce the houses with low stonewalls running around, than to move the sandbags. Yet, these are nice looking and enhance the visual immersion of the player. I have seen lately a stone wall inside one of the house, being right in the middle of the room ! I had not been aware of it being there. But it had a counter effect, in the way that when the Taliban's inside got hammered, they got the full impact and 80% of them were wounded. The windows were not narrowed. That might explain the casualties.

I had also, used hunker down positions for the Brads in another scenario (El derjine counter attack). I had set, after few trials, about the same height differences you are showing. However, the result was mitigated. They were brew quite instantly in some spot and stayed a little bit longer on others. I think they should have stayed alive a bit longer if they were firing flank shots and not been in a full straight forward view of the enemy. I must say, that I did not register the kills they made, if they made them.

Will try to make bettter in practice your new advices

Keep on giving so more

Cheers

[Alex]

Yes, I remember, bay the way it's (Taliban assault) very cool scenario ;-)

I already have one new idea about trenches, when I test it I'll necessarily show it ;-)

[Alex]

So here a upgrade of trench modification idea:

The idea is to do protection not only to a passes, but also to a frontal trenches. In game frontal firefight with blue forces it's perniciously for red infantry, red firepower is much lower then blue and red weapons usual can't kill blue armor at front, and so red needs shoot at flank. And we can make trenches in such a manner that to give them such possibility: do a ground walls/embankment at front of trench with interval - "Shooting cell".

In this image you can see different (3) variants of trench frontal protection. You can use only one type or combination it at platoon defense positions.

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Oh and bay the way, maybe not all know it, but if infantry stay on the ground, when you press in game "Red button" ("battle start"), soldiers do a little personal trenches under it self.

[LongLeftFlank]

Nice work! Is the English term "breastworks" (i.e. defensive "works" that protect infantry up to "breast" or chest height) equivalent to your term "brustvar?" by any chance.

There's also the French term "parapet".

[Alex]

I don't know precisely, but I think you are right - 'brustver' it's analog of 'parapet' and seems that english term is 'breastworks' (on-line translator showed me breastworks-like-brustver).