Digging-in or staying put ?

[SuperIke]

Hi guys,

I have only a few games of experience with the PzC system and I enjoy it immensely. Glad to have found this site and other players (I enjoy playing against the AI to get to know scenarios, but playing against a human is a vastly different challenge).

One thing is bugging me since the beginning. I do often end up with areas not strong enough to go on the offensive, so I'm thinking that in those places I should dig in.

The problem is that your units only fire and defend at half-value while digging in. So if enemy units are adjacent, they might as well assault you on the cheap when they see you digging in and get you out before you get into improved positions ! Digging in these occasions defeats the purpose, isn't it ?

What do you guys think ? With adjacent enemy units, is it better just staying put rather than digging in and providing the enemy with an easier target while you're busy digging these foxholes ? In your experience, does it make any difference ?

[Ricky B]

I avoid digging in with the enemy nearby unless there is nothing in the way of IPs or Trenches in the hex, and I have more than one defending unit. If only one defender I will almost never dig in in the front lines. But other players will dig in anyway, and some use it on the offense, digging in next to my defenders - I have never really tried that method of "attacking" but it can work.

I have had success in assaulting digging in defenders, and welcome the sight, knowing it gives me at least one chance to push the enemy back on the cheap.

Rick

[Mr Grumpy]

Also worth consideration is the fact that digging in units gain fatigue and also units with high fatigue cannot recover from fatigue, so another reason maybe to not dig in in certain circumstances?? :chin:

[Xaver]

Well, digging needs time, time and no enemy presence (arty is the diggers killer) but sometimes it could be a good idea, take a vital point needs all defense that you can give or repair a bad initial deploy in a scenario (allways see if all defensive works are at 100% not allways are in a good situation).

Use fatiged units for dig is a bad idea, you have less chance to made the defensive works and the unit cant reduce fatige and receive replacements (i never understand the second rule, what have in common dig and receive replacements???).

But dont worry, if the enemy has a big roller you dont need break your head in the to dig or not to dig dilema

[SuperIke]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I draw two conclusions out of this:

-Preferably dig in when no enemy is around

-If you need to dig in with enemy adjacent, better have other units in the same hex to prevent your digging unit of being assaulted on the cheap.

[Xaver]

Well, you have the classic way to use digging but isnt God word, sometimes when you need it you can break the points.

PD: the problem with digging vs assault is that units digging is that units defend/fire only with 50%.

[James Ward]

My rule of thumb is if it's not moving it's digging in!

[Xaver]

Hahahaha me too, a busy soldier is a happy soldier of course in night turns you need to asume if are a low % of digging left it, increase fatige for no dig is a waste of resources or if defensive works are weak like in Middle East or in.... Tobruk??? -20% in trench dont compensate risks in 1st line.

[James Ward]

Getting dug in intitially doesn't seem to be much of a problem, 1-2 turns in most cases, so I dig all night long if they aren't on the front. I just tell'em to rest after!

[Mr Grumpy]

Getting dug in intitially doesn't seem to be much of a problem, 1-2 turns in most cases, so I dig all night long if they aren't on the front. I just tell'em to rest after!

Well this will depend on luck due to the different digging in % in the PDT, some are as low as 10% in T41 i believe. ;)