Defense vs Offense

[Andrew]

Reading a couple of recent posts about play balance has re ignited a concern I have had for a while now. I can't offer empirical data to demonstrate it, but to me after playing this series for almost 10 years, the offense seems to have the advantage over the defense. It always seems very tough winning as the defender.

Related to this, I have always also felt that digging in doesn't provide enough effective combat benefit. Sure it gives you a percentage defensive benefit but I believe prepared positions should also provide some sort of offensive firepower bonus as well. In prepared positions firepower is enhanced with pre-prepared fire lanes, pre-registerd fire control points and better knowledge of terrain and avenues of approach etc etc etc. It certainly should allow a prepared unit to inflict more casualties on a target unit than one which is not prepared or even engaging while advancing.

A potential solution to both these concerns would be to give a dug in defender an offensive firepower bonus of say half the defensive bonus of a position i.e. a position with 20% defensive benefit also delivers 10% firepower bonus. This would bolster the defense and make assaults on prepared positions a more challenging and costly prospect. Seems a sensible solution to both concerns.

Would be interested if anyone else feels the same about balance and if they agree the dug in firepower bonus is both sensible and a way to address it.

Regards
Andrew