Tips from the Frontline

[RNL Tiger]

Observations

In chess, you learn a great deal from annotating your games and playing through the annotated games of grandmasters. Of course, there is a significant knowing / doing gap. Just because I can read about what Grandmasters do and how they do it that does not mean that I can do it! However, the key point is to try and learn from mistakes, both yours and other peoples. So, what went right and what went wrong. In the email correspondence with POS:

Let me run through some of my main mistakes here - please add any I've missed! :-)
a) Split infantry forces across a wide front - should have gone for that "domino effect"
“You attacked the flag on your left with a powerful tank force, slaughtering my 3x T-34's there, that was good. But then you diverted your Tigs in a flank move instead of keeping them near the Stugs so you could blast my infantry at the flag and quickly take it.”

b) Split the tigers from the STuGs and then attacked without knowing where your second tank platoon was
“Yes it helps to know where the enemy is”

c) Focused too much on winning the armour battle and did not use armour to support the infantry
“Yes, you should have quickly and decisively steamrollered the flag after wiping out my T-34 platoon because my inf there were at your mercy without armour to back them up. But by not steamrolling you gave me precious time to hurl another T-34 across to that sector to act as a thorn in your side.”

Purchasing screen
a) Chose Tigers that are not well suited to this terrain
“Yes, they're best on open maps at long range. In Aug 1944 Tigs are not the invulnerable beasts they once were because the T-34/85 can adequately take them on at shorter ranges, so Panzer IV-longs are almost as good and much cheaper which means you can buy more of them (and they can easily penetrate 34/85's)”

b) Chose STuGs that are less flexible in this terrain than tanks because they are turret less
“Yes, Stugs are temptingly cheaper than tanks, but if enemy tanks can hit them in the side or rear they're dead ducks because it takes them 50 years to pivot to bring their gun to bear. Sometimes if I've got enough points left to buy something, I might buy a Stug or two, but I wouldn't buy too many”

c) Not happy with regular infantry but from the sound of it there is little point in paying more for veterans
“Right, I've tried vets/cracks/elites from time to time but I simply couldn't see much difference in performance, so I usually just buy Regs nowadays, with maybe the odd vet platoon or two thrown in.. However as regards support units, I always buy the best quality snipers and shreks/piats/bazookas available because they tend to do a lot better than low-quality forces”

What went well? There were a number of things that worked:
• Initial deployment of forces, including the left flank being turned by a platoon
• Deploying the tigers on left and winning the first tank fight
• Sharpshooter killed two tank commanders
• Massed armour on left flank

So, what about transforming these and other observations into steps for improvement:
• Armour – must be selected to match its strengths and weaknesses to the battle conditions, especially the terrain and weather. Exploit the armour fully in both its key functions during a meeting engagement: knocking out enemy armour and blasting the enemy infantry. In using armour to attack enemy armour try to determine where all of the enemy armour is to prevent unwanted surprises
• Infantry – mass sufficient infantry firepower to attack a single point and win the fire-fight, usually a 2-1 or greater advantage is needed. Spreading the infantry too thinly across the map means that they are tactically dispersed and consequently weaker. It is also harder to manoeuvre them into new positions once the engagement has started, which makes their initial deployment and movement all the more important
• Tactics – test any changes to the plan by asking why is the plan being changed and is it better than the original plan. As in chess, any move has its strengths and weaknesses is the balance right. Flanking moves that are made with surprise in mind must be especially tested because if the movement is observed then there is no surprise. Achieving coordination between infantry units and between infantry and armour is difficult. Take time to prepare the engagement by getting into the right positions and to get the timing right about when to initiate the fight. Without that preparation the attack is more likely to be piecemeal and defeated in detail
• Miscellaneous - always check the battlefield carefully for spotted enemy units and results of engagements, there may be units that can be saved or redeployed. If needed, test the armour or a unit’s expected performance in the Scenario Editor

Well, that engagement has finished; learnt some lessons; so now it is time to enter the cauldron of war again.