Attacking

[Ratzki]

b) The tests do not give the advancing troops any support. Again, no commander worth their salt would send a platoon, let alone a whole company, into unknown terrain without ordering other units to give them supporting fire; either by area fire as they advance in order to keep any potential defenders heads down, or on overwatch so that they will return fire should an unseen enemy open up.

In either case the defenders shouldn't have total surprise and if they do manage it they they shouldn't be able to bring their full firepower to bear against the advancing units for any length of time.

Yes, that I agree with that, the only thing that you can really test with this is the initial few shots fired at the advancing troops and how well each movement mode uses what cover there is in open ground because after contact the MTC troops are no longer moving and therefore out of the test. If I had to cross significant open ground I would want a numbers advantage somewhere in the area of 2.5:1 or 3:1 or with that not possible, some sort of heavy weapon or two to suppress the enemy. I think that I can move infantry around not bad (letting the AI pick your forces and playing the Russians 90% of the time forces you to do it) and I can cross a fair amount of open ground under fire and I rarely use MTC. First off, I do not really care where the enemy is, if I am in good cover and or out of LOS why would you use MTC. If I am moving towards a position where my guys could be fired at or into a possible enemy position, I advance with overwatch etc. MTC is used for drawing fire from last known position markers when my men are in position to deal with whatever jumps up.