[Discussion] How to improve urban combat in PzC/MC

[Dog Soldier]

I think JDR and Aetius have hit the heart of the matter. Urban terrain with fortifications, whether set by scenario design or built in game like TRENCHES, can make incoming direct fire nearly ineffective. There will be the lucky disruption from artillery. This is why multiple units must defend the hexes of the city. Reduction by assault on undisrupted defenders takes time, fatigue and losses on the attackers. If the defense has supply and some artillery, the job is much harder for th attacker.

If you have a multi hex urban area, either RUBBLE the approach avenues with your artillery when the enemy arrives or defend the outskirts forcing the enemy to forgo artillery to disrupt you or risk RUBBLE in the edge of city while you simply retreat next turn into fortifications and make the attacker climb over the RUBBLE to get at you. As attackers become exhausted and need to be replaced, a few turns can be bought due to the difficulty of moving over that RUBBLE.

Urban defenses can be murderous for the attackers in PzC/MC. With proper preparation, the attackers best asset, his mobility to threaten multiple hexes can be severely reduced allowing the defense to concentrate along interior lines. One may not always "win" as the defender in an urban battle. But causing the enemy boatloads of casualties, tying down attacking forces five times the defenders size can lead to local superiority elsewhere for overall scenario success as the defender.

Dog Soldier