From the Front - Smoke

[Dog Soldier]

From the Front is a discussion of Tactics and mechanics of the Panzer Battles Game series.

Today I will be discussing the use of smoke in PzB Battles of Kursk - Southern Front.

Smoke in PzB is a bit tricky to get used to as smoke use in other games people have experienced can be different. That knowledge carry over can make for unexpected results.

There are many uses for smoke. Covering your advance, covering your retreat, moving that important gun that has to limber to a new position, or just to annoy your opponent.
And many, many more...

Here is an example.
This is the situation before the Russian turn. Panzers appeared over the ridge and are staring at your positions.


Smoke is only useful in PzB if it is placed between the units to block LOS. In the image below smoke was placed in the panzers hexes. This will not change the LOS for the panzers.


The best way to block the panzers in their turn is to place smoke as shown below. all Soviet units are now hidden from the panzers.


Many times a commander must be economical with their use of smoke. There is never enough smoke.
Here is an example of using three smoke rounds. There are many different ways to accomplish this effect. Some of the benefits of the demonstrated method are:

1. The three more powerful panzer units on the right of the German line are now screened from firing on the Soviet artillery.
   
2. The smaller HQ Panzer is the only unit with a LOS to the Soviet artillery positions. It is restricted to just one of the two forward gun positions.
   
3. The panzers have to decide to move up close and risk point blank artillery fire or hope the Soviet guns on the right are limbering so they can catch them.
   
4. The Soviet armored car can easily move away after spotting the panzers for artillery barrages.
   

The down side considerations of this placement for the Soviet are:

1. The HQ panzer unit on the left can spot for an artillery or air strike on the left Soviet gun position.
   
2. The panzers can send one unit, the PzII (second tank from the left), into a smoke hex and then attempt to use the recon spotting action to acquire the Soviet right hand gun position again. In this example the PzII is a recon designated unit.
   

Here is the same situation using only two smoke rounds. Only the two panzer units on the right are blocked from seeing the Soviet guns. This may be the best one can do when the smoke allotment is running out or needs to be conserved.


Now the Soviet player will try to make the best of only one smoke round. Note in the following series of images how the different panzers individual unit LOS has been affected. The panzer unit highlighted with the red square around it is the active unit in each image. The light colored hexes are the LOS seen for that unit.






Here is another example using a tank encounter.


The Soviet use of smoke does hide the T-34s from being shot from the panzer current locations in the image below. However this use of smoke has several bad side effects.

1. The T-34s are more blind than the panzers. If the panzers rush the T-34s in the next Axis turn, the Soviets will be in unable to take opportunity shots until the panzers are right on top of them.
   
2. The panzers are free to maneuver as the Soviet units are the ones more affected by the smoke screen that the panzers.
   

A better placement of smoke shown below, blocks the panzers LOS to the T-34's. The panzers will be vulnerable to closer range fire if the panzers try to maneuver around or go through the smoke screen. Entering the smoke hex provides the panzers with no protection. The T-34s will be free to shoot at the panzer with defensive fire if the panzers advance into any of the smoke hexes.


There are many more ways to use smoke. Post your favorite smoke use in this thread.

Add comments or ask questions about specific situations encountered in the use of smoke in this thread. We are all learning the way the Panzer Battles game system works. There is much more depth to the mechanics. The subtleties of good tactics can be discovered by the more one plays with the game.

Dog Soldier