From the Front - Bunker Assault!

[Dog Soldier]

Turn One
Engineers begin their work identifying and lifting the mines for the assault troops to approach the bunkers and anti-tank ditch next turn. There are only four engineer platoons currently engaged in this work. Another platoon of each of the forward the engineer companies are in reserve. A third engineer company is moving up to assist next turn. Having a reserve instead of pushing all engineer units forward immediately, grants the attackers flexibility to respond to discovery of the defense in later turns.

figure 1

The highlighted units in the image below are all assault engineer platoons. Each is capable of breaching the anti-tank ditch or clearing additional discovered minefields.
Note the weight of AFVs positioned for this turn’s fire on the Russian occupied bunker in figure one above. Depending on the mix of hard attack weapons available to the attacking forces use as much as possible in a manner that will concentrate fire on a few selected hexes. If needed, spend a turn using smoke to blind the enemy so anti-tank guns can be brought up close to the bunkers and unlimbered safely. Assign all air strikes before making smoke to protect the attacking forces from either direct fire threats or observation by units calling in artillery. Be very careful not to place smoke where it will cover the defenders moving to the threatened sector in their turn. The attacking force wants to be able to maximize defensive shots in the other player’s turn to interdict reinforcements.
Sometimes, as is the case in the image above, the trade off of receiving enemy fire is considered worth it to be able to spot new defending positions or interdict moving enemy units.
In figure one the air units on the left are stuka attacks on suspected Soviet positions that could support the targeted defending bunker. The air unit on the right is a recon flight which will try to identify defenders both in front of the main assault and up on the hill next to the main assault point.

figure 2 All engineer platoons are highlighted.

In figures three and four are the line of sight (LOS & light shaded areas in figures three and four) of two motorcycle recon units which will try to spot more of the defensive works and defending units on the next turn. They are in a good position of the left flank. They can spot from there or move to the right to spot in the center. It will be important to check the attacking stacks to keep them below 50% of the stacking limit so they do not block the LOS of the recon troops.

figure 3

The recon unit in figure three is a combined unit of two platoons. Notice the numeral two (2) in the unit name.

figure 4
The recon unit in figure four is a single platoon sized unit.

Up next... The Soviet response and second Axis turn.

Dog Soldier