Is assaulting Bunkers too hard ?

[panzerde]

In support of Ricky B's historical example, I think this article from the Imperial War Museum does a very good job describing what combat in Normandy was like. I've found that the game very much reflects what's described in this:

http://www.iwm.org.uk/history/tactics-an...n-normandy

It was in fact not at all unusual for small groups of defenders in fortified positions to hold out for extended periods of time. There are accounts in every single battle I've read about of German defenders being bypassed after holding up assaults for hours, and then holding on until night when they were able to escape back to their lines. Yes, some did surrender, but not in the wholesale manner that some seem to expect. This was particularly true with higher morale formations like 12-SS Panzer Hitlerjugend.

I'm right now playing the Canadians in a H2H game of Carpiquet. Moving my rifles companies in the open attracts concentrated German artillery fire that has reduced at least one company to about 50% strength and D morale. At least one of the platoons is at yellow fatigue. That's after just two turns of being exposed.

At the same time, about four turns of concentrated tank and AT gun fire from a single armored squadron has reduced a German MG unit - I suspect a company - to single digit defenders. Next turn I'm positioned to assault it with two mostly intact rifle companies (currently broken up as platoons but will be recombined for the assault) supported by Churchill Crocs. I doubt the defenders will be able to hold, and they certainly won't hold twice. That will put me inside the German bunker line and in a protected position to pour direct fire into the adjacent bunker. If I can reduce the defenders there in a couple of turns, even if I can't eliminate them, I can push past them with the rest of the battalion towards the objective at Carpiquet. This is just 7 turns into a 28 turn game.

And frankly, I'm not a very good player. The tactics do work.