Extreme Assault Tactics - What Works Best?

[Kool Kat]

Gents: :smoke:

What tactics work best when utilizing Extreme Assault?

Personally, I don't play many games with EA... but might if I knew effective EA tactics and strategies? :chin:

Please... please... please... No "I love EA" or "I hate EA" posts! I'm not interested in folks either "praising" or "bashing" this optional rule! :eek1:

Instead, would like to hear from generals who have employed effective EA tactics on the battlefield. :2guns:

What works best? What does not work so well?

Let's get a dialogue going! :cool2:

[Crossroads]

I seldomly assault when using the EA... But when I do, I have oftentimes put so much effort in planning to get that particular hex that I have a very good success ratio

I recommend studying the two assault related docs in the manuals subfolder once again.

My tactics 101: in addition of using units with a strong assault factor, I try to get several disrupts on the defending unit, starting with heavy arty, continuing with MG units and tanks.

I could be wrong, but I believe that drives the morale of the defending unit down, making the success more likely?

I don't love it nor hate it, but wish it would be a tad easier to get a succesful results with EA :chin:

[Von Earlmann]

I seldomly assault when using the EA... But when I do, I have oftentimes put so much effort in planning to get that particular hex that I have a very good success ratio

I recommend studying the two assault related docs in the manuals subfolder once again.

My tactics 101: in addition of using units with a strong assault factor, I try to get several disrupts on the defending unit, starting with heavy arty, continuing with MG units and tanks.

I could be wrong, but I believe that drives the morale of the defending unit down, making the success more likely?

I don't love it nor hate it, but wish it would be a tad easier to get a succesful results with EA :chin:

I tend to agree here.....you really have to prep for assaults......don't know if it is too hard to win or not but I think the higher the morale level the more difficult the assault. I think it should be that way as veteren troops while disrupted will probably tend to not panic quite as often as green troops. I do like the fact that just because a unit is disrupted doesn't mean you always win and just because they are not disrupted doesn't mean you always lose.

But, can't go by me I'm just an old guy with not much experience.

VE

[Scud]

It helps to keep the hex surrounded too, cutting off their line of supply. Most of my opponents don't use it, so my experience is limited. I find myself asking "do I really need that hex?" and often wind up bypassing as long as I can keep them contained. When you must assault the old rules still apply, disrupt, weaken, surround and go in with as much force and from as many hex sides as possible.

Dave

[Herr Straße Laufer]

When players want to use it I just shoot ... and shoot ... and shoot ... and bombard ... and shoot ... and shoot. :chin:
Just when I am ready to assault I usually end up killing the units by fire. ;)
If it does come down to actual assault I use a couple of assault capable units with an assaulting leader too. :smoke:

I do agree with Dave, that surrounding the unit to be assaulted helps. But, it all still comes down to the game engine's one last "save roll" even if the units are disrupted multiple times? :(

I must admit I have not played enough EA games to fully know all the "ins and outs". I do still prefer to play without it. :whis:



HSL

[Troll]

When I first used EA I hated it, and I soon realized that the reason I hated it was because it was no longer easy or a snap to over run a stack of disrupted units with a single Inf unit or a couple of half tracks etc. Now I don't like playing without EA which IMO makes the game more realistic. For me EA comes in handy after I secure and objective hex or want to stay put in a hex i am using for spotting and want to hold on to both, or just to be a road block to stop the advance of enemy units until I can get reinforcements there. For me, playing with EA, IFBM, AFE just makes the game more realistic and enjoyable.

Joe

[Glint]

I agree with Joe, I find EA more realistic and enjoyable. I have still achieved successful assaults, (eventually) and in defence it has enabled me to hold out in some games, whereas before EA, the units would have been wiped out quickly and, as Joe says, before, it was far too easy to overrun with a few halftracks.
Having said all this, I would say that perhaps it is best used in new scenarios and reworked scenarios as, stock scenarios may not have a long enough time span to achieve objectives? Other than that, I have found hammering a hex eventually overcomes it, sometimes surprisingly sooner than later.

[Herr Straße Laufer]

I think Mike wanted to know what tactics to use when EA is used as an option on in a scenario? :chin:

I'd be more than happy to join in a debate on whether it is realistic and fun, or not. I do think that that finale morale check roll makes it unrealistic and EA sucks the fun out.
Without EA most players developed tactics to not make it "a snap" to overrun and you cannot do that with a "luck roll" of the game engine. But, that is not what this thread is about? ;)
I stated in my above post that EA makes scenarios a matter of shoot and shoot until the cows come home. Often causing time to tick away or suffer the frustration of that "luck roll".

I do agree with Peter that EA should be used in new scenarios that it is designed for. :smoke: Or, , used in old scenarios that are consistently found to be unbalanced toward one attacking side.



HSL

[Hawk Kriegsman]

What the hell I jump in to the single most destructive issue (IMHO) to the CS community.

1: properly soften up the target.

2: Use high factor assault units (engineers, smg units, 1st line Japanese, etc).

3: Use at least 2 to 1 in terms of attacking SP's verses the defender's SPs.

4: Attack from multiple sides (opposite ones preferably).

5: If you have a high number of SPs with a good assault factor verses a low number of SPs of moderate assault factors you do not need all units disrupted. The umberical advantage can (and does) work.

6: For an example of #5 above play KKR's Big Bully. A number of Albanian units are in pillboxes. Italian engineers have a high assault factor but a crap hard attack factor. The Italians can not expect to disrupt the Albanians in the pillboxes on a rgular basis. The only way for the Italians to take the pillboxes is to assault with a large number of engineers. Try it, it works and you'll like it.

There you go Mike all summed up (again) in 6 bullet points.

Thanx!

Hawk

[Fubar1]

Do you guys who enjoy EA feel the same way about it in Rising Sun scenarios with multiple bunkers? I have found some of these postions to be impossible to overrun