enigma
08-17-2006, 02:17 PM
Found this great piece on the battlefront forums by a dude called Jason C, he has done a great analysis of the US infantry attack methods in my opinion.
May be of intrest to people and the team,
here we go:
In US WW II practice, at a tactical level practically every attack was conducted by a single infantry company. Another in the same battalion was supporting by fire from an adjacent position, along with battalion heavy weapons, and AFVs if any were available. The third company was in reserve. A barrage of arty was typically directed at the objective first, then the single company advanced onto it.
There wasn't any point in sending 2 battalions on line instead. That just increased losses in the event the defenders were basically intact and could survive the overwatch fires. If a single company could not take the objective, neither could a larger force. Instead of sending more at once, they'd send a flock more shells in a renewed arty barrage, increase the overwatch force with additional tanks, and the like. And then probe again with another single company.
Once a company got onto the objective, it immediately organized it for defense against counterattack. The Germans were always counterattacking with the local reserve, even a tiny single platoon force. The attackers typically had to deal with the first of these. Then they would be relieved by the reserve company.
The reward for living through the role of "point" and successfully taking the objective, was rotation to the "reserve" role. Which only had to wait, occupied a place others had already taken, and defend in place. Live through an hour of terror, get a few days of comparative safety.
The overwatch position was the "on deck circle". They support by fire, and they get to go next as "point". Giving a strong incentive to do the job well. Because if the first attack is repulsed, the on deck guys have to do it themselves, in the next attempt. If their fire helps clears the objective successfully, they are spared the role of "point" against that particular objective.
To be sure, they will still have to take point against the next. Nobody gets out of it when their turn comes up, until the war is won.
Notice also how that all winds up playing on the other side of the hill. First you get shelled, losing a few men. If you take that as your cue to get out of dodge, you don't lose anyone more. But the attackers lose nothing and take the position.
If instead you stay and fight, you get a round of direct fire from the overwatch force, and if that pins you a close assault by the attacking company if you didn't blow it away. If you retreat during that, you got in your lick, but the attackers get the objective and hit you with most of their firepower.
If you actually repulse the first attack, then you get a redoubled arty bombardment, a stronger overwatch force, and the joy of playing again tomorrow against fresh enemies, untouched so far by whatever you managed to dish out.
The harder you resist, the more metal falls on your head. The sooner you walk in a German direction, the more the brunt falls on neighboring units instead of on you and yours. They never stop, either. The shellings or the probes.
May be of intrest to people and the team,
here we go:
In US WW II practice, at a tactical level practically every attack was conducted by a single infantry company. Another in the same battalion was supporting by fire from an adjacent position, along with battalion heavy weapons, and AFVs if any were available. The third company was in reserve. A barrage of arty was typically directed at the objective first, then the single company advanced onto it.
There wasn't any point in sending 2 battalions on line instead. That just increased losses in the event the defenders were basically intact and could survive the overwatch fires. If a single company could not take the objective, neither could a larger force. Instead of sending more at once, they'd send a flock more shells in a renewed arty barrage, increase the overwatch force with additional tanks, and the like. And then probe again with another single company.
Once a company got onto the objective, it immediately organized it for defense against counterattack. The Germans were always counterattacking with the local reserve, even a tiny single platoon force. The attackers typically had to deal with the first of these. Then they would be relieved by the reserve company.
The reward for living through the role of "point" and successfully taking the objective, was rotation to the "reserve" role. Which only had to wait, occupied a place others had already taken, and defend in place. Live through an hour of terror, get a few days of comparative safety.
The overwatch position was the "on deck circle". They support by fire, and they get to go next as "point". Giving a strong incentive to do the job well. Because if the first attack is repulsed, the on deck guys have to do it themselves, in the next attempt. If their fire helps clears the objective successfully, they are spared the role of "point" against that particular objective.
To be sure, they will still have to take point against the next. Nobody gets out of it when their turn comes up, until the war is won.
Notice also how that all winds up playing on the other side of the hill. First you get shelled, losing a few men. If you take that as your cue to get out of dodge, you don't lose anyone more. But the attackers lose nothing and take the position.
If instead you stay and fight, you get a round of direct fire from the overwatch force, and if that pins you a close assault by the attacking company if you didn't blow it away. If you retreat during that, you got in your lick, but the attackers get the objective and hit you with most of their firepower.
If you actually repulse the first attack, then you get a redoubled arty bombardment, a stronger overwatch force, and the joy of playing again tomorrow against fresh enemies, untouched so far by whatever you managed to dish out.
The harder you resist, the more metal falls on your head. The sooner you walk in a German direction, the more the brunt falls on neighboring units instead of on you and yours. They never stop, either. The shellings or the probes.