From: aclark@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Andrew Clark)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: Re: Tactical Question
Summary: answer (I hope)
Date: 14 Apr 92 05:12:40 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of California, San Diego

mboone@cs.nps.navy.mil (mark boone) writes:
>
>   ? How best to attack and penetrate a uniform line of defense?
>
>Figurewise, it is a line of enemy units in which you need to punch a hole
>in or push back.  See below, where the x's represent the enemy units:
>
>      \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/
>     _/ \_/ \_/x\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \
>      \_/ \_/ \_/x\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/
>     _/ \_/ \_/ \_/x\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \
>      \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/x\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/
>     _/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/x\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \

>This is a situation which comes up in just about every war boardgame I`ve 
>ever played that implements a hex based map.  For me this is one of the 
>hardest defenses to overcome; so I was wondering if anyone can suggest their 
>best stategies in overcoming this type of obstacle.
>
>In general, there seems to be three basic approaches to this problem:
>   1) Implement a massive spearhead at one point, then exploit the breach.

    Standard Soviet tactics, except that they send out forces to
make contact with the enemy and heavily reinforce the units that
advance the farthest.  The fog of war and boardgames are two
different subjects.  Seems to me to be one of the best tactics
available against a prepared defense.  It will be bloody; thou shalt
not be allergic to sacrifice (but start with allies or subjects
first.)  I've heard estimates of seven to one casualties for a
Soviet force attacking a prepared US force in former West Germany.
On the other hand, the Soviets save their elite forces to make the
breakthrough.
   
>   2) Flanking maneuver.

    A good enemy won't let you.  You have to pull a surprise
maneuver of some sort.  (The US Rangers at Normandy scaling
"unassailable" and thus lightly defended cliffs, for example.)
History is full of these, but your wargame will either not have the
rules for it or the enemy will take those special rules into
account.

     If you can do it in the time period, go over the top.
Heliborne/paratrooper/glider assaults.  Use them to attack
vulnerable units in enemy rear areas and open up a breach.  The
enemy will have to divert reserves to deal with them.  Remember, air
assault units are designed to die bloodily while tying up the
enemy.  Don't waste them -- but use them to the fullest. 

>   3) Full engagement of the line.

>Method 1) seems the best but the opponent usually has enough reserves to throw
>back any breaches madea.  Also, he can usually shift his units down the line
>at least one hex to form a pocket around the breach if necessary.

How much does he have in reserve?  If he's got enough to stop a mass
assault against one hex (unless you have enemy nukes or stacking
limits) you should be thinking defense in depth, not an attack.

He can shift his forces; therefore you have to have momentum.  This
means break through and keep going.  Make a hole and send light fast
units ahead to exploit it.  They are expendable and will scare the
daylights out of your opponent.  Meanwhile, you keep the breach open
and move the heavies through it. 

>Often Method 2) is not available since the enemy line is usually anchored by
>mountains or sea/lake/swamp hexes which are often prohibited or highly 
>costly to move through (and slow).

Slow and highly costly to move through...  You need attack helicopters.  Bad.
Seriously, do it anyway.  Send just enough force to be annoying.
The enemy will have to divert reserves to deal with it.

The Gulf War was method 2.  Allied forces pulled off a logistical
triumph that the Iraqis weren't expecting.  On the eve of the land
war I was thinking that our push through the lines was going to be
very expensive.  Instead, it was a clever feint.  Thank God. 

Now that I think about, launch your thrust assault against one edge
of the line in order to minimize the enemy forces in opposition.

>Method 3) is just too costly in losses.  

Attacking everything is not strategy; it's an exercise in
dice-rolling.  You'll be in a slugfest where luck and numbers will
determine the outcome.

>In general, the problems are:
>  - Whenever you 'engage' one unit in the line, you always 'engage' at least
>a second unit.  This can have severe impacts if you have to attack any units
>you're engaged with (ie Stalingrad). 

I don't know the game Stalingrad, but hit with a large number of units in the
same hex.  Or can one measly infantry platoon force you to engage
it?  Push through.  Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.   
 
>  - A breach is hard to create due to enemy defense modifiers (like rivers
>and cities) and due to stacking limits.  One can't generate enough attack
>power to punch a hole without taking major losses.

Hit where there are no rivers/cities.  Sun Tzu -- "fight in cities
only when there is no alternative."  Stacking limits, eh.  Hit with
a force several hexes wide, then, at max staking limits.  Just make
sure the enemy doesn't have nukes (ie the ability to destroy
everything in a hex regardless of what's in it.)  If he does, use
dispersal and only bunch up for the assault.  Don't be afraid of
losses.  Think of your units as resources to be expended, not things
that have to survive the war (unless they do.) 

If you need to, take losses.  Just make sure you have enough left
over to do the job.  Remember the SAS motto - "Who dares, wins."

>  - Without 2nd impluse movements, the attacker can't exploit/maintain the 
>breach and will usually see it disappear during his opponent's turn.

Use light fast units.  (Fast heavy would be nice, but it doesn't
work that way.)  Force the attacker to waste time on them.


In general, the way I would deal with an enemy line is the
following.  

The enemy line goes from dense mountains to the north to ocean in
the south.  His reserves are within one turn's movement of his line.
My objective is to destroy his command post, located behind his
reserves and defended by its own force.  Technology in this case is
World War II equivalent.

I would hit his line with scouts to determine the weakest point.
Once the weakest point is identified, I would do the following at
the same point in time:

A) amphibious outflanking to the south with 5% of my force
B) 5% of my force would head into the mountains unless they were
heavily defended, at which point I would bypass them and use this 5%
as a feint 
C) 70% of my force would hit the identified weakest point
D) 10% strategic reserve (read command post guards)  
E) 10% paratroops/glider forces - they would land behind enemy lines
between enemy reserves and the line, or if possible ON TOP OF the
enemy forces.  Surprise!  This depends on game mechanics, of
course. 
F) use whatever other means are available to maximum effect

My artillery would fire missions solely in support of the weakest
point force.  Ditto with air power (except for forces escorting my
air assault troops, who would aid in pinning the reserves down.)
This might mean attacking enemy airfields/artillery to suppress them
during the assault.  It might mean pinning down enemy reserves with
artillery/air power.  It depends on the specific situation and
capabilities. 

With stacking limits, I may not be allowed to throw 70% of my forces
at one point.  Bogus!  This is a game, not reality.  Whatever forces
I can't use would be one hex or two hexes behind.

My intention is to easily penetrate the line (70% of my forces
against three picket units -- I'd better) while the reserves are
pinned down.  Once a hole is developed, my main force goes straight
for the objective, bypassing the enemy reserves if possible or
detaching forces to hold them off while the main group hits the
objective.

Note that this is a 'go for broke' strategy.  I HAVE to accomplish
my objective or I die.  This presumes that the objective is vital to
the prosecution of the war.  If not, then there's no need to break
the enemy line to get there. 

If I cannot pin down the enemy reserves long enough to breach the
line, then I have a problem with enemy superiority, numbers, or
both.  At this point I have to evaluate the wisdom of an attack.
The large number of forces attacking one area may telegraph my
intentions; this is what feints and counter-intelligence efforts are
for.

If I look at the enemy forces and determine that such an attack
would be useless or futile, then I don't have enough forces to
attack with.  I would hang on, defend in depth (a topic for some
later post), and wait for reinforcements.  Better a draw than a
total defeat. 

That's my 2c worth.  I would greatly appreciate comments on this.

What about a net.wargame?  
-- 
Andrew Clark - My ignorance is my own fault. 
aclark@UCSD.EDU   :-)  I hate Macs!  :-) 
Repeal California Prop. 13!  Demand sensible property taxes!                 
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