A question regarding defensive tactics

[Skeleton]

Hello, first off, this game is amazing. The more I play it the more I love it, and in my opinion, that is the mark of a classic. Okay, I am playing the fourth scenario, Air Landing Assualt as the Germans and my question is two fold; what strategy do you find most effective when your goals are defensive in nature? I have finalley gotten the hang of formulateing strategies for offensive plans but in regards to defensive plans, I am at a loss. The second part of my question is what plan/stance/posture do you use when you wish to send a group for support to be used for a counter attack or to plug holes that have been ruptured in your front line of defense. I thank you in advance and apologise for the newbie questions.

[Arjuna]

First off welcome and thanks for the kind words.

Re defensive strategies. My best advice here is "keep a reserve". Also I would encourage you to "experiment". There is no better way to learn than to make mistakes and after all its only cyber casualties your responsible for here. Another thing when on the defensive is to continually look at your objectives from the enemy's viewpoint. Ask yourself what is the ground of tactical importance ( GTI ) or in other words what is the location that if I hold makes the enemy's position untenable or what is the ground that if he holds makes my position untenable. And please appreciate the difference between untenable and uncomfortable.

Re Counter-attacks and pluggingt gaps. You can only do this if you plan ahead and position reserve groups that are close enough to react in time. When playing with orders delay factor in the lead times involved - eg if it takes a battalion two hours to process its orders and another hour to reach the front line, then you need to make the decision to commit three hours before it becomes critical.

Good luck.[:)]

[Skeleton]

Thank you Arjuna, great advice. Keep up the good work and know you have made a life long fan of this series, brilliant game.

[MarkShot]

On defense, some basics:

(1) Block/delay the enemy from bringing more force into the engagement by blocking the roads (especially road junctions - more bang for the buck). This will be less effective in HTTR than it is in COTA due to improvements in movement handling.

(2) In larger scenarios use layered defenses with a reserve to bolster areas under threat of penatration.

(3) Again #1, but do that for the purpose that your main defensive forces are given adequate time to dig-in before they see action.

(4) Support your defense with arty and mortar fire bases that are properly secured from enemy observation and fire. Pace your fire missions/conserve ammo such that your response is proportional to the threat.

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That's only a start. All of this are covered in the HTTR and COTA Mini-Guides. Enjoy!

[Skeleton]

Thanks Mark, again very helpful. I am playing the scenario a second time, using both your and Dave's advice, and thus far, I am having a much better go of it. Thank you again, and thrilled to hear that about COTA, could you elaborate a little on the differences you mentioned between the two?

[MarkShot]

Just briefly as you can find plenty of discussion elsewhere.

COTA makes a true distinction between vehicle and foot movement, and generally increases off road movement penalties and fatigue. Thus, if you block an armored column moving down a highway passing through a dense forest, they will have no way to bypass your blocking position. In RDOA/HTTR, this was not the case. They would be vastly slowed down, but they would ultimately get by even if your position held.

[Skeleton]

Fantastic, thanks again. Sounds much more plausible, and I appreciate the reality of it. Can't wait for COTA.

[akileez]

A few things I like are;
1] Create a choke point for an enemy attack on a river/canal bridge or woods road... even a vastly outnumbered unit in such a spot can hold off with the support of good to considerable arty support. Two exceptional times I did this was with 2 82nd Airborne div.coys at Nijmegen road bridge holding back a flood of SS units vainly but remorselessly trying to burst over a bridgehead, and in the Arnhem historical campaign I slipped a coy south of the river early in the scenario to a town along the highway 30 Corps would soon move up along; with the aid of newly arrived 30 Corps artillery, the coy beat off enemy attacks about the size of a brigade including armour units.
2] Enemy breaks through... shrink your frontage, ie collapse the line to create a new cohesive line further back. This being to prevent losing an entire force to enemy rampaging freely in the flanks and rear.
3] If you can't afford to collapse the frontage and need to keep units alive, determine reachable ideal blocking terrain to create mini 'Alamos'; make such 'fortresses' compact enough to be sound in defence not worrying about enemy flanking aroung... cities and woods, or behind swamps being ideal.
4] Rush rear line units to fill critical gaps punched through the defence. Many a time my brit Para mortar/field arty coys saved the day in my Arnhem campaign when Germans would pierce the ever dwindling Airborne perimeter.

[Skeleton]

Great tips akileez. I shall remember them as I race through the scenarios and await COTA. This game has incredible depth of gameplay, and your tips are golden, thanks.

[akileez]

No problemo![:D] Now please post us a screenshot or 2 of your more 'glorious' moments in HTTR action.[:)]