Stacking

[vahauser]

The following is a series of 11 actual WW2 photographs. I believe that they provide fairly conclusive evidence of what can historically be justifiable from an SPWAW stacking perspective.

[vahauser]

Photo #1

This photo is an actual combat photo of heavy artillery in action. There are three Soviet 152mm howitzers firing in this photo. However, given their close proximity to each other and the small viewing area of the camera, it is reasonable to speculate that at least 4 and possibly 6 howitzers could be in action within a 50-yard hex.

[vahauser]

Photo #2

Here is an actual combat photo of Soviet Katyushas in action. I count 3 Katyushas actually firing, but there seems to be a 4th that is not firing. Here again, due to the narrow camera angle, it is reasonable to speculate that 6 Katyushas could be operating within a 50-yard hex.

[vahauser]

Photo #3

Here is an actual combat photo of German Pz-38s attacking a forest (they seem to be firing in order to breach the stone wall at the edge of the forest). There are five Pz-38s in the field of the camera, but there could easily be more operating within a 50-yard hex outside the camera angle (indeed, there have to be at least 6 since somebody is taking the photograph). These Pz-38s are tactically deployed and are actually attacking, which means that it is definitely historical to have at least 6 AFVs stacked tactically in a hex and fighting combat.

[vahauser]

Photo #4

Here is an actual combat photo of Soviet T-34/85s attacking. At least 5 or 6 are in the camera angle, and at least 2 of them are unloading tank-desant infantry. This photo provides direct evidence that at least 6 AFV plus supporting infantry can operate tactically in a 50-yard hex.

[vahauser]

Photo #5

Here is an actual combat photo of Americans assaulting at Tarawa. I count at least a full platoon within the camera angle. This photo provides direct evidence that at least a full platoon of infantry can operate tactically within a 50-yard hex.

[vahauser]

The next 6 photos do not show troops in actual combat, but DO show actual military units within a small area.  The following 6 photos are more to show how many units can "fit" into a 50-yard hex within an SPWAW framework.

[vahauser]

Photo #6

Here is a German march column advancing into what looks like Poland in 1939. As far as I can tell there is at least an entire company marching within the frame of the camera. The implication is clear that at least a company of SPWAW units can operate (even if not in combat) within a 50-yard hex.

[vahauser]

Photo #7

This is a photo of Canadian armor assembling for an attack in Normandy 1944. This is another example that at least a company of units can operate within an SPWAW hex (by "operate" I don't mean fight combat tactically, but I do mean at least move and/or assemble somewhere on an SPWAW game map). Note the 'Whiz-Bangs' and the 'Scorpion' support AFVs.

[vahauser]

Photo *8

This is a photo of a Panther company advancing. Yet more evidence that at least a company of units can operate within an SPWAW hex.

[vahauser]

Photo #9

A company of Pz-38Ts plus support units (looks like motorcycles and supply trucks) on the move. Yet more evidence of a company operating within an SPWAW hex.

[vahauser]

Photo #10

This is an important photo. It shows a combined-arms force (I count at least 12 vehicles plus supporting infantry (I speculate that most of the infantry are occupying the buildings)) within a small area. Clearly this is a tactical combat formation (a kampfgruppe) although it is difficult to say how far from the combat line it is. My guess is that it is fairly close to the combat line.

[vahauser]

Photo #11

This last photo might be one of the most important. There is a battle being fought (you can see the smoke at the upper left) not far from where this densely-packed column is moving. My guess is maybe 500-1000 yards down the road from the moving column. Thus the reason for the importance of this photo. At some point, units marching/assembling for combat have to deploy tactically. The question is: how close to the combat line can units get before they have to deploy tactically? This photo helps answer that question.

[vahauser]

I have formed my own tentative conclusions regarding SPWAW stacking based on the above photos (and others that I didn't post here).  But before I present my own conclusions, I'll wait for feedback from others first.

[robot]

I dont know how others view these photos. But from my obsevations there is a lot more then 150 feet between a lot of the units. Some look as far as 4 hundred feet apry so to me trhe photos prov that maybe 3 or four units are stacked in a fifty yard space. This is my own conclusion only. Hell the one colum has at least 400 yards from start to finish if my judgement of space still is any good.

Ill grant you the fact about the artty tho does look like an awful lot are gathered together in a close space. Seems to me if you were the center gun there would be more noise then you could stand when they all were firing.

[vahauser]

robot,
 
I agree with you about the overall area/depth of some of those photos.  But if you imagine yourself in the center of the photo looking around you instead of from the edge of the photo looking through it, then it is evident to me that a lot of units will be encompassed within that frame of reference.  Only in photo #11 (which looks like it was taken from an aircraft) is the depth of area on a large scale (compared with SPWAW).  In all the other photos, if you plop a 50-yard circle down in the "center" of the photo, then the number of units captured by that circle is what I was talking about in my comments.  For example, take Photo #7.  Now imagine that the center of a 50-yard circle is placed where one of those 'Whiz-Bangs' are.  I estimate at least 25 AFVs within a 50-yard circle of those 'Whiz-Bangs'.
 
Further, photos 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (the actual combat photos) are definitely small-scale photos, and my interpretation of them is that a 50-yard circle placed in the middle of any of those photos will easily capture all of the units in the photo (with room to spare in some of them).  And those are the photos that really matter when you are talking about tactical "stacking" in SPWAW.  For example, take Photo #3.  If you place the center of a 50-yard circle on the "middle" Pz-38 in that 5-tank formation, then that 50-yard circle will easily capture all 5 tanks with room to spare.
 
But before we get caught up in visual "intrepretations" and start wasting time by quibbling and haggling over things like, "Gee that looks like 55 yards and not 50 yards."  Here is the bottom line.  The actual combat photos indicate that it is not ridiculous or idiotic to imagine that 6 AFVs or one platoon of infantry or 6 guns can be tactically deployed in combat formation in a 50-yard hex.

[vahauser]

robot,
 
I just re-read my last post and I want to clear something up.  I used the words "ridiculous" and "idiotic".  Those words were NOT directed at you.  They were directed more at ME.  As in:  Is Victor being ridiculous and idiotic when he thinks that it is historically reasonable, based on the actual combat photos, that 6 AFVs or 6 guns or one platoon of infantry can be employed in a tactical combat role in an SPWAW hex?
 
That is the question.

[vahauser]

Here is another photo of some StuG-IIIs advancing.

[KG Erwin]

To put this in a different perspective, I'm thinking that a basic problem is the size of the maps vis a vis the number of units allowed.

In the USA/USMC, a basic tactical principle is the concept of "two forward/one back", i.e., two platoons/companies/battalions in the forward line, with one in reserve.

Considering that the long campaigns' maps are either 2000, 3000 or 4000 yards wide, the problem becomes apparent. The force to space ratio gets all buggered up.

This is why my in-game deployments tend to lean towards a broad-front approach or basically an "outpost" defense. I'm not that crazy about it, but especially in a jungle environment, three rifle companies spread over 3000 yards of front doesn't allow for maintaining any significant reserve.

As a matter of fact, this was often the situation the 1st MarDiv found itself in during the first few months of the Guadalcanal campaign. Vandegrift resorted to the expedient of keeping his tanks and SP 75s as mobile reserves, and deploying the Engineers/Pioneers in the front line as part of the "outpost" defense.

So, when it comes down to it, my stacking rules were basically forced upon me due to the tactical situation.

I've come down hard on Victor for his methods, which might work in the more open terrain of the Western/Eastern Fronts or the Desert.

The early battles in the Pacific are something else entirely. Sweeping manuevers are damn-near impossible. The best I've managed to do is a ponderous shifting of rifle units towards a promising opening, with the few mobile units I have concentrated closeby for support. That's another thing. The Japanese seldom have tanks, so I figured I would allow myself no more than three platoons of light tanks (15 total) and a couple of SPs. That's it. I might convert a couple of transports (my command jeep, the two LVTs I use for my 81mm mortars) to heavier vehicles later. These help once the scene shifts to the island assaults.

In these assaults, doctrine called for battalions to land on beachheads that could be anywhere from 400-1000 yards wide (keeeping the two-foward, one back dictum in mind).

I've actually tried translating this into SPWaW, but still using companies in place of battalions. A quick lesson, though -- infantry stacked up on a beachhead under fire will suffer tremendous losses to enemy artillery/mortars/MGs.

So -- for me, at least, translating historical doctrine into useful SPWaW tactics can be problematic due to the game's physical constraints ( I hate to resort to that old bromide, but it is true).

[Riun T]

I think that pic # 10 gives about the best dispersement for a couple hundred yards of ground between buildings,that I could easily see double of that many units bivo'ed or concentrating into in pre-attack assemblies,so yes I agree that stacking to a reasonable degree can be considered "historical" as long as its not being as silly as say 8 hamilcar gliders and all their loadables in one hex for the duration of the full battle or 16 MAUS super heavy tanks all on one hex!!??[8|]