Greetings all. First post, but have loved SPWaW (in its many incarnations) for years now. Glad to finally find this forum, no prior acces to playing partners. Therefore: AI Ace, PBeM novice.
RE: Types of units and ability to clear
As posted above, Infantry can only clear mines if they're IN the mined hex. Engineers can clear mines if they're adjacent to any mined hex.
Engineers also always spot mined hexes if they move into them, Infantry may not (if they don't detonate one while walking through it). Both types have the ability to spot minefields if they luckily happen to end a turn in a hex adjacent to a mine field (as can Recon units, and perhaps other types - anyone able to confirm?). I think that the Engineers have a better chance however of actually spotting the mines as well as removing.
Supression effects mine removal effectiveness. In my experience, an Engineer squad unobserved/unsupressed can clear mines more effectively than one under direct/indirect fire (which is realistic). And contemporary docterine dictates that you always have observers at your obstacle plans and cover them with either direct or indirect fires. Does anyone have any figures to either support or disprove this theory?
RE: Mine-clearing vehicles
I
think mine-clearing tanks/ploughs operate in a removal fashion similar to that of Engineers. Namely, if they're adjacent to the field, and stationary (facing the field) for a turn, they begin to clear the hex. It has
not however been my experience that they should be driven into mined hexes! They also have the secondary benefits of being able to withstand heavier hits from the front (because of dozer blades, etc.) and those listed in a thread prior.
RE: Using artillery in and around minefields
I have the made a few observations. First off, heavy artillery is useful as an "accidental" detection method. Often, when shelling suspected positions as a prelude to an assault, I'll notice that the impact of my shells detonates the enemy's mines. That I appreciate, I'll keep the Engineers loaded until I'm within a couple of hexes of the newly discovered field, drop them, pop smoke. I'll then immediatly re-fire my barrage (adjusting slightly if necessary) with WP/smoke instead of HE. Once screened, I'll move the dismounted Engineers up to the field (and probe around) to begin the removal process with the vehicles in overwatch.
I wouldn't recommend heavy artillery as a method for clearing minefields. It's not terribly reliable, and creates craters, which lower your movement rates when passing through them. Flame tanks are much better at rapidly clearing a path that you can then hastily advance through and exploit. Just don't stop in a burning hex, does bad things to your supression
. If your opponent has any experience, he'll have the field covered by some type of observation and fire. The trick is to
quickly clear the obstacle and assault through.
RE: My favorite use of mines/obstacles
Choke points, especially bridges, especially against the AI. A ring of dragon's teeth and mines after a choke point bottle-necks the enemy forces. Great spot for a pre-plot. Bridges are best because you can put one dragon's tooth at the bridge "exit" to pile up vehicles on the bridge. Then you take the Engineers with satchel charge or a 150+ mm direct fire weapon and target the bridge hex. Any/all vehicles/troops on that hex will be destroyed as the bridge collapses.
Any input on
effectove use of mine-clearing tanks would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
