How to properly rotate units on the front line to continue an attack with reserves?

[afedorov]

I have few hexes on a front line which have 3 regiments on each(enemy occupies all hexes on other side of front line). I do "Deliberate Attack", enemy retreats in some hex. Now units I used in attack, have no movement points to move in and they can't move back. Other units I left in the hex behind front line, can't move through hexes with 3 regiments. Basically I successfully pushed enemy back, but attacking units are blocking way for second wave of attack.

Am I doing something wrong? If I keep only 2 units in the attacking hex, I don't have another force to make enemy retreat.

[loki100]

This is a tricky tactical problem as Infantry very rarely have the MP to attack and advance - if the advance means they move ZoC to ZoC (this adds a lot of MP). But a unit can always move one hex regardless of cost if it does nothing else.

In your case you are using up all the front line units on the attack and I guess they are already low MP (as you say you can't pull them back), so like a lot of these problems, try to change the parameters:

a) hold back one unit, seems you've tried this one?
b) why are you attacking this hex? Thenature of the hex grid is there must be an adjacent position that is more vulnerable (ie you wouldn't have to move ZoC-ZoC), so why not attack that first (it seems you are trying to attack directly out of a salient which is rarely a good idea). Think of this as reducing an enemy position that overlooked the line you wanted to move down.
c) Infantry really aren't exploitation elements, so have some combination of motorised or cavalry (if you are playing the Soviets) behind the attack, they will usually have the MP to move into the target hex

Finally, while you can't follow up, your attack has won, that means the defenders took losses and the hex is now clear of fortifications, so an attack in the next turn should be easier and maybe this time you can leave out a unit

Other solutions, plaster the hex with a GA-unit mission, that will weaken the enemy before you attack (disruptions=fatigue=lower combat power) and maybe then you can use less units (and of course accompany the attack with GS)

But its worth asking why are you attacking this hex in this configuration, often in this game if something is hard to take directly, an indirect solution exists

[afedorov]

Thank you for your response, very helpful.

I do try to find weak spots in enemy's defense and attack hexes where I have superior power.

Will motorizing my infantry troops improve my ability to exploit breakthrough?
In some cases I had tank brigades and I was able to send them in the whole, but as I wasn't able to support them with infantry in the same move, keeping them there caused them damage.

Am I trying to do too many things in the scope of one move? I am learning the game now and probably rush some of the events on the battle field.

[DrHiramTemple]

An infantry unit has 16 max mps, and typically uses 6 in a deliberate attack. If you don't have the mps to withdraw after a single attack, that would imply they were pretty low on mps to begin with, from low fuel/supplies/trucks, high fatigue, recent combat, etc. Better to let such forces rest/resupply a bit before going on the offensive.

Also, if you have locations with 3 regiments in one hex, those units should probably be built back up into full divisions (I'm assuming you're playing germans here). That will make you able to concentrate firepower much more easily, and give you the space needed to bring in followup troops.

With regards to temp motorization, it shouldn't be necessary to achieve the results you're hoping for. Both sides generally have enough mobile forces available for breakthroughs(outside of a few specific time-frames), and neither side really has trucks to spare. Granted, it probably would make things easier within a singular moment, but I think there are other things that can be done to better improve your operational capabilities long-term.

As you note, your tank formations are going to take some hits during the exploitation, but that's what they're built for! Though i do find it's always good practice to have some non-tank mobile formations supporting the armor. For Germans, that would typically be their (non-temp) motorized infantry; for Soviets, typically cavalry.