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I have just returned to HTTR after a long absence and would very much appreciate some advice on 1 specific problem

---What are the most important steps to take when attacking a defended and primed bridge to try and ensure it is not blown before you can capture it.
Many thanks for any advice on this issue.
Cheers

pcelt,
 
Check out MarkShot's guide for detailed help on this. Basically you should try and suppress the nearest defender. You can do this with either or both direct and indirect fire.

 Arjuna----Many thanks for the help from "very top".
 ---and I am assuming you should use the "Secure Bridge" order rather than the "Attack" one
  Many congratulations also on COTA---will probably move on to this when I have had another spell with HTTR
         Cheers

I like moving to a bridge as fast as possible; in column/fast mode. I rarely get bridges blown in my face. Generally I find the defenders response kind of stunned with vs. a lightning dash at them... obviously we won't send AT units against a bridge un supported [8|]

Hi,

For what it's worth, here are my modest tips :
- suppress the defender with arty (bombard order)
- send a Bn of troops (attack or move), with max aggro
- send an engineer company with a secure bridge order within 500 metres of the objective.

You suppress to prevent the defender to blow the bridge.
You attack to repulse the defender.
The engineers have the task to unprime the bridge ASAP.

My 2 cents,

JeF.

Actually just attach the engineer to the attacking Bn and check the Secure Crossing box on the Attack Task settings. That will do the same job and save you an extra order.

Ooops. [:o] Arjuna is right. I completely forgot about it.
Moreover, you won't have any coordination issue between the attacking force and the engineers.

I've to admit that I usually keep the chain of command as it is and don't attach support units to other forces. A mistake maybe.

JeF.

Of course, one of the considerations whether you do this as a single command with a single force (ATTACK task check SECURE CROSSING option) or a two step process with an assault force and a single engineering unit (ATTACK task first, SECURE CROSSING task second) is: The degree of opposition you expect to find and the risk that your engineers will get shot up in the attack. Sometimes, performing the two step approach can actually be quicker, since you don't send in the engineers until the it is safe. Typically, playing on the max order delays will yield an order delay for an engineering unit of under one hour. Being a single unit (and usually motorized), the engineers will tend move very quickly to the crossing area when ordered. {So, in the two step approach, you often start with the engineers held back in a safe location or providing supporting fire at a distance as opposed to being part of the assault force. You can see this latter approach in my COTA Mini-Guide AAR.

Yep, that's a good approach.....

ORIGINAL: JeF
- send a Bn of troops (attack or move), with max aggro

Well, suppressing with arty while sending several coys or combat engineers might be the top solution if you're trying to drive off non-static units defending a bridge. It's different (harder) if you're trying to suppress static (+ entrenched/fortified) units, imo.

But I've experienced that sending troops with max aggro didn't deliver decent results in many cases (bridge blown), as the troops might halt/take cover to return fire (on max) or because they're suffering from heavy fire due to the advance being way too slow. (you wouldn't walk to a primed bridge, you'd run and try to get rid of the dynamite (rather trying to ignore number of casualties), if you'd really need that bridge, right? :p).

So, I use min. aggro often, which ensures rapid advance, since your troops will speed to the enemy position, stepping right on their toes, virtually. [:D]

The trick here is to switch to MAX once they reach a point where

1) either the appearance of the vast number of advancing friendly units (being switched to MAX) drives off all non-static enemy units ( trying to deny the crossing....they should be routing/retreating eventually)

2) or where the speeding got you right to the first line (or even further) of an enemy (static) unit, that had been caught off guard.

No. 2 is tricky if you're approaching a light/hvy static flak with a good LOS.

Furthermore, for 1 + 2, it's like your troops will be having their feet in the door quickly, like we say, if you tick the "secure crossing"-checkbox in the task settings.

Thanks very much for all the advice born of insight and experience. I certainly have a useful range of tactics to explore.
           Cheers