require tips when assaulting in a city
 

i have just played an assault in stalingrad, and i have faced very heavy losses for my infantry units.

i am asking a few tips too improve my gameplay in such battles.

i used mainly infantry troops supported by lots of scouts snipers, a few tanks, and lots of mortars.

what happens is that the mortars suppress the enemy, but often my infantry troops as well, if i want them to be close enough to the ennemy to shoot

and the main problem is that when i succeed to dig out an enemy unit, it flees in another hex i cannot see, and it rally the next turn, so that i have to restart everything from the beginning the next turn...

i tried to avoid city blocks to advance only in streets right to the victory hexes, but nonetheless my losses were hefty...

any ideas?

thanks!

Re: require tips when assaulting in a city
 

To avoid this make a decisive push in one or 2 points then fan out if possible. These forward forces isolate city blocks stopping route/reinforcement, sort of surround on 3 sides or at least 2. Place your arty so it fires just behind the front line to minimise hitting you & be in position for where they rout to
hit hard. Patience city busting is slow work esp in the snow, let your arty work using smoke to block fire lanes as well. Far better to go block by block isolating as stated then sweep round than try a whole front approach generaly. If you can get a MMG or 2 round the back with LOS down the road to the block you are attacking seals it & persuades runners to keep going.
That being said city fighting always causes heavy casulties which is why armies normaly try & avoid it if possible.

Re: require tips when assaulting in a city
 

as a rule you should remember:
When forced into a city NEVER ever ever use Big guns, your arty should be upto 80mm class mortars and 75mm class for tubes, anything on WH size 5 or bigger, will demolish buildings and crater roads, improving the enemy's defenses.

I just love when my lines get hit by 122 and 152, rally back then sit and wait

Re: require tips when assaulting in a city
 

152mm mail can kill anything even rough/impassable dug-in or stone building hex deployed troops, but it is more likely to harm the overeager unprotected attacker.

If you know where the enemy is use big stuff to kill even his dug in units, if not, use small stuff just to drive his troops under cover and unable to defend so when you walk up the the adjacent hex you aren't murdered by small arms.

Re: require tips when assaulting in a city
 

Are rubble hexes better protection than undemolished stone buildings?

Has anyone tested this?

Even if this is the case, I think occupants of stone buildings have a chance of casualties when the building is destroyed and reduced to rubble. Though IIRC, the casualties (due to building colapse) are now far less than they used to be in older versions.

Re: require tips when assaulting in a city
 

It's amazing the info that can be found in the Game Guide


Don

Re: require tips when assaulting in a city
 

Pretty much it - use the roads as advance axes, and clear the sides. Isolate blocks, and don't go into these looking for the enemy unless you need to. Set up killling zones for when the isolated units counter-attack on your taking the objectives instead.

For clearing grunts in the city, the best kit to keep up near your point troops is vehicle flamethrowers. A section of wasps per team working each road should do (Crocodiles are a bit slow, when they need to retire to reload from ammo units. You don't want your ammo units up too far).

The German SP flame rocket halftracks are of limited use. They can toast large areas, sure. But that is not a great deal of use if you actually require to go through there later!. Possibly useful in the defence of a city though - if used on the enemy approach avenues.

Andy