[Marek_Tucan]

Another use of smoke is of course in situations when there is a suitable cover close to enemy line, and you ave to approach it across open terrain.
Anyway, key rule is Supression rules the battle. Use anything available to supress the enemy. Machineguns are great. If a company is attacking, keep company MGs back in the rear, move them only if you need LOS, and use them to keep their heads down.
Same goes for antitank guns, field guns etc. You might find that field guns in doirect fire and Z fire can be significantly more responsive than classic indirect procedures (though are more fulnerable to couter-fires), the same for vasrious SP guns.