How do real life armies clear cities?

[troopie]

Something we don't have to do in the game, but armies have to do in reality, is consider the political implications of an action. If the city is an enemy city, and there's a war on (WW2 is an excellent example of this) you can bomb and shell the bejasus out of it. If it's one of yours, you are reluctant to do so, 1: because you don't want to alienate the PBs and 2: you want to use it when you've recaptured it. In a COIN situation you are also reluctant to use maximum force. P!ssing off the PBs adds strength to the terrs.

You go slowly, house by house and block by block, clearing a building floor by floor. Everyone packs spare grenades, bunker bombs and wp. The people tiffies have a lot of work to do. Expect high casualties on both sides.

troopie