Hello
I'm not a soldier(nor can I ever be, for health related reasons), but I'm playing a rather tough and somewhat realistic turn-based wargame, specifically, the Steel Panthers World At War version 8.403 (enhanced)
Could anyone who is knowledgeable about the topic(bored soldiers, historians, etc) point me towards some book that outlines how to best fight german panzer units, if the forces at your disposal are some platoons of tanks, some armored infantry, combat engineers and some light artillery (xylophone rocket batteries, mortars)?
Or just answer a few questions, or give me a few pointers on how to play the game better? I think the game supposedly reflects WWII combat quite pretty well.
Right now, I've re-organized the battalion. Instead of separating infantry and tanks, I created 5 tank units that are accompanied by 4 halftracks each and some support -FO unit, AA halftrack, one medium mortar).
Equipment is whatever could be scrounged.. M4's, Wolverine AT guns, Stuarts (these are pretty good at scouting and taking out enemy transport)
I have three of these combined platoons.
I replaced the starting HQ unit with a command tank(you don't lose the game if you lose your headquarters unit, but it's bad, as it really impacts morale), and attached two other tanks to it, which I use as sort of reserve. Besides, every infantryman's memoir I've ever read claims they envied the tankers.
Each medium tank has a four man recon detachment riding on it. This is good for the situations where AT guns are found. After the first shot, everything halts, and recon goes down to take a good look at the enemy and then they can get back and report.
I also heavily use smoke dischargers and mortar smoke rounds. They are great at preventing long range fires from enemy tanks. Unless it's really windy... then it kind of sucks.
The battalion level artillery fires by platoons(5 mortars) . In the initial force purchase, I went rather heavy on the artillery and bought something like 15 81 mortars and some ammo carrier trucks for them.
Enemy static positions, like bunkers and AT guns are either blown to bits by mortars, or covered with smoke to render their fire ineffective and attacked by combat engineer infantry followed by tanks, preferably from behind. I generally don't attack anything more substantial than a lone rifle squad without first softening it up.
Enemy tanks are usually lured into tighter spots, when they get there, they are suddenly hit with a pre-planned concentrated artillery barrage, which is followed by enveloping attacks by M4's and Stuarts. In wooded areas, infantry can also easily take out tanks buttoned up because of artillery, so I first hit them hard with artillery, then send some halftracks to let infantry out near the routes the tanks are liable to take while trying to get away from the artillery.
I also have some light recon units, 50. caliber technicals, and some M20 scout cars., which work really great at harrassing the enemy, recon, and taking over lightly defended positions.
So, any tips on how to improve these tactics?
