Advancing Against Off Board Artillery

[bigdiggerman]

I know everyones strategy is typically different but when advancing in an open area where a lot of officers can spot you for off board, is it a good idea to go in stacks of 2 units to avoid the column modifier? I find its very hard to advance when the enemy has a tree line and plenty of officers for spotting.

[plloyd1010]

I usually advance that way. One spotter is enough to mess you up. Yes, an enemy under cover is hard to advance against, especially when the enemy is of better fighting ability.

[bigdiggerman]

I thought that might be a good idea. I am playing Fire in the Steppe scenario 3 and man, advancing against the German off board artillery is like praying. The T-26 tanks arent much good at unseating the troops in the forest lines either, as I have placed some really stubborn officers there. Taking a look at the assault chart, it seems sort of suicadal to assault troops in a forest with only tanks. Especially since German HMG is stronger firepower than my T-26. I have also stubbornly moved my KV-2 point blank up to the forest as well. Hopefully that will have more effect.

Not really sure how to crack through yet.

[plloyd1010]

The obvious question is why advance against the forest line? Have you taken the town on brd 1? Is so, why not go around the forest and threaten the town on brd 3? If the Soviets have taken the brd 1 town, They have won.

P.S. I don't seem to have disappointing results with prayer nor with the larger relationship. Take care with your references.

[Hugmenot]

I usually stack no more than 2 units in the open if the opposite side can bombard on the 21 or above column. I first move a leader with a morale modifier with a single unit in position so he can help with the morale check when other units move forward. I also prefer to know if that leader will be disrupted or demoralized before moving the other units as this may affect the other units' movement.

[Bangla]

I know everyones strategy is typically different but when advancing in an open area where a lot of officers can spot you for off board, is it a good idea to go in stacks of 2 units to avoid the column modifier? I find its very hard to advance when the enemy has a tree line and plenty of officers for spotting.

I would always try to keep out of a 3-stack if you know you can be spotted.  Otherwise you can be hit by on-board artillery and mortars as well as OBA.  If you can be in 1-unit stacks because there's plenty of room, and you have enough leaders to command them, so much the better.