Tactics Primer
From ASLWiki
A Primer on ASL Tactics
These are notes compiled from the ASL-list back when discussions focused around tactics rather than rules lawyering ;-)
Contents |
Newbie Hints
Lets say we start out with a relatively easy situation... You have a platoon of Rifles (range ~6) and some supporting weapons (lets say an MMG and a couple LMG's). You are in a city. You are the defender. What do you look for in setting up a decent defense? Consider/pay attention to rout paths, firelane options, weakpoints (e.g., woods hexes that separate elements of your FGs or separate your opponent's movement capabilities), concealment possibilities, and focal points for the attack. On the latter, look for covering terrain to cross the streets (e.g., orchards, wrecks); lay smoke, or better, SMOKE in OG hexes or in the strong points. (There's nothing like waltzing up to that big enemy FG while its shrouded in smoke, advancing in, and winning the CC).
General points: don't stack unless you have a killer FG (9-2, 3xMG, 3xsquads); don't try to outluck your dice by holding your position too long when you can fall back; skulk when on the defense to give the attacker as few fire options as possible (skulking - moving out of LOS - is especially good when significantly outnumbered).
The engagement "rules" change some when opposing AFV are involved.
Re CC debate: I usually advance in to CC as the attacker whenever possible. Sure a 1:1 melee may last a while but (1) you can probably reinforce it and your opponent can't; (2) you can probably move units forward/around the CC (i.e., nullify the enemy's FF capabilities in that hex); and (3) what are you afraid of anyway?! HtH is definitely risky but the melee surely won't last 3 turns, so the same principles apply. By not advancing into CC, rather splitting into separate hexes, you leave yourself open to PF and later to a possible disadvantageous CC situation when your opponents stack advances onto your single squad.
[Ed. I recently learned a hard lesson in CC versus an AFV with sN. Instead of having 2-3 squads advance in for CC, I should have had 1 squad go in for the CC and have the other two squads (which were armed with PIAT) advance to the sides of the AFV for shots during DFPh. As it were, all 3 squads broke to the 16 FP sN attack, and this after I'd had my "free" CC.] Rodney Kinney's reply
Ooh! Ooh!! An actual debate about _tactics_!!! I'm so excited!! Since Jeff was so kind as to enumerate his points, I'll go along with the convention.
(1) is debatable. It's going to be his turn next, so he gets the first chance to pour more guys into it. If he doesn't reinforce, then it'll probably still be going on during my next turn, and if my only accomplishment in the area is to get more guys into the Melee, that's not moving forward fast enough for my tastes. (Admittedly, I'm kind of a speed demon on the attack.)
(2) is dangerous. If you try to bypass the Melee, it can still really mess you up if you break and have to rout back. And Heaven forbid that he win the Melee and end up behind you.
(3) is obvious. I'm afraid of the other guy rolling a 4 and killing the whole stack. If he's firing Point Blank at anything from an 8+3 to a 16+2, a 4 still only inflicts a 2MC at worst, and only on a portion of your units.
Mostly, my point hinges on being able to cut off the enemy stack's rout paths. If you can do that, your Defensive and Prep Fire become just as deadly as CC attacks, but his attacks against you are non-fatal. This advantage is easily worth giving him the first shot.
By not advancing into CC, rather splitting into separate hexes, you leave yourself open ... to a possible disadvantageous CC situation when your opponents stack advances onto your single squad.
This is probably the greatest danger in splitting up. However, note that if he does advance into an advantageous CC but fails to kill you, you're in a sweet position because you can then fire into the Melee and break as many units as you can. You don't even care if you break your own units, because you have fresh ones right next door to advance in.
Foxholes
Original poster lost to anonymity: [Aha! Tim Hunsdorfer has confessed that he's the poster of this missive!]
Foxholes are generally not that great a defense in forest/concealment terrain.
Why?
1) You have to exit the foxholes even when assault moving. This gives your opponent a +1 shot at you before you get a chance to safely skulk.
2) It costs you an extra MF to get out, so you can't Assault Move into adjacent woods hex if you have a HMG. Do the math yourself. [Ed. +1 MF foxhole, 2 MF for woods versus 5 pp = 2 MF]
3) Airburst can still ruin your day. A mortar shot is coming in at a +1, so a 80MM is doing a 8FP+1 (ironically equal to 80MM OBA).
Better to use foxholes in open ground. Why?
1) You can create instant rout terrain. Broken units can rout through foxholes at a cost of 2MF without risking interdiction.
2) Safest place to be when the OBA comes down.
3) Choke those tree gaps where armor is likely to come.
4) You don't have to eat the backblast. [Ed. You wouldn't in a woods hex either.]
5) Your MG do not have their covered arcs restricted because they fire from a foxhole.
Remember to be careful when you set them up. Why?
1) Don't put them in a position that may help your opponent.
2) They telegraph the location of your HIP units and worse can draw SMOKE onto them without incurring the +2 penalty (or extra draw) for firing on concealed units.
From: Jeffrey Shields jeff@VIMS.EDU
Subject: More tactics
Needless to say not every situation will warrant the same response. I differ with Rodney Kinney over CC style. I am overly aggressive with my CCs as the attacker (and sometimes as the defender). I think the attacker has more to gain (and surely more squads to lose) by taking 1:1 CCs. Sure the defender gets to move in the next turn but consider that the defender is usually outnumbered and outgunned so reinforcing a CC may not be an option.
While I'm no tournament winner (sheesh, I've only played in two [Ed. now three]), I'd say that CC is generally better for the attacker especially when you can jam up a MG, ATG, or strongpoint with the melee. 1:1 needs a 5 (27.8%) for a result, which means the CC will probably last several turns.
WRT CC, if you can, advance in with concealment or retain concealment as the defender until after the ambush roll. If ambush isn't successful and you want to attack in CC, then you lose your concealment.
From: Jeffrey Shields
Subject: ATG tactics
Anti Tank Gun tactics
Consider placing ATG on the flanks of your setup, especially in areas with open terrain. I think it increases the likelihood of a side or rear shot.
Place ATG in unlikely positions. Chances are you'll bag that behemoth 'cause your opponent won't think you put it there. For example, in Cold Crocodiles one might put ATG in ...
If you have more than one ATG, you should consider placing one forward, or at least in the center of your defense.
Don't forget Special Ammo (C8.2?). Everybody has they're favorite way to use special ammo. Some will take the "extra" shot during DF while others will wait until PF. This is definitely situation dependent. I generally try to use it if I have a normal TK# <5, and my chances of hitting are at least as good as getting special ammo. Don't forget Deliberate Immobilization. Works best on large, non-Motion targets.
Don't forget that dreaded Specific Collateral Attack. This can win the game for you when your opponent goes around CE the whole time. A 75* may not kill that tank, but the 12+2 against the CE crew can cause some serious problems for them.
All guns set up HIP unless stated otherwise by SSR. Some people leave them HIP as a continuous threat (see Moyland replay in CH#2). I prefer to open up with them as soon as I get a reasonable shot. Sometimes I wait for the side or rear facing.
You lose HIP if not in concealment terrain. You lose "?" when firing only if the colored die is 5 or 6. You lose "?" if changing the CA. Don't forget that CA changes in woods/buildings double the penalty on the next shot. Subsequent shots are not affected.
Don't forget boresighting. There's nothing like feeling victorious when you blow up that tank because of the -2 provided by the BS. Place your BS hex carefully. AFV movement can restrict your TH possibilities. Sure, it's fun to BS an entry hex but you'll only see the AFV for 1/2-1 MP, which limits your TH capabilities. I like to BS a hex that is not in my CA. Then when I have to pivot, it makes it less painful.
From: "J. R. Tracy"
Jeff started an ATG discussion; one of his suggestions is one of my faves, but may seem cryptic to newbies:
>>Don't forget that dreaded Specific Collateral Attack.
The damn collateral rules are right at the beginning of the rulebook and are probably skipped over (after a brief attempt to grasp them) by 98% of new players. Basically to pull off whet Jeff is talking about, fire at the AFV using the Vehicle Target Type, with an HE round. The round might have no chance of penetrating, but if you hit and the crew's CE, then you produce the 12(+2) (for a 75mm gun) collateral attack Jeff's talking about.
Some other thoughts
Brian Youse already pointed out, don't HIP in woods if non-woods Concealment terrain is available (grain, brush, orchards).
Consider setting up pointing backwards if you can protect the gun from discovery by Infantry, and your TK against the frontal AF ain't so hot. This works on the flanks.
In the Desert, with those long, long LOS', consider putting your ATGs on the extreme flanks, to make the most of a particular CA. [Ed. I.e, side shots are more abundant.]
Give your gun some Infantry protection in an adjacent hex, if possible - re the CC thread, it's usually worth throwing a squad into CC with an ATG crew just to the keep the damn thing busy while the armor rolls by.
With a high ROF gun, it's still worth spinning and taking the hopeless shot (after counting CA changes) - you might keep ROF, you gain an aquisition, and you're at least set for the next Fire Phase. [Ed. He who shoots most wins.]
If it looks like the enemy armor force will approach but not bypass your still-HIP ATGs this MPh, then hold your fire; revealing the gun too early will allow him to avoid it with the balance of his forces. Assuming you survive AFPh, you'll have two fire phases in which to wreak havoc.
Hey, it may look like a shitty shot, but if desperate, consider using the HE equivalency of the early popguns versus infantry - if they're moving in the open, you have a decent chance of a critical, and I've seen plenty of 1-flat and 2-flat shots ruin a guy's day.
From: Rodney Kinney
Subject: ATG tactics (APCR / special ammo)
One of the niftiest uses for special ammo is to increase your odds of hitting. That is, you don't need the ammo to kill, but getting "two tries" makes it more likely to hit. Well, I'm a probability nerd, and I'm on kind of a kick today, so I'll share a little something I worked out.
I've always suspected intuitively that it's best to try for APCR when your depletion number is about equal to your TH #, but I finally worked out the increase in your odds of hitting when you take that extra APCR shot. You indeed get maximum efficiency when the TH# is = the depletion #. In fact, when they're equal, then taking an extra APCR shot is equivalent to somewhere between a -1 and a -2 DRM for TH purposes. If the TH# is within 1 of the depletion #, then it's about equivalent to a -1.
Remember: the more math you do in your head during an ASL game, the more fun you have! [Ed. This guy can't be serious!]
Killing Those Pesky Broken Squads
This is just a little tip for when you have a broken retreating enemy in front of you and you would like to start taking those counters off the map.
Imagine the following situation:
It is the German's MPh. The 468's would like to eliminate those broken squads in front of them, but are unable to get a unit to S2 to cut the rout path which will make them both surrender. For the sake of this example, imagine that the move V0->S1 with CX is not desirable for some reason (ie. it would expose that unit to fire).
Many new players would do this...
advance forward and DM the broken squads. In the AFPh, the Germans will get shots at half firepower (doubled for being ADJACENT, so either one 8(+1) or two 4(+1) shots) and in the rout phase the survivors will escape and run a few hexes away...and the situation will repeat itself in the next 1-2 turns. In the DFPh, the Germans will probably have no targets.
There is an alternative to keep in mind which offers a much better chance at getting those broken units off the board once and for all.
In the MPh...DON'T MOVE! Prep Fire those guys if they have anything else to shoot at. At the end of the MPh, the broken units will not be DM since you didn't move adjacent. They still think they're safe.
When the rout phase comes along, the Russians will not be permitted to rout.
In the APh, you advance the Germans forward to DM the Russians.
But now instead of getting shots at half-firepower as was the case in the previous example, the Germans will get full value shots during their DFPh - either one 16 (+1) or two 8(+1) atatcks - with a much better chance at getting a decisive result.
Coming To Odds With The Odds
A lot of newer players have trouble assigning their attacks in the PFPh and DFPh so that the maximum amount of damage is inflicted on the enemy.
A little but very basic shortcut that you can use is to assume that 7's will be rolled for everything (the IFT attacks, the resulting MCs and PTCs). Since 7 is the most probable roll and occurs at the middle of the probability curve, by doing this you are evaluating what the average return of your attack is likely to be.
Comparing two different sets of shots quickly in your head this way is a nice easy way of comparing how effective they are likely to be. It also gives you practice at internalizing the IFT table making it more intuitive.
Move Order
Is there any difference in the order that units are moved? Definitely. While not always the best way, a nice rule of thumb is to move units which are the furthest away from the enemy first.
The reason is that units which are closest to the enemy pose the greatest threat. At the beginning of the MPh, those units all still have their full movement capability and have therefore a momentum which the defender must be prepared to meet and account for.
By saving the units closest to the enemy for movement later in the MPh you achieve two goals:
1) The defender may have taken some shots at units further back and has thus reduced his ability to react to the moves which will occur nearby.
2) The defender may have held back some shots on the backfield which he would have like to have taken, because he was forced to wait and see what you would do with the closer units.
Exceptions to this rule of thumb occur when:
o the enemy sniper number is high, and want to be guaranteed of getting a specific move in. Then you would perform it earlier in the MPh.
o You have to make room near the front to avoid overstacking penalties for other units moving up into position.
