Holding the line.

[Artur]

We have supply rules in the campaign. Because of that we have to keep our supply routes open. That means we must not allow enemy units to get in our back to cut us off, destroy supply depots, arttillery parks, air defense and HQs. This leads to the classic front combat.

The map is 16X16 hexes. We have 7 BMP battalions and 4 BTR battalions. If we choose the 7 BMP battalions and the GDR BTR battalion as "line holders" we have one battalion for every 2 hexes (4km or 80SPMBT hexes). 3 BTR battalioms remain to support our armor battalions to punch through the enemy lines.

Most of the time a picture is woth 1000 words. We have to know how to use our BMP infantry well as we stated before. Here are two examples how an infantry regiment is deployed to defend a 6 hex frontage.

How shall we deploy, as the grey regiment or as the yellow regiment? Or shall we send the tanks in the line as well? Or shall we make the line even thinner and the reserve bigger?

I know: "He who defends everything, defends nothing". But still how thin can we make the line? A thicker line has advantages as well as the inf units can make obstacles. If we arrive to the place of the battle one OP turn earlier, we can have 30Xmines or 60X wire mase by 30 infantry squads for every 2 hexes.

Artur

[Vesku]

I fight better with grey but that's just me.

Vesku

[Pannonicus]

I would prefer the gray. But it depends on the terrain, mine availability etc. My point would be, you have to have a reserve, so you can form a second at the enemy axis of advance. If he is stupid, he will expend himself trying to break it. If he is skillful, he will always change the advance route, so you have to react continuously.

Usually I keep a few tanks around, for this blocking mission, or for counterattack/pursue. I would prefer not "pure" units, but task forces.

[mr_clark]

I would also second the grey deployment. Keeping our armoured spearhead behind the frontline gives us the possibility to strike decisively or support wherte it is most usefull.

I think in a scenario of this type we don'T need to keep so much thought about 'defending nothing'.
A BMP batallion defending against an enemy brigade sized unit, can do enough damage, or hold them to give a counter attack a very good chance.
AS Sun Zi said: 'In offense be like the wind coming down from the sky, in defense be like a rock from the depth of the earth.'

Or to translate that to WP doctrine, Defense is the weaker part of battle, but it is essential to allow a strong attack by your own rules.

[Pannonicus]

Quite so - Clausewitz said that offense is stronger than defense. Also in chess, if you attack, you dictate the tempo of the game, your opponent only reacts. And he will surely make a mistake you can exploit.