Move to contact Arour Formations?

[mangus2000]

Which is the best move to contact formation for CM and why?

The Wedge
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The Vee

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Echelon (Right or Left)

Right
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Left
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Line

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Column

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Staggered Column

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[Iron Mike USMC]

I went with "Fling them forward..." Not exactly what I would do, but I would set a formation based upon mission, terrain, and expected resistance.

What is missing here is a diamond formation.

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I think it combines the best of wedge and echelon, with flexibility.

The tail tank can shift left or right, as needed, or move forward to add some punch.

[TacCovert4]

I went with wedge as if the lead tank is fired on the force will virtually come on line without your input. Also it can be quickly formed into either a column or a line, and can be echeloned simply by ordering one side to fast move instead of move. In all, the wedge is a more potent formation, as it places a smaller frontage with a strong amount of firepower to both the front and the flanks on a 45 to the line of travel.

[The Hooded One]

Hmm...these formations all look good on paper, but in reality it usually ends up as a jumble unless you're advancing accross open fileds or steppe with no obstructions such as woods, rough, etc....

[mangus2000]

Hmm...these formations all look good on paper, but in reality it usually ends up as a jumble unless you're advancing accross open fileds or steppe with no obstructions such as woods, rough, etc....
With small 2000-3000pt battles your probably right but i've been finding with large groups of armour it can be a bit unwieldly using them like that, and you risk sending them in penny packets and spreading them out too far too support each other.
With larger games the formations could be useful (especially in CMBB).

[The Purist]

In larger battles with more open terrain use the standard "3 up T" or "2 up T" depending on the size of your platoons.

Then deploy the squadron with two troops up and two troops back:

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Then you have a choice between "Caterpillar"; the rear two troops bump the forward two forward during each tactical bound. Two troops are doing over watch while two troops move.

The other movement option is to leap frog the eschelons forward; troops 1 and 2 provide overwatch while troops 3 and 4 bound forward some 500 yards in front of the first pair. Troops 3 and 4 then stop and adopt overwatch positions while troops 1 and 2 roll forward 1000 meters to a position 500 meters in front of troops 3 and 4.

This gives you 50% of the squadron to engage any enemy that exposes themselves or unmasks. The formation is flexible enough that if desired one troops could move at a time leaving three troops to perform overwatch. It all depends on the make of your force and the nature of the opposition as well. Adjust tactics to suit the situation.

[TacCovert4]

In other words standard infantry squad tactics.

The squad bounds forward to a point likely to recieve enemy fire, then

Each Fire Team bounds forward in short rushes, covered by the other 2 teams, then

Each individual member of the team bounds forward, covered by the other 3 members of his team.

This is carried on until the squad is totally halted by fire, or reaches the objective.

[Redwolf]

Since CM tanks can shoot through friendly tanks it doesn't really matter. The point/blob formation is optimal here.

[FM WarB]

What do you mean by "shoot through" friendly tanks?

[TacCovert4]

Since CM tanks can shoot through friendly tanks it doesn't really matter. The point/blob formation is optimal here.



Erm, they can't shoot through their own tanks. In my current game a PzIV of Numberz is considered hull down because it is behind, though slightly above a Stug.

[Bertram]

So tanks provide cover to other tanks but not infantry?

I'm pretty certain you can't shoot through your own tanks.

[Redwolf]

Sorry, guys.

You can always shoot through friendly vehicles in CM and they provide no hull down status.

The whole point about these formations in real life is to maximize firepower to a potential threat without getting in each other's way. The latter doesn't matter in CM, so you can just make the rightest "ball" formation and ride right in.

[The Purist]

Sorry, guys.

You can always shoot through friendly vehicles in CM and they provide no hull down status.

The whole point about these formations in real life is to maximize firepower to a potential threat without getting in each other's way. The latter doesn't matter in CM, so you can just make the rightest "ball" formation and ride right in.

If you shrink down the icons (vehicles, squads, etc.) to the lowest scale you will quickly see why it may appear you are shooting through your own veicles or men (and you may actually be allowed to). That being said, it is almost impossible to hit a tank you are not shooting at even as close as a few hundred meters. You can literally shoot over the back deck of another tank and not have any ill effects at all.:D The tank would have to be, literally, in your sights for it to struck. In my time in the turret I don't think I ever experienced having LOS blocked by a friendly vehicle. :)

[Redwolf]

If you shrink down the icons (vehicles, squads, etc.) to the lowest scale you will quickly see why it may appear you are shooting through your own veicles or men (and you may actually be allowed to).

I'm sorry man but you are wrong. CM vehicles never block line of sight or line of fire, even in the 3D frame of the "realistic" scale setting.

The only exception is that a tank that is burning after knockout produces smoke that blocks LOS.

[The Purist]

I'm sorry man but you are wrong. CM vehicles never block line of sight or line of fire, even in the 3D frame of the "realistic" scale setting....The only exception is that a tank that is burning after knockout produces smoke that blocks LOS.

:) That is why I added "and you may actually be able to",...of course, looking back at it now I should have also added "in the game" thus agreeing that the game may actually allow you to "shoot through" friendly units.:hush:

[Lurker]

POS's 6-pack tactics would seem to bear out Redwolf's claim. All 6 tanks would shoot at an enemy directly in front. CM tosses in some abstractions (no kidding lurker :laugh: ) like that, and shooting through buildings. Pretty funny stuff - as long as it happens to the other guy. :shock:

[Poor Old Spike]

Not sure if I follow what's being discussed in this thread, but as far as I know tanks can fire smack through their own tanks without hitting them.
Also you don't get hulldown from being behind another tank as far as i know..

[Lurker]

Not sure if I follow what's being discussed in this thread, but as far as I know tanks can fire smack through their own tanks without hitting them.
Also you don't get hulldown from being behind another tank as far as i know..That's something they could have done a better job with. ASL uses vehicles as blockers to LOS so it seems CM could have done the same.

[kawaiku]

My formations usually follow this "rule":

"Just drive down that road, until you get blown up"
- General George Patton

Works sometimes

[KG_AirborneBob]

In other words standard infantry squad tactics.

The squad bounds forward to a point likely to recieve enemy fire, then

Each Fire Team bounds forward in short rushes, covered by the other 2 teams, then

Each individual member of the team bounds forward, covered by the other 3 members of his team.

This is carried on until the squad is totally halted by fire, or reaches the objective.

We called it "Bound & Overwatch" back in the day. I guess it very similar to " watch my butt while I run over there" tactic..:ar15: I like it with armor to provide cover to moving vehicles through open terrain.