Dividing your forces.... ever a good idea?

esprcorn

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So, granted I play mostly tourney sized scenarios to perhaps mid sized.. No large/huge/or CG sized stuff. But it seems to me that every time I try to get cute and do some variant of a two pronged assault I get nowhere...

So the question is, is a dedicated Schwerpunkt the only option? What is the art to a two pronged assault? When is it a good idea? How do you pull it off?

I'd appreciate some general tactical/strategic advice in this area...

Thanks!!
 

jrv

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If you can force your opponent to allocate more (proportionately) of his defenders to defend against the second prong, it can pay off.

If you have to accomplish a number of tasks over a wide area (i.e. tasks that would not be possible sequentially in the time limit of a scenario), it may be necessary.

If you don't have a reason to divide your forces, keeping them together is a good default. Don't divide just for the sake of doing so.

JR
 

jrv

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If you can trap your opponent between two forces, splitting can also work to your advantage. If you can deny rout and/or encircle the enemy, it will help. The risk you run in this case is that one force weakens/collapses, allowing your opponent to use interior lines to reinforce the defense against the other.

JR
 
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bendizoid

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Hammer and anvil, the anvil pins units down and cuts off movement while the hammer uses overwhelming firepower and maneuver. Use the Defensive Fire Phase like the Prep Fire Phase.
 

Eagle4ty

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In most tactical instances the 4-Fs will stand you in good stead (Find 'em, Fix 'em, Flank 'em & Fight 'em). However, it often times makes sense to have a smaller secondary force to prevent latteral movement by the defender. If you have the forces available, it may be to you benefit to divide your forces to mssk your main push or to advance against multiple or divergent objectives. As stated above, the situation will dictate your tactics. Having said this however, one other principal should be adheared to, the forces should be mutually supporting if at all possible. The difficulty with multiple axis of advance in ASL is the scale of most engagements presented and the objectives that most scenarios assign.
 

Yuri0352

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Hammer and anvil, the anvil pins units down and cuts off movement while the hammer uses overwhelming firepower and maneuver. Use the Defensive Fire Phase like the Prep Fire Phase.
This is exactly what happened in our DTO game today (J81 Twisted Knickers). The setup restrictions and entry options for the British presented a golden opportunity for hammer and anvil which i employed by keeping the 9 British tanks together when they entered on turn 1. This approach resulted in the total annihilation of the attacking German armor (which included a total of 4 armor leaders). I could've never accomplished this result if i had split my forces, especially considering the red TH#'s and large target sizes of the American - made AFV'S.

In my experience, there are no absolutes regarding splitting your attacking forces. Each situation is different, and a comparison of the VC's to the setup/entry restrictions is essential before making such a decision...and of course, the nature of the terrain over which you will attack.
 

Carln0130

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It depends...

von Marwitz
Bingo. No such thing as the "It always is the right or wrong thing" option in ASL. One scenarios dumb move is the next scenarios stoke of genius. It all comes down to knowing the right time and place and that is totally situational dependent. Or Von's short answer: it depends. :)
 

Paul S NJ

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I hear there's an article in the new journal about applying the principles of war to ASL. Mass: focusing decisive strength at the critical point is a key principle.



My general recommendation is to put 75% of an attacker's force into a main effort.

Paul
 

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I hear there's an article in the new journal about applying the principles of war to ASL. Mass: focusing decisive strength at the critical point is a key principle.



My general recommendation is to put 75% of an attacker's force into a main effort.

Paul
Pretty how much I tend to allocate forces these days. Hammer and Anvil stuff.

Will have a main force attacking at a weak point to try and numerically overwhelm the defenders whilst the flanking/holding/encircling force will try and hold down the rest of the defenders from relocating to try and reinforce the main attack avenue. Tend to allocate MTRs/MGs etc from advantageous positions with high leadership leaders to lay down suppressing fire, whilst the main force manoeuvres and smashes through the weak point. At some point the suppressing group will dm and move to their next positions, enter the main attack or engage the relocating enemy defences in an attempt to slow them down or stop them. Normally not too fussed if they get wiped out as long as they delay/stop the defenders shifting.
 

Proff3RTR

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So, granted I play mostly tourney sized scenarios to perhaps mid sized.. No large/huge/or CG sized stuff. But it seems to me that every time I try to get cute and do some variant of a two pronged assault I get nowhere...

So the question is, is a dedicated Schwerpunkt the only option? What is the art to a two pronged assault? When is it a good idea? How do you pull it off?

I'd appreciate some general tactical/strategic advice in this area...

Thanks!!
There in lies your problem, playing small to medium stuff, try some of the monster scenario, then you HAVE to divide your forces as you do in real life and allocate each group a certain task, these then must be used in relationship with each other to achieve a given goal, it will also make you learn that fine art of 'Timing' in the attack, and focus your attention on the point of attack.

Try Some of the bigger RB/VotG scenario, or any of the bigger HASL, these make you divide your force to achieve said results, I.E a defence force for a certain part of the battlefield, an attack force for the point of main effort, and a reinforcing group to take over once the objective has been taken, or to reinforce the attack if the attack is flagging.

Just my 2 pence worth.
 

Paul M. Weir

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Perry made a good point about scenario size determining whether you have enough to manage two tasks at once or even your big force has to to avoid getting in each other's way. Most ASL scenarios are too small for anything other than a small part of your force to have a 'separate' mission.

Many have chimed in about hammer and anvil and pinning the defender's reserves/spares. The minor force need not be actively committed, sometimes just having a couple of h/t with infantry and a tank looking like it's going to make a dash up a lightly held flank, but could be sent into the main effort later can be just as effective. While pinning a portion of the defender in place is nice, sometimes a partial pin is enough. The defender might be able to move a flank to counter the main thrust, but he is forced to limit his move because of a threat, it may impose sufficient limitations on the flank's ability to affect the main attack.

The actual fixing of a defender may be very desirable, but the distraction and unsettling of your opponent and the mental disturbance of his/her defensive plan may yield the greatest benefit. You are not just playing against his/her forces but the player/commander him/herself.
 

FrankJ

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So, granted I play mostly tourney sized scenarios to perhaps mid sized.. No large/huge/or CG sized stuff. But it seems to me that every time I try to get cute and do some variant of a two pronged assault I get nowhere...

So the question is, is a dedicated Schwerpunkt the only option? What is the art to a two pronged assault? When is it a good idea? How do you pull it off?

I'd appreciate some general tactical/strategic advice in this area...

Thanks!!
If you are referring to a double envelopment, that is a tough operation. I don't think I have actually pulled one off in ASL. I suppose it depends on the scenario, and if a double envelopment is the best way to achieve the victory conditions in the time allowed. If I were to use this maneuver, I might consider having a plan B to reposition a failing axis of the attack before its too late, or a small reserve to reinforce a successful axis of the attack. One scenario that comes to mind that might be good to test this type of maneuver is A64, Chateau de Quesnoy.
 

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Given the size and scale of 99% of scenarios, the entire OB is conducting a Schwerpunkt really isn't it? In the sense that the focus of the battle is the very small area which the mapboard represents.

I almost never split my force....it works for me more than not.
 

mooreshawnm

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Given the size and scale of 99% of scenarios, the entire OB is conducting a Schwerpunkt really isn't it? In the sense that the focus of the battle is the very small area which the mapboard represents.

I almost never split my force....it works for me more than not.
I've only played one monster so this has been my experience as well. Every time I've split my attack force to get tricky I've lost. Every time.
 

Martin Mayers

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I've only played one monster so this has been my experience as well. Every time I've split my attack force to get tricky I've lost. Every time.
Agreed.

When my opponent does this, even if it's during a tournament game, I'm like "ooo excellent....I'll just destroy one part of it then he can't make his VC"
 

hayman

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I agree with Eagle4ty & Mr Incredible: I tend to have a Main Attack force & and a smaller Secondary Holding force.

The job of the smaller force (about a 1/4 of the OoB) is to fix in place (or pin) one half of the defending force to an area away from my Main force target, and cut of any lateral reinforcing moves from the defender.

The Secondary force (the traditional firebase at platoon or company level) can than follow the Main force as a follow up attack, or advance and hold the flank of the Main Attack force.

Not foolproof, but then, most attacks aren't anyway.
 

mgmasl

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I think the most usual division of force in actual ASL scenarios is a covering force and an attacking force.. First one with heavier weapons and smoke if possible.. This covering force is the one trying to avoid defender reinforcement to the attacked area.
 

Brian W

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I agree with Eagle4ty & Mr Incredible: I tend to have a Main Attack force & and a smaller Secondary Holding force.

The job of the smaller force (about a 1/4 of the OoB) is to fix in place (or pin) one half of the defending force to an area away from my Main force target, and cut of any lateral reinforcing moves from the defender.
Well said, and I tend to do a similar move, even in small scenarios if there are two ligitment attack routes. Normally, the small force tends to soak up its share of defenders, and sometimes becomes critical if that side collapses. The bad part of this is that it soaks up a leader, usually. Without a leader such a sideshow is usually for naught.
 

mgmasl

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Fully agree.. Number of leaders is critical here.
 
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