Need help..

[Sniper23]

I suck at close battles (50-150 yards)...can anybody give me tips on what to buy or any tactics that can help in these types of battles? thx in advance for help

[Skirmisher]

A. Use infantry
B.Stack 2 or more infantry squads on the same hex.
C.Never stay out in the open if you can help it.
D.Don't feel like you have to move every unit every turn.
E.Plan ambushes.
F.Back up your infantry with heavier equipment.
G.Finish off enemy squads if possible.

[Imp]

The best option is not to get involved in them, if you have to attack in these situations move slow & suppress them before you go. So if its due to being a dark night a walking barrage in front of you otherwise try & work units round to support at greater range or so you can attack the hex from several adj ones if its woods or such preferably with people behind to catch the runners.
Military commanders generally try & avoid confruntations in close quarters like urban for the simple reason they hurt.
Good scouting helps to so you have an idea what you are taking on.

[gila]

If it's armour you are losing then you are trying to move way too fast they should not be in that close.
If its inf. you are still too close until you stun them some (retreat or rout status)
Stand back some, access the situation and always use smoke when things get too hot,as most inf. has it.

[Marek_Tucan]

As is the saying re. aerial combat, dogfight is a great equaliser. Try to avoid it if you have longer ranged weapons etc.

For attacking infantry in such a position, you need:
-well place machineguns with good fields of fire. They do not have to see the enemy but they have to be able to Z-fire them. Though seeing them is better re. accuracy... But then "if the enemy's in range, so are you".
Pound the enemy with light mortars.
If you have some armor with big guns, use it to suppress as well.
And just when you feel the enemy is ready to break, throw your infantry at them.

[Lt. Ketch]

Plan ambushes and stack your units. Keep other units nearby to support your squads and flank theirs. A successfull stacked ambush with falnking support can eleminite 8-10 men in a turn.

[Marek_Tucan]

Originally Posted by Lt. Ketch

Plan ambushes and stack your units. Keep other units nearby to support your squads and flank theirs. A successfull stacked ambush with falnking support can eleminite 8-10 men in a turn.

But it can itself be elliminated by a well placed artillery barrage so ambush-move-ambush-move

[Imp]

Plan ambushes and stack your units. Keep other units nearby to support your squads and flank theirs. A successfull stacked ambush with falnking support can eleminite 8-10 men in a turn.

I would say generally if its possible to give cover fire from adjacent or near hexes try not to stack much if attackers survive or more follow any attack on the hex will suppress both & be very nasty if its an engineer or armour that follows. As you are tightly grouped his arty can have great fun as it can concentrate its fire if your opponent adopts this tactic ignore them & just barrage them out of existence.
Very rare I will stack infantry except in the act of attacking because need to target him. Tanks in pairs but only if I have no other choice 100m apart stops splash suppresion.
If you try this verses a human with 3 or 4 units round every corner rather than using terrain effectivly you will get a couple of units but what will happen is the game will slow slightly & you will die fast as he uses the correct tactics. Now Z fire & arty are incredibly usefull tools goodye. 6 tanks or infantry in 3 adjacent hexes 2 80mtrs or a bit of spraying with a MMG will do the trick now just killem they wont fight much & will probably miss.

[Lt. Ketch]

Originally Posted by Marek_Tucan

But it can itself be elliminated by a well placed artillery barrage so ambush-move-ambush-move

True. But attack-move-attack-move is always a good idea. One advantage to close combat is that the enemy is generally more hesitant to drop anything big enought to wipe out a whole squad (or two) right by his own troops.

Originally Posted by imp

I would say generally if its possible to give cover fire from adjacent or near hexes try not to stack much if attackers survive or more follow any attack on the hex will suppress both & be very nasty if its an engineer or armour that follows. As you are tightly grouped his arty can have great fun as it can concentrate its fire if your opponent adopts this tactic ignore them & just barrage them out of existence.

Very good point. My reasons for advocating stacking are to make the first contact the enemy has with you his last. If you can plan a true ambush - where they walk into your field of fire blindly - then having a stack of units hit him can truely decimate his ranks and send him not only packing but unable to fight the rest of the battle. Stacked units can also transform nicely into a leap frog advance with one unit overwatching the other.

To ammend my remarks, it is only good to stack your units when you are sure that you're going to get the drop on the enemy without him getting the drop on you in return.

To be perfectly honest, in my ever so honest and much corrected opinion, the best way to deal with close combat is to pull back and nuke the ever-loving-tar out of the enemy

[Imp]

One of many options for close quarter fighting.
Once you know contact point & preferably with some idea where the main punch is put enough in the middle to delay they will take some losses
Rest ignore & move to flanks
Fall back preferably so he has to move at least 2 hexes like so \___/ before his arty pinns you.
Now if he moves 2 hexes it hurts .
If he takes 2 turns you have time to position & for your arty to work behind.
Use small stuff esp in woods to stop craters except where they might be usefull.
Unless you have more units in the area your centre will take some loses & arty pinning them will help but if plan right you should be able to kill 90% of his force competly as the fresh guys on the flank shut the door.
Main criteria on how far guys in middle move is judging expected arty fall & minimising its effects.
If fast mobile force & terrain allows bug out completly & come in from a side to roll him up while his arty is hitting nothing. Can be a bit alarming if you both do it.