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.]
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.
Indeed 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.
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.
A discussion of ATG tactics could be helpful to the FNGs.
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.
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.
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!]