CoH: Experimentation: Mortar smoke

The setup was as follows:

Axis:
- 2 MG bunkers covering a single choke point (Angoville right flank, hedgerow high fuel pt).

Allies:
- 3 Rifleman squads (3 x 6 = 18 men)
- 2 Mortar squads

Procedure:
1. Set-up experiment
2. Charge riflemen at MG bunkers
3. Record time taken for the riflemen to be suppressed
4. Record number of casualties taken in first 10 seconds
5. Qualitative assessment of charge as an offensive maneuver
6. Repeat steps 1-5, using mortar smoke to cover riflemen's advance.

Without smoke:
Time taken to suppress infantry: 1.5 seconds
Casualties taken after 10 seconds: 5 out of 18 dead
Assessment: This replicate demonstrates the usual results of charging unsupported infantry straight into machine gun bunkers head-on. Absolutely ineffective and wasteful of initiative and resources.

With smoke:
Time taken to suppress infantry: None, infantry were not suppressed.
Casualties taken after 10 seconds: 0 out of 18 dead
Assessment: A significant improvement over the previous replicate with excellent results. No squads suppressed, no casualties; the riflemen were able to charge past the bunkers almost unharmed, slight damage observed but again, no men lost.

Conclusion: Where outflanking is impossible, such as choke-point heavy maps like Vire River Valley, Hinderdam, The Scheldt, etc, mortar smoke barrages are highly recommended to make infantry charges effective.

CoH: Experimentation: Blitzkrieg and blob squashing

Ranger blob: scourge of the newbie/uncreative/one who lets it get too big. Although the ranger blob is very beatable with combined-arms, not all situations allow an Axis commander the luxury of having a well-configured anti-blob taskforce. Therefore, it is imperative that new, innovative ways of putting an end to this phenomenon. It's always fun to find novel ways of beating the ranger blob.

An investigation of Blitzkrieg: On Squashing infantry.

Independent variable: Use of Blitzkrieg doctrine power.
Dependent variable: Number of rangers squashed.
Controlled variables:
- Number of rangers: 6 x 5 = 30
- Veterancy of tanks (Vet 1)
- Gradient of battlefield (Flat, Angoville left flank)
- Obstacles on battlefield (None)

Replicates 1,2,3: 30 rangers vs 1 Stug, no blitzkrieg
Result:
- Average rangers lost to squashing: 0 of 30

Replicates 4, 5, 6: 30 rangers vs 1 Stug, WITH blitzkrieg
Result:
- Average rangers lost: 2.33 of 30

Replicates 7,8,9: 30 rangers vs 1 Panther, no blitzkrieg
Result:
- Average rangers lost: 0 of 30

Replicates 10,11,12: 30 rangers vs 1 Panther, WITH blitzkrieg
Result:
- Average rangers lost: 1.33 of 30

Replicates 13, 14, 15: 30 rangers vs 1 Stug + 1 Panzer IV + 1 Panther, WITH blitzkrieg
Result:
- Average tank survival rate: 2.67
- Average rangers lost: 14.7 of 30


As such, it can be seen that the chances of squashing the blob increase with increasing numbers of tanks, particularly in replicates 13, 14 and 15. However, it must be noted that in cases where only a single tank is involved, survival rate is 0, making it an expensive tactic, along with the 150 munitions cost for the Blitzkrieg ability. Also, very few rangers were squashed with single tanks, even with high infantry density.

Hence, the Blitzkrieg ability as a ranger squashing tactic is generally:
NOT advised.

Just in case

Not dead, maybe pretty close. If anyone cared. :'( // // d8

CoH guides after exams, now with screenshots.