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.