AT + machine guns + infantry

[maven]

Ran into a situation last night--my own fault for being too slow--where the allies had a few AT guns protected by machine gunners and infantry. There wasn't much hope I'd get a tank through and I couldn't flank because of buildings and natural choke points. Obviously have to take the AT guns out but to do that you have to take the MGs and infantry out. What do you do when a tank or infantry assault would be futile? It seems like the only thing I could have done was some kind of artillery barrage or firestorm.

Any tips on how to break down a defensive line like this?

[Rafta]

Long range artillery fire or some FLAK 88 Stellungen. They shred tanks in seconds over a large distance.

[maven]

Yeah. My problem was I didn't have any type of ranged bombardment (was Axis, and didn't go terror doctrine). Still am not sure how to break up a defensive line like that. I mean, flank if you can, but on some maps flanking isn't possible.

Maybe an option would be to get a German officer and call in a firestorm. Or, use mortars. I don't like mortars though. Plus, mortars don't seem to do much (if anything) to a MG unit in a building.

[ÜberJumper]

You couldn't buy nebelwerfers or upgrade halftracks to Walking Stukas? What about a simple mortar team?

The counter for direct fire weapons is indirect fire.

[Frosty]

Use snipers as spotters and keep up a good bombardment through mortars, walking stukas and nebelwerfers. That will weaken your enemies fortification effectively.

[maven]

Sounds good, thanks.

[Busby]

That are make your own way; blow your way through some buildings and by-pass them.

[Emberstrife]

What you mentioned was an infantry-only defense line. In that case, provided you're sure your opponent doesn't have a sniper of his own at the line, you could just use snipers to cripple it or force it to reposition to get away from sniper fire until they get something that can counter it, which would create an ideal opportunity for a full-on suprise assault.

[Reshig]

I ran into a situation like this before, AT guns supported by MGs and Rangers, very hard to break through. Instead of using Artillery, I flanked with cloaked StormTroopers, snuck in behind their defensive line and grenade bundled the AT guns. Once the AT guns were out of the way, I moved in with my armor and VolksGrenadiers.

It was difficult, but I managed to take out both AT guns, the two MGs and a handfull of Rangers before he retreated. I lost my Stug, my Stuh was damaged, but I only lost 2 stormtroopers and a volks grenadier. His Rangers were concentrating on my tanks, but without the MG/AT gun support it made them easy pickings for my troops.

[Demon_Eyes]

Your best option is getting the walking stuka upgrade for the halftrak if you are at the tank stage.

[lordkosc]

Mortars ? That might have helped....

[WildeCard]

I would've gone for mortars, or perhaps bypassing that target completely and attacking another point to move the enemy player's attention from that site. (You might've found an easier target somewhere else by luck that way, too.)

[stumpster]

Once they get it working you could have gone with a smoke bombardment from your mortars right in their faces, then rush in with MP40'ed Volks squads.

[gunz767]

stumpster thats a great idea.

[Demon_Eyes]

The mortar smoke screen works, the FX for it were just not showing

[stumpster]

The smoke screen works, the FX for it were just not showing

Ah, didn't know that, I just figured it was bugged.

Also, that wouldn't be my preferred way to do it, I'm just throwing the idea out there.

[Demon_Eyes]

Not sure if the sherman smoke is fixed yet though *just so I don't mislead anyone*