Placing of AT guns.

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AlexDetrojan
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
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Placing of AT guns.

Post by AlexDetrojan »

Hello. I've returned to playing the Close Combat series recently and am enjoying it again immensely. But I am absolutely flummoxed as how to place AT guns so that they are not spotted almost immediately. I know that if you right click on a piece of ground that a description comes up to its defensive value rating from poor to excellent. But does this defensive rating rflect how well that particular unit in it is seen or not seen? Using common sense I figure placing my AT units in bushes or other natural structures that to me would seem to hide them well, yet they are picked out very early in the battle and summarily destroyed. Any insights by more experienced players would be appreciated. As a side note, why are AT guns not allowed to be set up in structures, especially damaged ones? I'm sure I've read more than a few accounts of this being done during the war? Again all insights appreciated.
Cheers
Alex
jakemon
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Re: Placing of AT guns.

Post by jakemon »

Buildings are my favorite site for AT guns (e.g. British 6 pounder, SU 45mm & 76mm), but you've pointed out not all guns are allowed in buildings. I suppose that has something to do with their size or ease of breakdown / reassembly, but campaign / revision may also be a factor.

For the guns that won't go in buildings, I try to site them in ambush, perpendicular to an expected axis of advance. This usually means they can't fire (or be fired on) until an enemy moves into LOS. An urban ambush example would be on a side street. This is also the only way I can find any utility for Marders.

In the field, remember the difference between cover and concealment. Often concealment is the best you can do- and try to get the first shot.
AlexDetrojan
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
Posts: 459
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Re: Placing of AT guns.

Post by AlexDetrojan »

Thanks jakemon, makes sense.
aaaaburn
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Re: Placing of AT guns.

Post by aaaaburn »

You can also switch the settings on your squads to outline good cover and concealment positions (red is exposed, etc).

This game also does a decent job of simulating real life weapon positioning. Depending on where you live, stand outside and try to imagine how your terrain compares to CC mapping and where good AT gun positions would be.

Also IRL, antitank guns were not regularly placed to cover large areas. That is what Tigers and other armored vehicles vehicles with 88mm+ guns were for. Otherwise artillery or mortars would be called in to kill the gun crew. AT guns would be hidden to cover crossroads and give infantry protection from tanks trying to push them out of positions.
honvedseg
Master Sergeant - Bf 109E
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Re: Placing of AT guns.

Post by honvedseg »

As said, give them a slightly restricted field of view that the enemy must cross. Too narrow and they don't have enough time to really be effective, too wide and facing too many enemies and the guns get spotted too soon. Also as noted, some guns can and some cannot be placed in buildings. I prefer placing the guns in a patch of woods or scrub that's blocked by a building, so the enemy gets hit as they advance past it.

It's a lot better than in a couple of the early CC games, where your infantry could get within about 10-20 feet of light woods from a firing AT gun without spotting it, yet the gun crew was well aware of your sneaking infantry. The "size" of a medium AT gun was set at some point to be smaller than a lone infantryman, from what I understand. Glad that was fixed.
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