Combat Tips for Beginners

[JD Walter]

Since many people are re-discovering Kharkov with the release of the latest patch and the "Across the Dneper"expansion, I will try to summarize a couple of the more salient lessons that continued play of this game since its original release last year have taught me:

1. First and foremost: Unentrenched = Dead.

2. Non-open terrain is always beneficial. Whether for spotting, ops cost(s) to traverse, anti-shock value, etc. etc., you always want to be in non-open terrain. Of any type. Whatever's available. If you have the choice between ending your turn in an open hex, or a hex of anything else, take the latter.

3. On the attack: Air. Artillery. Engineers. Ground. In that order.

4. In any stack: One unit attacks. One unit entrenches.

5. On defense (if stacked), both units entrench. Next turn, unit A forms hedgehog; unit B moves adjacent and entrenches. Third turn, unit B hedgehogs; unit A moves on top. Hex by hex, you retire to your next line of defense. This forces your opponent to completely surround you if he wants to stop you - which, in turn, ties down 6 of his units, for 2 of yours.

If you cannot entrench in any adjacent hex, do not move. Stay entrenched where you are.

6. Against forts, artillery bombardment and/or engineers are preferred to airstrike and/or armour assault.

7. Against enemy armour (especially German), always stack with an anti-tank capable unit. The Russian 76.2mm ("crash-boom's") light artillery regiments are far better used for this purpose, than for bombardment or counter-battery fire.

Place your anti-tank assets in stacks that have the highest number of hexsides that they can be attacked from. Generally, 3+ exposed hexsides merits an anti-tank asset. But try to keep the number of exposed hexsides to a minimum.

8. Attack from opposite directions (opposing hexsides) whenever possible. Encircling units provides the maximum number of positive shifts.

[jeffreysutro@jeffreysutro.com]

[font="Times New Roman"]Def Zep:

Thank you for those extermely helpful tips.[/font]

[LarryP]

This is what makes Matrix forums so great. Thanks for this information, I printed it out for my Kharkov folder. [&o]

[Henri]

Not to criticize, but how realistic are those tactics compared to the real thing? After all, the designers went to great lengths to make the game "more realistic".

(just wondering - I am no realistic fanatic[:D])

Henri

[emcgman]

Question on the attack #3.

Are you saying that the listed attacking units should attack in a consecutive order in the same turn; ie once you hit with air and artillery you should then make a separate, dedicated attack with engineer units and then another dedicated attack with ground, on the same hex?

Thanks.

Your tips are greatly appreciated.

[JSS]

ORIGINAL: emcgman

Question on the attack #3.

Are you saying that the listed attacking units should attack in a consecutive order in the same turn; ie once you hit with air and artillery you should then make a separate, dedicated attack with engineer units and then another dedicated attack with ground, on the same hex?

Thanks.

Your tips are greatly appreciated.

In attacking a very specific hex, the list is a good one (not applicable to all hexes, but the thought process is spot on!).

Key point is that once close combat attack occurs, you can no longer attack that hex with air or artillery.

Also, engineer units only make a difference (in terms of CRT shift effect) against strong points. This is not to say engineer only, but to include against strongpoints (a must!!!).

[papajack]

Start with Arty Strike ( If possible use Heavy arty as it require only 1 dice roll regardless whether the unit is entrench or not )

Successful Arty strike will add +1 to DR (Defense Retreat)for future attack in the same turn

Why DR important ? Cause all retreat unit lose entrenchment

Send in the ground assault and force the enemy retreat

Then send the armor and kill them all with Direct Fire

Only unit that is not entrench can be kill by Direct Fire

Hi Hi , this is just a beginner tip from a newbie player

[emcgman]

Papajack, thanks for the extra tips, these are excellent, thank you!

[JD Walter]

Question on the attack #3.

Are you saying that the listed attacking units should attack in a consecutive order in the same turn; ie once you hit with air and artillery you should then make a separate, dedicated attack with engineer units and then another dedicated attack with ground, on the same hex?

Thanks.

Your tips are greatly appreciated.

More a "thought-process" than anything else: a general rule one can use to approach asaulting a hex, or setting up a defense.

Not to criticize, but how realistic are those tactics compared to the real thing? After all, the designers went to great lengths to make the game "more realistic".

(just wondering - I am no realistic fanatic)

Henri

Not at all, Henri. It's a good question.

I really can't say. In any approximation of warfare like a game, a certain amount of abstraction is present. The above tips are garnered from 10+ games of Kharkov I've played face-to-face with my ASL friends. They are a good start towards learning the new system, and becoming proficient enough to be competitive should one wish to move beyond the AI & try either this or AtD against another person.

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]

[LarryP]

Another spambot maggot. [:@]