Fire Support Groups by JasonC

I Asked

I've made several attempts to move HMGs around the battlefield and only succeeded once. Defensively, you should probably put them in a good spot and leave them there. But on the attack how do you ever get any use out of them? They're so slow and so vulnerable when moving that if the enemy even spits in their direction they hit the ground and start crawling away. It seems impossible to give them enough cover to move to a useful forward position. What am I doing wrong?

JasonC Answered

Moving heavy weapons groups on the attack does take some learning and effort. What doesn't work is just putting individual heavy weapons down wherever, finding they don't have targets, and trying to move them along to keep up with the advance without any specific plan. As you've probably noticed, if you try that they draw fire crossing even small areas of open ground. And don't take too well to being shot in the open. You get destroyed mortars, HMG teams exhausted and sneaking the wrong way. Nobody gets set up or provides meaningful fire support.

To avoid all that you need a heavy weapons plan. I typically organize fire support groups around a weapons HQ or company HQ. They wind up about platoon size formations in manpower or number of unit terms. They move from fire base to fire base in definite, coordinated shifts, properly prepared. And integrate those movements with the overall attack plan.

What goes into a fire support group? A typical small example is a pair of HMGs, a single 81 or 82mm mortar, and an HQ. Sometimes it will be 2-3 light mortars instead of one large one. Sometimes there will also be an FO, or a sharpshooter. And there may be associated vehicles - an HE chucker AFV, or halftracks, or just a jeep or two. The basic idea is a long range "bag of tricks" to deal with many different types of enemy, using the proper weapon. Notice, it is not a matter of massing tons of firepower of one type, but of having a "full toolbox" to handle individual targets.

The right range for these overwatch groups is usually 300 to 500 yards from the enemy. That far away, enemy small arms aren't very dangerous, and aren't dangerous at all if you've got cover. But it is close enough for mortars and HMGs to hit things. Occasionally it helps to get one closer, like 200 yards, when the terrain permits (covered route, good cover). But mostly the covered areas that close to defenders are allocated to the ordinary squad infantry.

The main protection of the heavy weapons comes just from the position in your own formation. Squad infantry goes first, and stays around 200 yards ahead of the heavy weapons groups. That distance may oscillate, 300 yards before a heavy weapons group moves, or 100 yards right after a repositioning. But they don't try to stay "on line" with the squad infantry.

Repositionings are always from one area of cover to another, which the squad infantry have already reached and cleared of the enemy. The squad infantry might be there at the time the move starts, but is farther on by the time the heavy weapons actually arrive. Typically the enemy is "one field" ahead of the squad infantry, while the heavy weapons are "two fields" away. Before the squad infantry gets that close, there usually aren't fully IDed targets for the ranged weapons to shoot at.

At set up, the groups try to have LOS to some place the squad infantry will try to seize first. They don't need LOS clear to the far side of the map, although if available that helps FOs and towed guns, obviously. MG teams want LOS to open ground areas between bodies of cover in the defender's position, because their main role is restricting reserve movements.

The timing of a move is determined by LOS to enemies. When the heavy weapons group still has targets that are within 500 yards (or a bit less), there is little reason for them to move. They just need something to shoot at. If they've got it, their position is usually OK. The only partial exception is in the first "closing" portion of the battle, where they might be too far to hurt anything, defenders are unspotted or just sound contacts, etc.

The method of moving is first of all to use dead ground as much as possible. You've located some of the defenders and the squad infantry has cleared some areas. So you should have a decent idea which places are under enemy observation and which are not. The cover you are moving to usually creates a blind spot behind it. To shelter a whole overwatch group the cover has to be a decent size, and that usually means a large blind spot behind it. Low ground can also create good avenues.

Ideally, there is no LOS where you are (or you wouldn't be moving, you'd be shooting), and LOS is not re-established until you move to the forward side of the next bit of cover. If you have a squad along (with a company HQ e.g.) it goes first, otherwise the HQ and and sharpshooters. They are fast. They use "advance" over open areas to press on to cover and resist enemy fire a little better, and their passage will generally discover enemies with LOS to the route and orders to fire. If the squad infantry already took the route, you can dispense with the delay.

Next the teams themselves move out. The distance of the repositioning should be 200m or less, even with a covered route. If any part of it may be observed, try to keep the distance 100m or less. Vehicles can help longer moves. German HMGs and 50mm mortars are transport class 2 and can ride on the back of AFVs. The best movers of German 81mm mortars are SPWs. For the Russians, jeeps are good, but unfortunately can't fit a 82mm mortar (7 man crew). Drive to the back side blind spot of the cover you plan to use, disembark, and then re-use the vehicle. For foot moves, allow ~5 minutes for a repositioning.

Everyone goes to the back side of the cover first. You don't want to draw fire until set up. The HQ can move and sneak the last few to get LOS and spot for mortars. FOs likewise. MGs move not to the edge of the cover, but a ways in to limit exposure. Wait for everyone to get set up before "going active" (just use shortened arcs, you needn't hide), unless you'd got an emergency ahead.

You "walk" the LOS picture of the support group just ahead of the squad infantry. Pick cover areas on that basis, and on the basis of covered routes available to the new spot. Both are more important than wide fields of view. You don't need a wide field of view, you only need to see some defenders, any defenders. If you get to a spot with a very wide view, make sure it is one that is 300-500 yards from the last likely enemy positions, because you aren't likely to move beyond it.

If you take fire during a repositioning and can see and ID the shooters, stop the right weapon to deal with them right where it is, even in the open, and fire back. Weapons that can't hurt that type of shooter seriously can press for the nearest cover. If you can't ID anybody (e.g. MG at range, only a sound contact), then halt anybody in "pin" morale or currently targeted, and "move" anybody in yellow morale or better who is not currently targeted.

You will get free, at least most will. Long range is cover, just not great cover, as long as you don't also try to move. The morale of moving weapons teams is lowered for inability to fire back, and you are more likely to draw the fire when moving.

If you see a unit with a sideways "sneak" order, understand that is "cover panic", a particular reaction to being shot in the open. Do not try to give them faster orders in a different direction. If the "sneak" is going to get them to good cover in 10m, let them do it. Otherwise, halt them and do not give them any move order. They can fire back if they have a target, just sit still for a minute otherwise. Keep them in command if at all possible, so they can rally as they sit.

Takes some work and some prior planning. And sometimes you may still get "caught" making a move that was premature or wasn't safe. But that needn't be a disaster, if you don't panic but react sensibly as explained above. Naturally, if other units can suppress the shooters or get them "off" the heavy weapons, do so.