Urban fights | Tactics Wargame: AB Guide

Last update: 11 May 2016

Sooner or later you'll fight to conquer a city. Both in attack and defence, the infantry is your main strength.

Conquering the city

Basic information about cities may be found in the chapter about terrain.

First of all, eliminate the enemy around the city so you have a rather safe way. Recon won't be useful because it can't detect infantry in the city. You have to send something cheap to lure enemy out. Use the smoke screen aiming at the edge sectors to which you want ride in. Smoke should be between your transporters and enemy infantry. Using your artillery is a must to decrease defenders' morale. Your infantry in cheap transporters should attack the side sector, covered by smoke from inside (and also from the side of enemy) with choosing "Quick movement" command. Transporters stop at the chosen sector when you order them to unload (U key) infantry will immediately get into the sector. If there is an enemy there, battle begins (violet edging of the sector), so it's good if you have appropriate units making it. Support infantry with precise mortar fire at nearby sectors. What is left of your transporters, should be taken out of the range of grenade launchers. Don't use expensive vehicles for that, they are destroyed as easily as the cheap ones. Send next waves of infantry, so one bombarding won't kill all of them (if your defence isn't tight enough). You can also try to attack massively and try to take more than one sector at once. Surround the city and isolate it, at least 800 meters for all technic devices/vehicles, keep especially helicopters away from it. Fire from everything with destroying missiles, spread fire, decrease morale. Have a numerous advantage and prepare for losses.

Nearby forest may be also used in attack at city, remember also about the smoke cover. You may think that city is close to you. In reality, it may be few hundreds meters within which your army will be massacred.

You can also try to take over city quickly via air forces. To do so, use infantry (or commandos) in helicopters. Don't forget about recon helicopter and an escort to defend it against other helicopters. You can also take assault helicopters, which may be useful if enemy will try to seize the city with land forces at the same time. This option is viable if you know that there is no anti-air defence nearby the city.

Defending the city

Defence is much easier. City must have several anti-air sections with infantry on the borders. Place also tanks nearby to take down enemy transporters. Use helicopters and bombers for quick eliminations. Secure nearby forest so the infantry won't get unspotted to the city. If enemy gets inside, move troops to make the biggest possible number of them fire at enemy simultaneously. Care about ammo supplies, because those fights are very intense. If enemy prepare artillery attack, you can retreat to the other sector. That's why you shouldn't max crew in sectors.