[dragoon500ly]

Here is an example of Soviet tactics...

You are the Division Commander of a Motor Rifle Division, its Day 2 of the great offensive to crush NATO and this is the situation you are facing.

One of your BTR regiments is on the left flank. It is attacking an American Mech Infantry Task Frorce and has suffered crippling losses. The regiment has suffered 40% losses, including the regimental commander and two of the battalion commanders. Your Intelligence Officer reports that the Americans are showing signs of counterattacking in this sector. The regiment can no longer maintain the offensive.

Your second BTR regiment is attacking in the center. The American Mech Infantry Task Force has suffered heavy losses and is failing back to its next defensive line. Your regiment has suffered 20% losses, but is advancing.

Your BMP regiment is on the right and is currently fighting elements of a West German Panzer Brigade. It is a confused situation, but the regiment is holding its ground.

In reserve, you have your tank regiment, your recon battalion, and your division artillery group.

All three regimental commanders are requesting reinforcements.

So what do you do?



There are four basic answers, reinforce the left, reinforce the center, reinforce the right or break up the reserve and reinforce two or more regiments.

From a Soviet prespective there is only one correct answer. The entire reserve goes to reinforce the center. Indeed, the left and right flank regiments can expect to have any attachments as well as any unengaged units stripped from their command and moved to reinforce the center.

Soviet doctrine stresses that the advance must be maintained at all costs. The intent is to force NATO to react to Soviet movement, they realize that by maintaining the offense, that NATO would be forced to curtail its own offensive in order to reinforce the threatened sector.