The Art Of Tank Warfare - Chris Keeling

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retreat is easy, as buildings are inevitably connected to other buildings by roads. If you want to have the
tanks fall back to other buildings after they are engaged (to avoid artillery and infantry attacks), do not forget
to have infantry units protecting their flanks from close assaults, especially in urban areas where the
movements of enemy infantry may be difficult to detect.
Defensive formations. Unlike the offensive formations, which are based on a moving platoon (and are often
used on the defensive when conducting a mobile defense or counterattack), the positions of tanks in a
defending tank platoon are often dictated by the availability of good positions. Most often, the platoon is
brought on line, allowing the entire section to bring its guns to bear on any target that comes in range. This
is especially useful when the platoon is in a hull-down position firing over the crest of a hill or ridge, or
concealed in the treeline. When using terrain features such as buildings and craters for cover, each tank
should be positioned so as to make the best use of its individual cover. Additionally, each tank should be
placed so that it can provide covering fire to at least one other vehicle in the platoon. This will enable it to
assist in the event that the other tank is forced to move to the rear, thereby preventing enemy tanks from
moving in for a flank or rear shot.
Defense in depth. When the enemy is strong and he is very likely to penetrate friendly lines, a defense in
depth can be constructed to withstand this attack. This can only be done successfully if there are enough
troops on hand to fill these defenses. The use of restrictive or difficult terrain and the careful siting of
friendly forces may make this task easier. A thin line of infantry mixed with light antitank guns will slow the
enemy down, yet allow him to penetrate the first defensive line. The second line should be right behind the
first, and made up of more infantry and heavier antitank guns, which should stop him and make him
vulnerable to attacks from front and rear. Finally, the third line should be immediately behind the second
line and made up of infantry and tanks in a supporting role, which can be used to stop the enemy if the
second line is penetrated or counterattack if his attack stalls. If the enemy attack penetrates to the third
defensive line, the first and second lines should then be pulled out of action and used to establish new
defensive lines to the rear of the third line, but farther back to allow the third wave time to break off the
attack if necessary. When the first and second lines have been moved and new lines successfully set up,
artillery can be called onto their old positions to prevent the further advance of enemy forces, and smoke can
be used to allow the third echelon to break contact and re-establish their third line behind the new first and
second lines of defense. This process can be maintained until the enemy is destroyed or there are insufficient
friendly units to hold the lines.
Mobile defense. When the enemy is strong and defending forces are weak, static troops (such as antitank
guns) should be placed into positions wherever they can do as much damage as possible to the enemy.
Infantry units should be placed so as to screen the antitank guns and occupy the most difficult terrain,
making them harder to dislodge. Tanks and other armored fighting vehicles should be spread out in
positions from which they can maneuver freely across the rear of the friendly defensive line, as dictated by
terrain and the enemy forces. Although the screening forces are weak, they will be most effective if they can
hold in place for as long as possible. Local breakthroughs can then be stemmed by local counterattacks as
necessary from the mobile forces held in reserve. Once the breakthroughs have been eliminated, some of
these reserves will have to close the gap in the lines, leaving fewer and fewer reserves as more and more
breakthroughs take place. Wait until the last of the reserves have been committed before retreating, and use
them as a covering force for the remaining units. Hopefully, the enemy attack will have been blunted and he
will be too tired and disorganized to press the attack. Artillery and smoke can be used to cover this
movement and also to further confuse the enemy units.