River-crossing

tiggersgd SG

and ur point being?

four-niner SG

erh bridge after bomb already can be rebuilt Shocked

esp with conquered enemy pow or civilian populations there plentiful supply of cheap labor that cost next to nothing. Very Happy

khaiseng SG

bridge can be rebuilt at the expense of time, something which can be a luxury during a battle of movement and counter-movement.

a destoryed mobile bridge is 1 less mobile bridge in our inventory, 1 less RCO capability, 1 less battle option. rivers and gaps that are previously passable then become an obstacle to movement of forces and follow up forces. tanks and APC can swim across the river but follow-on tonners and other units cannot. without them, there's a limit to how deep the armour can punch thru and how far the guards can heli-insert.

infantry can dive into their shellscrape, armour can sit tight in the tank during an arty bombardment but the bridge can only pray hard. at the end of it, it may just become a bridge over troubled waters. with MLRS in the AO, the threat to strategic units will be even greater.

at the end of the day, its not only about having the longest float bridge or dry bridge. its also about how they are deployed.

maybe not exactly the best book to read but try reading Tom Clancy's The Bear and the Dragon. one key stroke of attack is the destruction of the bridges, halt the flow of supplies and bring the armour fist to its knees.

khaiseng SG

and it seems that we are deviating from the original thread..

sgdiehard SG

Field engineers, those in 30SCE build fixed bridges, more for supply lines, also prepare ground for initial assault as support unit for RCO. The key players in RCO are the Amphibious engineers, like those in 35SCE, they build floating bridges, rafts for the initial assault across rivers which the armour engineer cannot cope. Field engineer and amphibious engineer support all units in the division. The armour engineers are part of the armour unit, takes care of the armour unit only and they are supposed to be way ahead of Field engineer and amphibious engineers, in the front line.

Normally, armour engineers support armour units in assault river crossing under enemy fire. amphibious engineers support armour and infantry in assault river crossing under cover of darkness, even then the infantry guys should have landed on the far side to protect the far bank. Field engineers do not build fixed bridges under enemy fire.

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