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Introduction
Some of the worst places to fight a war are dense woods and jungles. While both are different in many ways, they present some of the same tactical problems. Visibility is limited, roads tend to be poor, and it’s difficult if not impossible for supporting fires to be of any good beyond that which the infantry has carried with them. Communication is difficult, if not impossible, even with modern radios. Friendly fire is also a possibility.
Moreover? It’s very easy to set up a prepared position with little effort in a wooded area, like this British training film from the 1980s illustrates. Dense woods and jungles have been killing grounds par excellence since Varus got ambushed and lost three legions for his trouble. Every army throughout history has had different methods for confronting such terrain and has dealt with it in a variety of ways.
Case Study – The Wilderness, 1864
The battle of the Wilderness is the first battle in Grant’s ultimate campaign to bleed Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia white. Like most of the fights in this campaign, there was little subtlety to Grant’s intentions or his actions. The battle raged for three days in a seesaw action that was characterized by confusion, misinterpretation, and forest fires that consumed the wounded on both sides. Much of the fighting was hand to hand, and the Confederacy lost Longstreet for a time after he suffered the same fate from a nervous sentry that Stonewall Jackson had two years before. Longstreet was lucky that he was only wounded and not killed. Grant missed his chance to finish off the Army of Northern Virginia, but the fact was, he had bled them. But it had cost him almost as badly.
Battle of the Wilderness, May 5th, 1864 | Wikipedia
Battle of the Wilderness, May 6th, 1864 | Wikipedia
Battle of the Wilderness, May 7th, 1864 | Wikipedia
The battle had all the hallmarks of a fight in dense woods, confusion, units being lost, defense having a power greater than offense, and frequent close-range fighting.
Case Study – Hurtgen Forest, 1944
The fight for the Hurtgen Forest raged from September to December 1944 and was an example of how not to deal with a wooded area. The defense of the area was a mix of dense woods, muddy, sodden ground, and strongpoints that made up part of the Siegfried Line. The Allied armor and artillery advantages meant nothing as the armor was restricted to easily blocked routes of advance where they could be destroyed by small German anti-tank teams, and artillery either burst in the trees (which caused deadly rains of shrapnel, mostly hurting the attacker) or just causing more obstacles. In short, it was a nightmare.
While the Germans suffered from many of the same issues, at least their commanders had some idea of how to fight in this environment, having experienced it in Russia. All the lessons were applied with a vengeance.
HistoryNet.com
The worst of the fighting took place from November 2-9th, 1944, when the US 28th Infantry Division tried to seize Hurtgen and forces the Germans out of the forest, which would prepare for an eventual attempt to crack the Siegfried Line, seize the Roer River dams (a major source of German hydroelectric power) and drive deeper into Germany. Things did not go as planned for the 28th at all.
First, the Germans knew the attack was coming, and they were ready for it. The Americans barely advanced a few miles for horrendous casualties, and the Germans infiltrated the American lines seemingly at will, the Americans did manage to cut the German supply lines near Monschau for a time, but eventually, the Americans were forced to give up all their gains by 8th November.
The lessons here are is that even though the Americans had a 5-1 advantage in men and material, it meant nothing as they were attacking through terrain that was nothing short of horrendous. The assault should probably have never taken place, and the idea of bleeding several American infantry divisions white for dubious gains was giving the Germans a victory.
Wargaming Lessons
One thing about fighting in woods, if you’re the attacker, try to mask them or bypass them. For the most part, it’s not worth chasing someone down in the woods in most game rules. If they want to flee out of the lines of sight of most woods, then screen them with some forces and leave them there. It’s the best and cheapest way to deal with troops dug in in wooded terrain.
That said, if you must go after them, lead with the infantry, realize that a) you’re going to take casualties dealing with each of the enemy positions in turn, and that the issues you’re having with lines of sight and ranges? He has them, too. One method I’d recommend is, instead of using HE rounds for artillery, use smoke instead, and complicate the visibility situation. Done right, you could conceivably walk up on an enemy position and take a location by the bayonet. It’s not the worst idea and works just as well in the jungle.
Another thing to consider is that the tactical mobility for infantry is superior in dense woods or jungles. If you catch an enemy column on a restricted jungle or wooded road, it’s not going to take much to block the road and cost the enemy a vehicle or two. If you have to attack in the woods, infiltration, and misdirection are going to work better than raw firepower, and it will ultimately come down to the point of the bayonet and hand grenade.
Also, realize most defensive positions in a wooded area can be held by remarkably few men. These places are nature’s fortresses for a reason. But if you get close enough for your numbers to matter, then you have a better than even chance to carry the day. Just know it’s going to be a bloody day for you as well, so keep a reserve!
Hope this article was useful. Now get gaming!
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(This article is credited to Jason Weiser. Jason is a long-time wargamer with published works in the Journal of the Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers; Miniature Wargames Magazine; and Wargames, Strategy, and Soldier.)