Penetration

The Penetration basically makes use of a structural issue of the organization of any army: its division into different units. In a real-life battle situation, battallions may become fixed on their own safety when under fire. Without an energetic commander this will mean that suddenly, instead of acting like a single body, they disintegrate to various units. Making use of the squad principle, this would mean that the team on the offense forces a breaktrough at the hinges in a front. These hinges are the spaces between the squads. The spaces between squads

are usually low in cover, and can be considered weak spots. Forcing either of your flanks or your base through gives you the opportunity to divide the enemy squads, and attack the flanks or base from the rear. If you use all your force to start a penetration at one point the enemy will not be able to withstand you because of the sheer concentration of mass and firepower you are able to throw at him.

Dividing his troops has the advantage that suddenly your army will be dealing with smaller units instead of the whole army at the same time, as would be the case in a direct assault. However, also here there are some difficulties in the execution which might give the advantage to the enemy:- The enemy might bring back his flanks, whereby you are suddenly faced with running along side the base squad, and then only face the flanks: running the gauntlet.- The enemy might just start up a pincer movement to the rear, letting his flanks fall out away to the sides and then closing in again.- The enemy might just push forward and attack any remaining supply lines, or troops. Especially when he has taken care that there are �sentryguns� in his rear, you might find yourself between his rear and a second �automated� front.- or the enemy might simply retreat into a defensive line, leaving you out in the open.

Battles where this was used:

- During the �blitzkrieg� this was the favourite tactical movement of both Panzer �gods�: Guderian and Rommel. They were able to dirupt enemy transports, supplies, etc. by ignoring any classical front/defenseline and operating behind it.
- In �Operation Barbarossa� German commanders quickly found out that Russian troops could be isolated like this.- In the aftermath of the Tobruk siege, 1942, British troops managed to escape encirclement by forcing penetrations. They used them, not to attack the enemy from the rear but to rejoin the rest of the British forces.
- At the Battle of Kasserine,1942, Rommel used this to give the Americans a severe beating: forcing penetrations at more then one point, thereby not giving the Americans the time, nor the opportunity to react offensively, but giving them only the possibility of retreat.