user8291: What are the main points, tactical or otherwise, backing up the so-called Apocalypse Attack vs the Caro-Kann? 
[Title "Caro-Kann Apocalypse Attack"]
[fen "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Ne5!? 

Is it an opening based on a few cheap tricks? And if so, what are these tricks? 
There is a long article here
http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/articles/opening/apocalypse/apocalypse.htm
but it is difficult to me to sum up the main ideas or tactical themes in a more concise way.

user15049: Aside of 4...Nc6, black can also play 4...a6 (which prevents Bb5) and 5...Nc6. Black will then place the pieces like in the position after 13...Ne7, pressing against d4. Black can also consider g6 and Bg7 instead of Be7-f6.
[Title "Analysis"]
[fen "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Ne5 a6 
    ( 4...Nc6 $5 )
5.d4 Nc6 6.Nxc6 
    ( 6.c3 $5 Bf5 $10 )
6...bxc6 7.Nd2 
    ( 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.h3 
        ( 8.O-O Bg4 $10 )
    8...Qb6 9.c3 
        ( 9.Be3 $5 )
    9...e6 $10 )
    ( 7.c4 g6 $10 
        ( 7...Bf5 $5 )
    )
7...Bf5 8.c4 
    ( 8.c3 $6 e6 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.Bd3 Ne7 $15 )
8...e6 9.c5 Be7 10.Be2 
    ( 10.Qa4 Qc7 11.Nf3 Bd8 $10 )
    ( 10.Nf3 Bf6 11.Bd3 Be4 $10 )
10...Bf6 
    ( 10...Nf6 $5 )
11.g4 
    ( 11.Nf3 $6 Ne7 12.O-O Bg4 $15 )
11...Bg6 12.Nf3 
    ( 12.h4 $2 h5 $17 )
12...h6 
    ( 12...h5 $2 13.g5 Be7 14.Qa4 $18 )
13.Qa4 Ne7 14.h4 Be4 
    ( 14...O-O $2 15.g5 $18 )
15.Bf4 O-O $1 16.h5 
    ( 16.g5 $2 Ng6 $17 )
16...Bg5 17.Bxg5 
    ( 17.Bd6 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 f5 $10 )
17...hxg5 18.O-O-O Qc7 19.Qa3 Qf4+ 20.Qe3 Qxe3+ 21.fxe3 f6 22.Rh2 a5 23.
Nd2 Kh7 24.Nxe4 dxe4 25.Bc4 Nd5 26.Bxd5 exd5 27.Rf1 Kh6 28.Rhf2 a4 29.Kc2 
Rfb8 30.Kc3 $10

Black has some initiative in the later part. The white pawn moves (c4-c5, g4, h4, h5) restrict him, but also create a vacuum (allowing Qc7-f4+ for example). But if white does not play c4-c5 then Bd6 and Ne7 is a harmonic setup.

user9713: Maybe it's about having a Knight on e5, which cannot be dislodged easily with pawn moves. I think it's not so significant though, because black can still at least exchange it against the knight on b8, which could come to d7 or c6. d7 might prevent the exchange o black's bishop against the knight on e5.
If white manages to get black to exchange on e5, white will have a pawn on e5 most likely. Maybe a point is to still have a pawn there, although white didn't move e4-e5 earlier?
I don't really see how Ne5 is really that helpful to be honest. It doesn't even look that interesting to me or much different than other positions.

8291: <p>What are the main points, tactical or otherwise, backing up the so-called Apocalypse Attack vs the Caro-Kann? </p>

<pre><code>[Title "Caro-Kann Apocalypse Attack"]
[fen "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"]

1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Ne5!? 
</code></pre>

<p>Is it an opening based on a few cheap tricks? And if so, what are these tricks? </p>

<p>There is a long article here</p>

<p><a href="http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/articles/opening/apocalypse/apocalypse.htm">http://www.kenilworthchessclub.org/articles/opening/apocalypse/apocalypse.htm</a></p>

<p>but it is difficult to me to sum up the main ideas or tactical themes in a more concise way.</p>
 15049: <p>Aside of 4...Nc6, black can also play 4...a6 (which prevents Bb5) and 5...Nc6. Black will then place the pieces like in the position after 13...Ne7, pressing against d4. Black can also consider g6 and Bg7 instead of Be7-f6.</p>
<pre><code>[Title &quot;Analysis&quot;]
[fen &quot;rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1&quot;]

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Ne5 a6 
    ( 4...Nc6 $5 )
5.d4 Nc6 6.Nxc6 
    ( 6.c3 $5 Bf5 $10 )
6...bxc6 7.Nd2 
    ( 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.h3 
        ( 8.O-O Bg4 $10 )
    8...Qb6 9.c3 
        ( 9.Be3 $5 )
    9...e6 $10 )
    ( 7.c4 g6 $10 
        ( 7...Bf5 $5 )
    )
7...Bf5 8.c4 
    ( 8.c3 $6 e6 9.Nf3 Bd6 10.Bd3 Ne7 $15 )
8...e6 9.c5 Be7 10.Be2 
    ( 10.Qa4 Qc7 11.Nf3 Bd8 $10 )
    ( 10.Nf3 Bf6 11.Bd3 Be4 $10 )
10...Bf6 
    ( 10...Nf6 $5 )
11.g4 
    ( 11.Nf3 $6 Ne7 12.O-O Bg4 $15 )
11...Bg6 12.Nf3 
    ( 12.h4 $2 h5 $17 )
12...h6 
    ( 12...h5 $2 13.g5 Be7 14.Qa4 $18 )
13.Qa4 Ne7 14.h4 Be4 
    ( 14...O-O $2 15.g5 $18 )
15.Bf4 O-O $1 16.h5 
    ( 16.g5 $2 Ng6 $17 )
16...Bg5 17.Bxg5 
    ( 17.Bd6 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 f5 $10 )
17...hxg5 18.O-O-O Qc7 19.Qa3 Qf4+ 20.Qe3 Qxe3+ 21.fxe3 f6 22.Rh2 a5 23.
Nd2 Kh7 24.Nxe4 dxe4 25.Bc4 Nd5 26.Bxd5 exd5 27.Rf1 Kh6 28.Rhf2 a4 29.Kc2 
Rfb8 30.Kc3 $10
</code></pre>
<p>Black has some initiative in the later part. The white pawn moves (c4-c5, g4, h4, h5) restrict him, but also create a vacuum (allowing Qc7-f4+ for example). But if white does not play c4-c5 then Bd6 and Ne7 is a harmonic setup.</p>
 9713: <p>Maybe it's about having a Knight on <code>e5</code>, which cannot be dislodged easily with pawn moves. I think it's not so significant though, because black can still at least exchange it against the knight on <code>b8</code>, which could come to <code>d7</code> or <code>c6</code>. <code>d7</code> might prevent the exchange o black's bishop against the knight on <code>e5</code>.
If white manages to get black to exchange on <code>e5</code>, white will have a pawn on <code>e5</code> most likely. Maybe a point is to still have a pawn there, although white didn't move <code>e4-e5</code> earlier?
I don't really see how <code>Ne5</code> is really that helpful to be honest. It doesn't even look that interesting to me or much different than other positions.</p>
