Best use of artillery, supply and HQ units

[B/snafu]

ORIGINAL: Veers

......If you decide to use that art unit to bombard you take a chance of the turn ending and that unit not being dug-in, and, therefore, not supporting your defences during the next turn.....

Ah--thks -forgot about if their left in moving deployment they won't fire.


Last question for the day before I get back to learning as I play-------read in this thread about the pros/cons of front line artillery units placed at front line--same with HQ's with art assets?

In other systems HQ units are very weak and you have to keep them behind the front lines or lose them-----in taow--in regiment/battalion scale I have used them (fortified entrenchment) to emergency plug gaps in the line for short periods with no really ill effects that I can see.

When using HQ's w/ range 1 art assets--is it alright to stack it on the front dug in with say an infantry regiment to gain the HQ's art support in case conducting a localized attack---or do people reccomend against this--just leave it sitting right behind with the artillery units. Basically are HQ's strong enough in this game to last on the front?

[Veers]

ORIGINAL: B/snafu
When using HQ's w/ range 1 art assets--is it alright to stack it on the front dug in with say an infantry regiment to gain the HQ's art support in case conducting a localized attack---or do people reccomend against this--just leave it sitting right behind with the artillery units. Basically are HQ's strong enough in this game to last on the front?

The strength of an HQ unit is largely dependent on the scenario you are playing. Sometimes they don't even have arty in them (but they will still display a range of '1', which can be misleading).

In a scenario where I am on the attack I will often place my 1 range arty and HQs (with arty) in the front line and place them on tac reserve so they will, hopefully, support my attack.
In a scenario where I am on the defensive I will most often leave my range 1 arty and HQs 1 hex behind. However, if I have limited arty I have been known to place my range 1 arty and HQs in the line so that they support their own hex and the two on either side. If the arty or HQ unit has active defenders (Rifle Squad types) then the casualties suffered by those units during a defence will usually be mostly soaked up by those active defenders.

In conclusion, it largely depends on the scenario you are playing.

[freeboy]

ok, there are no, "hard and fast" rules, remember this is a dynamic engine, BUT if you are on the defensive, I love when the enemy stacks into the red, or really any stacking penalty, U lob over some artillery and get some nice "draining attacks.. lowers the enemy levels.. reduces troops .. the drawback is if you are not too carefull the enemy may be ready to do a breakout attack, so always be careful.. I try to keep some artillery dug in when I think there is a chandce for an attack..... even when no chance I rotate the HQ units attacking on and off to presere their supply levels... or the art units whaterver you are using. the rocket attack units range one are my"exception " units, I love using these guys when fully supplied to breakup enemy dug in units along with an attak, so I generlly save them for that. When on the offensive.. or counter punching to buy space or kill off too aggressive units, be carefull your artillery untis are not caught too close to the shifting lines and get run over!
 
If you are completely ont he offensive, dig ion few art units, BUT use min attack in the first few rounds .. I never do this if on the defensive, dou to the shock rules etc seems you seldom get multiple rounds in some scenarios, FITE on the defensive shock as an example.. good luck fellow artillery commanders!

[B/snafu]

Thanks for the answers guys. Well now I'm off to make the PO tremble with my expectant typical "draw" battle results[:D]

[ralphtricky]

ORIGINAL: Veers

ORIGINAL: B/snafu
Is a prep--bombardment a turn or so before you attack a given area give a benifet with this system??

Maybe. Someone else will undoubtedly bring forward a better answer than I can right now.

Bormardment will reduce the entrenchment level temporarily during an attack. That means that if he's dug in, using heavy artillery or air support at the same time that you're attacking will decrease his defense depending on the shell weight of the artillery.

Ralph

[Veers]

Aye, but will it do that if there is no accompanying attack?

[JAMiAM]

ORIGINAL: Veers

Aye, but will it do that if there is no accompanying attack?

Yes, but only for the bombardment losses. Keep in mind that the temporary loss of entrenchment level due to shell weight expires at the end of the combat or bombardment. Unless enough casualties are taken to the unit during that combat or bombardment, the unit will not fail its morale check to be bumped out of any D, E, or F deployment. Going back to the discussion that we had over at Gamesquad, the temporary disentrenchment acts against the attrition level of the defender's hex, in effect reducing the benefits that they gain from deployment or terrain multipliers.

[sPzAbt653]

ORIGINAL: B/snafu

Is a prep--bombardment a turn or so before you attack a given area give a benifet with this system??

Preparatory 'softening up' bombardments are sometimes necessary against a well defended position. You may, however, use up alot of your ammo, and if there is enemy artillery located in the bombarded hex, you could suffer counter-battery fire. Both of these will lessen your attacking punch. You could also tip off your opponent as to the location of your attack. The PO doesn't usually seem to take the hint, though. Also, Elmer usually overstacks hexes he is attaking from, making it a good idea to bombard those locations to lessen his bite.

[a white rabbit]

..so this thread made me think, and for one hex range artillery in offense try this, place in front line and continue move till last phase, advancing artillery where necessary. In the theoretical* last phase dig in one hex art, put on ignore losses then use as direct fire support on your last attacks...
 
..they're effective because by the last phase they're about the only ranged units still really combat capable..
 
..* theoretical, toaw is getting some strange but fun turn-end habits..

[Veers]

If you didg in and then use them in direct support, they loose their 'dug-in' status and do not assist defensively next turn. Unless I misunderstand your meaning...

[B/snafu]

ORIGINAL: sPzAbt653
............... You may, however, use up alot of your ammo, and if there is enemy artillery located in the bombarded hex, you could suffer counter-battery fire. Both of these will lessen your attacking punch..............

Thats another thing I overlooked---did not realize TOAW had counter-battery modeled.


Although the pros of bombardment are a moot point for me right now--still getting used to the turn mechanics so only using arty for support for now so I don't waste any combat rounds.

[STIENER]

when you use arty in a support mode......say R3 arty not on the front line.....it supports at 1/2 strength.....rht?
so does it make a difference weather it is on reduce losses or ignore losses?? does that have an affect on how long it fires in support and how much supply it uses up?

[larryfulkerson]

ORIGINAL: STIENER
when you use arty in a support mode......say R3 arty not on the front line.....it supports at 1/2 strength.....rht?

Correct. Only artillery that has been designated to attack a specific target gets to use it's full strength, is my understanding.

ORIGINAL: STIENER
so does it make a difference weather it is on reduce losses or ignore losses?? does that have an affect on how long it fires in support and how much supply it uses up?

From what I understand, setting arty on ignore losses means it fires three times during any defensive/offensive round, and only twice if it's set on reduce losses setting.

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

ORIGINAL: STIENER
when you use arty in a support mode......say R3 arty not on the front line.....it supports at 1/2 strength.....rht?

Correct. Only artillery that has been designated to attack a specific target gets to use it's full strength, is my understanding.

Correct.

ORIGINAL: STIENER
so does it make a difference weather it is on reduce losses or ignore losses?? does that have an affect on how long it fires in support and how much supply it uses up?

From what I understand, setting arty on ignore losses means it fires three times during any defensive/offensive round, and only twice if it's set on reduce losses setting.

No. If supporting attacks (either directly assigned or just in general support), the loss settings have no effect. Only if bombarding alone do they affect anything. Then, the unit bombards for one round if @Minimize, two rounds if @limit, and three rounds if @ignore.

[Veers]

Does the loss setting determine how many casualties the arty will take before breaking off from direct support if there is counter-battery fire hitting them?

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: Veers

Does the loss setting determine how many casualties the arty will take before breaking off from direct support if there is counter-battery fire hitting them?

They don't take counterbattery fire when providing direct support. Only when bombarding enemy artillery.

[Veers]

Even if their is artillery in the stack your bombarding?

[Curtis Lemay]

ORIGINAL: Veers

Even if their is artillery in the stack your bombarding?

Which are they doing, bombarding or supporting? Your first question asked about "direct support". If they are supporting a ground attack, there is no counterbattery fire. If they are bombarding (firing at range without a ground attack) any artillery in the target hex will counterbattery fire.

[Zort]

So what you are saying is if I attack a hex with ground units and the defender has art in that hex, and I support the attack with my art then there is no counterbattery fire. That is what I have seen as long as my art is at least one hex from the attacked hex.

[Veers]

Sorry, Zort has summed up what I was trying to ask.