Heavy Artillery?

[stormbringer3]

I have been enjoying this game since I received it.
My question about CSA heavy artillery is are they worth the resources spent on them? My experience so far has been have a fort with 1-3 heavy artillery units, have a decent artillery commander, and watch the Union fleet usually destroy every artillery unit in one turn and most times the artillery doesn't even hit a ship.
Would trying a couple of ironclads give me better results or perhaps just building regular artillery units and try to use a reaction force to throw the landings back into the sea?
Thanks for any advice.

[morganbj]

I'd like to see the answers to this one too.  We seem to have the same experiences, except, it seems that when I have five or six of them stacked, the yellow-back, blue-bellies don't attack as often.  BUt when they do, I usually come out on the wrong end of the stick.

[Tempest_slith]

The initial post suggested the question of the value of heavy arty was in terms of invasion protection. They are of limited use for that unless in a Level 2 fort, where a single heavy arty's fort bonus will (on average) negate 4 attacking infantry as far as retreat calculations goes.

Regardless, heavy arty are the most valuable and necessary CSA build. The CSA cannot hope to contest the Union Navy with ironclads; the Union will likely have 20 cruisers and 4-6 ironclads when the South's couple arrive (in early '42). The CSA must (rapidly) have about 25 heavy arty to deny the Union access to the Mississippi and Mobile's river, and slow the North's southern advance down the Tennessee River.

The game mechanic of a limit of 4 heavy arty firing from a Level 1 fort vs no limit on number of naval units bombarding means that the Union can mass 8-10 naval units and virtually guarantee wiping out the heavy arty with repeated bombardments.

Heavy arty in Level 2 forts (able to fire 7 guns) can hold their own against Union bombardments. The CSA must have strongly manned batteries (5-7 heavy arty) in the Level 2 forts of Mobile and Baton Rouge, and also Vicksburg once the Union's advanced past Memphis, or the Union will cut the CSA in half via the Mississippi.

[Mike Parker]

I agree with Tempest.  The south needs 28 Hvy Art ASAP, and I would have a spare 4-5 to replace losses if possible.  Ironclads won't save you, although they can wreak havoc on union shipping occasionally.  Hvy Art has a chance of preserving your east west lines of communication via the Mississippi River.

[stormbringer3]

Thanks for the advice. It appears that putting heavy artillery in a level one fort is a waste of resources and also building ironclads. Any other thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

[Capt Cliff]

Building an ironclad on the Mississippi for the CSA might bear fruit. It will stand a better chance against the Federal gunboats and force the UNion to move a ironclad up the Mississippi from the gulf. Don't confront Federal ironclads with it use it for defence against Union river gunboats. As for heavy artillery build as much as you can as fast as you can.

[Mike Parker]

Hvy Art in Level 1 Forts isn't a total waste, and Confed Ironclads can be very well used.  Its just you want Hvy Art in your Level 2 Forts asap and likely before you dedicate many resources to Ironclads or Hvy Art in level 1 forts.  I almost always have some hvy art in level 1 forts, as I like to have some spare to shove in level 2 forts when I get some damaged.  You can leave em sitting in Atlanta or wherever or you can put em in a level 1 fort.  I prefer to put em in a level 1 fort.

[Treefrog]

There is typically no perfect defense; that goes for HA in level one forts.

However, CSA defenders do not so much stand like an oak as they bend like a willow (pass me the green tea Grasshopper). The value of 4 HA in a level one fort with a good leader and CSC (preferably they have been there for a turn before being attacked) is that the USN must stop to fight them, rather than sail unmolested past the bluff to an invasion point. The fort is a variable and the attack can fail for that turn; if the invasion troops don't get initiative the next turn, the fort just bought you two turns, during which time your damaged HA have probably been rebuilt for you to start the cycle over again.

HA in Level two forts with good leaders are awesome, far more potent than in real life. I have sent a fleet of 4+ ironclads and 6+ gunboats with Farragut and good CSC against Vicksburg and never made signficant progress, instead watching the guns chip away at my fleet, with one unit damaged this turn, two damaged another turn, etc. and my return fire always being minus some huge number.