Arty barrage?

[wodin]

Quick question does anyone start a scenario with some mass Arty barrages on suspected enemy units or Objs before they start the troops in motion?

I've always left the Arty in control of the AI...I just move them up when need with a defence order. The odd occasion I gove a bombard order here and there but very rarely.

However I imagine taking control of the Arty at the start of a scenario for some heavy bombardments may be the way to do it.

[GBS]

If left in the hands of the AI, will the AI Art do counter battery fire?

[Lieste]

Not exactly. I tend to take control to inhibit any bombardment till I'm good and ready (quite apart from the fact the German artillery ammunition is usually empty at start).

Once I have shooters, again I'll keep them quiescent as much as possible. Once the movement to the FUP is nearly complete, then I'll consider bombardments on positions that can overwatch the approach routes, and the objective itself, the idea to smother anything that might be a serious threat allowing my troops to get their foothold they need.

Werfers should be heavily used during this softening up, and then rested during the actual approach as they are hard to get on target when friendlies are nearby - sparing the ammunition of more flexible mortars and howitzers allows them to provide artillery shaping during the battle - mostly preventing counter-attacks, reinforcements or orderly retreats.

Once the small battle is over, the troops dig-in, rest and prepare to move forward again, and artillery goes to harrassing/counter battery/interdiction roles, or rests. When possible keep a BIG chunk of artillery uncommitted, so you have a strong reserve of shells.

Artillery effects are mostly morale/cohesion/suppression, which are all short-lived. Only command/support are worth hitting hard when they aren't directly in contact with or threatening friendly troops. A full barrage without an assault to take advantage of it is not worth the shells most of the time. As a defender, you want to search for likely FUP, where he will have large formations of troops, not dug in, and trying to improve their cohesion. Even light fire can delay an attack considerably, and troops scattered by artillery are also more vulnerable to retreating under direct fire from weaker defenders. Otherwise you must fire enough support missions to prevent his infantry getting forward during the attack - alone his tanks and artillery will be hard pushed to achieve decisive results.

[Wiggum]

I always find it incredible how effective artillery can be in breaking attacks. Although i know it worked in reality the same way.
As long as you have enough artillery with enough ammunition you dont need a massive amount of units for the actual defence.

[simovitch]

confucious say, "never trust intel at start - you may be bombing nothing more than squirrel!"

[Wiggum]

To hell with those  squirrels ! [:@]

[Arjuna]

[:D]

[wodin]

Thanks for the tips...I'm pretty much doing the same as everyone else..excpet Leiste thats possibly abit to much micro management for me...however I bet it's very effective.