Soviet Artillery Buildout

[hfarrish]

It's probably been covered before, but is there any real recommended order of buildout for new Soviet artillery units, both in terms of battalions and divisions? Level of choices seem overwhelming...given all my previous games tended to end after 41 blizzard it wasn't much of an issue but hoping current games run longer to where these choices are actually important.

[comsolut]

Right now I have been going in the path of least resistance, or I should say building what I have large pools of. For example in one game I had like 2000 85mm guns (AA listed I think) and the 41a Anti Tank Reg used exclusively those so I build 20 41a AT Reg and put them in my armies facing the most likely panzer threats. They seem to kill a few tanks here and there so I am pleased.

I just now built two art brigades in March 42 to see what they look like and their effects, but I believe others suggest the artillery divisions (available Dec 42???)as the way to go when available (And lots of them). Again I would check pool #'s and try to absorb what is laying around in the pool and then start building the ones you want (which uses armaments). As far as which actual artillery piece is best to go with - hopefully someone else can answer. Probably a trade off between size and armament cost and time to construct.

[Flaviusx]

Honestly, right now I'm leaning towards building exactly zero artillery SUs if at all possible. I put two SUs per army, and what you start with can just about cover that.

Notable exception: any army in urban defense. There it makes more sense to load them up with more artillery SUs.

So far as divisions go: minimum of thirty. 40-50 would be better. Most of these should be breakthrough artillery divisions, with a handful of rocket artillery (these will fill out painfully slowly, no matter what Pavel says. [:)] )

[hfarrish]

Thx again - so you don't need the battalions to fill out the divisions, they have their own OOB just like any other divisions?

[Flaviusx]

Arty divisions are purchased as a single units, yes, they aren't built up from smaller ones.

[Q-Ball]

I would even consider DISBANDING the BM Howitzer Regts in early 1942. The TOE reduces to only 12 tubes, and they are armament hogs besides. You can recycle all those 203mm guns in Artillery Divisions eventually.

I would consider building 120mm Mortar Bn/Regts though, the ones that have a TOE of 36 x 120mm Mortars. They are very cheap to build, and have decent firepower. I like 1 per Army, in lieu of buildling any more Artillery SUs.