HTTR modification 5 patch artillery deploying to clear terrain

[madmickey]

HTTR 5 ptach has Arty deployment prefrence in clear terrrain, Why? I know that the wooded terrain has higher indirect fire cost but would you rather hide your artillery units in woods or developed property away from front line.

[RayWolfe]

Well, in real life you can't actually fire arty in the woods. The trees keep getting in the way of your shells. [;)]
Ray

[Tactics]

My jeeps and trucks all have axes onboard. While they are setting up for deployment they are also clearing away the trees. [:'(]

[madmickey]

Also in all the unoffical hints artillery set up in woods. Towns, industrial and city away from front line would be ideal places to set up.

[RayWolfe]

When I was a gunner …… oh gauwd, now you’ve set the old boy off ….. When I was a gunner the battery sergeant-major would only allow us to fell trees so that he could have a fresh brew of tea when he wanted one. The thought of clearing trees to clear arks of fire never entered his head. [:'(]
Ray

[MarkShot]

Madmickey,

"Unofficial hints" ... perhaps, you are refering to my postings.

Yes, I did, in fact, illustrate that. But you have to remember that I have neither served in the armed forces nor am I an amateur historian. So, to a large extent what I know about weapons systems, their deployment, battlefield tactics, and ground operations have been learnt from CMBO, CMBB, RDOA, and HTTR.

As such, most of what I presented was from the perspective of "I have been playing this game and this is what works for me". Bil, one of my fellow beta testers, a veteran would probably be inclined to apply realistic tactics he received in training or from research and manipulate the game in that manner. So, some bring concepts to the game, and others such as myself, draw their concepts from the game.

Another thing that I became aware of after producing all that material regards the use of fire bases. I strongly advocated stripping away arty and sometimes mortars to create supportive fire bases. It has proved to be very effective for me in the game. However, from watching the History Channel as best I can tell, this approach of using artillery wasn't really introduced until the USA's involvement in Vietnam. Leaving arty and mortars in their organic organizations would probably be more historically correct.

It's a credit to the RDOA/HTTR that to a large extent learning what works in the game will teach the basic principles of conducting WWII ground operations. However, there are still limitations of modeling in the game (such as how certain terrain behaves) that facilitates incorrect tactics. Also, the great flexibility of the game allows the player to command in ways that would not be consistant with accepted doctrine of the times. For example, I have often rebalanced forces based on unit classes such as armor or infantry to arrive forces more tailored for attacks over open ground or defense in woods and BUA.

So, when you read stuff I wrote, remember I wrote it from a "what works" perspective. If you want to have a discourse on accurate WWII tactics, you best approach people such as Dave O'Connor, Steve Long, and Bil Hardenberger.

I hope that helps.

[madmickey]

With allied control of air, German artillery units would move into hidden territory. Tanks may be difficult to kill by fighter bomber but the trucks and prime movers are easy pickings for P47s & Typhoons.

[KNac007]

I strongly advocated stripping away arty and sometimes mortars to create supportive fire bases. It has proved to be very effective for me in the game. However, from watching the History Channel as best I can tell, this approach of using artillery wasn't really introduced until the USA's involvement in Vietnam

On a fast note [;)]:

Maybe for the allies. But not really for the Red Army, which usually used this method, a lot, with mortars. In fact the SOP was to form up a kind of fire base with all the mortar companies from a regiment and give command to the commander, for example. As far as I can remember at least...

And one of the best things of wargames, and even more for good designed and realistic wargames (like this one), is to try other procedures and methods from other armies or other times with the current troops.