How to defend artillery when using direct fire

[Steve Petersen]

I have gotten through the first two scenarios of Lost Victories. After playing a few times I was able to achieve Decisives in both, but now I am running into KV1s and KV2s for the first time. I am trying to use my arty in direct fire operations, but quickly attract 152 mm rounds from the KV2s. How can I distract those monsters? Could I put some other expendable units closer to them and hope they get shot up instead?

On another note, it is satisfying to see that once in a while my Panzer IIIh can take out these behomoths using their 5 cm gun. I live for those moments.

[String]

ORIGINAL: Steve Petersen

I have gotten through the first two scenarios of Lost Victories. After playing a few times I was able to achieve Decisives in both, but now I am running into KV1s and KV2s for the first time. I am trying to use my arty in direct fire operations, but quickly attract 152 mm rounds from the KV2s. How can I distract those monsters? Could I put some other expendable units closer to them and hope they get shot up instead?

On another note, it is satisfying to see that once in a while my Panzer IIIh can take out these behomoths using their 5 cm gun. I live for those moments.

Spray them with MG and small arms fire first if possible. Yeah you lose some men that way, but sometimes artillery is more important than men. Other times it's not.

Indirect fire tends to supress and button them up aswell.

[Major Destruction]

indirect fire from light mortars can suppress a heavy tank so badly it will not recover. Use the light mortars at close range (5 hexes max) for 3-4 turns while you move up infantry AT units or engineers (plural) for the kill.
 
I like to play Britain v USSR in 1940 just for fun and the only way to kill the big russian tanks is with a 2" mortar team and some engineers. Failing that, the 25 pounders are the last ditch defence. Again, suppress the tanks first with indirect fire from mortars before you allow the 25-pdrs to be spotted.

[Whiskey3]

Just wanted to echo the other responses. Hitting Soviet equipment with almost anything will button them up in these early scenarios, regardless of whether it can knock them out. All you need to do is rattle them until your artillery can get around to the kill.