Matrix Games Forums

I know howitzers deal less damage than regular arty. But at the same time I am paranoid about enemy cavalry charging my guns. I take great care to protect my guns (this is COG) and make sure there is only one adjacent hex left empty (otherwise the guns won't have a line of sight). But still, enemy cavalry can capture or rout the guns with just one charge. This happened even during the retreat phase of COG (I understand that this phase is automated in COGEE).

What do the experts think about an all howitzer arty corps? This will allow me to protect my guns by keeping them behind my lines so the enemy can't charge them. Less damage than heavy arty or regular, but the payoff against a faction like Russia or Turkey (they always have lots of cavalry) seems to be worth it.

from the way you are saying it, I would think you are saying a full Corps based on nothing but Hows ?

I would rather go with mixed Corps

the idea/reason you want is fine, but I do not like the idea of a full Corps

at times, you can have only part of your troops show up for a battle, or your Corps can be placed in different areas, and or, the enemy may get off a turn or two, before you can, organize your forces, so you may end up getting a set up, that you are trying to set up, to not get

in one of my Screen shots, you may see I got a Arty Corps, but that was a special case

and to be honest, too many Guns, is almost as bad as too few

now to the idea

Hows are short ranged, so that is going to make it even HARDer to get it to work, the way you want, so your line of Inf or Cav, will only get support fire from one hex in front of them

(plus if set up the way you say, you now have your flanks or rear open)

so, overall, I would reather set up lanes of fire, and use Inf/Cav set up between and to the flanks of the guns, this then, still lets you move forward, or to the flanks with your guns and still be protected, you line, one unit that gets short movement, or gets tangled, will mess up your whole advance

Hows, got alot of good things going for them, but they are pretty HARD to use, or get used to

(on a side note, remember, a Trooper unit to stop a enemy unit from Chargeing, only needs to be next to the attacking unit, it does not need to be next to the Gun)

Hi sorry what I meant was not building any arty or heavy arty but just howitzers to avoid having my guns exposed.

But if howitzers indeed have such short range it seems the idea won't work....

okay, wasn't sure how you meant it

How's have a range of 2, but can fire with out getting return fire

still not sure if I would go for "only" Hows

as is, you can form a battle line with your Inf, 2 hexes away from the enemy line, and have a Arty unit behind the main line, and still support the main line, with Hows, you have to be next to the enemy, with your How's behind your line (or in your main line and fire 2 hexes away)

it can be done, you only have to plan on getting closer, which means, you may take more losses

I do like them, but I don't plan on them being my "main" weapon

I find howitzers to be inferior.  I think artillery units should just represent having a certain small number of howitzers attached and have a proportional penalty in the case of an indirect attack at a range of 2 and Howitzers ought to then be removed as a distinct unit type from the game.

ORIGINAL: Mus

I find howitzers to be inferior. I think artillery units should just represent having a certain small number of howitzers attached and have a proportional penalty in the case of an indirect attack at a range of 2 and Howitzers ought to then be removed as a distinct unit type from the game.

got to disagree, they are not inferior, they are different, that is all, just like Cav and Light and Heavy Cav are different

ORIGINAL: Hard Sarge

got to disagree, they are not inferior, they are different, that is all, just like Cav and Light and Heavy Cav are different

Whatever floats your boat I guess. I find the decreased damage and range is not made up for with the indirect fire ability.

ORIGINAL: Mus

ORIGINAL: Hard Sarge

got to disagree, they are not inferior, they are different, that is all, just like Cav and Light and Heavy Cav are different

Whatever floats your boat I guess. I find the decreased damage and range is not made up for with the indirect fire ability.

I am thinking more down the road, add some upgrades, and these are your prime weapon vs Riflemen, a good Arty piece is going to get toar apart, firing on a Riflemen, and may not damage them enough to break them

as a 2ndary target, Jagers

not trying to say it is the best weapon in the game, but they have there uses, which most people do not give them chance to do

now, I will say, that other then setting up to test them, I don't normally go out of my way to build them, but most that I get, are from my Enemies, but if I have them, I will use them

I've been in several battles where the range of the hows left me confused. Apparently, the range is affected when firing at a unit ON a hill. I'm guessing the how has to be adjacent in such cases. Perhaps the level up onto the hill is counted as one space?

That makes sense since with any artillery piece, usable range is reduced when the target is above the gun. The greater the difference in elevation relative to range (angle of site), the greater the reduction in effective range provided firing elevation is <45 degrees as was the case with howitzers of this era.

Best regards