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Just a quick question for anyone.Most of the time i'll leave arty to the AI for support and back up.For major assaults though i like to keep one or two of the bigger assets for my direction.Could anyone suggest what setting to use these at.For example,ammo,timings,length of fire etc.I having the feeling i might be over using them at times especially in scenarios where you have limited ammo supplies.

ORIGINAL: Brindlebane

Just a quick question for anyone.Most of the time i'll leave arty to the AI for
Support and back up.For major assaults though i like to keep one or two of the bigger assets for my direction.Could anyone suggest what setting to use these at.For example,ammo,timings,length of fire etc.I having the feeling i might be over using them at times especially in scenarios where you have limited ammo supplies.

The beauty of Command Ops is the designers are attempting to model real world situations faced by combat arms organizations during World War II. To that end,the doctrine used by the combatants can be mirrored in battle tactics to a reasonably good degree of fidelity to real world results.

The supply matter you mention was faced by all combatants at various times, and is modeled to a reasonable level of fidelity in the basic scenarios (where supply and reinforcement schedules are left at "historical" settings). Understand the purpose artillery operations were conducted by the various combatants, and the restraints they faced in coordinating their efforts (e.g. communication grids and combined arms tactics), and you can work out a solution to your battlefield problems given the supply status of your forces.

It involves establishing the criticality of the operation to the overall battlefield goals, and determining whether the plan you wish to implement is important enough to risk those resources when at low supply levels.

Here's a vanilla US Artillery Doctrine discussion which essentially says that as technology changed for improving command and control, the doctrine for application of artillery in a battle arrived at under combat experience in World War I changed little during World War II.

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA242118

Here's a similar analysis for British Artillery:

http://nigelef.tripod.com/maindoc.htm

And, here's a German discussion, which was followed with some modification by the British:

http://www.fireandfury.com/artillerytut ... mans.shtml

If you're discussing how to coordinate artillery operations with infantry and armor operations, you're discussing combined arms operations.

Here's a thesis from the US Army Command and General Staff College on the subject:

http://www.cgsc.edu/carl/download/csipubs/house.pdf

Hope this helps.

Some really great stuff in those links.Much appreciated and thanks for the help.

ORIGINAL: Brindlebane

Just a quick question for anyone.Most of the time i'll leave arty to the AI for support and back up.For major assaults though i like to keep one or two of the bigger assets for my direction.Could anyone suggest what setting to use these at.For example,ammo,timings,length of fire etc.I having the feeling i might be over using them at times especially in scenarios where you have limited ammo supplies.

In the game it is pretty much essential that you support your assaulting troops with artillery, and mortars, if you want the best results.
The AI at present does not do a pre attack bombardment, its left to the player to decide how long, and where to focus your H hour barrages.
For this reason I always (when I remember) detach mortars, and infantry guns from the HQ before issuing an attack order, and give them a direct defend order, to move to a location near the FUP (80mm mortars) or for longer range bombardment weapons (IG Guns)I'll just make sure they are within range, and leave them where they are, unless I want them to provide direct fire support, in which case I'll move them to within LOS.
If I have a good idea where the enemy is on the objective I will start a barrage about the same time as the assault gets underway, centred on the enemy positions, using the heavier artillery assets available.
This ensures that the enemy is supressed when my line units get in range.
I'll usually set these times for about an hour or 2, and leave avoid friendlies ticked.
This means that once your troops are to close, the fire will automatically stop.

This is when you order your mortars and IG guns, which have a smaller area of effect, to fire on the close targets, once again I usually set them to bombard for an hour. This is because if I am to close i.e. have achieved my goal because I'm where I need to be, the fire will stop. If however my troops get pushed back, (retreat/retreat recovery) the fire will begin again, and also saves having to keep entering new bombard orders, which gets a bit monotonous, after a while.
As the barrages from the heavy/medium artillery stop due to my line units being to close I'll select the artillery, and then drag the bombardment order further to the rear of the position onto the next enemy location.
This simulates a rolling barrage, as you advance, and ensures that the next line of enemy positions is suppressed for when you get there.
I always use max rate of fire for these missions.
I don't really care about how many rounds are fired during these important attacks. The goal is to achieve the objective, if it takes every round I have to do that, and I have nothing left for the rest of the day then that's just tough.
Its far more important to support your troops during the attack than to have rounds left at the end of the day, even for defence, because its far easier to defend than to attack.

It's all about commitment. You either need the objective or you don't.
Don't go in half hearted. Hit it with everything you have until it moves.

Great answer also Daz,exactly what i was looking for.I've been using my arty willy nilly with 30 mins settings and though i always split off my support units,i was using them very much the same.Though at times effective albeit temporarily,it was having no lasting effect.Two great replies there thanks again.

Another thing i learnt the hard way for BftB scenarios playing as the Germans.Never ever assault in broad daylight,perfect weather and open countryside.Total carnage from Allied artillery.I'm learning slowly but surely [:D]