Direct Support by Artillery

[Jagger2002]

I noticed that Artillery direct support works with the latest patch. So I am going to start experimenting with it.

It only takes about 6 minutes to order a Soviet artillery unit to put a barrage down. So is direct artillery support any faster than ordering support normally.

I often play with FSSC on. I believe they will put artillery down on newly spotted targets. So how is direct support better than just relying on FSSC?

So I am wondering what are the big advantages of direct support in game terms and does anybody have any tips on using artillery direct support to its best effect? My thoughts are to use it primarily with recce units and possibly defensive units expecting attack.

[CapnDarwin]

DS artillery responds a little faster, couple minutes, and the advantage is as you describe in the last paragraph of your post. You get to place the support where you want (with units like recon leading an attack) versus the more random FSCC use. It's a matter of situation when it is best to use.

[IronMikeGolf]

Elaborating on what Capn said, Direct Support and Counter Battery serve to fence an arty type unit off from being used as General Support by the FSCC. Direct Support helps you by making the FSCC limit missions for the DS unit to what the support unit can see. This can really matter when you get in a situation of long-ish command cycles. If you want to concentrate fires in a sector, then DS is a tool to help you do that.

[Jagger2002]

Thanks. I have been experimenting with Direct Fire and it does seem assigning direct fire support is a better system, in general, than just using straight FSCC. As Iron Mike says, it keeps artillery fire concentrated where I feel it is most needed. I also think it is using less ammo but at the cost of missing some good targets. Better to lose some targets and keep artillery "fenced" off to where it is most needed.

The biggest problem I have found with FSCC is when the FSCC fires artillery during a turn and then finding individual artillery units shifting position at the start of my command cycle. Those shifting units are not available for manually assigning to a critical target unless I am willing to risk a counterbattery strike. It seems to me that FSCC produces greater artillery casualties than with FSCC off and only manually assigning targets. So overall, I think FSCC on, using Direct Fire support and manually assigning artillery targets at the command cycle start is the most efficient method of artillery use.

[KungPao]

Question: Does the game simulate the spotting round? IRL, it could take extra 1-10 min for the communication between the observer and Arty to establish a good fire solution.

[Panzer_Leader]

ORIGINAL: Capn Darwin

DS artillery responds a little faster, couple minutes, and the advantage is as you describe in the last paragraph of your post. You get to place the support where you want (with units like recon leading an attack) versus the more random FSCC use. It's a matter of situation when it is best to use.

Another great tip. I hadn't realised DS is more responsive time-wise, usually using it to support dug-in infantry in direct contact, so will play around with it more.

[Jagger2002]

Ok, I have been using direct support in couple games. I started looking at some of the TOC diaries of artillery with direct support orders.

Is it my imagination or are direct support artillery only using Suppression(x1) fire? I know they are using suppression fire a lot but not seeing neutralization fire. But I haven't looked at every TOC diary of every unit on direct support. If I have targets in the open, I rarely use suppression fire, I hit them with neutralization fire.

Also my impression is direct artillery does fire but not very often. I will watch this closer. I am usually giving orders to a company or battalion HQ so that all their subunits also spot. Yet it seems artillery is not firing when there are plenty of targets. Again I will watch this closer but am I correct in believing that giving orders to a company or battalion HQ means all their subordinate units should be able to call in artillery? Or is spotting only by the unit designated for direct support?

Something doesn't feel quite right with direct support. I will watch closer.

[IronMikeGolf]

Direct Support does not flow downhill at this time. That means you pick only one unit for DS and only units that unit sees can be targeted. So, if you select a Bn or Co HQ, and you don't expose that HQ to the enemy, you won't get many fires from the supporting unit.

[Stimpak]

As a Soviet player, I leave the FSCC off and give direct support to the first echelon of the most successful axis where the artillery's forward observers would be in actual practice. Other candidates for direct support include FSEs (if available), GSR-equipped recon (Like the BRM-1K), and one of my favorites are any Mi-24s I have buzzing around behind enemy lines. If hundreds of 80mm rockets aren't enough for the enemy, then maybe some 122mm rockets and shells should help!

Otherwise I like to personally micromanage my artillery. An enjoyable tactic that the Americans learned in Vietnam, and then the Soviets in Afghanistan, is a hunter-killer cooperation between aircraft and artillery; Aircraft hunt, Artillery kill. Even if I lose one or two of those Su-25s over the target area, they still give me a good idea of whatever they flew over makes a juicy artillery target.

[Jagger2002]

Direct Support does not flow downhill at this time. That means you pick only one unit for DS and only units that unit sees can be targeted. So, if you select a Bn or Co HQ, and you don't expose that HQ to the enemy, you won't get many fires from the supporting unit.

Ok, thanks. That explains why I am not seeing much fire from my direct support. I have been assigning direct support to HQs.

and one of my favorites are any Mi-24s

Good advice. Especially helicopters until mine get shot down.