Page 1 of 1

Nebelwerfers are still useless...

Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2026 8:38 pm
by SchDerGrosse
This game is sitting in my library for some time. After watching a plethora of you tube lets plays I have finally dove into the main campaign.

Am I missing someting or are nebelwerfers are still completely useless and their only use is to consume supply?

A few observations:

- the NW participates in combat for 3 rounds but fires only in the very first round. After that in enters into a "special retreat phase" and does jacksquat from then;

- the offensive power of 15,21 and 30 cm guns can be 10-20k, which on paper seems formidable;

- that is until I fire them. Firing at infantry in light woods, with some entrenchment, i managed to take out 10 GI, and a truck. Did some a couple of tests and the results very similar (very anemic damage).

Is this WAD? I would think so after so many patches.

If its WAD then does it conform to the historical effectiveness of NWs? Especially the larger caliber ones, which to my knowledge were able to dish out DEVASTATING fire albeit from a shorter range.

(and before you ask, yes, the area had high rec. value, and yes presumably if the target had been sitting in the open without a single sandbag for cover it would have caused more damage, but this is true for every piece of artillery)

Re: Nebelwerfers are still useless...

Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2026 9:19 am
by nikdav
Thanks for the feedback !

They were area-saturation weapons with poor accuracy.
The most notable effect is a great moral-psychological effect over the area suppressed by the rockets, but there were relatively few casualties, many wounded by fragments for close detonations but few dead.
During the attack on the fortress of Brest-Litovsk in june 1941 the German fired more than 10.000 rockets before the assault but with very few Soviet dead. The shock to the defenders was tangible and many soldiers surrendered.

On the other hand the ammunition consume was enormous.
Often the available ammunition was only sufficient for two or three salvos, and after that the units withdrew.

Re: Nebelwerfers are still useless...

Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2026 9:30 am
by nikdav
Some mortars-artillery value used:

Re: Nebelwerfers are still useless...

Posted: Fri Jun 05, 2026 9:31 pm
by SwampYankee68
nikdav wrote: Fri Jun 05, 2026 9:19 am Thanks for the feedback !

They were area-sat....

Interesting reply, thanks

Re: Nebelwerfers are still useless...

Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2026 7:39 am
by nikdav
An old but interesting article about nebelwerfers from "Military Review may 1963"

Re: Nebelwerfers are still useless...

Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2026 7:42 am
by nikdav
The link to the Archives of "Military Review" magazine.

https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Journal ... -Archives/