In Praise of Rockets

[bigtroutz]

Those new to SP_WAW should be aware of the power and utility of rocket artillery. While not especially accurate, the warhead size and numbers of rounds impacting in an area make all other indirect arty fire look like firecrackers. Use rocket barrages to defend or prepare attack corridors. Dont be surprized to observe heavy infantry casualties and even some armor kills. Severe supression of all units in the impact area goes without mention.

I have prepared a brief table from the encyclopedia to help you compare and contrast the units available, limiting it to the 1941-45 period. the rate of fire (rounds) data is not entirely accurate but provides a baseline for further investigation

Unit Name Cost Rounds Cost/Rnd Warhead Pen Avail
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
US 4.5" rocket__ 70 32 2.2 7 42 Jan 44
US Calliope___ 88 32 2.75 7 32 Aug 44
US Truck Rocket__ 69 16 4.3 7 42 Apr 45

UK Land Mattress 80 48 1.6 9 48 Oct 44

GE Nebelwerfer_ 53 12 4.4 13 51 Jun 41
GE Wulfger 4.1__ 46 10 4.6 10 42 Jun 41
GE PzW-52___ 51 15 3.4 10 42 Jan 43

Jap 20cm Rkt___ 47 6 7.8 13 64 Jun 44

Rus BM-8 Katyusha 47 24 1.96 5 32 Sep 41
Rus BM-13 ____ 51 16 3.19 10 48 Jun 44
Rus BM-31___ 76 12 6.3 17 98 Jul 41

note the large number of rounds fired in many cases and compare this with the much smaller number of rounds fired by large caliber howitzers, etc and you will get some idea of why i love rockets. The same Off-Board units generally fire more rounds than on-board units.

Try out rocket artillery and enjoy the wailing of your enemy.

PS sorry about the inability of the msg board to correctly format this table

[bigtroutz]

lets try this table again

Unit_Name______Cost__Rounds__Cost/Rnd_Warhead__Pen__Avail
__________________________________________________________
US_4.5"_rocket____70____32______2.2________7____42__Jan_44
US_Calliope_______88____32______2.75_______7____32__Aug_44
US_Truck_Rocket___69____16______4.3________7____42__Apr_45

UK_Land_Mattress__80____48______1.6________9____48__Oct_44

GE_Nebelwerfer____53____12______4.4_______13____51__Jun_41
GE_Wulfger_4.1____46____10______4.6_______10____42__Jun_41
GE_PzW-52_________51____15______3.4_______10____42__Jan_43

Jap_20cm_Rkt______47_____6______7.8_______13____64__Jun_44

Rus_BM-8_Katyusha_47____24______1.96_______5____32__Sep_41
Rus_BM-13_"_______51____16______3.19______10____48__Jun_44
Rus_BM-31_________76____12______6.3_______17____98__Jul_41

[Goblin]

I love rockets too! Not so much the Wuhrframmen (no real fun using them), but Soviet Katyushas rule!! Good point bigtroutz!

Goblin

[Bernie]

One drawback that I've noticed with rockets is that they are more subject to weapon breakdowns. Whether this is due to the game modeling it as a single "tube" or just a reflection of how much more difficult they were to maintain I'm not sure. Heck, it could even be just my own perception of using them and not the actual reality.

Another drawback is using them with limited ammo. Since they fire so many shots they run out of ammo faster, and OB arty doesn't get replenished, does it?

[Larry Holt]

In SPWaW bombs are the best bet to root out entrenched infantry. While they are proportionally protected against direct or indirect fires, bombs seem to have their own resolution routine. They invariably cause casualities to entrenched units two hexes away.

[bigtroutz]

hehe, good points both but i most often play with breakdown off and limited ammo off.

there's enuf micromanagement in SPWAW without trunding units back to ammo supply or vice versa. i figure that supply should do its job in the background and let the combat units duke it out. if a combat unit was so poorly supplied with ammo during an offensive, i doubt that it would be attacking in the 1st place, and if a unit was in static positions i figure that supply had caught up with it and there were adequate amounts of ammo at hand. SPWAW doesnt deal well with combat units huge logistical tails, support units, etc. anyway. ammo supply wasnt generally the problem that POL (fuel and lubricants) was, in reality, and SPWAW ignores this completely. patton's 3rd army was repeatedly immobilized because fuel was cut to minimal supply levels and one of the major reasons the battle of the bulge was lost by GE was due to POL shortages

as far as breakdowns, i figure getting immobilized in mud, hedges, or inattentively running a IFV into a bldg (dukw just love smashing into buildings) are pain enuf in this regard.

[bigtroutz]

Originally posted by Larry Holt
In SPWaW bombs are the best bet to root out entrenched infantry. While they are proportionally protected against direct or indirect fires, bombs seem to have their own resolution routine. They invariably cause casualities to entrenched units two hexes away.

i totally agree larry, in any particular hex impact, a bomb is much more devastating, but here are a few counter points:

1) less than 1/3 of campaign battles seem to allow aircraft purchase

2) strike aircraft are expensive and can not be included in your core force

3) most aircraft generate LINEAR bomb runs vs a roughly circular and larger area rocket pattern, esp with the large # of round firing units, this has implications for use, 8 (2 bttry) US 4.5 rocket units can supress pretty much an entire front prior to your attack or the enemies attack. only the most generous support point level would allow the purchase of 8 strike aircraft and would not provide the area coverage of this rocket barrage.

4) its rare to get a .1 or .2 delay airstrike but quite frequent with rockets, this means i can stop much enemy unit movement with supression, 2 or 3 units emerging somewhat rattled from a rocket barrage can be dealt with more forcefully than an entire company

5) non-LOS aircraft and bomber attacks often dont target what you wanted to target, rockets ALWAYS drop into the area you had in mind. this is ESPECIALLY true with air attacks against infantry. unless you can target a mortar squad or IFV surrounded
by infantry, and airstrike will often wander many hexes away looking for mech or bunkers

6) airstrikes must be planned with great care as far as entry and exit points so that your OWN mech units are not targeted....not an issue with rockets, although you shouldnt use a rocket barrage too near your own forces, either.

7) strike aircraft are frequently knocked out of the battle by AA hits, and even if not shot down, become unavailable in later turns....not an issue with rockets, and these units seem to fire even when suppessed by counter-battery fire

so, i guess my point is that rockets are pretty **** useful, and aircraft have theirs uses too. if i can get an air-strike to land on target, there is NO question that it is the MOST effective killer.

[WhiteRook]

Rockets are good - I like Rockets, as long as I am a LONG way from them!

[gainiac]

Does an awesome job of cooking up infantry and raising hell in general...........

Be very careful with them however........If your troops are in close proximity of the impact area spotting is an absolute must.

Spotting is ALWAYS a must. Surround then pound.

Why suffer casualties with infantry assaults when you can rout the enemy INTO your troops with well placed artillery fire.



Marty