Artillery Units in A&A minis

[bcgameguy]

Does anyone know if there are plans to include artillery units (i.e. field guns, howitzers) in future sets of the game? Currently there are antitank guns and some mobile assualt guns, but no convential artillery units.

[XAos]

I hope not.
Most artillery shoots from 5 to 15 miles behind the front lines. Since the game map represents an area less than 1 mile across. Any artillery on the map has already made a big misstake.

[Der Leiter]

I hope not.
Most artillery shoots from 5 to 15 miles behind the front lines. Since the game map represents an area less than 1 mile across. Any artillery on the map has already made a big misstake.

They won't necessarily make a miniature of the artillery unit but might, for example, use Forward Spotters instead with the artillery mechanic built in.

[manufan]

I wouldn't mind the odd artillery unit that stays off the map but looks really cool, and can rain down fire on the battlefield.

Cheers.

[brigadier Burton]

In a 10 turn game representing 10 minutes of real time im not sure just how many arty attacks could actually be brought to bear on a givin position.Possably a game could start in a built up defensive and the attacker has plotted an attack for some time.However i dont think in a 10 minute time span say a mobile arty peice would get off too many first shots and corrections after that.A fixed or set up unit would maybe fire more shots on a plotted map being set up before the fact and being a part of an assault/defensive plan.There is a fair amount of comms needed to bring arty on line for moving targets.Im confusing myselph here, if you were to say have paticular spots plotted on a givin map,using an obsever....watch out for those hexes themselves as they would be killing fields probably covered buy a combined effort from various units however bringing arty to a battle that is fluid in movevment,i dont know if you really could. Maybe it would be imperitive to have inititive,firing arty before the enemy could move in the assault phaze away from the target hex.Jeez i dont know,but i dont think it would be an unrealistic use of arty to fire on whatever they please ,with accuracy,in every assault phase.But on a fixed target thats not moving thats another story. so just an opinion but 1 has the target moved since comms to arty have been initiated?
2 at this stage of battle has arty been organised as to where and when to fire?
3 defensive arty strikes vs assaulting troops?
4 what ammo was laid on for this enterprise? can you choose mid firing cycle?
etc etc. these are just my thoughts.im no arty expert,coments welcome.
5 counter battery fire?

[protevangelium]

I've said it before, but artillery in a sense is already in the game. The Brummbar and the sIG 33 carry howitzers. While I realize that's not artillery in a very strict sense, I can't imagine the attacks of towed or limbered artillery being much different. To not include it is to use the logic of the anti-aircraft types... which is to render AAM ahistorical by not including historical aspects of WW II combat. Of course, that means planes, trains and artillery!

[Stojakovic]

I don't have a problem with it....

[Thoes426]

Why not include artillery.

look at the maps, those towns and hills are not to scale with the units.

Are they(AH) saying that the scale of the map (single) is less than a mile from end to end?
if so, then ok, i see where it would be absurd to try and include it in the game.
nothing in this game is to scale across the board anyway, it's all abstract.
Besides they are introducing aircraft in the next set so why not include artillery.
i think it should be included in the game.

Thoes426

Remember: it's only a game, it's not reality.
if it was realistic and 100% historical the Axis would always lose and nobody would want to play, right?:)

[Kommandant]

i wouldn't mind if they make an artillery piece
for the game

[Stojakovic]

426,

I agree with 99% of that. The whole town thing is for better playability same for the size representation for the hex.

[Thoes426]

426,

I agree with 99% of that. The whole town thing is for better playability same for the size representation for the hex.

Right on!
so adding artillery will do no more damage than adding in aircraft.

"if they make them they will play with them"

Thoes426

[Patton 68]

I wait patiently for an M7 Priest...

[NEVjr]

the rule book states that each hex is 100m
in a 10 min battle, small artillery could be spotted for and fired on a position, but thats mostly 75mm, possibly 105mm

[Stojakovic]

Right on!
so adding artillery will do no more damage than adding in aircraft.

"if they make them they will play with them"

Thoes426

Well I am not an expert but artillery is king of battle, because they take more lives. So I am guessing they can do more damage.

[SSG lathrop]

As a Redleg ARTY guy I look forward to being able to use the guns in the correct Inderect fire way. A good gun crew should be able to lay on target and put the first round down range in :D minutes. From the FO to the FDC and down to the firing elements. We are the king of battle because 70% of all casualites in war are from ARTY. Make the game a blast. Please put the Arty unit on board. You will want to protect yours and try to find his ARTY units. Im not stepping on any toes just wanted to state my mind. Thanks Pete

[greyfox]

It depends on the army and artillery piece. The Germans used several guns in the 75mm range in a direct fire role, their so called infantry guns. These were generally at the battalion or regimental level. The assault guns such as sIG 33 and Brummbar were just mechanized versions of what the German doctrine called for. In the US army, the Sherman armed with a 105mm howitzer served the same role. The Soviet had their SU series. The Japanese also used light artillery in direct fire for infantry support. Units like this could be included very easily and appropriately, and I hope they are. But putting heavy artillery in the game, at least in terms of actual units on the board, is ahistorical, unless placed in a scenario where a breakthough has occured and the redlegs are defending themselves (Battle of the Bulge, etc.).

[Autarch]

I vote for SP arty. They could be used in direct fire roles or offboard in combination with FOs.

[Joisey]

I wait patiently for an M7 Priest...
Amen, Brother!

While 155mm Howitzers might not be a good fit for our game scale, self propelled artillery and 80mm mortars ARE!

[Dr_Strangelove]

I would love to see some artillery added to the game. There were several instances of almost every nation using field artillery and even heavier guns in direct fire roles.

[Gonash]

I hope for arty unit or SP arty on board !

You can play on a bigger battlefield ( more maps ). Imagine your Priest is hiding 2km away behind a forest and send shell on those SS-Panzergrenadiers , the ennemy cannot sent a stuka to kill it since you carefully place a AA halftrack on a hill near. Each turn you watch his Sdkfz 222 trying to find a hole in your frontline, suddenly your Priest is dead ! killed by a Nashorn at 20 hexe away on top of a hill !!

Look fun to me !

I prefer an on-board plastic Priest unit instead of an off-board card in a sleeve that say "Priest".

[Stojakovic]

I hope for arty unit or SP arty on board !

You can play on a bigger battlefield ( more maps ). Imagine your Priest is hiding 2km away behind a forest and send shell on those SS-Panzergrenadiers , the ennemy cannot sent a stuka to kill it since you carefully place a AA halftrack on a hill near. Each turn you watch his Sdkfz 222 trying to find a hole in your frontline, suddenly your Priest is dead ! killed by a Nashorn at 20 hexe away on top of a hill !!

Look fun to me !

I prefer an on-board plastic Priest unit instead of an off-board card in a sleeve that say "Priest".

Sweet! my dream is to have 24 maps. But I will do that when they come out with more maps.

[Muenchausen]

If they (WOTC) can incorporate fighter planes that cross the battlefield in seconds, they can incorporate artillery pieces. My suggestion is to load the artillery shells with less powder, then they can't shoot as far! :D

[Outpost Orange]

I think what we might see in terms of artillery is a Forward Observer with the following special ability:

FORWARD OBSERVER
On a roll of 4+, this unit can order an artillery barrage to any LOS hex which will have the following characteristics: Blast - bombardment- 8 dice vs. infantry or vehicles.

What do you all think?

[komichido]

Good guess, I definately cannot wait to see the FO card. Wonder when they will start to post teaser pics and cards?

Komi

[Thoes426]

I think what we might see in terms of artillery is a Forward Observer with the following special ability:

FORWARD OBSERVER
On a roll of 4+, this unit can order an artillery barrage to any LOS hex which will have the following characteristics: Blast - bombardment- 8 dice vs. infantry or vehicles.

What do you all think?

I think that would work too, and i could live with it.
BUT i'm dying to do a "Band of Brothers" scenario with my "Screaming Eagles" taking out a German artillery position and having an actual piece would be much more pleaseing to the eyes.
Right now i have to settle for using my Pak 38's and 40's.
Which gets the job done, BUT......

Thoes426