Artillery with Range of One

[carrollmjc]

How is it best to use these units?

I am in a scenario with larger hexes and allunits have a range of one.

1. If I place an Artillery unit with a range of one in a hex and make a direct attack into an adjacent hex with an infantry division. Is the artillery unit actually assaulting the hex or just supporting the infantry attack?

2. I assume that if I dig-in an artillery unit or place it in tactical reserve, it will support attacks into adjacent hexes with half it's combat value. Is this true?

Thanks

[Secadegas]

How is it best to use these units?

I am in a scenario with larger hexes and allunits have a range of one.

1. If I place an Artillery unit with a range of one in a hex and make a direct attack into an adjacent hex with an infantry division. Is the artillery unit actually assaulting the hex or just supporting the infantry attack?

2. I assume that if I dig-in an artillery unit or place it in tactical reserve, it will support attacks into adjacent hexes with half it's combat value. Is this true?

Thanks

1. They assault

2. Yes, it's true

[Mantis]

2. I assume that if I dig-in an artillery unit or place it in tactical reserve, it will support attacks into adjacent hexes with half it's combat value. Is this true?

Thanks
With a tac/local reserve setting, keep in mind that if you experience an early turn end, or forget to change the arty back to mobile or dug in, it can be moving all over the place during your opponent's turn, supporting battles where you're likely to get clobbered, by physically moving into the hex under attack.

That only had to happen to me once or twice before I made the mental adjustment: This=BAD

:D

[carrollmjc]

Is there any way to get the full artillery value for a unit that has a range of one? without having them assault the adjacent hex. One would assume that if they are assualting then they would take much higher casaulties.

If there is not then this somewhat reduces the usefulness of artillery in a bigger scale game. No complaint but I just want to make sure I understand the ramifications. :nuts:

That would make digging in the artillery a much more frequent event for me. I usually try to do it at the end of the turn so I have some options to move it around as the battle develops. But if it is a moot point I could see digging it in early, just to make sure I do not miss it.

[JAMiAM]

Is there any way to get the full artillery value for a unit that has a range of one? without having them assault the adjacent hex.
No.

One would assume that if they are assualting then they would take much higher casaulties.
That's correct.

If there is not then this somewhat reduces the usefulness of artillery in a bigger scale game. No complaint but I just want to make sure I understand the ramifications. :nuts:
Yes and no. Consider that your artillery units are now covering some 75 to 150km of offensive frontage, when they are packed into a "corner" hex. This can lend a large punch to your earlier tactical round softening attacks. Just make sure that you clear the flanking hexes of the enemy before the end of the turn, so that you're not left with your artillery vulnerable by the enemy counterattacking your artillery park hex, with his own flank attacks. Flank attacks will allow the attacker to target your defending passive defenders in his direct fire resolution.

That would make digging in the artillery a much more frequent event for me. I usually try to do it at the end of the turn so I have some options to move it around as the battle develops. But if it is a moot point I could see digging it in early, just to make sure I do not miss it.
Depends on the flow of the game, of course. If it is fairly fluid, then take chances. If it is a slow, grinding slugfest, then your best bet is to dig early with your supporting assets.

[Tiberius]

No.

Yes and no. Consider that your artillery units are now covering some 75 to 150km of offensive frontage, when they are packed into a "corner" hex. This can lend a large punch to your earlier tactical round softening attacks. Just make sure that you clear the flanking hexes of the enemy before the end of the turn, so that you're not left with your artillery vulnerable by the enemy counterattacking your artillery park hex, with his own flank attacks. Flank attacks will allow the attacker to target your defending passive defenders in his direct fire resolution.



This implies that there is a way to get artillery units to provide support only into adjacent hexes without assaulting them, contrary to Secadagas' answer previously. If artillery units with a range of one are dug in or in reserve mode on the front lines I believe they will provide support to friendly attacks on adjacent enemy hexes. This is correct, no?

[Secadegas]

This implies that there is a way to get artillery units to provide support only into adjacent hexes without assaulting them, contrary to Secadagas' answer previously.

Can't see where i was wrong...

[JAMiAM]

This implies that there is a way to get artillery units to provide support only into adjacent hexes without assaulting them, contrary to Secadagas' answer previously. If artillery units with a range of one are dug in or in reserve mode on the front lines I believe they will provide support to friendly attacks on adjacent enemy hexes. This is correct, no?
That is correct.

[JAMiAM]

Can't see where i was wrong...
In part one of your answer, you answered that the artillery unit assaults, rather than supports. To be fair though, carrollmjc did not state the deployment of the artillery unit in question, so there was no "correct" answer possible at the time you answered the question as it wasn't properly defined. ;)

[Bob Cross]

Is there any way to get the full artillery value for a unit that has a range of one? without having them assault the adjacent hex. One would assume that if they are assualting then they would take much higher casaulties.

Only if they are incapable of moving into the hex. For example, if there was a major escarpment between the artillery unit and the target. Or if the target was in badlands and the artillery was motorized. Or if the artillery unit has already moved, and moving into the target hex requires more mps than the artillery has left (difficult to know this for sure).

[Tiberius]

Can't see where i was wrong...

I think you are correct if you made the assumption that he was talking about the artillery equipment that is part of the infantry division that is designated for assault. If there is a separate artillery unit with support orders also adjacent to the defending hex it will support not assault.

[carrollmjc]

You are right I was not specific. I am talking about a separate artillery unit that is dug-in or in reserve mode on the front lines.

From my tests they will support an attack into an adjacent hex. I would like to figure some way for them to lend their full support in an attack without actually assaulting the hex. Or simply allow them to bombard the hex. This is a WWI era scenario and there are times I would like to soften the hex up with a round or two of artillery before the main attack.

[JAMiAM]

You are right I was not specific. I am talking about a separate artillery unit that is dug-in or in reserve mode on the front lines.

From my tests they will support an attack into an adjacent hex. I would like to figure some way for them to lend their full support in an attack without actually assaulting the hex. Or simply allow them to bombard the hex. This is a WWI era scenario and there are times I would like to soften the hex up with a round or two of artillery before the main attack.
Your best bet is to do something along the lines of what Bob Cross did in his France '44 scenario and have some "forward observer" type units, that consist of only a few recon rifle squads. Then, you can use them to make minimize loss/limited attacks against hexes and they will bring in the supporting artillery.

[Alexander Seil]

Guns are passive defenders and hence would not come under (much) direct fire in an attack (unless your other forces attacking from that hex are relatively weak). Of course, if the enemy flanks you, they can get to the guns, but you should take measures to avoid that. Unfortunately, setting them to limited attack to prevent them from moving into the hex they are attacking will have the same effect as digging them in (halved strength). At any rate, artillery assets with a range of 1 should probably be combined with infantry units and not provided separately, but that is of course up to the designer of that particular scenario.

Full-strength bombardment without the artillery moving into the hex under attack can be justified by the fact that by placing artillery that close to the frontlines, you concede some authority to local commanders (aka internal game mechanisms) to move that artillery around, including taking it with them once they break through the enemy lines (to provide themselves with artillery for defense against a possible counter-attack). After all, "you" (the player) are virtually sitting in an army group headquarters, possibly hundreds of kilometers away and would not be able to prevent frontline commanders from infringing on the right to direct assets that they would consider vitally important to their own tactical mission. If an artillery unit is directing its entire attention towards one sector of the front, it is only logical that local commanders in that sector should direct it.

[Secadegas]

I think you are correct if you made the assumption that he was talking about the artillery equipment that is part of the infantry division that is designated for assault. If there is a separate artillery unit with support orders also adjacent to the defending hex it will support not assault.

I misunderstood Carrollmjc post. I thought he meant direct support from the artillery unit and not dig/tactical/local support orders.
Sorry