gunboats and ammo

[medck]

I know gunboats don't count against your artillery supply, but can a gunboat run low on (or out of) ammo like infantry or cavalry? I don't have much experience with gunboats, but it hasn't happened to me (yet).

Also, how tough are gunboats -- that is, can I steam my Union gunboats up to Forts Henry and Donelson and go after Confederate artillery at short range or should I stay back and pound them with indirect fire? What sort of hits can gunboats take?

 

[Compass Rose]

I wish I could help you out however, I have not yet to play a battle that had any gunboats in it.

Hopefully, one of our CWB experts will be able to help answer your questions.

 

[krmiller_usa]

I believe gunboats can run low/out of ammunition like isolated artillery units but am not positive and cannot find anything in the User Manual to support this, I may be remembering this from the old Talonsoft games.

As to steaming gunboats up to shore batteries, I would be very careful about that. Gunboats are treated like artillery units for damage. They take Fatigue hits and Gun hits. When the number of guns reaches 0 the gunboat is destroyed. At close range the gun hits can add up quickly. You can run by shore batteries and then engage them from the flank/rear as often they are Emplaced and cannot turn but I would not suggest standing toe to toe with them and shooting it out as they are also usually dug in and more difficult to get hits on. Also your gunboats are normally on the lowest elevation while the shore batteries are often much higher giving them another advantage.

The Indirect fire option is not that great an idea as your fire may not hit the hex you aim at and you get no information on the result of your fire. Indirect fire is best used against infantry as they are often in adjacent hexes giving you a better chance to hit something.

 

[Lord_Valentai]

Also, indirect fire NEVER causes casualties - only fatigue.

I would be careful going within 3-4 hexes of fortress guns - their fire modifiers at that range are just evil, and there's little you can do in return! Try to get into a blind spot for the batteries and hit them. You're immune to infantry and most artillery except at 1-2 hexes.

 

[medck]

Looking at the parameters file for the scenario I'm playing, I see that gunboats are listed as 0% for exhausting ammo. I think that means they theoretically can in the game, just not in this scenario.

As a further follow-up -- how are the combat odds calculated for and against gunboats? Is it for gunboats firing on someone:
combat value = (weapon/range value) * (# guns * 50) [with modifiers]

and for attacks on gunboats
combat value = (1/10) * (weapon/range value) * strength [with modifiers]

I put 1/20 in there as the parameters file says 1/10 is the value for attacks on gunboats. I assume this really reduces the effectiveness of even a powerful siege cannon. Say 2 guns with a 40 value at range 1:

(1/10)*(40)*(2*50) = 400
A damage range of LV 2 (5*.4) and a high value of 10 (25*.4)

Does that look right?