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Direct Fire Artillery
04-18-2021, 02:05 AM,
#1
Direct Fire Artillery
Is it me or does direct fire artillery (German 37mm and Soviet 45mm) seem pretty weak? I feel as though its strange an HMG has more firepower and longer range without unlimbering.
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04-18-2021, 09:30 AM,
#2
RE: Direct Fire Artillery
The 37mm and 45mm guns are anti-tank guns. That means small HE rounds (45mm is about 3 lbs) and a couple of handlers with carbines. An HMG platoon is 4-6 tripod mounted machine-guns. That makes a lot more little pieces of metal going down-range. So, no, it doesn't seem odd to me.
... More and more, people around the world are coming to realize that the world is flat! Winking
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04-19-2021, 09:12 AM,
#3
RE: Direct Fire Artillery
I guess so. I am only going off the Children of Vienna scenario at the moment which had no tanks so maybe they are better for that. But in that scenario boy were they useless.
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04-19-2021, 11:32 AM,
#4
RE: Direct Fire Artillery
I don't disagree with your assessment. I don not see many situations where an addition 2 fire points would be useful. Therefore I would consider taking a separate shot with the 45mm in addition to other attacks. A 2 point shot has a 25% chance of inducing a morale check. The possibility of compound moral checks is likely your best use for it.
... More and more, people around the world are coming to realize that the world is flat! Winking
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04-21-2021, 11:28 AM,
#5
RE: Direct Fire Artillery
As silly as it may sound, I often find the most opportune thing to do with these small caliber anti tank guns is to just hide them in the corner and hope they enemy finds them equally harmless and leaves them alone. Unless of course there are light armor around. 

Scenario VCs (not to mention initiative) often are impacted by step losses, and these things are especially vulnerable due to their column shifts. 

1st edition PZG 45mm's didnt even have a direct fire value at all for what its worth.  You would sometimes still be dragging those by wagon to the front to fight an infantry v infantry engagement  Dodgy

Cynicism aside, I have found them handy to plop down with the motorpool in the back areas to prevent armored cars from poaching trucks when the scenario rewards doing so. 

While not specifically mentioned, the German 75mm IG appears similarly useless, but its range actually makes it useful in interdicting disorganized Soviet forces. Not so much from the combat results of a 4 values shot likely on the 2 column due to range, but from forcing all the movement of the Soviet INF to be combat movement while under its sights. Short on leaders, this impacts the Soviets somewhat often. 

Just my rambling thoughts. Do with them what you will.
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04-21-2021, 12:03 PM,
#6
RE: Direct Fire Artillery
I also find the the German 75mm IG to be useful in that they keep demoralized units running away, thus making a force more difficult to regroup.
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... More and more, people around the world are coming to realize that the world is flat! Winking
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04-23-2021, 12:18 AM,
#7
RE: Direct Fire Artillery
Speaking of opportunity fire can you use that while an enemy unit is fleeing? Also, I know opp fire is on a single unit but if that unit moves into a stack is that stack than fired upon too?
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04-23-2021, 12:25 AM,
#8
RE: Direct Fire Artillery
Quote:Speaking of opportunity fire can you use that while an enemy unit is fleeing?
Yes. The rule says when a unit enters a hex, it doesn't have qualifications beyond that.
Quote:I know opp fire is on a single unit but if that unit moves into a stack is that stack than fired upon too?
No, only the unit or leader that moved, or the unit and leader when moving together.
... More and more, people around the world are coming to realize that the world is flat! Winking
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04-23-2021, 02:09 AM,
#9
RE: Direct Fire Artillery
So tactically its a great idea to Opp Fire on a leader since thats going to cause some extra chaos to that stack later right?
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04-23-2021, 02:23 AM,
#10
RE: Direct Fire Artillery
Could be. Some players move leaders individually, it keeps the stack safer should the leader be fired upon or uses up the opfire before the leader moves. Others move the leader and unit together because the leader is a little safer from elimination and his modifiers can be used when the unit moves more than 1 hex.
... More and more, people around the world are coming to realize that the world is flat! Winking
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