Artillery Poll

[Gunner]

I’ve always assumed a standard set of understood rules for play using artillery but now I see after much discussion in The Fire & Rubble Tournament thread that there are several points of view as far as defensive use of artillery, all well-reasoned.

General consensus is, of course, the Attacker is always allowed 1st turn artillery.

I'm sure there are more variations than the choices below so feel free to voice an opinion.

This poll has to do with a defender on a Small Map scenario.

 

[Captain K]

If I may.

Isn´t it kinda unfair to let attacker have preplanned artillery?
Considdering that no rounds or time is waisted on aquiring target?
I´ll let the exception be if it is an assault on a well dug in enemy.
But a hasty attack? no, no ,no.

 

[Redwolf]

I´ll let the exception be if it is an assault on a well dug in enemy.

There is no such thing as a well dug in force in CMx2

 

[Captain K]

There is no such thing as a well dug in force in CMx2

Still....If I´m hosting a game. Those are my rules No pre arty except if it is an assault.
I had a recent change of mind. I used to be onboard with pre arty for attacker.

 

[Nemesis]

All just opinions. So no one is really correct.

I believe that the general consensus is that turn 1 artillery used by defenders is not OK. Reason being......attacker set up zones are often small and lack cover. The attacker would never be this concentrated and vulnerable in real life and the defender would not have that good of a read on where the attacker was coming from.

Turn 1 artillery used by the attacker is generally seen as OK. This simulates pre-bombardments that regularly happen in real life.

However, this turn 1 artillery is probably excessively accurate as @Captain K points out.

HOWEVER.....if a map is so small that the attackers know EXACTLY where the defenders are and this gives the attackers an unfair advantage......then by all means, ban 1st turn artillery for the attacker.

At the same time.....if a map is huge and the defender set up zone is very, very large.....then perhaps 1st turn artillery is OK for the defender.

So it all depends on the map, the way the set up zones are constructed, and the size of the armies involved. Take these things into consideration and apply common sense.

In my Quick Battles, I try to be flexible, but 90% of the time attacker turn 1 artillery is OK and defender turn 1 artillery is not.

 

[Gorst]

I agree that turn 1 artillery for the attacker should be allowed except on small maps.

I'm not so sure about TRPs. I lean towards allowing them for both sides but perhaps with a limit on how many. I have thought about tying the number of TRPs allowed to the size of the battle. So in a small QB you get 2, in a huge QB you get up to 5. The reason is that if you put 5 TRPs on a small map you never have to spot rounds.

There is also the question of whether the defender can place TRPs in the attacker's setup zone.

 

[Nemesis]

I agree that turn 1 artillery for the attacker should be allowed except on small maps.

I'm not so sure about TRPs. I lean towards allowing them for both sides but perhaps with a limit on how many. I have thought about tying the number of TRPs allowed to the size of the battle. So in a small QB you get 2, in a huge QB you get up to 5. The reason is that if you put 5 TRPs on a small map you never have to spot rounds.

There is also the question of whether the defender can place TRPs in the attacker's setup zone.

I suppose the number of TRPs has to be agreed to by the players.

It is sad that there is such a need for TRPs since artillery spotting and adjustment is so bad in the CM WW2 games. Oddly, the Cold War game seems to have pretty good artillery spotting and guidance.

I am not a fan of TRPs in the attacker's set up zone. I am not even really a fan of TRPs in the first cover AFTER the Set Up Zone.

 

[Captain K]

All just opinions. So no one is really correct.

I believe that the general consensus is that turn 1 artillery used by defenders is not OK. Reason being......attacker set up zones are often small and lack cover. The attacker would never be this concentrated and vulnerable in real life and the defender would not have that good of a read on where the attacker was coming from.

Turn 1 artillery used by the attacker is generally seen as OK. This simulates pre-bombardments that regularly happen in real life.

However, this turn 1 artillery is probably excessively accurate as @Captain K points out.

HOWEVER.....if a map is so small that the attackers know EXACTLY where the defenders are and this gives the attackers an unfair advantage......then by all means, ban 1st turn artillery for the attacker.

At the same time.....if a map is huge and the defender set up zone is very, very large.....then perhaps 1st turn artillery is OK for the defender.

So it all depends on the map, the way the set up zones are constructed, and the size of the armies involved. Take these things into consideration and apply common sense.

In my Quick Battles, I try to be flexible, but 90% of the time attacker turn 1 artillery is OK and defender turn 1 artillery is not.

Good food for thought. Especially considdering the size of the maps.

 

[ChuckDyke]

With TRP's it is something for British Commonwealth forces. We could stipulate historical set-piece attacks with rolling barrages, the only way is if you play WW2 Soviets they just had quantity.

 

[Gunner]

It seems to me there are so many variations of thought here that no one rule can fit all.
Artillery rules will all come down to what opponents can agree on given the parameters of each individual scenario they're playing.