Gun setup times

[PoorOldSpike]

[PoorOldSpike]

BRIT 25-pdr

[RNL Tiger]

What is the best way to move an ATG forward into a good firing position? It seems that if a battle is in progress that the gun will be spotted before it has a chance to either get into position or complete its setup?

[Panzer Dan]

You are correct that is why I rarely use AT Guns during offensive operations. If you must use them, I would off load in an area that is concealed. Then have the crew push it into the firing position, but this takes time and fatigues the crew. However, It is my opinion that the chance of being spotted is reduced. Another thing about AT guns that I don't like are they are surpressed very easily, and die quick.

[PoorOldSpike]

Yes it's very difficult to get your guns into position under the nose of the enemy unless there are woods around so you can push them through the trees to the front edge, but even then there's a high risk the enemy will see them setting up.
I don't buy guns at all in ME's or Attacks for that reason, I only buy them in Defends when I'm defending so they can be cosily dug in to wait for enemy tanks to show up and not get caught in the open..


Waffen-SS Pak 40 in Normandy

[Mike Abberton]

In an attack or ME situation, ATGs are more useful as area denial weapons, not offensive weapons. Use them to cover your flanks, or deny a route with cover to your flank /rear that you are not planning to use yourself. That way they can offload and move into position before the enemy gets there.

A couple of Jeeps and a few 57mm ATGs for the Americans can have some rude surprises waiting for a PzIV/StuGIII end run.

[kineas]

I believed the same, when recently two KOTH games against AirborneBob taught me that ATGs can be employed offensively.

In one scenario I had no mortars and heavy HE chuckers. He just towed a 76mm gun on an open hilltop. First I smiled, but then realized I simply couldn't even pin the gun with medium range Maxim fire. The gun stayed there the whole game, and made a decisive contribution to it.

In another scenario I spotted his 75mm ATG debarking in front of my two T-70s. I immediately area fired, but this didn't really disturb the crack crew, who dispatched the two tanks quickly.

Later I kept the crew pinned with a sniper (even killed one-two men), but when a T34 moved into LOS they started to fire immediately. Luckily a 76mm grenade KOed the gun.

Lesson: if you don't have heavy HE or mortars, these guns can stand and fight.

[PoorOldSpike]

Yes snipers hate guns almost as much as they hate tank commanders..

[Chipmunk]

A couple things worth mentioning about setting up guns. First, If you give a gun hide orders the word "hide" will actually appear in the interface covering up the setup time indicator (they both occupy the same field). Also, the crew won't do any setting up of the gun while they have hide orders. So you might forget that a hidden gun still needs to be set up and a couple turns later when a juicy target rolls into line of sight you'll eagerly unhide your gun only to find it still needs two minutes to set up.

Second point is that if a gun that is partially set up moves, when it stops moving it will continue its set up clock from where it left off. For example say you need two minutes to set up, you keep the gun unspotted at the back of a forest and let it setup for one minute and thirty seconds then you move it to a better firing position and it will only take it thirty seconds to finish setting up.

[Nort]

If the fire from the T-70s main guns do not disrupt or pin the gun crew, you always have the option of driving directly over the gun. That will result in the automatic elimination of the gun.

I have taken out German 150mm arty pieces with Brens that have no ammo.

Works every time.