Alternate Scenario fire values

[Volcano Man]

Well, to some extent assaulting is a grey area given the scale of the game. I can see how it can be interpreted many different ways, but to me, given that one side can take the ground away from the other means that when it comes down to it it does indeed involve close quarters hand to hand fighting to push the enemy involunarily from the hex. And given the use of the Alternate Assault Resolution optional rule, that is how this rule interprets what assaults are.

In regards to artillery, you will have to send me specific information about the many accounts you have read. Most intelligent attacks would involve both infantry and armor so I can see how the artillery would break up the infantry. Who is to say that is not what happened in those accounts? As a matter of fact, I am willing to bet that is indeed the case in every acount that you mention and that you might be just creating an assumption on what actually occured. But again, these values were taken from McNamara's data and it is what he placed on the artillery and I agree with them. I don't think it makes sense to use some of the values and deviate from the others.

You say that a smart player would avoid using artillery on armor -- and indeed that is the intent. You are not supposed to just blast everything you see, unless desperation requires it. You can certainly do it for a lucky effect if you have idle guns to spare or you are in the betterment of any of the above variables described (early war, large calibre guns, enemy is in T mode etc), but it is certainly by design that you are compelled to use your guns on other targets if there are more valid ones present.

But then again, I don't know of the situation you are describing. I am playing a Minsk 44 ALT game right now where I have used soviet artillery and mortars to good effect on Pz IVs, as my opponent has used what he has to disrupt my T34/85s. I am also playing France 40 ALT and French artillery can get good effect on German tanks with most being disruption, and rarely a no effect. So I just don't see myself going through and changing the entire database here. Again, it is all relative to the variables of the situation as well. That said, if you are describing N44 then the terrain in N44 is extremely defensive so artillery in general is not very effective there. It might partially be what is causing your frustration.

But I suppose I can recheck how I calculated the values to begin with. I am not above making mistakes. I had to take 250m range intervals in McNamara's db and average out an artillery attack between the lowest range and the maximum range. So perhaps I incorrectly averaged them. In any case, I don't forsee a major change even if I did, but who knows. :)