Air and Artillery by the Map Optional Rule for D85

[Glenn Saunders]

Real world: "on January 15, 1945, in the VIII CORPS area of operations, the 1st BN of the 358th INF, 90th INF DIV makes a forced march into 6th ARM DIV sector to attack Niederwampach...... and gains town after artillery barrage by 14 (thats fourteen :eek1:) artillery battalions". U.S. Army in WWII,Special Studies, Chronology 1941 - 1945.

Jeez- hate to turn this into a peeing contest but I dont see a problem with your example and the game at all but then again I don't have a game OOB for all the units involved.

However VIII Corps is in the bulge OOB and has 13 Btlns of Arty there. It is possible that the Btln involved was able to call in 13 of the 14 Btln from VIII Corps Arty, either by having a single corps troop unit in spotting range, even if it wasn't involved in the actual attack. Or in game terms the Unit may have been attached to the parent formation.

In any case, the game engne does lots of things on AVERAGE and one could find all kinds of real examples that the engine does not simulate even within battles covered by the series.

When we run into one as we're making a new game, if the situation is really critical and requires the event to occur, then we adjust the engine accordingly to accommodate it. And we can accomodate the Arty Event with the optional rule being ON. But the same optional rule if used would allow XXX Corps air support to fly missions in support of 1st AB surrounded n Arhnem (in MG44). That is possible too isn't it - but it didn't happen. And if we allowed it to happen because it was technically possible, - ground units after all we capable of directing air support - well it would clearly yield results not consistent with the actualy battle - yes??

Anyway - you can argue the point from either side and ultimately it is up to you which way you want it because there is an optoinal rule which works in some cases and not in others. This D85 war never happen so we are speculating completely on the TYPICAL CASEnot what is possible.

And to come full circle, I agree that in 1944 and 1945 and 1985 for that matter it was POSSIBLE for one Btln to call fire support from 14 Arty Btln. And I am sure there are many examples like yours where it happened. But I don't think it norm. And I think that allowing this situation in the game as a normal case would or could lead to many odd situtions which in turn would lead to strange overall results. Just like it would with Market Garden.

...but you are free to use it if you like.

Glenn