The Effective use of Artillery in SP WW2

[Imp]

2ndLt_Fjun Wrote:
Cross Wrote:
23. Mortars are inaccurate and their bombs land in a wider spread, which means they are not suited for close support (150-200m ahead of friendly troops) or for stonking small targets (Atk guns, MG nests). Use more accurate artillery for close support and small targets.

Very interesting. I don't agree with this one at all. I find light and medium mortars very accurate, in particular if you bring them along with your troops and don't have them firing near the maximum range. With the high ROF they are extremely effective as well.

To be fair, my mortars are usually well back, and I rarely get an FOO with LOS for close support. Perhaps you are better at using a LOS spotter than I am.

I try to use the long barreled 4.5inch with excellent accuracy (10) for close support. The accuracy of almost all mortars is 3, compared to 6 or 7 for most artillery.

2nd Lt Fjun is right here I use Mortars for close support, reasoning far better at suppression than big guns due to higher rate of fire. Suppresion is based on number of rounds falling rather than there size, this also means if walking it so 0.3 0.4 still lands enough shells to have an effect. Also means as smaller less chance of killing your own troops though you might pin them.
Gun accuracy in the info screen has absolutly nothing to do with indirect fire it applies to direct fire only rockets are I assume coded to fire in a bigger spread as thats typical usage. What effects accuracy is the person directing as follows.
No LOS to target inacurate
LOS to target far more accurate.
The unit directing (FOOs) stats modify as follows.
Experience > higher improves accuracy, shots on target.
Artillery > Improves effectivness, marginally better kill ratio.
A good FOO with LOS will land with a mortar 2/3rds of shots in target hex & all others adjacent roughly from what I have seen.

Offmap counter battery use the best unit based on these criteria to chose battery to reserve for.
1> Range obviously longer is better as can only fire on those with less or equal range.

2> Experience low 70s may fire but want 75+ the higher the better. If in the 80s seem to detect far quicker these are your boys. Using a battery in low 70s means it could sit there a long time before it fires or may never while a unit near or in the 80s will be firing fairly regulary.

This is why in my opinion offmap arty should not be allowed in campaign cores it becomes very good at CB fire.

3> Arty skill plus gun callibre (HE kill) a good sized battery with decent arty skill will completly wipe out the other battery rather than killing a few tubes.
If you have offmap long range rockets like many MBT OOBs do these make blindingly good counter battery killers.

On map counter battery needs serious consideration before you do it.
If you have a good FOO with fast call times worth while but consider if call time is 2 thats a minimum of 5 turns those guns will be away from the front by the time you redirect them, it had better be a good target.
Normaly best to decide to do at outset if going to or switch to mid game when targets are running low to allow your troops to work unmolested in my opinion.