Aircraft and Artillery Intensity

[OldGamer]

I was wondering about aircraft in SP WW 2. Are aircraft "smart" enough to go after tanks in the vicinity of the targeted hex? If not, it must be difficult to attack enemy tanks with aircraft unless the tank(s) remain stationery for a number of turns.

In regards to the intensity of a bombardment, it is my understanding that the 2nd number of the two numbers displayed beside each artillery piece indicates the intensity of the bombardment and that a lower number indicates more intensity. Also, can the intensity be adjusted by a player, or is it set up in the scenario when it is designed?

Thanks.

[Mobhack]

Attack aircraft do their own spotting on the run-in, but they tend to prefer what they see easier (ie vehicles). If they don't see an actual target then they may well just strafe the general area.

There is no such thing as "intensity" for artillery - you are getting confused with the delay number I think. Larger numbers are longer times to arrive. 0.0 means arrival at the next arty phase in full number of rounds (or the mission is in progress basically), up to 0.5 which will be about half the salvo next arty phase. 2.0 means two of your own turns to arrive and so on. It's a strange "time" system that SSI implemented, but you do get used to it.

Andy

[OldGamer]

I'm still not clear on what the numbers for artillery mean. For example, does 2.4 mean the delay is from two turns to 4 turns? 3.5 is from three to five turns. For the both examples, would 1/3 of the available artillery fire in each turn?

Another question about artillery concerns it accuracy. If the spotter who called in the artillery has a line of sight to the chosen target hexes, is the accuracy of the artillery better?

Thanks again for your help.

[IronHat]

2.4 indicate how long before the barrage begin. 0.0-0.5 mean the first shell will land after the enemy had a turn. 1.0 - 1.5 mean you have to wait an additional turn, meaning after the enemy had two turns.

The tailing decimal indicate how much of the barrage will land during the arty phase. Most tube fire ~6 round in a barrage, so a number of 0.5 mean the tube will get off 3 shell in the next arty phase and you have to wait for the next arty phase for the last 3 shell. Naturally you want this number as low as possible as it give the enemy less time to react.

If the calling spotter have sight to the area, the barrage will land closer to where you want it. Normally I have my best artillery commander, usually the A0 unit, call the artillery blind on a group of enemy and have the "on-site" spotter adjust it.

[DRG]

Originally Posted by OldGamer

Another question about artillery concerns it accuracy. If the spotter who called in the artillery has a line of sight to the chosen target hexes, is the accuracy of the artillery better?

Yes, if the observer has LOS to the target the accuracy IS better and there is less scatter. The idea is, an observer with eyes on target can tell the battery right away if there is a gun firing wild of if they need to shift a bit to hit the target so there is immediate feedback that is not available to gunners that are firing blind at a taget behind a hill and therefore spotted targets get better shot patterns.


Don

[void1984]

Originally Posted by Mobhack

Attack aircraft do their own spotting on the run-in, but they tend to prefer what they see easier (ie vehicles). If they don't see an actual target then they may well just strafe the general area.

Beware, I have a strong feeling that all my pilots prefer my own tanks to enemy's. That's one of reasons for which I prefer regular artillery over attack planes for generated battles. I use them only in scenarios.

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by void1984

Beware, I have a strong feeling that all my pilots prefer my own tanks to enemy's. That's one of reasons for which I prefer regular artillery over attack planes for generated battles. I use them only in scenarios.

Why would anyone use aircraft when they have their own artillery in range?. All SP battles bar any peculiar scenario which an author has specifically excluded arty support from - is in arty range and the arty has not fallen behind the advancing troops (unless you forgot to buy some! )

Aircraft make sense on the operational level - you can concentrate the firepower of planes based in Southern England on one point in Normandy say. If you are prepared to wait a few hours for them to arrive, and ditto once their limited payload is expended, for them to return.

Also on the operational level - aircraft are better used deep in then enemy operational rear on their soft supply elements, rather than as direct battlefield support. Planes natural targets are trucks, not tanks. Even better, they love supply dumps, fuel storage yards and choo-choo trains etc. All stuff that is rather vulnerable to plain HE bombs, and also to MG and cannon. Distinctly unarmoured stuff, basically that is also a large enough target to spot from the air, and that does not have to be chased down individually like some AFV hidden tactically in woods and whatever.

Thus if SP was an operational level game rather than a tactical one, your planes would have some use - whittling down your opponents trucks and trains in the rear and thus depriving his front line troops of fuel, food, and ammo. And requiring diversion of troops into rear area AAA - those 88mm guns that could have been shooting panzers are needed to guard the railheads and rail bridges etc, and the men crewing them and supporting them are no longer available to use at the front.

But at the tactical SP level - planes are really only scenario "eye candy". A battery of 105mm makes far more sense if you want to expend points on something that can reach any area of the battlefield and apply hurt. All planes bring to the party is reconnaissance (their most valuable function is to tell you about the enemy behind that hill really), and some very limited direct fire ability with weapons that are really quite puny v armour (in WW2). There is a reason why those special attack planes which concentrated on belly-pack 75mm Pak or whatever were rare as hen's teeth in the real world. They were not particularly much more effective than general purpose attack planes, and GP attack planes were much better at bashing the real target - the supply system. The hurribomber had far more utility overall to the air commanders of the time than the specialist hurricane with twin 40mm did.

If you have a problem with tigers then do as the Allies really did in the main. Drench the area with concentrations of arty. Your gunners are always in range, as stated above.

A few planes for recce strikes may be cute, and if you PBEM then buy some from time to time so he has to consider wasted points on AAA. Otherwise, planes tend to lack the persistence of an arty battery.

Cheers
Andy

[gabeeg]

In my games I always have a couple airstrikes available. The recon value is tremendous IMO (though a cheaper scout plane would be more appropriate), that and an airstrikes ability to do pinpoint damage to a unit unlike arty. I do not find arty all that effective against armor where a properly led strike with accurate aircraft is (stukas, typhoons, etc.). Aircraft can be expensive so I would not suggest buying more than a couple units/strikes and keep them in your pocket for when needed.

[gila]

Originally Posted by gabeeg

In my games I always have a couple airstrikes available. The recon value is tremendous IMO (though a cheaper scout plane would be more appropriate), that and an airstrikes ability to do pinpoint damage to a unit unlike arty. I do not find arty all that effective against armor where a properly led strike with accurate aircraft is (stukas, typhoons, etc.). Aircraft can be expensive so I would not suggest buying more than a couple units/strikes and keep them in your pocket for when needed.

Artillery is mostly effective,even on armour even if it's just suppressive bombarding,they get supressed,and will be less accurate on next turn right?

Say you send an costly airstrike on armour and the likely miss,worse yet,attack frendlies,,ouch!

Consider the pro and cons and spend your force point wisely

[gabeeg]

Gila, You are right, it will suppress the armor (but less than infantry). but air will get you a kill more often than arty. As for friendly fire, I would not call in a strike with friendlies within ~5-7 hexes...or yes there is a chance to get your own forces hit. My biggest issue with air is if there is for example a tank and an HT close to the strike area it always seems that it is my luck that it goes for the HT! I still stick by my experience that air strikes are worth spending a bit of points on.

IMO don't waste money on aircraft that have fire control scores 10 or under...stick with stukas, typhoons, etc. that have hight fire control of 15-25 points.