How to Turn Off Arty?

[Solomo]

Can anyone advise how to turn off computer opponent's artillery completely? Even at 10% there is way too much - it really ruins a battle!
Thanks in advance!
Solo

[DRG]

One thing to try would be set up a game were YOU buy for the AI and don't buy anything but what you consider reasonable........so set up the game to Human Purchase and the rest computer as normal

Now.....if you don't like knowing exactly what the other side has and you have a normal memory you can build a number of games like this and keep them in the save folder and in a day ( or week ) or two you will have forgotten exactly what you bought and you can play the game out but really.......just buying for the AI then letting it set up and play is usually all you need to do but if you remember everything then building some and saving for later is one option but there is no option in the game to shut down arty completely BECAUSE arty is a normal part of modern battle and as much as you many think we have overdone it, we haven't.

Commonwealth artillery could be called down with devastating results by junior officers

http://nigelef.tripod.com/maindoc.htm

Multi-battery Concentrations

Targets engaged by two or more batteries were called 'concentrations' in British terminology. Until 1942 the procedures for concentrations against impromptu targets were not particularly slick, although there was a choice of several methods developed from the mid-1920's onwards, and concentrations of several RFA brigades had been achieved in 1914. Nevertheless, in May 1940 a British regiment destroyed a refueling panzer battalion in what is generally recognised as the first successful use in war of a wireless controlled concentration on an impromptu target. However, in 1941 Brig HJ Parham, the CRA of 38 Division, invented and tested new procedures. These culminated in demonstrating a 144 gun concentration against an impromptu target within 5 minutes of the target being called. In mid-1942 XIII Corps conducted further trials and new doctrine was issued is September that year. These concentrations were known as Mike (regiment), Uncle (division), Victor (corps), William (army) and Yoke (AGRA) targets and always initiated by the radio call “Mike Target, Mike Target, Mike Target” (or Uncle, etc) that galvanised CPs and guns to action.

Any observer could request concentrations, however, some observers including Air OPs, were authorised to order them.

Now imagine a 144 gun concentration in the game so what you see isn't so bad....is it ??

Timings are not entirely clear. In the early days a Victor target by 1st Canadian Corps in Italy using 668 guns (30 Canadian, British and Polish regiments) was timed at 33 minutes to time on target (which was a slow method). By the end of the war Victor targets with 1000 guns were not unusual, the British was the only army routinely using such large concentrations against opportunity targets. From early 1944 Mike, Uncle and Victor targets were used increasingly in Burma. An army (William) target was the largest but because there was no HQRA at Army level it was controlled by one corps HQRA requesting additional fire from another that was 'In Support'.

From another source

More deaths were caused by shellfire than any other cause. The British Army calculated that 59% of all combat deaths were caused by artillery fire. The rate of injuries from shells was even higher - estimated by the French at 76% of all wounds and as high as 85% according to German records.

And finally this.........

The British developed a system of complicated mathematical magic that allowed artillery to be aimed and fired very quickly. The average time it took from a British observer calling in a target to the rounds actually landing was between just 30 to 60 seconds.

....so in actual fact we have toned down reality for the game

During the night of the 26/27th October 1944, the 9th Panzer Division and 15th Panzer Grenadier Division smashed into the US lines in the Netherlands, bridging the De Deurine canal and capturing the town of Meijel. This sent the US forces reeling.

The British 21st Army group moved to respond, eventually launching a counterattack led by the 6th Guard’s Tank Brigade. However, that would take time. To help stabilise the situation in the meantime, two field regiments of artillery (131st and 25th RA) were assigned to the US 7th Armoured Division. Additional supply units were attached and their sterling work kept the field regiments equipped with a continuous supply of shells.

On 28th October, the German armour carried on its attack, with tanks penetrating the front line. However, the US forces felt they could hold the position, so the two regiments of Royal artillery were deployed at Asten to cover the front line. The target for their opening salvo in the battle was the steeple of the church at Neerkant which housed a German observation post. The guns were guided onto the target by a US observation plane.

In the afternoon, the Germans made another attempt to attack the US forces with about 20 Tigers and a battalion of infantry. The two regiments of artillery fired continuous Mike targets at this force for two hours, forcing the Germans to retreat from the bombardment.

The Royal Artillery came under counter battery bombardment for most of the night, and despite not being dug in, they took very light casualties.

On the 29^th, the Germans launched another attack of similar size as before, which lasted all day. During this time, they only managed to advance about 700 yards (approx. 640 metres), due to being hit with a Mike target that lasted all day! However, although the attack was repulsed by the artillery fire, the effect of the German attacks was beginning to show in mounting US casualties. The 25 pounders were now down to 20 rounds per gun, and the US forces consisted of 1 tank destroyer, 2 platoons of infantry and a smattering of Sherman tanks in the centre, while on the left flank there was just a battered reconnaissance company. The right flank was wide open, and the enemy were just 2,800 yards (2560 metres) from the Royal Artillery positions. Some reports indicated that the German tanks were even closer, causing the artillery to prepare for a ground assault. Scratch defence units were organised consisting of stragglers from the US front line and any manpower that could be spared by the gunners. The reconnaissance later showed that these rumours were false.

Overnight, the supply formations kept on working hard. The Germans also continued to take artillery battery under fire.

On the 30th of October the Germans attacked the battered Recce Company on the left flank. During this period, the two artillery regiments fired continuously with the 25th Field battery engaging 76 different targets and using 10,000 rounds of ammunition, while the 131st engaged 29 targets using 5,430 rounds of ammunition. A “target” in this sense was a point on the ground to shoot at, not a precise head count. In modern terminology, it would be called a “Fire Mission”.

By this point, the US forces had been all but eliminated, but British reinforcements were on the way and would arrive overnight. The Germans made one final attack on the decimated left flank. The observer position was manned by two people - Captain Webb and Lance Bombardier Grundy. They were effectively the only forces on the left flank, and were facing down a strong German attack. With the enemy on three sides, some as close as 300 yards (274 metres), these two remained in position, directing the British artillery for four hours. As a direct result of their observations, the German formations were broken up, and the attack was smashed. The Germans forced to retreat, and then the Scottish 15th division arrived to hold the line..

[Gelainey]

Queen of the battlefield! Why turn it off?
There is little more satisfying than seeing an enemy attack smashed to pieces with arty. I actually turn it up to 150% because to me it seems more realistic.

[scorpio_rocks]

Counter battery fire is your friend...

[Imp]

Originally Posted by Solomo

Can anyone advise how to turn off computer opponent's artillery completely? Even at 10% there is way too much - it really ruins a battle!
Thanks in advance!
Solo

The percentage setting just determines its lethality not what is purchased.
I have never messed with this setting but would guess while it may not cause so many kills it still causes the same amount of suppression.

Dare I say one of the main aims of artillery is to ruin a battle or rather any plans you try to execute in it by hampering lines of fire & movement.

I will say this is one area Don & Andy have managed to get the AI to excel at on occasion in anything but a meeting engagement.
Sometimes it does the good old hammer the victory hexes but others it cuts off supporting fire & nails you.
Meeting engagements you can normally resolve a fire fight & pull out before the arty becomes a problem.
I would actually rate the AIs use of arty in some battles as better than most humans especially if it has a unit or 2 with eyes on you that you missed.
If they can see you prepare to move out in a couple of turns or face the consequences.

[Gelainey]

The % setting works both ways of course, and by amping up the lethality it means that mobile units must be mobile, discourages laziness in just just propping somewhere and blazing away. It also encourages better use of cover and stealth when advancing, and better use of phased withdrawal when delaying. Armoured warfare is by its very nature fluid, and lethal artillery encourages this.

[Solomo]

Good advice all - thanks - sometimes I'm just too lazy to buy for the ai