A question for the forum about artillery useage...

[gbs]

I played a sandbox game this morning with Early's Div. I won because Rodes attacked and rolled up the yank right flank. After that we pretty much systimatically swept them from the field and caused about 1000 more casualties than we suffered. With some time left my units began closing in on the union artillery and suffered horribly as they got close from canister. The game ended with only 650 points and the yank artillery had 889 points which was overshadowed by their infantry loses. I agree this is how it should be but in this game they had arty and I didn't. Here's the question. IF..I had some artillery batteries wouldn't I set them up some 400 or so yards away and concentrated fire on their arty in order to run them of or at least draw fire away from my infantry? Isn't this what a good commander would have done? Does the current state of in game artillery behavior allow something like this to take place? Could my arty firing at their arty from 400+ yards caused any damage and caused theirs to retreat? What say you guys?

[Garnier]

I've seen artillery counterbattery fire work very effectively a few times, only with rifled guns (3in ordnance or parrot guns). I'm not certain which ammunition did it, either shrapnel or solid shot.

With Napoleons I've never hit at all in counterbattery fire. The difference between the type of gun is critical.

[BOSTON]

You might have caused some counter battery casualties. It would have been a good opportunity to use Specific Targeting on artillery, as well as using the battery COs command to target artillery only. At the least you would have caused fatique/morale loss to the other battery, which in all likelihood would probablly lessened your overall casualties and made the Union batteries more susseptable to capture. These are a couple of for instances to keep in mind.

BOSTON

[gbs]

yea, thats the kind of info i'm looking for.

[Chamberlain]

BOSTON wrote:

It would have been a good opportunity to use Specific Targeting on artillery, as well as using the battery COs command to target artillery only.
BOSTON

Definitely an excellent point Boston about Specific Targeting.

I really like targeting the enemy infantry if they are getting too close. I pour half of my battery's on that infantry and after a few rounds (depending how close they are), you do see devastation....and points go up for your battery.



Chamberlain