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Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/20/2004 9:36:01 PM

hellcat

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From: uk
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a few of us pbemers have been talking about rockets and how best to use them... does anyone have any good advice on getting the most out of your rocket artillery... I'm sure there's a few people out there who can lend some of their wisdom to this thread!

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/20/2004 10:30:55 PM

Jim1954

Posts: 1393
Joined: 5/15/2002
From: Dallas
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I'll be sure and buy a bunch when I set it up!

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/20/2004 10:35:49 PM

Jim1954

Posts: 1393
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From: Dallas
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No seriously, I was just on the receiving end of a rather NASTY barrage from Belisarius a couple of weeks ago. Kinda like hunting with a big shotgun... point it and start pulling the trigger. Direct hits aren't even necessary, there is ample suppression to go around. I had armor units suppressed enough that I couldn't even move out of the way of the next go round. And these were good German armored units, not some wimpy minor country.
I believe they were a single battery of 4 trucks of 82mm stuff.
Can't say I enjoyed it too much.

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/20/2004 10:36:48 PM

FNG

Posts: 514
Joined: 1/3/2002
From: Devizes, UK
Status: offline

Get lots. Lots and lots. No really, I mean A LOT

Do not expect accuracy and only use them near your own troops in dire emergency. If they're onboard, you may wish to indulge in an ammunition supply of one form or another.

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FNG
Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.

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Post #: 4

RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 1:22:30 AM

minefield

Posts: 289
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From: North Carolina, USA
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Ok, I have tried to use the Nebelwerfers. They are only 15cm rockets but they have a load of 12 rockets. The delay when using an FO is 1.1. That means that you have to wait until the end of your next turn before they fall from the sky. The Nebelwerfers aren't as great as some of the larger rockets like the 28 and 32 cm truck carried ones, mainly because the warhead is so much smaller that it doesn't do the splash damage that you experienced.

I haven't been very successful with rockets. People say buy a lot of them but they are very expensive, and one could buy a lot of other artillery in its place. Onboard almost always needs ammo supplies. The best I can do with them is to preplot all rockets every turn and then cancel the ones I don't want. This creates a nonexistant rolling barrage, where the targets are constantly there but the rockets only come down if you don't cancel them. This is very time consuming and requires great skill of prediction.

Personally I don't think I would mess with rockets in the future unless I see them used with great effect against me.

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 2:13:34 AM

rbrunsman

Posts: 1837
Joined: 1/31/2002
From: Phoenix, AZ
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Minefield, the delay in having them arrive is a combination of the FO's experience and arty skill AND the skill and experience of the rocket crew. They will never arrive with a 0.1 or 0.2 delay, but you can get 0.3+ delays I'm sure. You must have had a non-veteran FO and a low quality rocket crew to only get 1.1 delays.

I prefer to use them against Russians. They spread all over the place and the only country you can be sure of to have the whole map crawling with infantry is the Russians.

Rockets are to PBEM as spices are to cooking. They add flavor but you wouldn't want to sit down to a meal of just spices.

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Everyone is a potential [PBEM] enemy, every place a potential [PBEM] battlefield. --Zensunni Wisdom

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Post #: 6

RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 2:25:09 AM

Fallschirmjager

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From: Chattanooga, Tennessee
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I use a real life tactic.
Use mortars or light artillary (75mm works well) to pin down enemy targets. The plot rockets onto their posistion. Since they can move the delay isnt the big of a problem.

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 2:42:35 AM

hellcat

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From: uk
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hmm... well considering a pbem is normally 10-15% arty it's rare to really use them as that's your arty with little change left for handy mortars, batteries and such... Must be frightening when used on mass though! The non-existant rolling barrage idea is very cool!

How about what rockets are good and what ones don't seem to be much better than arty.

I've katuhsyas on direct fire before... that can be cool eh Orzel???

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 2:55:38 AM

Mangudai

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From: The Middle West
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I'm fond of the Wulframens with 28 and 32 cm rockets. The 32 has an incendiery explosive that makes a big fireball and looks cool, it also starts forest fires almost every time. Unfortunatelly, if you use them every turn, they will only reload the 28s. I've seen both destroy light vehicles, and the 32 can even kill tanks.

One problem is the range. You have to move em fairly close, and it takes a while for the ammo truck to catch up.

(in reply to hellcat)

Post #: 9

RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 3:15:47 AM

M4Jess

Posts: 5140
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From: DC
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As a M4 Driver on the back end...I say never never never ues them at all!

and thats all I have to say about that!

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 3:16:35 AM

minefield

Posts: 289
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From: North Carolina, USA
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Thank you for the tips and explanations. I will attempt to use them again in a larger battle.

The 1.1 delay is in the battle I have with VikingNo2. It is a large battle with 9200 points. The FO is not close to the rockets so it's a radio linkup. As far as experience, I think everything is base 70. The FO should have the elite status though...

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 3:26:24 AM

Major Destruction

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From: Canada
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Just wait til you get a chance to use the rocket LST's in v8.2

You want suppression? coming right up!

I agree with using lots of them. Select a target area, set the bombardment target hexes in a box about 3 hexes square and fire all four of your katyushas or whatever at the same time. Move in with your tankodesantniki and mech recon SMG squads and mop up.

Have a second battery all ready to fire at your next target area while the first battery reloads.

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They struggled with a ferocity that was to be expected of brave men fighting with forlorn hope against an enemy who had the advantage of position......knowing that courage was the one thing that would save them.

Julius Caesar, 57 BC

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Post #: 12

RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 8:38:53 AM

funkiwi

Posts: 59
Joined: 4/18/2004
From: Auckland, New Zealand
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I just had to add this song I found. It's actually a famous Russian Song, "Katyusha". It reads quite funny when run through the online Babelfish translator.

Katyusha rocket launcher Apple trees and pears bloomed, the fogs above the river floated... Left to the coast Katyusha rocket launcher, on the high, to the coast the steep. It left, song it started about the steppe dove-coloured eagle, about that, which it loved, about that, whose letters coast. Oy you, the song of pesen'ka maidenly, you fly after the clear sun following I to soldier on distant progranich'e from the Katyusha rocket launcher transmit regards. Let he recall girl simple, let it hear, as it sings, let it the earth take care native, A love Katyusha rocket launcher will take care. Apple trees and pears bloomed, the fogs above the river floated... Left to the coast Katyusha rocket launcher, on the high, to the coast the steep.

Here's a more poetic translation though:

Katiusha
Apple and pear trees were blooming,
Fog crept along the river...
Katiusha came out onto the bank,
Onto the high, steep bank.
She came out and started a song
About a grey-blue eagle of the steppe,
About the one that she loved,
About the one, whose letters she cherished.
Oh, you, song, young maiden's song,
Fly out, follow after the clear sun
And tell the warrior at the distant border-post
That Katiusha sends him her greetings.
Let him remember a simple maiden,
Let him hear how she sings,
Let him protect the Motherland
And Katiusha will cherish love.
Apple and pear trees were blooming,
Fog crept along the river...
Katiusha came out onto the bank,
Onto the high, steep bank.

If you want the Russian version, let me know, but somehow I doubt it.

Actually, the Soviets did truly love their Rocket Launchers, and I believe this weapon, along with the T-34, was instrumental in their success.

(in reply to Major Destruction)

Post #: 13

RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 9:07:45 AM

funkiwi

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From: Auckland, New Zealand
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the song was written in 1939 by M. Isakovsky. at that time the SO was understandably paranoid about its neighbours. I'm guessing they named the rocket launcher after this song, if somewhat subconsciously.

Sorry if this isn't helping to play the game.

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Post #: 14

RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 10:31:09 AM

Belisarius

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Rocket artillery is expensive.

I use it if I expect the need to cover large areas packed with enemies. It all depends on what you want to target;

Mortars - excellent accuracy; bunkers and ATGs, mainly. (at with medium ones)
Field guns and light mortars - good for pinning infantry
Howitzers - Tanks and uprooting dug in troops
Rockets - large areas, enemy assembly areas and defending companies etc.

I think any artillery is useless if you can't take advantage of their effect immediately. I want to move in quickly on the position, preferrably the same turn. (which is why I like 0.4 delays)

That's the biggest problem with rockets. They spread over such a large area that you can't be anywhere close. Then again, hopefully the enemy will be so suppressed they can't do anything until I'm up on the position.

Oh, and as I'm experiencing in my and Jess' Stalingrad battle; a single piece will rarely achieve any lasting effect. You need at least 3 of them, and always target them together, about 3 hexes apart.

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 4/21/2004 2:57:49 PM

robot

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From: Covington Ky USA
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As i dont play PBM my only experience is against the AI. But on any assault i use them very well for what i want to achieve. Prior to engineers moving up to the mine fields. I will fire rockets. They will bust some mines plus put a lot of hurt on the enemy. Followed up by a good bombardment of 150s. This way when my engineers reach the mine field they will have less to put up with. Which will help in there primary job of opening a hole. I know this wont help in PBM as a human has a hell of a lot more brains then dumb AI. Or most humans do.

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Post #: 16

RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 5/4/2004 11:42:58 AM

Marek Tucan

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From: Kladno, Czech Republic
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I use rockets in these occassions:

1) Assault, pre-planned bombardment - I tend to use it only when there is some "clear" position, where the enmy surely is, and if I have enough rockets to waste.
2) Assault - clearing strong resistance areas
3) Defence - against massed infantry - Soviets, Japanese...
All battles: counter-battery, you don't need to know exact where are the mortars firing from...

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Tuccy

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 5/4/2004 9:10:04 PM

VikingNo2

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Mr Minefield, rolling barrage were ever did you learn that

< Message edited by VikingNo2 -- 5/4/2004 9:05:52 AM >

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Post #: 18

RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 5/4/2004 9:31:58 PM

minefield

Posts: 289
Joined: 3/25/2004
From: North Carolina, USA
Status: offline

From those who are wiser than myself of course...

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 5/8/2004 5:39:15 PM

Capt. Pixel

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From: Tucson, AZ
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Fallschirmjager

I use a real life tactic.
Use mortars or light artillary (75mm works well) to pin down enemy targets. The plot rockets onto their posistion. Since they can move the delay isnt the big of a problem.

This suggestion makes the most sense to me. But I'd still only use it on the Assault or when in a fixed Defense.

All-in-all, standard atillery is a better buy.

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"Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy, if possible. "
- Stonewall Jackson

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 5/10/2004 12:08:13 AM

Mangudai

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From: The Middle West
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I bought 4 Wulframens to use against Viking2. Now I figure out the Wulframens can only load one rocket per turn, so it takes forever to reload the whole kit and caboodle. This sucks, to hell with wulramens from now on.

(in reply to Capt. Pixel)

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 5/10/2004 9:07:21 AM

VikingNo2

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They force you to buy more ammo dumps/Ammo trucks. The questions is can you afford to tie up all those points for ammo resupply ?

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RE: Mastering rockets - let's talk... - 5/10/2004 9:20:34 AM

rbrunsman

Posts: 1837
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From: Phoenix, AZ
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Rockets are for fun. I use them in BIG battles where the point cost isn't such an important factor.

Historically, rockets scared the crap out of people more than they did real damage.

Keep this in mind when you are trying to win a PBEM battle.

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Everyone is a potential [PBEM] enemy, every place a potential [PBEM] battlefield. --Zensunni Wisdom

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Post #: 23

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