SP Mortar/artillery in direct fire ?

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

SP Mortar/artillery in direct fire ?

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Steel Panthers World At War & Mega Campaigns >> SP:WaW Training Center >> SP Mortar/artillery in direct fire ?

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

SP Mortar/artillery in direct fire ? - 9/22/2003 10:33:02 PM

Aga

Posts: 64
Joined: 9/21/2003
From: Paved Hill
Status: offline

I have tried sometime to use SP mortar and howitzer in direct fire, even with the Z key (area fire). I would like to know if it�s a good idea to use them in direct support. Or are they too precious for that ? A interesting thing to do with the SP mortar, like the German one, is to use their smoke capability in direct fire. Generally they have a lot of smoke.
And of course you can fire with the Z key to benefit of the Area Fire in the adjacent hexes, even when you don�t have LOS to them.
So is it something I can continue to do ? or must I use them in indirect support only ?

_____________________________

Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone

Post #: 1

- 9/22/2003 10:54:20 PM

Vathailos

Posts: 346
Joined: 5/13/2003
From: In a van, down by the river.
Status: offline

One way to approach this question is to look at the point value of what you�re attempting to kill/suppress vs. the point value of the firing piece itself. The indirect fire pieces that have small splash-suppression/damage values (60mm/3�/81mm) are typically unarmored or lightly armored. Return fire from an AA MG or small-caliber AT weapon/rifle grenade can often kill such vehicles. I�d recommend against this unless you are SURE that the enemy�s used up his OP-fire, you REALLY need that smoke, and are relatively certain you can fire the smoke from a safe location and still retreat the unit behind cover before your turn ends. These units ability to suppress for other units indirectly IMO outweighs their direct-fire value.

Now, if you look at other pieces (for example, SturmTigers) have great value in direct-fire mode. They can kill and suppress out to two hexes from impact hex IIRC). IMO these are heavily armored enough to do serious damage outweighing the risk (assuming you�ve used up the OP-fire of the enemy�s larger AT guns/AFVs. While SturnTigers can fire indirectly, I tend to use them more for direct fire because of the above reasons.

One other good SPA piece I like to fire directly is the Wurframen (sp?), although I can�t find them in H2H.FR ;). Their flame rocket can wreak havoc if fired into a group of enemy AFVs.

I guess I could have said this more succinctly as follows:

1) Value as a full-battle indirect fire asset
2) Cost of firing unit vs. cost of targets firing upon/screening for
3) Ability of enemy to OP-fire your piece
4) Damage/Suppression splash of your piece
5) Ability to retreat the piece after firing into cover.

If you have 16 SP 81mm mortar HTs, and you absolutely must screen two disabled JagedTigers, you might risk one to �smoke them in�. On the other hand, I wouldn�t risk my last SturmTiger at the beginning of my turn to fire on one infantry squad overwatched by three IS-2s or 17� AT guns. Two extreme examples, but I think you get my point.

(in reply to Aga)

Post #: 2

Page: [1]

All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> Steel Panthers World At War & Mega Campaigns >> SP:WaW Training Center >> SP Mortar/artillery in direct fire ?

Page: [1]