A Clarification on Artillery

[Heinz57]

Jamiam's computer is in the shop, so I'm helping to pick up some of the slack on the Allied team. I just ran a test in conjunction with something I came across earlier. On the basis of neutrality and learning some of the NEW features of TOAW III - there is an important clarification to be made on artillery.

Rather than come out and spill the beans, I would recommend doing a hot seat play test, 2-3 turns should be plenty sufficient. And only need to run as Axis.

Concentrate the first turn and at least one combat round in the second turn in doing nothing but experimenting with Coastal Artillery, units with a movement allowance of 0. In the next turn, do the same thing, just to confirm the results. Then take an artillery unit, move it, dig it in, then use it to fire, doing nothing else for that round. Your results with this last action should be as expected.

For the rest though...well... :eek:

[General Staff]

If it's what I think it is, I noticed this also but didn't post it as I figured it was a bug. For new players I'm sure it will get ironed out eventually so I didn't see a need to let everyone in on it. Because at the end of the day you won't be able to use it once fixed anyway.

Since it's out, it appears that you can use coastal arty from round 1 (i.e. 100% turn remaining) and just keep firing. You can get 6 or more shots in on Allied Naval and utterly decimate the Allied Fleet.

But its totally ahistorical and hence why I just suggest to direct fire coastal arty at ships on your LAST round only- what the designer had in mind.

Having said this and having played as Allies, I always kept my ships carefully out of range of coastal arty.

[Heinz57]

I advised the Allied Players accordingly. In fairness...the Axis has quite a few units in this category that are otherwise sitting ducks, and good targets for overruns. The navy is very potent, but I don't think the Allies should use it with impunity. From what I can see, historically, 5 destroyers, 1 destroyer escort, and a handful of other ships (other than landing craft) were lost or damaged as a result of support of Normandy. Additionally, the HMS Centurion, a British King George V Class Battleship was purposely sunk as a blockship near the beaches.

Amazingly, Ukrainian television has a show on right now about this same very topic! Don't understand much of it, but the pictures are always good! ha...

Anyway - I had heard this was a fix earlier. Main thing for new players to know is that the coastal artillery, with 0 MP, is treated very differently than artillery which has movement points that digs in.

[Hank2]

Maybe this is why I sunk the HMS Black Prince on my 1st turn.

I haven't tried this since ... it was mentioned to me coastal arty with 0MPs would end your turn if you direct attack a ship ... which it did (I think) on my first turn.

hank