Artillary

[Hornet33]

I agree that the point and click is a little gamey, but without it how would you even get close? You still need a map to generate a range and bearing to target and the clipboard is all we have. The scale on the clipboard map is 1 to 25 miles. There is no way to get it acurate enough to plot artillery without the point and click. If there was I would be all for it, but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

[Martyn]

Easy! You put in the co-ordinates and then rely on the FOO or spotter plane to fine adjust the co-ordinates. You can't make it too easy - and this way we get co-operation, organisation and maybe an excuse for a jeep (see above) -

In fact - it's tempting to think about mortars - OTH that's maybe a bit difficult to develop.

[Jester]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
Well, I think the point and click on the map is gamey itself.

I believe you should have to punch in coordinates manually.

I am with Sailor on this one.

I REALLY liked the system used in DAWN OF ACES where you had to range in the target by observation. Fire one round then correct - left, right, up or down. When on target you call in a barrage.

The M-7 PRIEST, WESPE, SEXTON and others would be great for this.

NOTE: If I am correct - the Soviet SU-122 was an "Assault Gun" not a Self-propelled Artillery gun like those listed above. It couldn't elevate it's gun to fire like regular artillery but was a direct fire weapon.

[Hornet33]

Originally posted by Martyn
Easy! You put in the co-ordinates and then rely on the FOO or spotter plane to fine adjust the co-ordinates. You can't make it too easy - and this way we get co-operation, organisation and maybe an excuse for a jeep (see above) -

In fact - it's tempting to think about mortars - OTH that's maybe a bit difficult to develop.

Like I said it would be cool to do this but the question I have of you guys that don't want the point and click is HOW do you get the co-ordinates from a 1-25 mile scale map and still get your spotting round within at least a mile of the target????

When I worked Battalion Fire Direction Control for HHB 1/171 FA, we plotted our fires on a 1-250 meter scale map and we still accepted a 50 meter error as acceptable for a first round. We measured bearing in Mils not degrees. 6400 mils vs. 360 degrees in a circle. It's more accurate that way. I used to do this for a living so I do understand ALL the little things that must be done properly to get a first round hit with Artillery. I'm also talking "old" school artillery here, no GPS or computers. We did it with speed squares, charge slide rules, and hand drawn fire charts, and we were good enough to take a 8" projectile from a M110A2, and land it inside a dumpster from 14 miles.

The point and click makes it easy enough for everone to use. KISS principle here. Besides it's only a game.

[Martyn]

Sounds good enough to me to use the map to generate the first co-ordinates. They're not going to be spot on anyway as the map itself isn't that good - resolution wise anyway.

Once entered the co-ordinates can be adjusted manually.

[Hornet33]

NOTE: If I am correct - the Soviet SU-122 was an "Assault Gun" not a Self-propelled Artillery gun like those listed above. It couldn't elevate it's gun to fire like regular artillery but was a direct fire weapon. [/B]

http://www.wwiivehicles.com/ussr/self_propelled_guns/su122.html

The pic here shows a SU-122 with an elevated gun. You are correct that it was used as an assault gun, however it was also capable of indirect fire missions. The primary reason I picked that one is because it is based off of a vehicle we already have...the T-34.

The whole purpose of this thread is to figure out a way to make it all work, not pick it apart.

If you don't like something about my idea, thats fine, bring me a better idea with some details of how we can get HiTech to bring it into the game.

[Martyn]

HiTech migh bring it into the game if we sponsored it. Anyone fancy a whip-round?  

 - Hey I've just thought, if we have artillery we can do 21 gun salutes! (dunno why though
)

- and we can have long range artillery fights

- and if we capture bases close to nme cities we can flatten them from the ground

- and we can station units close to the coast and protect it from nme fleets

- and it isn't much extra effort to create anti-tank units (88mm or 75mm guns), although I'm not toooo sure what tactical benefits they'd give... fast deployment?

[Sakai]

If there was artillery though, you'd have to take some infantry/armor support with you or else enemy halftracks with infantry should be allowed to overrun you quickly.

Thus, when the arena full artillery would require coordination with yer buds.

But it would be great in tank town, forward armor could have coordinates called in for anything they spot if you are in the commanders seat.

Also, it would be quite susceptible ot air attack, but teh payoff would be firepower.

In quiet arenas, neglected corners, etc. you could pork a base or supply setup PDQ.

Sakai

[Martyn]

Oh yeh! This sounds cool. I still like the idea of having an excuse for radio trucks too!

[me62]

Originally posted by Jester
I am with Sailor on this one.

I REALLY liked the system used in DAWN OF ACES where you had to range in the target by observation. Fire one round then correct - left, right, up or down. When on target you call in a barrage.

The M-7 PRIEST, WESPE, SEXTON and others would be great for this.

NOTE: If I am correct - the Soviet SU-122 was an "Assault Gun" not a Self-propelled Artillery gun like those listed above. It couldn't elevate it's gun to fire like regular artillery but was a direct fire weapon.

You are correct Jester.  The SU-122 and the SU-152 for that matter are
assault guns.  Direct fire only.

Mike

[me62]

Originally posted by Hornet33
http://www.wwiivehicles.com/ussr/self_propelled_guns/su122.html

The pic here shows a SU-122 with an elevated gun. You are correct that it was used as an assault gun, however it was also capable of indirect fire missions. The primary reason I picked that one is because it is based off of a vehicle we already have...the T-34.

The whole purpose of this thread is to figure out a way to make it all work, not pick it apart.

If you don't like something about my idea, thats fine, bring me a better idea with some details of how we can get HiTech to bring it into the game.

I really like the artillery idea.  And thanks for posting the link to the SU-122
had no idea that they could elevate their main gun that high.

Mike

[plasticman1973]

I am happy that you all have positive things to say about my idea.  My idea originally was to have simple artillery batteries and not complicate the game and take away the fun.

However if HT can incorporate all of your mechinized ideas somehow and keep it simple, the more power right?

[Octavius]

Posted this in the FAC thread too.  Pyro talked about his plane additions briefly in a 2001 post:

Fi 156- I think it'd be a lot of fun to fly with such a radically different flight envelope. It could be useful for artillery spotting when working out of a vehicle base.

------------------
Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations

[Hornet33]

This idea actually comes up every 3 or 4 months and I'm always for it. I would love to see some more GV's represented in the game. The squad I belong to has a dedicated ground squad. The set we have now we are limited to Panzers, Tigers, Osties, and M3's. Thats pretty much it. The rest of the GV set right now is almost useless.

I try to do as many different things in this game as I can, fighter, bombers, GV's.

[DWaves]

Hornet33 is right!  For the first 4 years I was in the Corps. I shot surface to surface missiles at tanks and the company I was in had an 81mm mortar platoon.  I became a close friend with a guy in the mortar PLT and I’m still in touch with him some 23 years later.  So I gave him a call and asked about ballistics.  He doesn’t know anything about Aces High but said Hornet is correct, the maps and computations would be very difficult for HTC to create.  So I said all that to say this, if you want an artillery piece back up Hornet’s idea and make it easy on HTC.  I want one so take what you have, a 5” off the ship, mount it on a GV and use the current map click method / algorithms in the program and we have a new toy to play with.  My 81mm friend gave me some very strategic ideas about how this can be used, I’m sure Hornet is thinking some of the same things.  As for spotting, my friend gave me a very good idea on how to do this but that’s TOP SECERT!  I’ll wait till we have artillery before I post that.  So I say lets bug HTC for an artillery piece.

DWaves