HELP!

I am trying to understand arty better so I can beat it. Know your enemy and all that.

Here is how I am reading the rules:

...you may give it a ranged combat order. This order can be used in one of three ways: as a ranged combat attack, as an indirect fire attack or as an artillery attack. A ranged combat attack and an indirect fire attack are made as described in the MechWarrior: Dark Age rulebook.

This would indicate that the artillery attack is NOT a ranged combat attack.

If the artillery unit has AP then the following applies:

When this unit makes a ranged combat attack, it ignores all
defense special equipment of the affected unit or units while resolving the attack.

This would indicate that AP is not able to be used when making an artillery attack. (This is good for me and would also apply to AnP)

If the target has Hardened (or heavy) armor then the following applies:

HARDENED ARMOR Subtract 2 from any damage scored against this unit by close or ranged combat attacks. Hardened Armor does not reduce pushing, critical miss, charge, ram, or death from above damage.

As artillery is not a ranged combat attack, it would ignore hardened or heavy armor (with or without AP). This is very very bad for me and my Highlander forces.

The group that I have been playing with has been acting like armor and AP matter with arty. I do not think that they affect it at all. Once again I find myself disliking artillery loopholes even more. It makes logical sense to me that if my tank has enough armor, you could drop pogs on me all day long and it would do nothing. Go figure. I hope I am not right and someone out there will prove me wrong.

Question answered. :grin:

Poop.

I know how you feel yugen, the glossary definition should be changed to artillery=ranged combat order, not attack, IMHO and some other people here in the realms, a ranged combat attack is when you target a specific unit not an area in which to affect. But, we all know we have to deal with it until someone sees the light.

Sorry, but that would make no sense (with the game rules).

Orders allow you to do certain actions.

For example a ranged combat order allows you to make a standard ranged combat attack or an indirect fire attack or an artillery attack.
Because all these attacks require a ranged combat order they are defined as ranged combat attacks.

If you say that an artillery attack is an order and not an attack, then I could use my artillery unit to make an artillery attack and one of the other two types at the same time.

See the problem?

not really,
here's a line from the MWDA rule book page 14 under Ranged combat:
If your unit’s maximum range value and attack value are greater than 0, you may give your unit a ranged combat order.
To make a ranged combat attack, place one end of a ruler at the center of the firer’s base and draw it in a straight line to the center of the target unit’s base.
Now, if I read correctly, then to make a ranged combat attack you have to have a target unit, not an area of effect.

Sorry daemian2k, the rules for artillery units (pages 29 and 30) detail how to make an artillery attack and need to be applied here, not the rules for "basic" ranged combat attacks.

If you would read correctly, then artillery attacks could not be made at all, because artillery would never be able to trace a line of fire.

P.S.: Which, if you apply the rules to a word they can not. ;) P.P.S.: The rulebook often confuses attack and order, using the two interchangeable, even though there is a clear difference.

Bewulf is right, its been argued over many times, and the rule book still needs revision.

An Order activates a unit to perform a specific action.

An Attack is just one of the actions that unit may perform while under Orders that turn.

Some units have set a precedent in performing more than one Action with a single Order. Others are now required to use two Orders to complete just one action. (And they say artillery is overpowered.)

Just so I can clarify...

The rules state:
"...you may give it a ranged combat order. This order can be used in one of three ways: as a ranged combat attack, as an indirect fire attack or as an artillery attack. A ranged combat attack and an indirect fire attack are made as described in the MechWarrior: Dark Age rulebook."

What everyone is saying is that an artillery attack IS a ranged combat attack, with the following exception...
It does not NEED to do the following: "To make a ranged combat attack, place one end of a ruler at the center of the firer’s base and draw it in a straight line to the center of the target unit’s base. This is called the line of fire." (and all that pog and blat radius stuff)

The glossary does state that the artillery attack is a ranged combat attack.

Thanks everyone. I don't have to like it, just understand it.