What is your opinion on the deployment of artillery units in a battleforce? My opinion is that it's the only way to have a true combined-arms force. Most people pick units they like, and skip over artillery half the time. Artillery may not be cool, but it does provide you with a way to hit your opponent sooner. And, usually, the first person to score damage or a kill, and keep up the pressure, wins. This is not always true, but that's beside the point. I think deploying artillery is a good thing, although you should keep them well defended, which means you need to keep up the offensive. Please post replies. I would like to know what people think of artillery units.

well, personally i think arty is over rated. It definetly has uses though. Camo fatties and fat mechs that arent in water beg for pogs. Kelswas do to. Outside of the HL paladin, LI paladin, and SS arrow 4 i really cant see playing arty.

anyhow, this is more preference than anything else.

to each his own right?

Do you like winning?

When artillery goes back to one order to shoot, Warpog (450 point armies with 2-4 artillery pieces) will be back. Even new players have an easy time playing an artillery army.

When my opponent regularly fields Highlander Kelswas, artillery becomes very, very necessary.

I agree with you, Aerothorn. But, even when not facing Kelswas, I find artillery to be very useful in driving my opponent toward my shorter-ranged 'Mech and vehicle assets.

I'm wondering right now why so few people have opinions on artillery. I want EVERY MW:DA players' opinion on deploying artillery. Whether it is support for the artillery or criticism, I don't care. Let's have some replies!!

Some old timers would puke at the discussion of arty already. It has been hotly discussed and debated prior Jun 2004. If you're badly looking for opinions you may just as well dig the threads you'll see that there are more discussions than you can count with your fingers (including your toes). :(

Yeah, well, that's their opinion. And if that's yours as well, that's okay. But like I've said in another thread, artillery makes an excellent addition to any combined-arms force.

Artillery is much too powerful in so many ways. It dictates what your opponent does. Don't wanna do what the artillery says? OK take 2 clicks (PS the power artillery does not miss much!!). You are effectively taking orders away from your opponent, forcing them to push when they don't want to, making them choose between damaging something and moving. etc etc.

For that very reason, it is a very effective way to beat people.

I disagree slightly with Venator. The JF Long Tom and Liao Long Tom have a place, though they will suffer with firing in/out of base. There again, so will the SSw A4. Note that the Liao Long Tom is the most accurate multi-token piece in Falcons Prey, does 2 all the way down, has more range, Hardened armour and doesn't salvage. Oh and it's Elite. Awe anyone? So don't underestimate it!!

I do hope they fix it (again) with this set so we don't get the ridiculously boring games I got used to in Warpog days. I won games then with or without artillery but the road to victory was DULL! :yawn:

I think artillery is a necessary evil. It out-ranges a lot of units, can dominate the board, and sidesteps the entire facet of a defense value.

I look at FFE artillery, and think it is/was pretty reasonable. As artillery has become more effecient for the points cost, artillery has steadily gotten out of hand.

VTOLs, IMO, are the only thing keeping artillery from dominating the game completely. Even then, it's not by enough to have a rock/papper/scissors scenario, merely something that artillery heavy armies need to consider.

@ Aerothorn

It's HL Kelswas or HL Donars. Thankfully, artillery messes with both pretty quickly :)

:devious: I believe artillery is not necessary to win but oh does it help! My preferred artillery piece is the DF Arrow 4 artillery or the SS DI towed AA artillery (transports help with both). The DF one keeps 2 damage until it salvages (about 5-6 clicks). Then the other one has 3 tokens with armor piercing and improved targeting, nuff said. Verdict:VERY useful but not necessary.

Personally i never liked the idea of on field arty long toms should be miles away.
I LOVED SW MORTARS HEHEHE once.

Arty can be usefull especially the new liao longtom when you want to pin or drive your opponent around the board.

However, if you opponent isn't a defensive ##### and wants to be in your line as quick as it gets like (sorry to use a 40k term) but, pack of KHORNE BLOODY BERSERKERS arty simply sux.

With speed, infiltration, and range as they are in the game today a well developed assaulting force be it vtol based, mech based, infantry based, or all of the above should be able to squash a force with arty.

Arty in the long run eats up too many orders and is only usefull for one part of the game usually........the begining and advancing. After that when the enemy is ready to shoot you arty is not a friend but, a points liability where a good mech, vtol, or infantry peice is not.

lol if someone has high attack infantry in a BR sprint ...especially the evil that is the new HL EBA dont plan on having your infantry screne your arty from basers either. Then the atvs will get you first turn. FIRST TURN!!!!

JUST HIT EM HARD AND HIT EM FAST AND THEY WILL REGRET TAKING THE ARTY.

I agree with Aerothorn. With tanks having a 24 defense ... do you want to throw your 200 pt mech in front of it needing 14s or more to hit it .. while the tank on average needs maybe a 12 or less to hit you in return? Arty is really the only good way to deal with them. The LI Long Tom and Paladin, and the SS A4 are all insane pieces and you WILL be seeing them.

while being able to shoot in and out of base contact, you cannot fire artillery. since it is not a ranged combat attack.

@Cmd.Sterling

One artillery piece in your force is not overcommitting. I have seen more points-worth of infantry and VTOLs that never moved in swarms. Why do so many people answer this type of question as if people are fielding Warpog?

In fact one artillery piece in your force can act as really good bait. The only time I don't get to use artillery much is when I face a Bannsons or DF player who runs down the table. Then I just chew them up with the support. As for what to do with the artillery, well easy - target anything in the back field. Against Bannsons it is crucial for taking out those repair units. I don't want to see Stef Ehli or a Lego getting back to full strength!

It is also very, very effective at taking command out of the equation. Most of the cheap command units fielded (BR Sprint, LE Hauberk, Clowns) have only one click of it. So make 'em push!

It is all about targeting the right units. Then, artillery is powerful enough that you cannot ignore it. The artillery player knows that so can set their force up to exploit your advance.

Artillery (even just one) is very powerful in the hands of someone who know what they are doing. The person in question needs to know the dynamics of using artillery. A good player who is not so good at using artillery will find it a liability. A good player who is adept with artillery will find ways to use it you would never expect.

Not saying it is unbeatable but a blind charge will only be an easy win against an inexperienced player.