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Looking at the FOW tactica on British artillery and its a bit old. under V3 how do people feel about briitsh 25 pounders and 5.5 inch guns, especially the use of British 8 gun batteries?
This is primarily a LW discussion.

I am finishing out a Polish infantry company (British allied 1st Armored division early LW Normandy era).

I'm looking at filling out much of my firepower with AT wheeled guns and an 8 gun 25 pounder battery or alternatively a 4 gun 25 pounder battery and a 4 gun 5.5 medium battery (nothing says you care like firing naval artillery at your opponent?). Thoughts?

I always enjoy British artillery the new rules really help both with the initial hit and then keeping the enemy moving. I would take some of the 5'5 if I could

I just started FOW. What new rules are you referring to?

It has to do with the eight-twelve gun battery rules specific to Brit artillery. in particular, the mixed bombardment rules on page 131 of the rule book.

So can 8 gun 25 pdr and a 4 5.5 gun batter could fire as a combined 12 gun battery with AT 5 and FP 4+, re-rolling to hits and using double width template for the 12 gun battery, or using the devistating template.

AT 5, FP4+ 12" x 12" can put a world of hurt on even incoming Tigers.

I'm mostly a MW guy, but I've played a bit of LW as well. What I've always heard is that as far as 25 pdrs go, it's best to go big or go home, and take an 8 gun battery. In LW, that probably goes double due to the higher amounts of heavy armor you could potentially be facing, so I'd definitely take at least an 8 gun battery if you're going to use artillery. Adding some 5.5 inch guns would be even better. Splitting the difference and taking 4 25 pdrs and 4 5.5 inch guns would also work, but when it comes to artillery, more is better as long as you've got the points to spend.

Shotgun wrote:It has to do with the eight-twelve gun battery rules specific to Brit artillery. in particular, the mixed bombardment rules on page 131 of the rule book.

So can 8 gun 25 pdr and a 4 5.5 gun batter could fire as a combined 12 gun battery with AT 5 and FP 4+, re-rolling to hits and using double width template for the 12 gun battery, or using the devistating template.

AT 5, FP4+ 12" x 12" can put a world of hurt on even incoming Tigers.

OKAY DOKAY I didn't catch that. That sounds like fun!

I'm mostly a MW guy, but I've played a bit of LW as well. What I've always heard is that as far as 25 pdrs go, it's best to go big or go home, and take an 8 gun battery. In LW, that probably goes double due to the higher amounts of heavy armor you could potentially be facing, so I'd definitely take at least an 8 gun battery if you're going to use artillery. Adding some 5.5 inch guns would be even better. Splitting the difference and taking 4 25 pdrs and 4 5.5 inch guns would also work, but when it comes to artillery, more is better as long as you've got the points to spend.

I've heard they are better midwar for that reason, but the current metagame is LW. I'd actually prefer MW as - to my uneducated eyes - the armies would appear more balanced vs. each other especially tankwise (sherman vs. PZ IV, PZIV vs. T34/76 etc.)

Artillery is most definitely a British strength it is always fun to hear the sudden sharp intake of breath from an opponent and the 5.5" guns hit the table. That said I don't get as good of results out of them. I roll so poorly for my artillery that in many games they become wasted points until something gets close enough for direct fire.

YMMV, but keep in mind if you keep failing ranging in rolls then it doesn't matter how many guns you have stacked up on your side of the table.

Skriker

Frazzled wrote:

Shotgun wrote:It has to do with the eight-twelve gun battery rules specific to Brit artillery. in particular, the mixed bombardment rules on page 131 of the rule book.

So can 8 gun 25 pdr and a 4 5.5 gun batter could fire as a combined 12 gun battery with AT 5 and FP 4+, re-rolling to hits and using double width template for the 12 gun battery, or using the devistating template.

AT 5, FP4+ 12" x 12" can put a world of hurt on even incoming Tigers.

OKAY DOKAY I didn't catch that. That sounds like fun!

I'm mostly a MW guy, but I've played a bit of LW as well. What I've always heard is that as far as 25 pdrs go, it's best to go big or go home, and take an 8 gun battery. In LW, that probably goes double due to the higher amounts of heavy armor you could potentially be facing, so I'd definitely take at least an 8 gun battery if you're going to use artillery. Adding some 5.5 inch guns would be even better. Splitting the difference and taking 4 25 pdrs and 4 5.5 inch guns would also work, but when it comes to artillery, more is better as long as you've got the points to spend.

I've heard they are better midwar for that reason, but the current metagame is LW. I'd actually prefer MW as - to my uneducated eyes - the armies would appear more balanced vs. each other especially tankwise (sherman vs. PZ IV, PZIV vs. T34/76 etc.)

With the new source book they just released "Blood,Guts, Glory" you can get some pretty decent Sherman. Some that really tough, rather than glass cannons. Check it out here. easyarmy.com

Yes my last game involved playing against such a list. All tanks except for a recce unit against my lowly British infantry. "Bring forth, my brown pantaloons!"

Actually, I'd like to point out that the British Artillery rules are even better than they were in V2.

In V3, you only need the 4 gun battery (or less after losses) to get what was once an 8 gun battery rules.

Check for yourself, it's all now lumped under the Mike Target rule, which has no number of gun requirements.

The rules are that you can reroll the first attempt to range in, and if you fire an all guns repeat enemy teams hit by the repeat must reroll successful saves.

Before, British 25pdrs just weren't worth it, with only firepower 5+ and needing at least 6 guns, bringing the giant 8 gun battery to the table was more a liability that ate up points and took up deployment space. Then to get the special rules you'd have to combine them, so you lose the flexibility.

Now, your two batteries can fire off in different places, or combine if needed. It's also useful now just to have a 4 gun battery of 25pdrs, and a 4 battery of 5.5s.

The only downsides to V3 British Arty is that all arty gets the bigger templates with more guns, and those arty platoons now deploy and as separate platoons, but at least they can still combine.

Interesting that.