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So yesterday me and my brother played our third FOW game, first with more than just the Open Fire box set. I used Brits and had a fairly balanced list. 4 Shermans, 4 Firefly's, a couple Artillery batteries and some infantry.
My brother brought 8 Panzers, 4 Tigers and some infantry.

My tanks held their own as long as they could, the infantry found a way to make it to the objective for the win, but the thing that really astonished the both of us is HOW EFFECTIVE THE ARTILLERY WAS.
Is it just me or is British artillery a game changer? Ranging in on his tanks and then the two batteries just blasting the crap out of the Top Armour and really halting what I was beginning to believe was a 2nd Blitzkrieg. His tanks were just pushing forward blowing apart my Shermans and then once my observers spotted his tanks through the Bocage and ranged in on his Tigers they fell apart like dried leaves. And then My anti-tank battery does the same thing on the left flank to some Panzers?

I mean I've heard that my artillery was good, but is it normally that solid against Armour? Also pinning down his infantry advance right before they cross over the road onto my side of the table?
I was just amazed at how good the artillery performed, and then to think I'm considering working some Air Support into my list, is it really fair?

Let me know your thoughts on Brit Artillery, and whether A) I should bring Air Support and B) Coupled with Artillery what kind of effectiveness can I come to expect from my list?
I know I'm a newer player, as is my brother, so our tactics aren't that great but still even with average dice rolls, I tore him apart.

I live British artillery, and I think it works best when you attack!

The reason being unlike the US where you get a bonus if you range in first time, British artillery works when you repeat bombard. Add in other rules such as reroll first range in (take an AOP for reroll 3rd range in) you can mike target your opponent off objectives.

With my Brit paras you place a double wide template over an objective clear the enemy away and then they have to move to defend it, either losing GtG dug in, or both!

Assuming you have a decent amount of terrain then artillery isn't that hard to avoid. If you're attacking like reaver said it has the potential to help a lot more as you'll be placing your spotters after the defender has deployed basically his entire army, so you'll have your pick of the targets.