Arty preferences. What is realistic ?

[lopezonline]

So what preferences settings do you use ? Is 140% unrealistic ? I'm asking this because I want to squize most real experience from this game. Normal I leave everything on default, but arty seems to be underpowered. I mean 155mm howitzers battery pounding hilltop with op4 infantry... (aprox. 300 sq.m area)) and nothing happens. They are just slightly suppressed. Ok I know they are "dugged in" but chiz. IED's are made from arty. shells, and 155m shell can turn Bradley upside down, and rip Stryker to shreds... and they can't do nothing to infantry ? What's your opinion on this subject, because I'm quite confused right now. What are the optimal settings ? (I'm using 130% right now... and I'm thinking to change arty to 140%)

Sorry for my bad English

[hoplitis]

Excuse me, are you comparing IEDs effectiveness with a """typical""" arty fire mission? Isn't it like comparing the effectiveness of antipersonel mines vs grenades or something similar? In any case IEDs or mines detonate on or in the immediate vincinity of a single target. The classical arty fire mission, in comparison to IEDs, is something like an "area" thing. Accurate targeting is possible with a high technology delivery platform, high tech projectile, high tech target observation system. You have those in the game (tactical air support with PGMs). But your enemy infanty woulde still qualify for a "I'll-pound-you-for-the-next-5-turns-with-all-my-arty" target.
In 10 years time... who knows?

[lopezonline]

Hex is 50x50m long... when six 155 shells hits that hex, one of that sheels have very high possibility of being near miss, and effects of that should be similar yo IED. One more thing 155mm has a wide area of effect, you dont really need to hit building/APC/GI to destroy it. 50x50 isn't that much of a space. Ok, i know IED detonating under the tank has much much more effect then near miss, but still we're talkin abut hitting infantry in open terrain. I'm not talkin abut doomsaday arty, deathstar mode. I just think it's weird that HE shell landing between troops dosn't make any damege. I think that kind of explosion shoul at least kill 2 - 3 guys, not to mention high possibility of killing whole squad.

[thatguy96]

50m x 50m = 2500 m2 right? Okay, now take, for instance that a 1970s era 203mm shell was roughly assumed to make a crater 25 ft (7.62 m) in diameter. For six shells the most serious effects (those within the area the crater) you cover just under 350 m2, or a little less than 15% of the total area of the hex, with no overlap.

Now, of course the complete effects of the shell no doubt extend beyond just the crater area (shell fragments, concussion, etc), but those effects are modeled by suppression in the instances where kills are not achieved. Those fragments and concussion aren't going to do much to an armored vehicle of any repute either. You might get a mobility kill, but even that wouldn't necessarily be guaranteed.

The role of artillery is first and foremost, at least in game, to suppress the enemy.

[hoplitis]

For a "starting point (?)" have a look at this:
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/arty.htm
and more specifically the table towards the end (soviet type artillery effects - unobserved fire missions).

[lopezonline]

Dug-in troops and weapons in prepared defense strongpoint positions -> Anihilation of opfor in area of 1 ha (10 000m2)-> 150 shells 152mm... So hex is 50 m long that gives us something like 2500m2 of area, so to anihilate platoon of troops (50-60% casuality) deployed in area of 4 hexes we need 150 shells... oh my God !! Ok switching back to 100% arty in preferences. Thank you guys for info. Cheers ! Btw. I'm not sure right now if 100% isn't much of overkill... mayby i should set 50% ? What settings do you use ?

[hoplitis]

All at default, occasionally arty at 80%.

[PanzerBob]

IIRC Some time back, Arty in both MBT and WWII needed twiking to seem more realistic but of late since the second last patch I find 100% to be fine. One must also rememeber even a flat earthern hex is NOT, the hex takes into account that the ground would have many variations in it. I know I have several infantry squads under 5.5inch fire at the momemnt that will perish if the fire doesn't shift or stop, and they are caught on a road. I think arty works fine, they think it sucks!!! LOL

[hoplitis]

PanzerBob said:
... I think arty works fine, they think it sucks!!! LOL

They are still able to think???