| Asteroid X | 21 May 2020 11:46 p.m. PST |
I have question (or perhaps two, depends upon how you read it) about artillery. The Rulebook does not really explain this. I have read the Battlegroup Part 2 Fire and Movement on Beasts of War (BOW) ( link ) and the rulebook but it does not state whether you have to have artillery models for calling in artillery strikers. Piers says on this thread ( TMP link ) his "are always off table". I am not overly familiar with the rules (just learning) and am wondering if you have to pay for artillery models in points or just call in a strike from off-table arty like in other games (and you do not have pay/calculate specific points for said arty)? I know if it's off-table a proxy note would suffice, instead of a model – but it would be nice to have a model battery placed off-table just for visuals. |
| nickinsomerset | 22 May 2020 3:22 a.m. PST |
No need for models, they are off table. I, personally, like models, so will have a few models to show what is available, they will be off table on a separate shelf. I will encourage the players to move the models to a separate shelf after firing to make counter bty fire difficult! Tally Ho! |
 Extra Crispy  | 22 May 2020 7:08 a.m. PST |
When we played we only ever had mortars on table. |
| Bede19002 | 22 May 2020 7:30 a.m. PST |
No on table artillery needed |
| Asteroid X | 22 May 2020 8:28 a.m. PST |
Thank you! Obviously if you are using a gun or battery as a line of sight antitank gun firing AP rounds, then it has to be on the table, correct? |
| Alcibiades | 22 May 2020 8:57 a.m. PST |
I guess you could but there are specialized AT guns to fill that role. Artillery batteries were usually positioned far behind the front lines and not usually vulnerable to ground attack. Placing artillery on the table is a FoW thing. Prior to FoW, in most WWII rules artillery was always off table. |
| Night Owl III | 22 May 2020 9:04 a.m. PST |
Correct. In the list building phase it should specify if it's "off-table" or not. Most of the big stuff is called in by spotters. If it is on-table we model it and if it is off-table or a timed barrage we don't worry about it as it's a mile or so behind the lines. |
pzivh43  | 22 May 2020 4:33 p.m. PST |
If I understand your question, you have to buy artillery, either on-table or off table. The specific army list indicates the cost. Usually off table cost is less, but you don't get any Battle Rating points either. |
| Asteroid X | 22 May 2020 10:00 p.m. PST |
Thank you. Reading through the Kursk scenarios I saw there were off-table anti-tank arty. I guess you'd have to be very specific about where the battery was placed as it would have to be line of sight. A marker of some sort indicating the direction of the gun(s)? But being too obvious about that would notify the other player(s) exactly where the gun was. |
| Wolfhag | 24 May 2020 8:03 p.m. PST |
The Russians were known to prepare a firing position so a heavy artillery piece of 122mm to 203mm could be moved up into position the night before a large assault and prep bombardment and direct fire on previously identified targets and locations. In movies of the Battle for Berlin, I've seen pictures of Russian tracked 203mm guns direct firing into buildings.
imgur.com/gallery/13RknKC On Peleliu, the Marines moved 155mm artillery pieces through the valley to direct fire into caves on the side of hills. However, it was towards the end of the battle. While rare it did happen. Wolfhag |
