The Commander Series Forum

Hello,

I had the game for quiet a while, but only recently I've been looking into the rules and finally making some games.

Last week we did a game with Artillery units and found a bit of troubles on understanding how things work.


My FAO spotted a Marine All Terrain Bike, requested the support fire from the 3 Artillery pieces I had off board.
I only had a minus for the number of units involved. I managed to call for the artillery and asked for a "BARRAGE" instead of "CONCENTRATION".

Looking at the rules, I've picked up my total dices and halved the total. All units under the 30cm radius were going to be hit by the blast.

Now, despite the difference in blast radius and number of dices to be rolled, what is the difference between BARRAGE and CONCENTRATION ?
I've found that artillery could be too deadly in the game. If I open fire with the artillery with a minimum of 12 points, I am almost sure that units within the fire blast are going to be obliterated.

Just to clarify, we were using 6mm units.

Since this seems a bit too much overpowered and most likely I've misunderstood some rules, I am asking :

1) Does FAO has penalties contacting off table artillery like CO and HQ have penalties when giving orders every X cm ? I know that FAO has penalties as per table, but are there other penalties ?

2) Deviation, since I am using a dice from a popular 28mm Dark & Grim SCI FI universe with Marines in it, I have not read anything concerning a "hit" so I suppose that even if I score a HIT, artillery will deviate as per rules ?

3) Besides cm radius and number of hits, what is the difference between BARRAGE and CONCENTRATION ? I find that a 10cm difference is not enough to make me use BARRAGE with half dices for all the units that are under the blast.

4) Artillery hits, all units are hit as per rules ? OR are there differences ? If I hit a unit on the open, I hit it at 4+, but this has value also for Armor units ? OR do they have a different value ?

5) The FAO is not a command unit, so the enemy can shoot on it freely ? At the hit value of the place where it stands ?


I am sorry for asking these many questions, but I would like to understand how Artillery works, since I find it a bit too much overpowered if it is as we've used it last week in our game. And I recall that I do get two FAO I can request a second artillery strike from the same artillery pieces. I find it a bit problematic.

With little deviation and even with half dices used, I've managed to cripple some units that were giving me BIG trouble and eliminating three.

Thank you in advance for your answers!

Stefano

1 only those listed in the table on page 28
2 yes, per table at bottom of page 28 and modifier for observer on higher terrain.
3 Barrage covers four times the area so may include additional targets not covered by the area for concentrated fire.
4. yes all units in open are hit on 4+, but armor has saving throws.
5 Pete would be better to clarify this, but we treat them as command units as they are issuing orders.

Regards,
Bill

Thank you very much for the quick answer Bill,

I do understand everything except :


3. BARRAGE covers four times the area ? It means that I have to roll for deviation four times correct ? Also, does the concentration area in cm change following the technology level or it is fixed ?

4. So armor has saving throws BUT everything else not and keeps the hits if scored with no saving ?


Thank you again!

If you call for a concentration ALL the requested guns fire into the same 20cm area (so call for three guns at 3 dice each - 9 dice on every target in the template).

If you fire a barrage you hit an area 60cm by 20cm with three dice on each target (basically three gun units - three templates - one gun unit in each).

Multiple FAOs - off table arty only fires once per turn, so the first one to successfully call it uses it up for that turn (although if you failed a second FAO could try and then on).

I thought armour was only hit on 6's (unless open topped) - at least that's how we've been playing it for CWC.

Cheers, Andy

FAO is a command unit. It can be overrun but not targeted.

Sediment - might be different in FWC but my memory is you're right - open topped AFVs on 5+, closed AFVs on 6's.

FAO - can't be targeted directly but will be caught if It's in the blast radius when you target something else.

I agree.

IanS

Much more clear now.

Thank you very much. I do think that I have an older rule set because I did not find any text where Toxicpixie rules are written.

Thank you everyone!

There is only V1 of FWC as far as I'm aware.

FWC does not consider open topped AFVS, it's all just armour or something else.

I think Toxic is confusing CWC(or BKC) and FWC. Barrage in FWC just gives a larger template to cover targets, 30cm diameter circle as opposed to 20cm for concentration. The number of dice is different for each too.

I think bilb is wrong on question 4. Check page 40 of rules for FWC, armour is hit on 6s as is command, other stuff is hit on 4+. Commanders on 6s too I think.

Note Addaptive Camo upgrade does not apply to indirect fire.

Saves as normal.

As mentioned, FAO's cannot be targeted as they are command units. Note some army lists do not have FAOs but their CO or HQ can call in artillery or airstrikes (such as the Kraytonians).

We do use the 2 unsaved hits for auto suppression.

Ah yes, I knew there was... something... different with FWC over the other two! No Open Topped AFVs, all armour hit on a six sounds right

It is 6 to hit AFV. I should have checked the later page in the rules.

Rambeil - Although the barrage covers a larger area than concentrated fire, there is still only one roll for deviation.

Oook I guess ?

So, nontheless the BARRAGE is a 30cm diameter with half dice value while CONCENTRATION is 20cm diameter with full dice value. And there is only ONE template if using BARRAGE.

Don't know why but I prefer the Blitzkrieg Commander artillery a lot more.

FWC does not use any special munitions as per CWC (apart from smoke), and is intended for simple fast play. Orbital strikes are more deadly, hitting armour on 5,6 and double dice for small template strikes.

Auto-suppression on two hits works very well.

Note that a number of the standard battle scenarios do not allow the use of off-table artillery.

If you think it is too deadly, restrict the number of units per 1000 Army Points or put plenty of terrain on the table.

Always take the ortillery. Simple FWC rule to live by.