Moving Artillery

[smokehammer]

Is it possible to move artillery batteries or are they always stationary? I can see commands to turn them left and right, but the left and right oblique and flanking commands that the infantry have aren’t present.

How do you get them to advance into range and provide support? Do you need to send a courier with an order for artillery support or are their inital positions fixed?

[ADukes]

Move the battery commander to the point where you want the guns and click the "Line" button.

[smokehammer]

Thanks, I knew there must be a way to do this I just couldn't figure out how, being able to move artillery forward should make things a lot easier!

[DrMike1997]

One additional hint: Battery commanders are very skitish and protective of their guns. Many times ordering them to move closer to the firing line will not work unless you Take command directly. Of course your chance of having guns rout goes up greatly but you can do some horrific damage that way.

[con20or]

do you have to TC the battery as well as the commander? I just played McPhersons ridge and couldnt get any batteries to advance. Was playing on historical. I had each of the battery commanders TC'd.

Id order the commander to move to a point (one courier)

then to form line (another courier)

then at the double (another courier).


Sometimes they'd limber the guns, but they'g go nowhere, then unlimber them and start firing again. I tried ordering them to limber, but then they'd unlimber after a minute and start firing again. It would be nice if just TC'ing the commander would let you move a battery. I suppose it similar to brigade commanders and regiments.

[Marching Thru Georgia]

If you want to move batteries in in historic mode, you have to write the orders like this:
No orders (this is necessary, otherwise they won't move if they are firing)
Move order
Face your unit in ths direction (if you think it necessary)
These orders are written as one courier message.

They will go to the destination and unlimber. The only time they will stop mid-way is if they are being targeted by the enemy arty or infantry. They will try to defend themselves.

[con20or]

ah the no order command, ive seen you mentioning that alright, but hadn't had to use it until now. Thanks, ill try that.

I wonder is 'no orders' linked to 'please execute the following orders'? Do they do something similar, cancel a units previous stance and prepare them for the next move.

[Marching Thru Georgia]

con20or wrote:

I wonder is 'no orders' linked to 'please execute the following orders'? Do they do something similar, cancel a units previous stance and prepare them for the next move.

No orders cancels the stance the unit is currently operating under. For arty that is usually "Hold at all costs." You have to use it if you want to move an infantry unit that is near the action too.

"Please execute the following orders" is needed only when asking for help from another commander. I preface all my orders with it just so I don't forget to use it when I need help. I really don't want to make a mistake in that circumstance. This phrase will no longer be necessary after the patch is out. Norb fixed the send help order.

[KG_Soldier]

I give my battery commander a cease fire order, limber guns, move, formation, and then double-quick. You have to remember to give the battery commander a fire at inf or arty order when the guns get where you want them.

My only problem with arty is getting them to stay in double-quick. I have to go back and check them and re-issue double-quick a couple of times on long moves.

I'm not sure what all causes them to stop moving fast: fences, woods, traffic, horoscope, etc.

[con20or]

They just wont budge, scenario 2.

I'm trying to move the battery without TC'ing the whole lot of them.

Ive tried 'no orders', 'cease fire'. Ive tried sending a long series of orders in a message, and also by clicking on the geound and buttons and sending couriers, they just wont move. Ive got them all to limber up, but they wont move forward.When I have TC'd the battery commander, even HE wont move, let alone his battery.