In our MP games, recently, there has been a lot of placing guns 50 yards or so behind friendly lines to defend objectives which are being threatened. I understand why the tactic is used: it works. But I think something should be done to prevent cannon from firing through friendly regiments. Last night, the Union pushed bravely toward the Confederates' last objective to force a draw. We were successful; however, we paid a high price, mostly from guns placed directly behind the rebel infantry regiments. Not a single rebel fell from friendly fire, yet hundreds of Union soldiers met their maker from magic canister and solid shot.
At the very least, cannon should not fire when blocked by friendly regiments.
Magic Artillery
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SouthernSteel
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Re: Magic Artillery
Honestly, cannister isn't even an effective deterrent anymore (I don't know whether Garnier's mod magnifies that effect or not). Instead of being decimated by cannister, casualties seem quite light, in my opinion. I don't have a problem with that really, though. I will say it seems like overall much less cannister is being fired period, and then that which is fired is only mildly effective.
Also, there were only maybe 5-10 rounds of cannister fired in that fight near the end (that was the only time I was close enough to see and hear everything going on). Most, if not all, of those rounds were fired when a unit of mine was drawn into a charge and opened a gap in the line (that needs to be fixed as it abused to draw units off of cover, etc., and causes a player to have to TC his regiment(s) and babysit them to make sure they aren't drawn far away from their own lines by someone who hits charge 400 yards away - this is rare, but I use it only to make a point).
Honestly, I saw many more casualties caused by guns much farther back from the line. The only purpose served by putting guns up close now is to increase their chances of a hit by minimizing the distance to a target. The guns do take into account having targets blocked (although I agree it's far from perfect) so in all reality, the Confederates lines had the majority of their targets blocked while the Union guns fired with impunity. If you watch a gun, as you move an infantry unit in front of it, it shows a target is blocked and the gun will move, trying to find another. Honestly, with the way the game is, during that attack last night, it would have been impossible not to have a target.
All in all, I'd say it was pretty equal, although, like I said, I wasn't on that part of the line until the very end, but I was regularly being hit by solid shot and losing 10-20+ men per hit. I didn't see our cannon actually drive any Union units off (but it was hard to see hits on enemy units from my PoV). It's really too bad that the other shells are all but useless now, but I guess we have to fix problems as we go. Still, Kester's entire division wasn't wiped out just by infantry. Didn't you say someone's (Union) 3-inch rifle had like 500 kills by itself? There wasn't a single Confederate battery that together had that score, I don't think.
The only real advantage gained was that it helped hold the line while reinforcements were brought in, although to be honest if the Union had kept up the attack, it could ahve all crumbled. It seemed moreso like there was hesitation to approach the guns, which is more a psychological move than a problem with the gameplay. Just thinking off the top of my head here...
Also, there were only maybe 5-10 rounds of cannister fired in that fight near the end (that was the only time I was close enough to see and hear everything going on). Most, if not all, of those rounds were fired when a unit of mine was drawn into a charge and opened a gap in the line (that needs to be fixed as it abused to draw units off of cover, etc., and causes a player to have to TC his regiment(s) and babysit them to make sure they aren't drawn far away from their own lines by someone who hits charge 400 yards away - this is rare, but I use it only to make a point).
Honestly, I saw many more casualties caused by guns much farther back from the line. The only purpose served by putting guns up close now is to increase their chances of a hit by minimizing the distance to a target. The guns do take into account having targets blocked (although I agree it's far from perfect) so in all reality, the Confederates lines had the majority of their targets blocked while the Union guns fired with impunity. If you watch a gun, as you move an infantry unit in front of it, it shows a target is blocked and the gun will move, trying to find another. Honestly, with the way the game is, during that attack last night, it would have been impossible not to have a target.
All in all, I'd say it was pretty equal, although, like I said, I wasn't on that part of the line until the very end, but I was regularly being hit by solid shot and losing 10-20+ men per hit. I didn't see our cannon actually drive any Union units off (but it was hard to see hits on enemy units from my PoV). It's really too bad that the other shells are all but useless now, but I guess we have to fix problems as we go. Still, Kester's entire division wasn't wiped out just by infantry. Didn't you say someone's (Union) 3-inch rifle had like 500 kills by itself? There wasn't a single Confederate battery that together had that score, I don't think.
The only real advantage gained was that it helped hold the line while reinforcements were brought in, although to be honest if the Union had kept up the attack, it could ahve all crumbled. It seemed moreso like there was hesitation to approach the guns, which is more a psychological move than a problem with the gameplay. Just thinking off the top of my head here...
"The time for compromises is past, and we are now determined to maintain our position and make all who oppose us smell Southern powder, feel Southern steel."
Jefferson Davis, 1861
Jefferson Davis, 1861
Re: Magic Artillery
I assume you're talking about battle 2172? And I assume the mod was running?
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KG_Soldier
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Re: Magic Artillery
The mod wasn't running. Robinson had turned it off for a change of pace.
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KG_Soldier
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Re: Magic Artillery
I agree, Parker, that most of the casualties were caused by solid shot and not canister. That does not change the fact that most of those guns were firing right through the rebel lines and not hurting a single Confederate soldier. There's just no way guns can fire that close to their own lines without hitting friendlies.
And no doubt, the guns are more effective when kept back and higher. But putting 20 or more guns right behind the lines is a pretty good deterrent, and extremely unrealistic.
That said, like I said, I'm not trying to dog anyone for doing it. I just think a gun shouldn't be able to fire when within 100 yards of its own infantry, if not elevated.
And no doubt, the guns are more effective when kept back and higher. But putting 20 or more guns right behind the lines is a pretty good deterrent, and extremely unrealistic.
That said, like I said, I'm not trying to dog anyone for doing it. I just think a gun shouldn't be able to fire when within 100 yards of its own infantry, if not elevated.
Re: Magic Artillery
Oh, nevermind then. Artillery is very different.The mod wasn't running. Robinson had turned it off for a change of pace.