Turns 12-25, Field artillery and reconnaissance
The reward from the capture of the Red Base VP enables the purchase and deployment of FA/A Bty (Field Artillery, Able Battery), 105mm M2A1 Howitzers ($110) towed by Studebaker trucks ($30).
FA/A Bty is deployed on the road by the Green Base on turn #12 and links up with the Willys jeep West of Strawville on turn #13.
The first image shows the moment on turn #14 where the Willys recce "advance to contact" (insert #1), "disengage" (insert #2) and prepares to "observe the fall of shot" (insert #3). It's a nice example of reconnaissance how-to if I do say so myself.
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| Figure 1 - How to reconnoiter |
The second image shows a moment on turn #17 after the US Marines have moved into contact with Red Team's eight unit lying in ambush Northwest of East Town.
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| Figure 2 - Artillery fire |
The "spreadsheet" on the right shows:
a) The turn number (and date),
b) FA/A Bty's efficiency at the start (only for turn 21) and at the end of each turn (after firing except on turn 20 when they rested and recuperated) and
c) Its accumulated experience at the end of each turn (except for turn #14 because I forgot to take the screenshot),
d) The enemy's HP, efficiency and entrenchment at the start and the end of each turn, yellow/gold for the unit in the jungle (turns #17, #24 and #25) and purple/blue for the Strawville garrison (somewhat difficult to see but it's there).
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| Figure 3 - Preliminary bombardment |
The third image is from a different run of this scenario. One column per turn for turns #15 to #20, three combat prognosis per column, top and bottom rows predict attacks by the GT's U.S. Marines against the RT's U.S. Recruits in the jungle adjacent to East Town, middle row predicts fire missions by FA/A Bty's alter ego.
To be clear the U.S. Marines never conducted these attacks, the objective is to illustrate the effects of artillery fire and the top row depicts the situation before the artillery attack.
The number on the left side of the inserts is for the attacker's efficiency and the one on the right side is for the defender's. The artillery prognosis has two inserts, left for before the attack, right for after.
I was expecting a more dramatic portrayal of the Artillery's value. These examples don't seem to justify its hefty price tag. These are early days though and I hope my Redlegs will shine brighter in future scenarios.
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