Level II of artillery

[Precentor Scorpio]

If your were to build a Level II of artillery, how would you design?

I designed my Level II with four Marksmans and two other elements for security.

So, I guess I am wondering if anyone would use six artillery pieces in a Level II or five artillery pieces and another unit to act as a spotter.  Just curious.

[Daryk]

I'd use six of these...

[Weirdo]

Four Marksmans is a good core group. I'd add a single bodyguard, preferably something with decent-sized LB-X cannon. The artillery can make short work of a lot of attackers, but a versatile bodyguard means more situations where he can take care of things by himself without interrupting the Marksmans' fire missions. Besides, he'll have backup in the form of the SPGs' turreted firepower, and four Marksmans is a fair chunk of gun.

For the sixth unit, I'd go with some kind of scout spotter. I'm not talking about someone to spot for regular fire missions, I'm talking about directing fire against inbound attackers. If you have Copperhead rounds, anything with a TAG will do. If you're playing Alpha Strike, advanced sensors help spotters, and spotters can help the first shot and onwards, unlike TW/TO rules where they only help agree seeing where the first shot lands. Given your likely faction, the Beagle Hovertank may work very well here.

[Sartris]

there's also the zephyr

[worktroll]

I'd stick to four guns, a brawler 'Mech, and a brawler vehicle.

The guns are meant to support other units, and I wouldn't myself trade another barrel for a single spotter.

Alternatively, for 'combined support' duties, a Level II with two guns, two bodyguards, and two spotters might make sense.

[RunandFindOut]

Four tubes, a bodyguard, and a Hi-Scout with some drones.  Or four tubes, a bodyguard, and infantry with transport.  Depending on the anticipated role of the unit and desired mobility.  Honestly I tend to favor units more like a modern battery, which are somewhat bigger than a Level 2 even if you're intentionally minimizing size.  And I've noticed that Russian artillery units are pushing organic drone scouts down to lower levels of organization.  It's probably a good idea and one I would favor if designing an artillery unit having organic scouting ability as far down the chain as possible.

[Hellraiser]

Funny,  I have a Level II of artillery based on some TRO 2750 minis I own.     

Long Tom,  Marksman,  Thor,  Chaparral,  Kanga,  Zephyr

Sure, 4 identical guns might be better, but I wanted to showcase my various minis in this unit, so I went with 1 of each Arty weapon, along with spotter & escort/bodyguard

[Sellsword]

I use a schiltron, Owens, 2 Tokugawa w/c3, and 2 arrow IV Pilum.  This gives me 4 arrow IVs, a C3 connection, tag spotter and 2 lbx-10s.  If I need to I can drop out a pilum or Tokugawa for some mounted battlearmor 

[smcwatt]

No one seems to be talking about a mobile CP or ammo vehicles. Someone has to tell them what and where to shoot, and they need more than one missions worth of ammo, but this is something BT has never reflected properly.

SMc

[Daryk]

I cover those aspects in my Glenmora Planetary Militia thread... Goblins FTW!  :thumbsup:

[Frogfoot]

On the tabletop you probably want 'organic' spotters for an average game. A TAG swarm for Arrow IVs might have just a couple of artillery pieces guided by lots of cheap taggers.

In-universe, a full Level II of artillery working with spotters from other Level IIs is probably not uncommon.

[Colt Ward]

No one seems to be talking about a mobile CP or ammo vehicles. Someone has to tell them what and where to shoot, and they need more than one missions worth of ammo, but this is something BT has never reflected properly.

SMc

A single platoon of guns may or may not have a FDC attached.  Since this is ComStar its likely sitting back at the L3's HQ or even higher, but BT has no rules about how to properly run a artillery formation- look back in other Arty threads to see Charlie 6 and I beat that horse a lot.

As far as re-arming a firing platoon or battery . . . first BT turns are too short to have a tactical reload in 99% of games.  Additionally, their ammo bins are generally deep enough they do not reflect current equipment- my MLRS only has 2 OS ATACMS when I fire off those missiles, or 2 six-packs when firing rockets.  Long Toms and A4 have the smallest loads, 5 per ton, while Sniper has 10 and Thumper has 20 . . . and for example, the Marksmen has 30-50 rounds depending on flavor IIRC.

I think the 4 gun, 1 bodyguard and 1 mobile organic spotter is a good set up for ComStar's artillery.  And yes, skirmish or battle Level II in the Level IIIs that have artillery Level IIs should have TAG equipped designs assigned.

[Precentor Scorpio]

The artillery Level II's are in my support battalion.  So, two Level II"s of Marksmans with a Maxim and infantry as security, six infantry Level I's, six Gabriels, and twelve aerospace fighters.

I think my LVL III of Word of Blake artillery was six Level IIs of 4 Marksmans and Two Demons per Level II for security detail.