RE: SG2/DS2 artillery

BTW, how does one nail artillery anyway what with the scoot n' shoot
capability.  Is a CBR worth it seeing as the arty can move an inch,
rendering CBR unworkable.  It appears that the only way is if the arty
were
off-table where it has to move in a separate activation.  Does this make
on-table arty the way to go over off-table, where it can never be
whacked?

Dave t

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Barclay of the Clan Barclay [mailto:kaladorn@home.com]
Sent: Monday, 29 November 1999 15:03
To: GZG List
Subject: SG2/DS2 artillery

Okay folks, lets talk about artillery in the future. Not game mechanics
wise, but operational wise. Is it me or has most modern arty gone SP
(self propelled)? Aren't field guns kind of passe? Doubly so once you
start making your tow vehicles AC or grav.

Once you have a grav platform, the war is so much about mobility and a
tank becomes the all around weapon - replacing jets (which are lighter
armoured), VTOLS (same), arty (not mobile enough), and of course doing
duty as a tank.

Until then though, I assume forces wanted a high mobility force and
specifically those operating with an atmosphere (no AC on airless rocks)
will want to be air-cushion. That'd let them move very fast over water,
most land, tundra, ice floes, etc. It makes amphibious assaults a joke.
Additionally, you'll get an AC tank moving faster than a track layer.
And probably better for the ground its running over - more distributed
surface pressure. Works in swamps!

Given this might be the case, wouldn't most artillery be of the form of
an MRLS or a CPR (Chemically Propelled Round) nature mounted on an AC
chassis (which grounds to setup and fire, but to leave just flips on the
fans and motors...). Given the state of Counter Battery today, that
would seem like a darn good plan. Shoot, then scoot. Fast.

You might find field guns in militia and colonial forces (easier to make
than MRLS) similarly to why you'd find IAVRs and RRs there instead of
GMS many times.

Or (if it is actually not an AND) am I raving? Is there some good
justification for towed arty which takes longer to setup and does not
have the mobility?

I'm curious. Speak to me, oh visionaries and luminaries of the list.

T.