Art De La Guerre

[Snowcat]

Heavy artillery, the big stuff. 8UD range, no move, pivot only @10pts.

Would you use it? And if you could field 2, would you be tempted to use 2?

The answer might be, 'it depends on the army'. If so, what kind of armies would you use heavy artillery in, and which would you consider a heavy artillery inclusion to be a bad option?
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"When one goes, one must go with style."

[madaxeman]

[Snowcat]

Interesting thoughts, thanks.

I was considering 1-2 stone throwers with the Avars.

(Also noticed that the dismounted Gepids can provide the Avars with some tougher foot, even with 3 cohesion instead of 4.)
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"When one goes, one must go with style."

[Hazelbark]

The trick is to make the opponent spend more effort worrying about it, than you spend planning, controlling or worrying about its inevitable loss.

As Mad said, Elephants get nervous.

I run them occasionally for fun. They likely get 3-6 shots before they get contacted. I may buy a fortification for them but that risks telegraphing possible location. Most people want to support it with a LI or LH to up its fire.

I don't like them for aggressive armies because the range doesn't get into deployment area understandably, so the opponent needs to have style, cause or need to advance a little bit to range.

You also need to set them to the side so you don't obscure their fire by your own advance.

Did have fun last use where a solo Taureg camel took a hit coming in, then contacted the bombard and i 6-1'd the camel. Cannister isn't just a late period invention.

[Mark G Fry]

If you can buy some field Fortifications to go with them, that can be an added bonus.

Or combining them with your own LF missile which you can shoot over (through) but which can support the Hvy Art is also a good trick.

[Snowcat]

I think the heavy art would make an interesting addition to a largely mounted bow army.

I don't recall seeing many uses of heavy art in online battle reports. Would love to look at any if they've been posted.
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"When one goes, one must go with style."

[madaxeman]

[Snowcat]

Thanks for those links.

Just watched the bottom set featuring the Tibetans with their Heavy Art. It occurs to me that for the artillery to be worthwhile, a broad killing field needs to be established in front of it, wherever it is deployed, *and then maintained*. Not moving your own units ahead into this fire zone, narrowing the arc or worse, reducing it entirely. The killing field needs to be created, maintained, and then some units used to lure enemy into it. Simply advancing the rest of your army towards the enemy and taking the fight to them while either leaving your artillery impotently behind or blocked from firing means a wasted 10pts.

The artillery could also be used as a forward guard (trap) for enemy wishing to attack the camp. Other units would support this ploy for it to be successful.
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"When one goes, one must go with style."

[Mark G Fry]

Combining Hvy Artillery with Fortifications, WWGs & LC/MC/HC bow might also be very interesting.
Check out the Ottoman Empire or Muscovite lists for these options

[madaxeman]

[ALEXANDER]

6 Hussite Warwagon in a column can move forward in the center and divide the battlefield into two areas.
A heavy Artillery behind fortification could give fire support to those warwagons

In addition heavy artillery on a hill in your deployment zone, can shoot over friendy troops at a lower level

[Snowcat]

Some excellent tactical suggestions for Hvy Art here. Thanks.

I think Hazelbark absolutely nails how to use them. And I love the image of the airborne camel clinging to a cannonball!
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"When one goes, one must go with style."