Batteries or Gun Section

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Darren
Posts: 88
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:44 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Batteries or Gun Section

Post by Darren »

Hi All,

I'm considering operating artillery as batteries or gun sections.

Before to game starts artillery could be grouped into batteries with their own commander. The battery would have their own card and be activated when their card is drawn.

The battery CO would function the same as a battalion CO. Meaning the battery CO could be activated by the C-in-C.

Gun Section could be de-attached from the battery during the game by the C-in-C issuing an order and specifying which unit the gun section will support. A section card would be addd to the deck. The section would remain attached to the specific unit for the rest of the game.

Has anyone tried this?

Is there any reason why this wouldn't work?

Darren
Archdukek
Posts: 5741
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 11:49 pm
Location: Linlithgow, West Lothian, UK

Re: Batteries or Gun Section

Post by Archdukek »

Hi Darren,

Can't say we have ever tried your proposed approach. In our ITLSU games it is normal to operate artillery in batteries of two to four sections (see definition on page 6). You don't need special rules for it. They would operate as a battery on the artillery card when it is drawn.

While the rules wax lyrical about the deployment of MGs as companies or attached to battalions, as far as I recall they are silent about parcelling out your guns in a similar way. If you want to do it, most probably to bolster a defensive position, I would suggest it would be done pre-game with the gun section activating when the battalion is activated as with MGs. Allowing it to happen in game seems to give too much flexibility to my mind.

John
Charles Eckart
Posts: 38
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:41 pm

Re: Batteries or Gun Section

Post by Charles Eckart »

I agree with Archduke, beware of making WW I artillery too flexible, especially in the early years. I've read that in 1914 French 75mm gunners would choose their own targets without reference to the infantry requirements. After tanks appeared the Germans dedicated some field guns (often captured Russian guns on modified carriages)to the anti tank role.

Since you are probably gaming Palestine or Messpot I would expect major advances in the use of artillery would probably lag behind the Western Front, at least until 1918.
Darren
Posts: 88
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 1:44 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Batteries or Gun Section

Post by Darren »

Thank you Gentlemen.

I will play the rules as they are written
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