Last Updated: 09/30/2002 19:33:10

Artillery in BF 1942 can be a very devastating weapon and can quickly turn the tide in a match. The problem with arty is twofold. The first problem is that arty takes two or more people. In a game with up to 32 team members running around that shouldn't be a problem. But getting two complete strangers to work as a team can be difficult. The other problem is actually using arty. It can be a tad confusing in the heat of battle. Here I will try to explain the use, the benefits and some common problems that people face when using arty.

First of all you MUST have a scout (aka Sniper) team mate as your arty spotter. This person will be responsible for locating PROPER targets for the arty shooter.
So lets focus first on the spotter. If your going to go as a Sniper and are not going to be a scout, then go play something else. It takes two seconds for a Scout to switch from the sniper rifle to the binoculars so I don't want to hear the lame excuses of those "snipers" who won't scout when Arty is called for. If you want to be a scout you should have the following abilities:
 

SCOUT DUTIES

1) Stealth - You are going to be sneaking into enemy held locations. You can't go in there guns blazing because the moment you miss a target with your sniper rifle the enemy is going to know where you are. Your job is not to sit on a hill all day and pop enemies spawning at a base. Yes you do have sniper rifle, and yes there IS times where you should use it. However, if Arty is asking for a target, stop shooting and help your team.

2) Patience - This goes hand in hand with stealth. Your coming over a ridgeline. You see 15 enemy soldiers. Do you take out your rifle and maybe kill one or two before the rest scatter or do you call for arty and have them all blasted to hell? Be Patient. If you give arty a call sometimes he might have another target at the moment or be attempting to evade and enemy. Don't expect explosions start coming 2 seconds after calling for arty. It also takes a few shots for arty to "line up" the shot properly. Requesting arty 10 times in 5 seconds is also counter productive. The reason is that every time a scout asks for arty the arty's target box will change. It pisses me off to no end to have just lined up my shot and the scout repeats the call which causes MY target box to jump and I loose the shot. So do what I do. When a scout calls for an arty shot, I respond with ROGER to let him know I have the target and I am in the process of firing. If I can not get the shot, for whatever reason I'll tell him Negative. This is his signal to either realize that arty is not available at the moment or that the target is not a valid target. The way a target can no longer be valid could be the base the scout sent to the arty is now friendly controlled and firing arty at it would be pointless.

3) Common Sense - If you can't determine if a base with 5 enemy tanks, airplanes, and infantry is more important that a lone rifleman 2 miles from the action is more important, then for God's sake pick a different specialty. Arty has limited rounds and limited time. The enemy likes to destroy arty units fast and when an arty person is firing it's very difficult to realize he is under fire. So pick important EFFECTIVE targets for arty. If you don't have a good target, don't call for one yet. Wait (See #2) until something good comes along. Like the scout position, the arty needs to remain quiet until the last moment.

4) Communication - Good comms between the spotter and the arty are essential. Ask for arty. Wait for a response. A negative response means, sorry but I can't fire or I see the target is no longer valid. If you call for arty and you get a Roger, then shut up! The arty will proceed. The arty guy will then ask you for a new target once he has destroyed your current target or the target is no longer valid.

Ok, so your a scout and you decide, well hell, when do I get some action? Easy. When the arty guy is slamming your target. When arty starts falling, the enemy usually starts coming out the wood work. You will have plenty of targets at this time to pick off with your sniper rifle. The beautiful part is the arty will be making so much noise, the escaping infantry will not hear your sniper rifle!

Step by Step for a Scout:
 

(A) Decide where you will go to look for a target. Look at the map and find out where the enemies main base is. 90% of the time this is the best place for arty to hit as most of the enemies tanks, aircraft, and spawns are located. Get as good a position on the location as you can without being in danger of falling arty or enemy fire. The other source of good targets is of course enemy held positions or ships. The enemy main base is marked on the map by the enemy flag and a red NO mark through it.

(B) Once a good target location is decided upon, reach that destination as quietly as possible. Only kill in self-defense at this point. Take the long way around if need be to avoid heavy fighting areas. Try to avoid using vehicles as transportation as these usually draw attention.

(C) Switch to binoculars Key 5. Aim at the item to be hit by artillery. Press the fire button. ONCE!

(D) Wait for a response from the Arty controller. Either Roger or Negative. If Roger, switch to your Sniper rifle and start picking off targets until Arty asks for another target. If Negative, find another target with your binoculars and send it to Arty.

(E) If special instructions need to be sent, make sure to send a TEAM only message informing ARTY of the special instructions.

(F) Rinse and Repeat as needed.

Now I will go into depth about the Arty persons job.
Although the arty vehicle has positions for two people I wish it did not. I can't tell you how many times I have been adjusting the position of my shot when some team member jumps in and starts driving me right into enemy fire. Or worse, I have a target by the scout and I am driving into a better position and some yolk will jump into the firing gun and start blasting away at nothing. If someone is in an ARTY gun, DO NOT get in unless ASKED by the arty person.. PLEASE!

ARTILLERY GUN DUTIES

1) Stealth -  Most of the time you should be as far from the fighting as possible. Find a location where enemies are unlikely to go. Setting up arty near the front line of combat (ie, a just grabbed position) is a good way to get blown to hell. I usually try to find a place where there is no positions to be held or valuable resources.
 

2)  Patience - Once you are ready to fire, if a scout has not announced a target, ASK ONCE. F2, then F6. Wait until your actually ready to fire. In a good hidden location, and in the gunner position. Don't repeatedly ask for a target. In the perfect world everyone will have read this document and follow the proper guidelines, but don't count on it. I usually ask about once every 30 seconds until I get a ROGER or a NEGATIVE. If I get a negative then I'm pretty much on my own. At that point if you don't feel like waiting, send a TEAM message like "CANCEL ARTY AVAIL" and go about your business.

3) Common Sense - Use your head here. Just because a scout sent you a target does not mean its a valuable target. If you receive a target and upon entering the target mode you see 4 friendly tanks, DON'T FIRE! You'll do nothing but wipe out your own team. A scout could send a good target then 30 seconds later your team has already overrun the target area so that target is no longer an asset to be fired upon. Also you may see that the target area as shifted some. Adjust your fire. If a scout sends a bad or no longer valuable target, DO NOT FIRE!

4) Communication - Very essential. Don't be afraid to type a team message. If your unsure of a target, ASK the scout. For example. a scout sends you a target. Upon entering targeting mode you see team members the target area, but you also see enemy tanks farther to the right of the target. First ASK if you are unsure. If you receive no response, use common sense and fire on the enemy tanks. When a scout sends you a target, don't just fire and not respond. He/she may not know that you are complying and firing. RESPOND! Say Roger that! If he has any brains or has read this document he should then realize that you are in the process of firing. If you are being attacked and are trying to evade, then RESPOND!. Tell him/her Negative. When you are ready for the target, then request a target. If you are given an invalid target, RESPOND! Tell him/her negative, and if you can send a message explaining why. Then wait for another target.

Here is a step by step for an arty gunner.

(A) Decide where you will go to shoot at a target. Look at the map and find out where the enemies main base is. 90% of the time this is the best place for arty to hit as most of the enemies tanks, aircraft, and spawns are located. Get as good a position on the location as you can without being in danger of enemy fire. The other source of good targets is of course enemy held positions or ships. The enemy main base is marked on the map by the enemy flag and a red NO mark through it.

(B) Once a good target location is decided upon, rotate the vehicle toward the target rich area.

(C) Ask for a target... ONCE. F2 then F6 while in the gunner position.

(D) WAIT for a Response.

(D) Once you receive a target, Respond to the scout with a Roger or Negative. Use a team message to explain a Negative if time permits.

(E) Once you receive a target from a scout, RIGHT CLICK while in the gunner position. A Scope will come up with cross hairs centering on the target.
Now for the tricky part. Just because the scope is centered on the target does NOT mean the arty is aimed at the target. You are looking through a CAMERA that the scout laid down from his vantage point. At the top and right side of the scope you will see yellow tick marks. Center these on the target and fire. Now, very carefully WATCH. The camera will swing toward your Arty gun and visually track the arty round. WATCH where the arty goes. Then adjust the top tick marks for right or left and the right side tick mark for up and down. Trust me, it will take some practice. It is almost an art form. But once you get the hang of it, you should be able to start hitting dead on the target in two to three rounds. SOMETIMES no matter how you move the marks you can not hit the target. If the target is behind a hill or inside a thick building you might never hit the target. If you decide after attempting to hit the target that a reliable hit is not possible, ask for a new target. Also don't waste rounds on a target that gets destroyed. Once you have obliterated the target, Ask for a new target.

(F) If special instructions need to be sent, make sure to send a TEAM only message.

(G) Rinse and Repeat as needed.

Well that's about it. I strongly feel if you follow the above that you will start seeing dramatic results and your team can dominate the field.
Please, save this page, pass it around, read it, use it, live it.

That is all,

GunMod

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