Every Artillery Piece and How/When to Use Them (PART 2 / 2)

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    • Every Artillery Piece and How/When to Use Them (PART 2 / 2)

      Remember part 1? If not, I'll slap a link in the comments.

      This is the continuation of my first guide about artillery, only this time we'll be going over a different set of pieces: we're gonna talk about Self-Propelled Artillery, which is a must in the late game. Really, the only differences between SP and Static Artillery is that SP is faster, and has a tougher armor class. The combat values are actually remarkably similar.

      Let's meet our pieces!

      We have:
      -SP Artillery
      -SPAA
      -Tank Destroyers*
      -SPRKT**
      -Railroad Guns**

      *Notice that I've included tank destroyers for this guide. In my personal opinion, I think this unit is more of an artillery piece than a tank. It has the worst anti-infantry capabilities of all tanks, making it more or less not a tank.

      **Secret Branch, still technically arty.

      Onto the guide!

      ---SP ARTY---
      What they can do:
      -Assist armored vehicles in a blitz. If you want to annihilate the enemy fast, SP Arty is an excellent companion. You get the speed and armor of a tank, with the range of an Arty gun.
      -Defend the homeland. SP arty can be called to arms much faster than its static counterpart, even at level 1. It's fairly easy to research, and not too expensive early on, so it's a safe investment in home defense.
      What they can do in a pinch:
      -Siege. Here's the thing: yes, it's faster and has better armor, as well as a slightly increased attack power, but the thing is it's a waste. It's also a little harder to replace, so while you can do this, I don't recommend it.
      -Coastal defense. Once again, this isn't its primary use. Is it good? Somewhat. Is it a waste? Kind of. For the same reasons as Siege. You're using it to do something static arty could do just as well. It's not bad, necessarily, just wasteful.
      What they can't do:
      -Ward off aircraft. Once again, artillery is almost completely exposed to the air. Be sure to pack some AA guns.
      -Fight off hordes of enemies. Don't let those increased hitpoints fool you, these things are very easy to overrun. Never leave them on their own. Their defensive values are still crap.
      -Fight battleships. Battleships have longer range than you.

      ---SPAA---
      What they can do:
      -Assist armored vehicles in a blitz. SPAA is crucial if you want to keep your tanks safe from aircraft.
      -Establish a mobile AA network. Something I like to do is have 5 SPAA guns out on their own, and move those units around as I see needed. They're much, much faster than regular AA, meaning you can relocate them quickly to combat Air threats.
      What they can do in a pinch:
      -Bolster a Tank Destroyer's anti-infantry capabilities. If you seriously, for whatever reason, can't build tanks to assist the TD, you can use SPAA to add a pinch of anti-infantry capability. This is more feasible with SPAA, due to its higher armor class.
      What they can't do:
      -Engage from range. Duh.
      -Engage the enemy on their own. The SPAA unit has higher defensive values than offense, meaning you need to pick your battles carefully. If you're sending them in offense, then you better send some tanks with them.

      ---TANK DESTROYER*---
      What they can do:
      -Destroy tanks. As the name implies, Tank Destroyers (or SPGs if you wanna get fancy) are deadly to all armored vehicles - including Self Propelled artillery.
      -Hold key cities. A tank destroyer actually has higher defensive values than offence, making them excellent for hanging onto a tenuous bridgehead. If your enemy is spamming tanks, you can amass an army of tank destroyers for the front.
      What they can do in a pinch:
      -Substitute for tanks. I don't even remotely recommend this. Yes, they have high attack values, but they're completely exposed to aircraft, infantry, and artillery. Nevertheless, if you're just trying to bust through tank lines, you can pull this off.
      What they can't do:
      -Fight alone. They look tough from a distance, but once you look at the stats, Tank Destroyers are... kinda pathetic. They can only fight tanks, and tanks they will fight well, but that's it. You need to cover the gap in their defenses with other units.
      -Fight extremely fast. Tank Destroyers are kinda slow, compared to other armor units. If you're opting to blitz with extreme speed, armored cars w/ motorized infantry, or just mechanized infantry, is a better bet.

      *NOTE: unlike conventional SP artillery, a TD is actually part of the heavy armor class. This means they are more vulnerable to regular artillery and attack bombers.

      ---SPRKT---
      What they can do:
      -Wipe infantry off the face of the earth. Of all the artillery, this one does the most damage against infantry. Pair it with regular SP arty to have an unstoppable ranged stack.
      -Absolutely annihilate bunkers. Of all the artillery, this unit also does extreme damage to buildings, making it excellent for siege in a blitz.
      What they can do in a pinch:
      -Ward off trespassing ships. Now, this is NOT a sustainable practice. Early game, RKT arty actually outclasses SP arty in every way shape and form, and at max level for both, they're pretty much the same price, and specialize in different areas. SP Arty will outclass RKT Arty in this field later on.
      What they can't do:
      -Defend themselves. Once again, RKT arty is more or less useless in a point-blank fight. Their defensive values are even worse than that of a regular SP arty.
      -Fight tanks. Rockets aren't very effective against armored vehicles, so be sure to use SP Arty for that.
      -Fight battleships. Battleships have longer range than you.

      ---RAILROAD GUN---
      What they can do:
      -Hit everything from very far away. Seriously, RRGs are broken. While their offensive values seem like nothing to write home about, let me stop you right there: you can hit a battleship without it hitting you. That's how far it can fire.
      -Siege like your life depends on it. These are the ultimate siege implement. Due to their extremely long range, they can bombard buildings from the comfort of a well defended rear guard. Pairs well with militias and static artillery.
      -Coastal defense. We're never getting naval guns, so this is the next best thing. Once again, it technically doesn't do near as much damage as regular arty, but it has twice the range, making it safer to use in the long run.
      What they can do in a pinch:
      -Defend cities. They have ridiculously long range, making for a good home defense system, but stationing them in cities is a waste of their sieging abilities. RRGs have probably the highest defensive value of most SP arty units, but it's still pretty low, so don't use them for that.
      What they can't do:
      -Hustle. RRGs are slower than a sack of bricks. They're not gonna get anywhere, anytime soon. It's nearly impossible to use them offensively.
      -Be mass produced. I say this for two reasons: one, they take FOREVER to produce. If you're building them from the moment you research them, for one of the doctrines, it takes 4 days with a level 1 research lab. Even at a BARE MINIMUM, it takes 7 hours to produce ONE. Tack on a massive price tag, and it's just not doable.
      -Costly to maintain. It has a very high upkeep, for an artillery unit.*

      *What do I mean by this? I'm actually not talking about literal resource upkeep: the truth is I'm actually referring to the sheer amount of infrastructure you'll NEED to build in order for this unit to be effective. If you want to get your RRGs anywhere, anytime soon, you need to build infrastructure in virtually every province. That adds up very quickly.

      Doctrine info in the comments!
    • Link to the first part of the guide: HERE!

      ---DOCTRINE INFO---

      -Pan Asian-
      DO: Get these bad boys as soon as you possibly can. With your speed, terrain, and view range boost, you have even more reason to get RRGs. They work completely in your favor.
      DO: set aside plenty of time to produce them. What I would do is select 1 city to have a secret lab, and upgrade it as often as you can. It takes literal days to build RRGs, so speed up the process as much as possible.
      DON'T: leave your RRGs undefended. This is even more crucial with this doctrine, due to their reduced hitpoints. I strongly recommend pairing RRGs with militias, AA guns, AT guns, and if possible, a heavy tank. it makes for a formidable, albeit slow, stack.
      DON'T: send your RRGs to the frontline. Reduced hitpoints. Plus, you have extra viewing range, which eliminates (partially) the need for scouting, meaning you have all the more reason to keep your distance.

      -Comintern-
      DO: Try to produce a lot of them. You get an excuse, due to your reduced build costs, as well as reduced attack power.
      DO: Keep in mind that you need to build infra to maximize their speed. You're already a slow unit, don't slow down your entire army.
      DON'T: even think about using them offensively. Remember how I said it's nearly impossible up higher? Well, if you're using Comintern doctrine, it is impossible.
      DON'T: rely too heavily on this unit. They're very unreliable, especially seeing as they have less attack power with this doctrine.

      -Axis-
      DO: set up the infrastructure BEFORE you get the RRG, instead of after. Due to how expensive they are, make sure that you have a good means to use them FIRST. In a way, RRGs are a bit of a last resort for this doctrine.
      DO: research them ASAP. That being said, get the research as soon as possible. You won't be sorry.
      DON'T: get cocky. Just because you have increased attack power and hitpoints doesn't mean they can defend themselves. Keep a stable defensive force on hand at ALL TIMES.
      DON'T: lose them. Replacing these beasts, especially early game, is so incredibly difficult you might as well just shoot yourself in the foot. Use your RRGs with caution.

      -Allies-
      DO: get that research together ASAP. It takes less time for you!
      DO: Set up the means to produce them, and get to work. Yes, they're slower, but production time is generously cut for you.
      DON'T: mix fast with slow. RRGs will slow your entire army down.
      DON'T: replace them immediately if you lose them. They're still ridiculously expensive.