The Commander Series Forum

Hi all,
OK can i get some clarity on the rules around preliminary bombardments (PB) please?

1. PBs are conducted by artillery units that you've purchased as part of your list? (Like all artillery they are not deployed on-table)?

2. The +20 points for a PB is additional to this and allows one artillery unit to shoot once as a preliminary bombardment?

3. Each PB occurs after setup, before the first turn, and;
3.1 can target anywhere in play
3.2 applies automatically (no command roll needed)
3.3 does not deviate
3.4 affects 20cm area at full Attack value or 30cm area at half Attack value

Is this right?


OK, so random example - DRM Pax Arcadia army p62.

I take an Artillery Unit (Firemouth) 130pts Attack 6, and also a PB for 20pts.

As a PB this unit can make a single automatic, undeviating artillery hit before the battle, either concentrated (hitting everything in the 20cm area with 6 attacks each) or barrage (hitting everything with 30cm at 3 attacks each).

Is this correct?

Cheers
Ludd

As I understnad it....


1. Yes.
2. Yes. But there is ambiguity. Not one list has more than 1 PB, yet the narrative talks about plural artillery units suggesting multiple artillery is possible and thus multiple PBs. It could mean that 1 PB allowed means 1 per artillery unit purchased. After all, just the 1 artillery from your example will do didly squat damage. AFVs are hit on 6's and no one is likely to be nice enough to leave you shed loads of infantry in the open, at best it might suppress a few units but they'll shrug that off next go.

A complete waste of 20ap, I'd rather a cheap infantry and boost my morale. The only conceivable use is for obscurrants to cover your arrival; then it might be worth it.

3. Yes, but planned beforehand and written down
3.1. Yes
3.2. Yes
3.3. Yes
3.4. Yes

Ahem. There is an outstanding question on this awaiting Pete's answer

http://www.blitzkrieg-commander.com/Content/For...

I thought the Preliminary Bombardment allowed you to fire ALL your off-table artillery assets, at once, into the same 20cm template - targetted anywhere in play, it applies automatically (so no command roll needed) and does not deviate ... now that (IMHO) is well worth 20AP

I read it as 1 PB per artillery piece

So if you have 3 artillery pieces and you want them each to do a PB then that will cost you 3x20

Let me read the rules...

1. Correct

2. Yes and multiple units can hit the same target, but each unit can only have one preliminary bombardment asset

3. Yes

Excellent Pete. Thanks for the clarification.

So, it would appear that no army list gets more than 1 preliminary bombardment?

Is that 1 per 1000 points? 1 total?

It seems odd that i have, say 4 off-table artillery assets but can only conduct a preliminary bombardment with one of them.

Is this intended?

Are there balance issues with allowing more?


The reason i'm interested is that i'll be kicking off a campaign running through an orbital invasion. The defenders will obviously lack orbital bombardment options (having loss control of their air/vacuum space), but are intended to have a lot of artillery assets.

Fighting from fixed defences, preliminary bombardments seem a perfect doctrine for them, but it appears not to be an option.

I know i can make whatever changes i like (and include extra bombardments) but i'm keen to know if this RAW limit is for a reason, and if i tweak things will it cause undue problems?

I was just trying to get away from the 20th century way of fighting wars, so no minefields, minimal bombardments, etc.

Ah...right.

interesting. So its really about the tactical doctrines that have moved on from WWI. That makes sense.

"Is that 1 per 1000 points? 1 total? "

I read Pete's answer as 1 BP per artillery asset purchased, as suggested by Shedman.

That clears up the ambiguity mentioned in my post.

I like the answer Pete.

Interestingly, if we look at it from Big Insect's pov, prelims are not 'bombardments' using explosive but consider them as nano-tech or bio weaponry that disables defending units. It's all about perception and as mentioned we relate to it from our own knowledge.

If you ever did a v2 you could re-write PBs to be just that and the battles are mopping up as suggested

And minefields would be useless, a mssive shockwave or EMP would disable them

'I read Pete's answer as 1 BP per artillery asset purchased, as suggested by Shedman.'

I shall take the shame for not reading that properly!


You're right sir...

So the 1/unit does make the planned tactic viable. Jolly good.

Yes, interesting to think that artillery doesn't just have to fire explosives

Too right

PaxArc artillery not only has only explosives but also Limp, Bit of a Cough and Oven Left On At Home munitions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbOC0uoKYtU from 6.38 minites in