A couple of artillery questions

[richafricanus]

If artillery are charged from within 4MU the gunners must abandon their guns. Where do they go if they have no friends within 2MU? Are they lost?

Must artillery pivot if doing so allows them to shoot at at target in a closer range band, or can they choose to not pivot?

Cheers,
Richard

[terrys]

If artillery are charged from within 4MU the gunners must abandon their guns. Where do they go if they have no friends within 2MU? Are they lost?

I'm pretty sure this question was answered recently, but no they are not lost. The rule is as follows:
1) If there are friendly INFANTRY within 2MU, they may CHOOSE to stand and fire or they may CHOOSE to abandon the guns.
2) If there are no friendly INFANTRY within 2MU, they MUST attempt to stand and fire.
In both cases a failed test means that they abandon the guns. (They are not 'lost')

Must artillery pivot if doing so allows them to shoot at at target in a closer range band, or can they choose to not pivot?

1) Artillery can NOT pivot if it changes the range band to a target
2) Artillery can NOT pivot if it changes the range band of a target firing at it.
3) Artillery can NOT pivot if it has no target - or to face a direction where it has no target.
4) Artillery can always choose to not pivot, even if it means that it cannot fire at all.

[richafricanus]

Thanks Terry. I've found the long discussion on the artillery standing or abandoning question. Clears it up, but I can see from that discussion why I was confused.

On the point of pivoting to fire, the rule says you can't pivot to reduce the range band at which the unit started. Our situation was that there was an enemy unit straight ahead of the artillery battery at long range, and one slightly to the side only 4MUs away (i.e.within medium range). A small pivot would bring the latter into arc (and not a into a lower range band than they started). Surely if the pivot rule is to reflect arc of fire, then the unit 4MUs away would be the natural target?

Richard

[terrys]

On the point of pivoting to fire, the rule says you can't pivot to reduce the range band at which the unit started. Our situation was that there was an enemy unit straight ahead of the artillery battery at long range, and one slightly to the side only 4MUs away (i.e.within medium range). A small pivot would bring the latter into arc (and not a into a lower range band than they started). Surely if the pivot rule is to reflect arc of fire, then the unit 4MUs away would be the natural target?

The pivot to fire at the closer unit does not change the range band - to that unit. So is perfectly acceptable.

[richafricanus]

Okay thanks, that's clear. Now back to my original question, in this case MUST the artillery pivot to fire at the medium range target as it is in the shorter range band?

[terrys]

Okay thanks, that's clear. Now back to my original question, in this case MUST the artillery pivot to fire at the medium range target as it is in the shorter range band?

Pivoting is always optional.
You can pivot taway from a target at medium range to fire at one at long range if you wish.