Howitzer Bug! Seen this happen?

[mir24]

Playing as Ottoman Empire. Huge field of battle. I position my howizers behind my main line and they start pounding at the enemy. Following the advice of many strategists and tacticians in this forum, I switch "Fire at Will" off and target the ground in front of the enemy as they advance. Hundreds die walking up to my lines. Everything going very well...

Then...

As the enemy close in, I order the howitzers to STOP firing and everything goes wrong...

First, my howitzers, regardless of whether or not they're loaded, suddenly automatically FIRE to their most extreme left (it's always left for some reason) at a point which looks like their minimum range! Since my troops are in front of them, I lose dozens to friendly fire! o_O"

In desperation, I order them to limber up, which they do. Then instead of going where I want them to, they stop, unlimber and mysteriously switch back to "Fire at Will" and start pounding targets...

It came to the point where I had to switch "Fire at Will" of again and target the ground somewhere far off...

Anyone else see this happen? Or can anyone explain what the hell's wrong here?

[MyKingforahorse]

Yeah I've had it happen often.

Hitting the unlimber/limber button off and on again clears it up pretty quickly most of the time.

[tarloch]

yup artillery is bugged as hell but sometimes they fix themselves with the odd cannonball to the each otheres heads

[akinkhoo]

just rout them useless gunners.

[Darthey]

I have discovered a strange bug with mortars; sometimes when you order them to fire on a distant target (that's still well within range) instead they target the closest enemy unit. This happened to be a squad of routing linesmen being pursued by a full regiment of cavalry, blowing them to pieces.

[Rooie]

Yeah sometimes the artillery doesnt do what you want them to do. But i still enjoy watching exploding enemys in a mist of blood!!!

[TeutonicKnight]

Remember, artillery crews were often considered "elite" because in an age where most people didn't read, these guys were actually able to do fairly complex parabolic equations.

I believe this is simulated in the game by the gun crew often deciding they know better than the general, and firing where and how they want.

[tarloch]

rofl +rep for making us laugh

[Divi filius]

same here, only use mortars with percussion shell, otherwise too infective cuz of bugs

[muffinhead]

same here, only use mortars with percussion shell, otherwise too infective cuz of bugs

what is better to use generally speaking: percussion or the quickline? They are both incredibly inaccurate, at least for me.

[MyKingforahorse]

what is better to use generally speaking: percussion or the quickline? They are both incredibly inaccurate, at least for me.

Percussion generally speaking almost 100% of the time unless you need morale breaks. Quicklime doesn't kill much (unless you get a lucky shot) but it does break morale pretty effectively.

As an example. A single line infantry unit can sustain 1 battery of quicklime and a volley with bayonet charge before breaking. The volley often will put them into concerned, the battery of quicklime into wavering and then the charge into broken status.

With this knowledge in mind, you can utilize quickly pretty effectively by good position and firing for effect.

I've attached a small diagram to help explain. Essentially what you see is two lines in engagement with the howitzer represented by the circle. Instead of targeting the enemy target the ground around them and fire your battery for effect so that the QL encompasses the front lines of both. You'll get morale hits on both units and often can break the lines pretty quickly.

[Kazang]

Ive had this exact same problem, just have them constantly firing so they wont do the random close range shot bug thing.

[Brikker]

Quite often, artillery ignores my orders to halt firing and continues regardless. I've also had a few incredibly infuriating times when the artillery, on Fire at Will, will fire DIRECTLY onto my own troops when there isn't an enemy anywhere within a mile!

[dabub]

Quite often, artillery ignores my orders to halt firing and continues regardless. I've also had a few incredibly infuriating times when the artillery, on Fire at Will, will fire DIRECTLY onto my own troops when there isn't an enemy anywhere within a mile!

Reminds me of a funny thing that happened today. Early in my prussian campaign, I got attacked by a small polish army of 1 demi-cannon, 2 sakars, 2 cavalry and a named general. All I had defending the town at the time were 4 civilian mobs (was a surprise attack, those evil poles!)

I hit deploy, hear boom boom boom, and immediately saw the icon on the left saying enemy general killed. I scroll over to their deployment area and what do I see.... a swarth of dead cavalry infront of their cannons lol. Unfortunately the remaining cavalry still managed to route my mobs but the town was retaken the next turn anyway.

[Frederf]

Never use fire at will, it's asking for trouble.

I've had overzealous gunners decide that even though I said stop that they have to fire anyway. It's usually into the dirt though.