Experimental Howitzer

[PotentSchraphlon]

What's the deal with that? It has the same stats as an ordinary 6 inch howitzer so what's the difference?

[♔DoomBunny666♔]

It fires quicklime and carcass shells.

[Da Bomb]

I think that it's useless. The explosive shells do more damage in my experience, but maybe I just don't know how to use carcass/quicklime properly.

[Huzzar]

I think that it's useless. The explosive shells do more damage in my experience, but maybe I just don't know how to use carcass/quicklime properly.

I agree they are not that brilliant, the range is low as well making them a target for enemy batteries.

[l33tl4m3r]

Moved to Gameplay and Strategy.

PM me with any questions.

[PotentSchraphlon]

Thanks for the replies. I never bother researching those shot types anyway cos I found them useless in Empire

[Petrov]

i have no idea, i just stick with my grand battery of 12 lber foot artil

[Chewie]

I think that it's useless. The explosive shells do more damage in my experience, but maybe I just don't know how to use carcass/quicklime properly.

I dunno about that....you have to manually aim for full effect. My 3 units of howitzers can kill about 70-100 guys in one volley on a fresh 160 man unit....for me that is pretty good.

No way 3 units of cannon can kill that many men from distance in one volley, even with full XP.

And of course in hilly terrain howitzers dominate cannon.

[eleftherios]

You need to manually aim for quicklime just in front of the unit you want to hit, because a trail of gas will traverse from that point forward hitting all in its path. Quicklime is the most accurate shot and it won't disapoint you. Carcass (and maybe Quicklime i am not sure) is the ideal shot to clear buildings of enemy troops without destroying them. Carcass is like explosive shot that always explodes slightly above the ground while dealing decent damage. Explosive shells deal tons of damage ONLY when they explode ON the ground, otherwise they might deal lees damage than even the rockets. Over time when the percision abilty is spent experemental deal much more damage with EACH shot than other Howitzers (with the exception of Unicorn).

[PotentSchraphlon]

I can only speak from my experiences from Empire, but back then my limeshots and carcass shots were woefully inaccurate and when they were on target, half the time they exploded too early or too late and did no damage. Great when they do hit though. Are they more accurate in Napoleon?

[Chewie]

Yea, they're more accurate. And now they have a accuracy ability that you can use 3 times in battle with about a 30sec. cooldown. Carcass and quicklime work better than they did in ETW.

[Capt Sharpe]

I got the experimental howitzer on Napoleon Italian Campaign and it was VERY useful. In the final battle for the Austrian town of Klugenfort (sp?), the Austrian army lined up and waited for me. I worked my howitzer battery to extreme range and targeted the line of infantry third from the end. After about seven to ten minutes the unit was reduced to abut 60 troops and the unit beside it was the same. I then targeted the unit second from the end and again almost eliminated two units.
With the units greatly reduced I began the advance. When the units have 60 or fewer men in them one solid volley of muskets will send them running. The Austrian left flank crumbled and it was simply a matter of calvery attacking routing troops for an easy win.
The advantage was getting into extreme range with the howitzer and just blowing the crap out of the enemy. In this case time is on yourside and you can wait until the battle clock shows 10 or 15 minutes remaining to begin your attack.
I suggest targeting units on one flank becauwe it allows you to turn their flank with Grenadiers or calvry and start the enemy running. It doesn't hyur to kill the general also.

Most respectfully submitted, your most humble and obedient servant, Capt Sharpe, Green Jackets

[Blackstar]

these guns rock the quicklime is nasty and kills loads forget ETW this is a whole new ball game i always use 3 of these i dont care about enemy cannons they do rubbish damage mostly anyway i just manouver my howitzers into range of anemy guns behind my line and gas em with quicklime . if you have never used them start a battle in single player pick some and try them out

[oou420]

even in Empire quicklime had its uses, great for clearing out building you don't wanna destroy completely.

[Blackstar]

also is it me or is carcass shot a nighmare for cavalry ? . anytime iv used it against them it does unbeliveable damage to them and even aerial bursts cause carnage

[Ishiro]

You need to manually aim for quicklime just in front of the unit you want to hit, because a trail of gas will traverse from that point forward hitting all in its path. Quicklime is the most accurate shot and it won't disapoint you. Carcass is like explosive shot that always explodes slightly above the ground while dealing decent damage.

Even though you are right about the aiming part, i do not agree on the quicklime exploding trajectory, i'd rather leave that trayectory defined for the carcass shot, because flames travel forward after the shell has exploded burning the men alive. Unlike quicklime which mostly the shells have be to right on top of the enemy unit to provoke casualties. Although exploding shells have almost the same (if not the same) ground zero positioning to be effective against an enemy unit, manual aim it's needed for quicklime only because experimental howlitzers seem to have a poorer accuracy than conventional ones. So IMO i'd say carcass shot it's more accurate than quicklime, because it's easier to figure where to drop the shells and expect where the effects of the flames will be achieved.

Over time when the percision abilty is spent experemental deal much more damage with EACH shot than other Howitzers (with the exception of Unicorn).

I'm not quite sure but i'm pretty certain that the precision ability it's only granted to conventional howlitzers.

And of course in hilly terrain howitzers dominate cannon.

The main advantage of howlitzers is that they DO NOT need a hilly terrain to pound enemy units. Because their shots are almost vertical, kinda of like mortars, hills and mounds don't come in on the equation, you can place 'em behind those terrains and still have good results. Sure they can help slightly but that's a factor cannons mainly take advantage of.

[daniu]

The main advantage of howlitzers is that they DO NOT need a hilly terrain to pound enemy units. Because their shots are almost vertical, kinda of like mortars, hills and mounds don't come in on the equation, you can place 'em behind those terrains and still have good results. Sure they can help slightly but that's a factor cannons mainly take advantage of.

Haha that's a good one, got me confused for a second.
I'm pretty sure what he was going for was "hills don't get in the way of howitzers" so you don't have to place them that carefully.

[SMIDSY]

In Empire, the light howitzers were completely useless. But for the heavy howitzers, quicklime is devastating until you get percussion fuses for your explosive shells.


I have found this not at all the case with NTW quicklime. In this game, I suspect experimental howitzers are a trick to fool new users into wasting money, especially when you are limited to only 4 batteries!

[Bowden]

Weren't some of these howitzers able to shoot canister aswell? Is that fixed by now as when I used it, they were shooting the canister in an arc aswell (just like the regular howitzer shot)...

[daniu]

Weren't some of these howitzers able to shoot canister aswell? Is that fixed by now as when I used it, they were shooting the canister in an arc aswell (just like the regular howitzer shot)...

Yes, cannister shooting in an arc was changed, it's like cannons now.