The least realistic feature of AoD in my opinion is artillery bombardment. Look at the scale of the game. And you want to have ranged attack in an operational corps level game with the scale of the provinces as they are? British 25 pounder artillery had a 12 km range from memory. Italian outdated pieces had around 8km from memory. Does it fit?
Sure, artillery was central to WW2. But it happened on the battlefield. And what do you think happened when one side would use artillery to soften up a position? The other side would respond with counter battery fire if available. There's no way it's a simple proposition. There is tactical detail to it.
All of which is perfectly handled by combat factors without a dedicated ranged feature.
I think the aim of having it AoD is to simulate the pre El Alamein style massive artillery barrage. However, the implementation is clumsy in my opinion. This could have been simulated in a different way with a higher attack rating at the start of a battle or use of a button like offensive supplies. In fact, what else is "offensive supplies" meant to be except massive expenditure of shells and ordnance in an offensive? So I would argue this a double handling of game mechanic.
No offence, AoD guys, you've delivered a wonderful game which is a brilliant achievement in anyone's book, including mine! Well done. I just don't like this one feature and for historical and game scale reasons. I still like AoD. I think you are all secretly in love with those MASSIVE railway artillery cannons... aren't you? Go on, you can admit it!! Come out of the closet and declare it to the world! :rofl:
If artillery brigades can make ranged attacks, why not battleships? Huh? Surely the ultimate artillery barrage is the Iowa's or Musashi's main guns? Yet in game it is a combat modifier. So this is inconsistent design.
But my oh my, those railway guns are so beautiful...
Artillery barrage is overrated anyway. It is deadly and has its effect, but for all the Allied sea bombardment prior to D-Day or some of the Pacific Island campaigns, it was not as effective as expected against heavily fortified bunker positions. Rommel was pummeled so badly yet the germans did put up quite a fight (esp. considering their appalling lack of supplies) despite that at El Alamein. Artillery of course helped counter the advantage they had of the incredibly deep minefields, etc.
I think this game feature has quite a negative effect on the combat mechanics which one would hope would try to represent WW2 combat if it's allowing someone to smash through fortification lines with ease. What happened to counter battery? It's all out of scale anyway. Sorry, just my opinion.
Actually... errr... I like railway guns too. And heavy subs... it's still a great game! I couldn't believe it when I first read of subs that had planes!!!
Cheers,
Sword
