same here

"I'm using them the same way as infantry" - there's your problem!

Artillery units in SC WWI represent batteries of heavy guns used to support offensives by multiple corps or armies rather than act on their own. They're not intended to do Strength damage directly - instead they reduce fortification levels of entrenched enemy units, and lower their readiness & morale. They become crucial in mid-late war when the front lines are completely entrenched and it's suicidal to make a push with infantry alone.

IIRC you should tech up your artillery at least 1 level to get effective de-entrenchment effects. The key is that each artillery unit can fire as many times in a turn as it has shells, so if you save them up even a single battery can transform an entrenched elite enemy army into a disorganized mess in a single turn by bombarding them 6-7 times per unit if you wish. Teching up shell production can get really strong for this reason.

Generally speaking, you position your artillery 1 unit back from your target and make sure they have a decent supply of shells, then attack as many times as you have ammo. You will see the target's entrenchment decreasing. Then attack the same target with your adjacent infantry units.

I don't have the game open right now, but IIRC the 0% or 10% number you're referring to is either the chance to inflict MPP damage on the underlying city/resource, or to do Strength damage to the target. I forget which. The percentage is low because it's not artillery's primary function. What you want to affect is Entrenchment, Morale, & Readiness.

Recon Bombers lower enemy Morale. But their main benefit is after one attacks a hex it's considered scouted - any following artillery bombardments later that turn on that hex are 50% more powerful.

So the sequence of attacks against a tough fortified enemy unit is: Recon Bomber to scout the hex, Artillery to de-entrench & soften their morale, Infantry to actually inflict damage.

The manual explains these strategies in detail also, if you want more info.

Originally posted by Dire Wombat:

"I'm using them the same way as infantry" - there's your problem!

Artillery units in SC WWI represent batteries of heavy guns used to support offensives by multiple corps or armies rather than act on their own. They're not intended to do Strength damage directly - instead they reduce fortification levels of entrenched enemy units, and lower their readiness & morale. They become crucial in mid-late war when the front lines are completely entrenched and it's suicidal to make a push with infantry alone.

IIRC you should tech up your artillery at least 1 level to get effective de-entrenchment effects. The key is that each artillery unit can fire as many times in a turn as it has shells, so if you save them up even a single battery can transform an entrenched elite enemy army into a disorganized mess in a single turn by bombarding them 6-7 times per unit if you wish. Teching up shell production can get really strong for this reason.

Generally speaking, you position your artillery 1 unit back from your target and make sure they have a decent supply of shells, then attack as many times as you have ammo. You will see the target's entrenchment decreasing. Then attack the same target with your adjacent infantry units.

I don't have the game open right now, but IIRC the 0% or 10% number you're referring to is either the chance to inflict MPP damage on the underlying city/resource, or to do Strength damage to the target. I forget which. The percentage is low because it's not artillery's primary function. What you want to affect is Entrenchment, Morale, & Readiness.

Recon Bombers lower enemy Morale. But their main benefit is after one attacks a hex it's considered scouted - any following artillery bombardments later that turn on that hex are 50% more powerful.

So the sequence of attacks against a tough fortified enemy unit is: Recon Bomber to scout the hex, Artillery to de-entrench & soften their morale, Infantry to actually inflict damage.

The manual explains these strategies in detail also, if you want more info.

Thank you very much for such a detailed reply. That seems to explain everything. Appreciate it.

Very helpful to this newbie too! (edit: Both awards were for Wombat hahah)