105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted

SgtFury
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105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted Jul 6, 2018 2:45:00 GMT

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Post by SgtFury on Jul 6, 2018 2:45:00 GMT

This is a custom card being designed for my Strike North Campaign Scenario which I will be GMing during the upcoming MaizeCon in Waterloo, IA happening in October 2018. There are plenty of card designs already out there by such esteemed individuals as Sharpe, Thor711 and ObstbfEgon. I'm using them as starting points for my own versions. Some have been left entirely intact and others I have modified to my own purposes.

Looking for feedback. What do you think? Is it balanced in terms of cost? Any concerns or questions?

I have already created a card for this unit, but it will only be the final version after it has been discussed / modified / approved by feedback.

105mm Railway Gun
Nationality: Germany
Soldier - Artillery

Year available: 1940
Cost: 15
Speed: 2
Defense: 3/3
AI: 10/9/8
AV: 11/9/8

Indirect Fire - If friendly Spotter is within eight hexes of an enemy Soldier and has line of sight to it, this unit’s attack against that Soldier ignores line of sight.

Bombardment - This unit's attacks ignore cover. This unit can’t attack Aircraft.

Fixed Howitzer - This unit can attack only units in front of it.

Open Crew - If this unit is within two hexes of an enemy Soldier, this unit gets -1 on each attack die.

Enhanced Range 16 - This unit’s long range is 5-16 hexes.

Large - This unit is treated as Vehicle for stacking purposes.

Restricted to RR lines - This unit can only move along rail lines. It can’t change its’ facing.

In May 1940 German forces defending Narvik had two 105mm railway guns. Their usefulness was limited because their positioning was restricted by their dependence on the town’s rail network.

((Think of this as a 105mm howitzer mounted on top of a flat RR car.))

Last Edit: Jul 27, 2018 4:54:45 GMT by SgtFury

AAM Player and Scenario Designer since 2005

mnnorthstars Deck E developer Posts: 9,162	105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted Jul 6, 2018 5:12:09 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by mnnorthstars on Jul 6, 2018 5:12:09 GMT If it can’t change facing, then savvy deployment would be crucial, right?
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SgtFury
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Posts: 395

105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted Jul 6, 2018 5:27:14 GMT

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Post by SgtFury on Jul 6, 2018 5:27:14 GMT

Jul 6, 2018 5:12:09 GMT mnnorthstars said:

If it can’t change facing, then savvy deployment would be crucial, right?

Correct, once you lay it down on the tracks it points one way only (forwards or backwards) unless you can travel down the tracks and use some sort of switchback to turn it around. This unit will be featured on the Orneset Beach/Narvik map which has a fair amount of RR tracks on it.

Here is the map:

tsessler.weebly.com/uploads/6/1/8/6/61868805/scenario_map_-_orsenet_beach.pdf

Last Edit: Jul 6, 2018 5:30:46 GMT by SgtFury

AAM Player and Scenario Designer since 2005

ober Forumini Lieutenant Member since, Mar 18, 2009 Posts: 505	105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted Jul 7, 2018 10:05:14 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by ober on Jul 7, 2018 10:05:14 GMT Looks good
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SgtFury
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Posts: 395

105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted Jul 14, 2018 13:32:32 GMT

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Post by SgtFury on Jul 14, 2018 13:32:32 GMT

After some further research into the history of this rail bound weapon I'm having second thoughts about it. What I do know is that the Germans did in fact mount artillery guns on rail road cars to help defend their forces in Narvik in May 1940. I found at least one written source and some historic news reel footage confirming it. But what I don't know for sure is the type of guns used and how effective they were. I am now thinking that the source of the weaponry was either guns salvaged off of some Norwegian Patrol Boats or from equipment seized from Norwegian forces who surrendered when the Germans first landed at Narvik. This info makes me doubt the correctness of the card I designed. At the every least, I'm thinking of dropping the Indirect Fire and Bombardment SAs. I have found no record of these guns being directed by a spotter or commander with a radio set during the May 28 attack on Narvik. The photo I found of the actual rail mounted gun shows some shielding for the crew, so I'm thinking the Open Back SA should go as well. I would keep the Fixed Howitzer, Large and Restricted to RR Lines special abilities. Perhaps I would also reduce the Enhanced Range SA from 16 to 12.

More on this later. Any suggestions or comments are welcomed.

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SgtFury
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Posts: 395

105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted Jul 20, 2018 15:11:30 GMT

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Post by SgtFury on Jul 20, 2018 15:11:30 GMT

Comments encouraged. Main thing I would like input on is the cost. Should it remain at 15 or be modified?

Here are proposed alternate stats for this unit:

105mm Railway Gun
Nationality: Germany
Soldier - Artillery

Year available: 1940
Cost: 15
Speed: 2
Defense: 3/3
AI: 10/9/8
AV: 11/9/8

Fixed Howitzer - This unit can attack only units in front of it.

Enhanced Range 16 - This unit’s long range is 5-16 hexes.

Large - This unit is treated as Vehicle for stacking purposes.

Restricted to RR lines - This unit can only move along rail lines. It can’t change its’ facing.

On April 9, 1940 there were five British armed merchantmen docked in Narvik harbor. Each carried two 105mm guns. These were brought ashore by sailors of the Kriegsmarine to aid in the defense of Narvik. Two were mounted on rail cars.

Last Edit: Jul 20, 2018 15:17:54 GMT by SgtFury

AAM Player and Scenario Designer since 2005

curtm1911 Forumini Captain 1000 posts, Captain, cool. Thanks Forumini! Posts: 1,610	105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted Jul 20, 2018 19:20:45 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by curtm1911 on Jul 20, 2018 19:20:45 GMT Will it retain Indirect Fire ability & Bombardment? Otherwise it looks pretty good.

SgtFury
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Posts: 395

105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted Jul 20, 2018 19:33:38 GMT via mobile

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Post by SgtFury on Jul 20, 2018 19:33:38 GMT

Jul 20, 2018 19:20:45 GMT curtm1911 said:

Will it retain Indirect Fire ability & Bombardment?
Otherwise it looks pretty good.

No, I deliberately dropped that out. Basically I am making this a direct fire weapon mounted on a rail car. Unlike the German field artillery which did have radio communications for indirect, these railguns have no history of having been used indirectly at targets.

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SgtFury Forumini Ensign Posts: 395	105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted Jul 27, 2018 4:55:25 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by SgtFury on Jul 27, 2018 4:55:25 GMT Revised card for the 105mm Railway Gun has been posted.
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105mm Railway Gun - Card Posted

Post by SgtFury on Jul 6, 2018 2:45:00 GMT

Post by mnnorthstars on Jul 6, 2018 5:12:09 GMT

Post by SgtFury on Jul 6, 2018 5:27:14 GMT

Post by ober on Jul 7, 2018 10:05:14 GMT

Post by SgtFury on Jul 14, 2018 13:32:32 GMT

Post by SgtFury on Jul 20, 2018 15:11:30 GMT

Post by curtm1911 on Jul 20, 2018 19:20:45 GMT

Post by SgtFury on Jul 20, 2018 19:33:38 GMT

Post by SgtFury on Jul 27, 2018 4:55:25 GMT

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