Best artillary piece??

[Jeanne d'arc]

hello , i would like to know what is the best artillary unit in MTW? I also never seen the organ gun before, what does it do and is it any use????

[Ironside]

Depends on what you want them for.
In sieges I recommend siege cannons and culverins.
In field battles I recommend culverins, serpentine guns and organ guns in some cases. Organ guns are really effective on destroying entire units but have a very short range.
Try a river battle and load up some organ cannons on one riverside and watch the slaugter begin. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Before gunpowder I recommend catapults, they are the best unit on the field and are good enough in castle sieges.

[ichi]

Since you asked which is the best, I did not account for cost. There are other factors not listed, such as if a piece will blow up or not (cannons will explode sometimes), or the number of men needed to operate it, but these are the base stats for arty. This was unusually hard to tease out for me; I think I got it right, but I am a little dyslexic and possibly drunk, so don't take my word for any of this.

Personally, I only use arty in castle sieges, river crossing, and when I know the enemy will be camped on small area, like the top of a hill. Almost never use it in MP.

IMHO, Organ Guns are not worth considering.

From Projectile Stats File

Name..............Range....Acc....Leth.....Power....Turn...Reload...FieldofFire

ballista...........10000.....0.9......10..........40..........Y.......150........5

catapult..........12000....0.6.......10..........80..........Y......228.........5

trebuchet..........12000....0.6.......10........150......N........280........15

mangonel.......12000......0.6......10.........250.....N..........280.........15

bombard........16000......0.8......10........150......N........280.........15

culverin..........24000....0.9.......10........250.......Y.........228........5

demi-culverin...16000....0.9.......10........100......Y......228............5

siege-cannon..28000.....0.8......10........450.....N......280.............15

demi-cannon....16000.....0.9.......10.......150....Y.......280.............15

mortar..........12000.....0.6.......10.......100.........Y........192.........25

serpentine.....16000.....0.9......10.........40......Y........150...........5

organ_gun.....3000......0.9......10........10...........Y......500............5


Range: 5000 = 100 meters

Accuracy: 1 = best accuracy Lower numbers are more erratic. Affects ranging in for artillery

Lethality: The base chance of a hit scoring a kill This can greater than 1 as is multiplied by the base kill chance (by default 18%) However if the two multiplied together should not exceed 100%

Power: The number of hits points damage done to a man or structure Most men have only 1 hit points, but generals have more

Armour Mod: The target's armour is multiplied by this value to get the effective armour Thus 1 = no special armour penetration

Turn: Can it turn once set?

Reload: Reload time of artillery A value of 140 indicated 10 seconds

FieldOfFire: The horizontal cone of fire for an artillery piece It must turn (if it can) to engage targets outside this arc


ichi

[Brutal DLX]

Use organ guns for castle defences. That's their primary use as of right now.
Serpentines are best used as field artillery, for siege artillery, the other patrons already gave good advice. The Muslim siege cannons are incredibly strong

[Fragony]

Culverins are best alround cannons IHMO, they seem to be the most accurate (and they have the loudest BOOOOOOM)

[Divine Wind]

I love Serpentines. Fantastic guns, and with 2, 3 valour its really easy to take out the enemys general. Just so damn accurate http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Before gunpowder, I only use Siege Weapons in Sieges http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/idea.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

IMO, for sieges, before gunpowder, use only Mangonels or Trebuchets, although the first are better. They have long range for non gunpowder weapons. For that reason, you don't need to sustain any casualties if you know how to organize your army before the assault. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

After gunpowder, the situation changes...

For Sieges, preferably Culverin (Christians) and Siege-Cannon (Muslim).
For Siege Defense, you can use, like Brutal DLX said, the organ gun.
However, I don't like using it, maybe because I don't really apreciatte the extremelly short range. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/angry.gif
For battle, IMO, only one is really good, specially in defense: Serpentine. But you need between 3 and 6 for maximum effect.


Quote[/b] ]I love Serpentines. Fantastic guns, and with 2, 3 valour its really easy to take out the enemys general. Just so damn accurate http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
It seems someone else shares my opinion... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/bigthumb.gif

Of course, this recomendations are only for SP.

Hope it helps... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[NewJeffCT]

I prefer culverins over siege cannons because they can turn, though I think siege cannons are a bit more powerful. Neither is that effective on the battlefield unless you put them well behind your other units (they can't fire at short range...)

serpentines can be effective on the battlefield.

for non-gunpowder, I only like catapults because they can turn.

[Jeanne d'arc]

Whats the difference between demi culverins and culverins???

[Divine Wind]

Quote[/b] (Jeanne d'arc @ Dec. 17 2003,15:58)]Whats the difference between demi culverins and culverins???
Demi's have a shorter range, and less power.

I tend to find demi's are more accurate on the battlefield, and culverins are more useful for castle sieges.

[Basileus]

Demi/ and Culverins are my pick:)

[HopAlongBunny]

The Organ Gun is my favourite gunpowder weapon http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Try it out on defence; plant it on your flank, pref concealed in trees. It takes a little bit of management; practically zero range...be sure to fire at the approacching enemy before your units are engaged in melee.

The effects can be spectacular. I have had entire armies begin to rout after one shot and a well timed charge http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

If you want to see what they can do, try a custom battle. I once did equal value Byz Inf against an all Organ army...the Byz never stood a chance http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[HawaiianHobbit]

I dont have VI yet http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif so no organ guns, but seige cannons are the best.

[hoom]

I haven't actually had the opportunity to build siege cannons yet, but given that they can't turn, that makes Culverins better.

Culverins are best http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

If you'll all look at those stats, you'll notice that Culverins, Demi Culverins & Serpentines all have an accuracy of 0.9 which means they all miss just as much as each other.
Which means that Culverins are better all around because they will be at least as effective in field battles and with their substantially higher power they are vastly better at sieges.

My personal experience fully bears this out with artillery heavy battles finding Culverins doing just as much damage in field battles as serpentines, if not more.

I have had a number of battles where I have used 15 Culverins + 1 high star general (generally a unit of Royal Knights) to utterly annihilate an enemy army.
With a barrage of 15 valour boosted (by the general) but already fairly high valour (due to previous siege kills) Culverins, you can get really high kills per volley.
With the range, you can sit back on your side of the map and watch as the enemy army comes at you, only to be dismayed when increasingly large chunks are blown out of their ranks as they come nearer & they quickly fall back to be pummelled from a distance till they break and run or the Culverins run out of ammo and if needed a few knight reinforcements are bought on for the final charge.

Pre gunpowder, the Catapaults have the same range as Mangonels and Trebuchets but can turn, thus providing superior siege ability despite their reduced power.
You should not attack a Castle or higher with less than 4 catapaults and generally you want 8 or more so that you can knock down as many walls/towers as possible before sending in the assault.

4+ Catapaults or Demi/Culverin can be quite effective in a defensive field battle, but should not be used to replace arbalesters & even then you need to weigh up whether you can get away with having that many fewer and generally more lethal infantry/cavalry units.

[dlundie]

Well that was an interesting read..i must say that i prefer to use catapults as much as possible..i agree that cannons are better for damage etc. But i seem to have the bad luck of horrible weather and i just find that they work better for me even with gunpowder around. I tend to stear clear of gunpowder as much as possible. However i will never forget seeing 4 guns firing straight down a bridge as the enemy tried to cross, such carnage i have never seen.

[Daevyll]

Quote[/b] (arrrse @ Dec. 20 2003,21:45)]Culverins are best http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

If you'll all look at those stats, you'll notice that Culverins, Demi Culverins & Serpentines all have an accuracy of 0.9 which means they all miss just as much as each other.
Which means that Culverins are better all around because they will be at least as effective in field battles and with their substantially higher power they are vastly better at sieges.
Their base accuracy might be the same, but the rate of fire of Serpentines is considerably higher.
I dont know how much ammunition each gun carries, but I have a feeling the Serpentine has more; they certainly shoot for a longer while than the Culverins in my games, even considering the have a higher rate of fire.

What this all means is that they kill more troops, which in turn means they gain valour quicker.
I've had Serpentines at valour 9 (inc general bonus) while the Culverins were still at level 3.

And Serpentines at level 9 valour are as close as you get to sniper rifles in MTW ;-)


Hence, in my opninion Serpentines are the best field gun by far.

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Quote[/b] ]And Serpentines at level 9 valour are as close as you get to sniper rifles in MTW ;-)
But with a BIG bore... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Voigtkampf]

Organ gun is great for defending narrow passages, as breached castle gates, it kills 10-15 enemy soldiers per volley, without much trouble, but it's incredible short range will probably count it for one shot only, and you'll hardly have time to place some defensive lines ahead of them… If the enemy doesn't rout, they crew is probably done for.

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Quote[/b] ]but it's incredible short range will probably count it for one shot only, and you'll hardly have time to place some defensive lines ahead of them… If the enemy doesn't rout, they crew is probably done for.
Preciselly. That's the reason why I don't like the organ gun and very rarely use it. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Leet Eriksson]

imo,my fave gunpowder seige weapon is the seige cannon(only available to muslims)this thing can basically wreck the enemy castle apart,be it a fortress or citadel even,as for feild battles its almost useless,unless you were lucky and the direction its facing is the enemies army

Culverins overall are better,but only available to christian factions.they are useful in the battlefield and in castle seiges.

I also managed to use mortars in seiges,it kills enemy soldiers without the need to destroy the castle walls,but its not of much use outside that area.

[bighairyman]

my favroite is the culverine(sp?) it's lethel, percise, and good for knocking out soldiers and stone walls. i usually have at least 2 in each my invading armies. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[Shahed]

Anti-troop = serpentine
http://webplaza.pt.lu/shahid/images/mtwscreenshots/viorgposts/turk1.jpg

http://webplaza.pt.lu/shahid/images/mtwscreenshots/viorgposts/canonnade.jpg

Anti-installation = siege canon

Vlanderen heet u welkom http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cheers.gif

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Quote[/b] ]Anti-installation = siege canon
If you're a Muslim faction. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Culverin, if you're a Catholic one... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Voigtkampf]

Last night I had three organ guns, mercs, and I've placed them on the first line to receive the muwahid and Nubian charge, some cav ready to pursue the "routing" enemy; though the "targets" were quite slow and marching, all of the three crews retreated without having fired one shot. The best thing, they weren't even routing, my bold mercs, they just walked away

Not even one miserable volley…

[cutepuppy]

The most powerful gun is without any doubt the siege canon. But it has some serious disadvantages: can't turn and seems to explode a lot (while the info parchment says they don't explode that much). Because of this reasons I prefer the culverin.

[Degtyarev14.5]

Kinda OT: I recall someone (don't remember who) writing about his custom-made cannon, Grable. (Do a Google search on either "Grable" or "Operation Upshot-Knothole" to see what it is.) This inspired me to play around a little and mod in one of my own, just to see it in action.

When the enemy army spawned unusually close to my own lines, I fired without hesitation. The only survivors were two charred and somewhat embarrassed generals, with their little white flags at the ready... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif

A.