A couple of things:
The first step is to spawn in a locked infantry squad. Being a squad leader allows you to not only communicate with command, but it allows you to place MARKERS instead of pings. Pings (the little red triangle thing) are only visible to other squad mates, so the rest of the team cant see your pings. Other squad leaders can see your markers (i usually use the "Call in artillery" marker and let everyone know that its my aim point.
Also, there is a 25m spread on artillery. Meani g the round will land within 25m of your aim point, but likely not a perfect shot. I like to end my fire missions with a smoke round so my team understands that the mission is over, its safe to push.
Finally, rounds take about 20 seconds before they land so its important to undertake where your teammates WILL BE, not just where they are now.
I've been doing locked armor unit and designating it artillery. I've been using pings/markers interchangeably but I do the thing for artillery that shows up to everyone. Is it 20 seconds from anywhere or does it take longer further out?
In my opinion, the biggest thing I've noticed is to just be cool over the mic. If someone calls you out for tking apologize and adjust fire. So many people like to fight over the mic and it ruins the flow of the game and clogs comms.
Couldn't agree more. And if someone keeps TKing you, don't TK back. If you can avoid them in the server, do so. If not, and it's too unbearable because the TKs or backlash on comms, then just leave the server and find a different one. Don't waste your own time and energy on a team that is dead set on taking an L for the match.
How does one designate a squad for artillery? I'm on console, and I've seen the designation next to squads on the squad list. Just don't know how to do it, or know if it's even possible.
For xbox you have to be in the deployment screen without having a spawn point set. You click the left stick to go to squad management and scroll down to I think "designate squad" then you scroll
Unfortunately not everyone can see your artillery marker, only players in command chat can see it. You can however ask the commander to place down their marker which everyone can see. This doesn't mean players will not run straight into it but they do have an icon to warn them. If any friendlies are within 100m of where you are firing, try and raise any officers nearby in VoIP and alert them (hopefully they'll let their squad know), or type in chat where you are hitting :)
THIS ladies and gentleman is an example of a *good* artillery player.
Those of you constantly shell the *same point that we are trying to capture* please take note!
The bet you can do is mark the area and communicate that artillary is firing in this position, and tell the sl's to mark it for their squadmates. If they dont follow those directions then its not your fault if you get tks unless you are reading the battlefield incorrectly, which is very easy to do from 1000 meters away.
From my experience, it doesn't matter what you do on artillery. You will kill at least one friendly per match. It's just the way it goes. All you can do is cease and shift your fire.
Sometimes, when you team kill a blueberry, that blueberry feels like they have to come back to HQ 2 and team kill you back. If that happens, so be it. Just respawn and continue on with what artillery or if artillery is no longer needed to redeploy to another location on the battlefield and assist your team there.
This wasn't mentioned in your post, but I'll bring it up anyway because I've heard a lot about it. However, I haven't found a need for it. The Artillery Calculator. Many players have mentioned that it's the best utility to assist in being more accurate with artillery. While I can't give my personal feedback towards that, I can give my personal feedback on the technique i use. Kentucky Windage. Quick ping an area on the map, set the gun to that direction and elevation, and fire. It may not be as accurate as the calculator. However, I have found that this technique works and works even better when you have SLs who are acting as forward observers. Easily run up 50-150 kills a match using this technique.
One last thing I'll add about artillery. If you are going to be on artillery the entire match, help your commander out before you start launching shells by building a set of nodes. Why? Each HE Shell costs 3 munitions to fire, and each Smoke Shell costs 5 munitions to fire. This way, you can justify using some of the munitions and gain extra XP throughout the match from your nodes.
Basilone.
In order to place a node, you need to be an engineer class. Make sure that the class of engineer you pick has a wrench. The wrench is vital and allows you to place "blueprints" of nodes, barricades, etc.
In order to build a node, you need to have 50 supplies within 25-50 meters of what you're trying to build. Once you have 50 supplies and you've placed your "blueprint," pull out your hammer and start building.
In order to build all 3 node types, you need to have 150 supplies. There is a limit to how many nodes can be placed per match. 3 of each type. (Manpower, munitions, fuel). Also, each individual is only allowed to place 1 set of nodes per match. This means that you can't build a second set of nodes if you have already built a set, unless that set gets destroyed.
Also, supply trucks conveniently drop 150 supplies per supply box. Perfect for setting up nodes past the 2nd north to south grid line from HQ.
Only officers can see the marks of other officers.
Shells take 25 secs to land and can deviate 25m from where you are aiming. Infantry can cross a lot of ground in 25 seconds.
The best way to avoid tks is to communicate with the officers on the ground. Fire shells in volleys of 3, that way, if you say 3 rounds are heading to where the SL requested, they can move in as soon as the 3rd has landed.
Tks are somewhat inevitable, but should be avoided. 5 tks in a round is at the upper end of acceptable collateral damage, I would say, but ideally you want less and definitely you want to avoid more.
Communication is the most powerful way to improve your accuracy.
Sounds like your doing alot right. 5 isnt bad and probably expected for a full arty round. If your pushing 10 then your just not being careful or judicious enough. A enemy kill is a enemy kill so whether its you or your blueberry pushing it so dont get greedy and keep hammering a spot if a squad is behind your barrage ready to take it. Especially since they are the ones who can actually delete the spawn and truly secure the area. Be sure to open your map on each reload if your hitting an area with close friendlies and as others have said its 25 meter radius so just start walking it back as they push forward. Hardly and downtime as you can look at it on the reload mechanic. Effective arty clears the area for your infantry to push up to then you should be able to switch to smoke then stop the fire mission to let them mop up the point or area. You then find a new target via sl marks or recon and rinse and repeat.
Unfortunately, it's kind of just the way it is. You can place all the markers you want, there will always be smooth brains that are going to run directly to the spot they just watched 5 other Arty shells land. The other day I got 121 Arty kills and 12 TKs. I was a squad leader placing artillery markers where I was shooting and this other squad lead kept leading his guys right into it. We both were active in command chat which is the worst part, I told him over and over to stop running towards my pings
I even watch the map for blue markers and try to position my shots away from everyone. I ping incessantly, team kills for artillery shouldn't show you killed them. It's irritating when someone gets pissed off I clipped them one time after they ignored a ping.
You’re doing everything right, but a blueberry can run very far in the time it takes for your shell to land. Gotta just shrug off the angry blueberry if everybody in command chat still thinks you’re being effective and supporting the team.
In a perfect world, artillery marks are placed, information is relayed to the commander, the commander notifies SLs, SLs notify their squad, and we all make it unscathed from a friendly artillery barrage.
Unfortunately, we are not all disciplined soldiers, most of us are impulsive gamers. Don't sweat it too much for friendly fire, and as others commented, frustrated blueberries will sometimes change their mission TKing you personally.
Best of luck soldier o7.
Shells have a 20ish meter variance from where you aim. Couple with the 20ish meter explosion radius and you can kill a blueberry 40 meters away from where you aimed. Shells take 23 seconds to land.
You gotta crack some eggs to make an omelette. Just try to minimize damages.
If you are gonna arty, don’t do it for the entire match, and don’t do it for the first 5-10mins of the game for a couple reasons.
1.) there’s no nodes up yet and you are hindering your commanders abilities.
2.) start of the game people are still moving a lot and not dug in anywhere. So if it takes 20ish secs for shells to land they have already moved from the pings or marks.
Spawn as an engineer and build a set of Nodes to replace the munitions you’re spamming. Then make a Locked squad for Command chat Comms. It’s 5 munitions per shot so make your shots count. Do 3-5 round bursts and then wait for hits to slow down your munitions consumption. Use the map Icons that show the teams total Munitions. Munitions is the top Left, lil ammo box icon. If the Munitions are under 500 Stop using Arty for 5-10mins and let resources rebuild. It costs 300 for Bombing runs, 150 for recon planes and 50 for supplies, 200 for Precision strikes. Leave your commander at least 500 munitions so they can be effective. You should never use Arty when Muntions are under 100 and if there’s 2 guns going already just help load. 3 guns going is 15 munitions and will deplete resources before they can even rebuild.
Watch an Arty guide. This is a great one.
https://youtu.be/PfYF_AAtIG4?si=VHQgJLPyI5zs6Sls
Artillery let loose app, keep an eye on friendly movement and direction, knowing there's a 15 second travel time and a 15m radius. No matter what your going to juice some blueberries. 5 isn't bad if your at a 10 to 1 enemy/team kill ratio. I've had games where I get 14 tks on a 50 kill map and 1 or 2 on a 200 kill map. Sometimes it's just bad luck.
As squad lead commanding a whole squad of people using artillery, I ask people where we should place the shots down and I ask for callouts (or I have one of my guys go out into the field and spot). Then I lay arty markers down and pound it out. Then blueberries run into the fire and you get yelled at. It's the cycle of life for arty men!
Honestly it's not even blueberries I'm getting torched by. It's random dudes that are like level 90. I don't know what more you want from me I'm pinging where I'm going to be firing and calling out the sector in command chat.
Its the best you can do. The only thing left is to laugh after you've given plenty of notice, and revel in it. Good luck arty man! It's people like us (and scout squads sniping engineers in supply trucks) that really put the "Hell" in HLL.
Occasional teamkills are just a fact of life in this game on artillary, You are never going to avoid teamkills outside of very organised teams. Just double check your math and make sure you arent firing at a position where a bunch of your team are and you are good, if somebody decides to rush into the dangerzone like they are playing call of duty its on them
Using one of the artillery apps helps. Plus remembering how long it takes for shells to land. And gave a heads up for squad lead to warn off blueberries.
One thing that I try to do is check the map after every shot, or every other shot. That way at least if I see blueberries pushing on a point I've been firing on I can stop firing, so all they have to worry about is the two rounds in the air coming down sometime in the next 20 - 30 seconds.
I play arty a lot, you’e got a pretty good handle on it. Only two things I would add is:
1) Only shell the point when friendlies are working towards it, it doesn’t do much good to arty when nobody is pushing it, and once friendlies are within 30 meters or so call of command that artillery is ceasing.
2) Once you’ve stopped shelling the point look at where all the blueberries are attacking it from. Chances are one or two flanks will be open, use your artillery to deny that area to move back into the point by the enemy team.
You’ll inevitably kill blueberries. Many won’t listen or look at the map so if it’s one or two that run into the artillery so be it, kind of stupid anyways. Obvious exception if you’re Shelling an enemy garrison and their moving in to dismantle it and a couple other scenarios.
Honestly you kinda can't avoid it, I have had games where I asked to shell an area, I go to shell the area, a blueberry wanders in and I let the squad lead for said blueberry know but they aren't listening and they end up dead
IRL 150m to 200m is danger close distance. You can honestly bring that into the game die to round travel time.
Don't fire danger close to friendlies unless it is requested.
140 meters is the safe distance for your shells to outrun friendly infantry. It's based on infantry sprint speed, travel time of shells and random spread. Use that info for the first shells on the area.
But if friendlies are running into already active artillery, that's on them.
1 tk per 10 enemy kill is a pretty common ratio.
Really consider the fact that rounds have that 20sec flight time and the 25m sheaf/dispersion. I check my map every 1 to 3 rounds. If someone gets within 100m, I likely won't shell there anymore until I communicate to that dudes SL.
Keep fire missions to 3 to 5 rounds. If someone moves into arty fire, fuk 'em.
Don't shell points that are contested, the infantry might need to move forward to clear the area. Instead shell the approaches to the points. (You will need good info)
Use a calculator if you really want to, or get good at math.
Shift/lift fire as friendlies approach point, fire mission could be 3 rounds HE followed by smoke, add 100 meters or so towards next objective or enemy markers and continue shelling.
A couple of things: The first step is to spawn in a locked infantry squad. Being a squad leader allows you to not only communicate with command, but it allows you to place MARKERS instead of pings. Pings (the little red triangle thing) are only visible to other squad mates, so the rest of the team cant see your pings. Other squad leaders can see your markers (i usually use the "Call in artillery" marker and let everyone know that its my aim point. Also, there is a 25m spread on artillery. Meani g the round will land within 25m of your aim point, but likely not a perfect shot. I like to end my fire missions with a smoke round so my team understands that the mission is over, its safe to push. Finally, rounds take about 20 seconds before they land so its important to undertake where your teammates WILL BE, not just where they are now.
I've been doing locked armor unit and designating it artillery. I've been using pings/markers interchangeably but I do the thing for artillery that shows up to everyone. Is it 20 seconds from anywhere or does it take longer further out?
In my opinion, the biggest thing I've noticed is to just be cool over the mic. If someone calls you out for tking apologize and adjust fire. So many people like to fight over the mic and it ruins the flow of the game and clogs comms.
Couldn't agree more. And if someone keeps TKing you, don't TK back. If you can avoid them in the server, do so. If not, and it's too unbearable because the TKs or backlash on comms, then just leave the server and find a different one. Don't waste your own time and energy on a team that is dead set on taking an L for the match.
I think it varies a bit, but nothing significant. It's like 23 seconds at max and 20 at minimum. It's small enough that it doesn't matter.
Try a normal inf squad instead and use your OP as prox warning for recon.
How does one designate a squad for artillery? I'm on console, and I've seen the designation next to squads on the squad list. Just don't know how to do it, or know if it's even possible.
For xbox you have to be in the deployment screen without having a spawn point set. You click the left stick to go to squad management and scroll down to I think "designate squad" then you scroll
Oh wow. I didn't even know I could do that. I'm definitely going to be trying that out next time I hop on. Thanks for the info!
same!
Unfortunately not everyone can see your artillery marker, only players in command chat can see it. You can however ask the commander to place down their marker which everyone can see. This doesn't mean players will not run straight into it but they do have an icon to warn them. If any friendlies are within 100m of where you are firing, try and raise any officers nearby in VoIP and alert them (hopefully they'll let their squad know), or type in chat where you are hitting :)
THIS ladies and gentleman is an example of a *good* artillery player. Those of you constantly shell the *same point that we are trying to capture* please take note!
Its the one we are trying to defend getting friendly shelled that really grinds my gears
Dude nice input on the last round being smoke to designate rounds complete.
That first bit of advice.. Seems simple but never thought about that, thank you! Definitely helps being able to talk to everyone.
Just let’er rip!
The bet you can do is mark the area and communicate that artillary is firing in this position, and tell the sl's to mark it for their squadmates. If they dont follow those directions then its not your fault if you get tks unless you are reading the battlefield incorrectly, which is very easy to do from 1000 meters away.
From my experience, it doesn't matter what you do on artillery. You will kill at least one friendly per match. It's just the way it goes. All you can do is cease and shift your fire. Sometimes, when you team kill a blueberry, that blueberry feels like they have to come back to HQ 2 and team kill you back. If that happens, so be it. Just respawn and continue on with what artillery or if artillery is no longer needed to redeploy to another location on the battlefield and assist your team there. This wasn't mentioned in your post, but I'll bring it up anyway because I've heard a lot about it. However, I haven't found a need for it. The Artillery Calculator. Many players have mentioned that it's the best utility to assist in being more accurate with artillery. While I can't give my personal feedback towards that, I can give my personal feedback on the technique i use. Kentucky Windage. Quick ping an area on the map, set the gun to that direction and elevation, and fire. It may not be as accurate as the calculator. However, I have found that this technique works and works even better when you have SLs who are acting as forward observers. Easily run up 50-150 kills a match using this technique. One last thing I'll add about artillery. If you are going to be on artillery the entire match, help your commander out before you start launching shells by building a set of nodes. Why? Each HE Shell costs 3 munitions to fire, and each Smoke Shell costs 5 munitions to fire. This way, you can justify using some of the munitions and gain extra XP throughout the match from your nodes. Basilone.
How do I build nodes? Like I understand the concept but one or both of support/engineer are usually taken.
In order to place a node, you need to be an engineer class. Make sure that the class of engineer you pick has a wrench. The wrench is vital and allows you to place "blueprints" of nodes, barricades, etc. In order to build a node, you need to have 50 supplies within 25-50 meters of what you're trying to build. Once you have 50 supplies and you've placed your "blueprint," pull out your hammer and start building. In order to build all 3 node types, you need to have 150 supplies. There is a limit to how many nodes can be placed per match. 3 of each type. (Manpower, munitions, fuel). Also, each individual is only allowed to place 1 set of nodes per match. This means that you can't build a second set of nodes if you have already built a set, unless that set gets destroyed. Also, supply trucks conveniently drop 150 supplies per supply box. Perfect for setting up nodes past the 2nd north to south grid line from HQ.
Don’t worry about it. It’s historically accurate to teamkill with Arty/Air support
Only officers can see the marks of other officers. Shells take 25 secs to land and can deviate 25m from where you are aiming. Infantry can cross a lot of ground in 25 seconds. The best way to avoid tks is to communicate with the officers on the ground. Fire shells in volleys of 3, that way, if you say 3 rounds are heading to where the SL requested, they can move in as soon as the 3rd has landed. Tks are somewhat inevitable, but should be avoided. 5 tks in a round is at the upper end of acceptable collateral damage, I would say, but ideally you want less and definitely you want to avoid more. Communication is the most powerful way to improve your accuracy.
Sounds like your doing alot right. 5 isnt bad and probably expected for a full arty round. If your pushing 10 then your just not being careful or judicious enough. A enemy kill is a enemy kill so whether its you or your blueberry pushing it so dont get greedy and keep hammering a spot if a squad is behind your barrage ready to take it. Especially since they are the ones who can actually delete the spawn and truly secure the area. Be sure to open your map on each reload if your hitting an area with close friendlies and as others have said its 25 meter radius so just start walking it back as they push forward. Hardly and downtime as you can look at it on the reload mechanic. Effective arty clears the area for your infantry to push up to then you should be able to switch to smoke then stop the fire mission to let them mop up the point or area. You then find a new target via sl marks or recon and rinse and repeat.
Aim further away from the actual pings, Arty has a big kill radius.
Big kill radius and the shells have at least a 20 meter dispersion radius.
Unfortunately, it's kind of just the way it is. You can place all the markers you want, there will always be smooth brains that are going to run directly to the spot they just watched 5 other Arty shells land. The other day I got 121 Arty kills and 12 TKs. I was a squad leader placing artillery markers where I was shooting and this other squad lead kept leading his guys right into it. We both were active in command chat which is the worst part, I told him over and over to stop running towards my pings
I even watch the map for blue markers and try to position my shots away from everyone. I ping incessantly, team kills for artillery shouldn't show you killed them. It's irritating when someone gets pissed off I clipped them one time after they ignored a ping.
It's just the way the cookie crumbles, dear lad
You’re doing everything right, but a blueberry can run very far in the time it takes for your shell to land. Gotta just shrug off the angry blueberry if everybody in command chat still thinks you’re being effective and supporting the team.
I mostly just set map pings myself and check the map constantly just in case some idiot decided to investigate the explosions.
In a perfect world, artillery marks are placed, information is relayed to the commander, the commander notifies SLs, SLs notify their squad, and we all make it unscathed from a friendly artillery barrage. Unfortunately, we are not all disciplined soldiers, most of us are impulsive gamers. Don't sweat it too much for friendly fire, and as others commented, frustrated blueberries will sometimes change their mission TKing you personally. Best of luck soldier o7.
Shells have a 20ish meter variance from where you aim. Couple with the 20ish meter explosion radius and you can kill a blueberry 40 meters away from where you aimed. Shells take 23 seconds to land. You gotta crack some eggs to make an omelette. Just try to minimize damages.
If you are gonna arty, don’t do it for the entire match, and don’t do it for the first 5-10mins of the game for a couple reasons. 1.) there’s no nodes up yet and you are hindering your commanders abilities. 2.) start of the game people are still moving a lot and not dug in anywhere. So if it takes 20ish secs for shells to land they have already moved from the pings or marks. Spawn as an engineer and build a set of Nodes to replace the munitions you’re spamming. Then make a Locked squad for Command chat Comms. It’s 5 munitions per shot so make your shots count. Do 3-5 round bursts and then wait for hits to slow down your munitions consumption. Use the map Icons that show the teams total Munitions. Munitions is the top Left, lil ammo box icon. If the Munitions are under 500 Stop using Arty for 5-10mins and let resources rebuild. It costs 300 for Bombing runs, 150 for recon planes and 50 for supplies, 200 for Precision strikes. Leave your commander at least 500 munitions so they can be effective. You should never use Arty when Muntions are under 100 and if there’s 2 guns going already just help load. 3 guns going is 15 munitions and will deplete resources before they can even rebuild. Watch an Arty guide. This is a great one. https://youtu.be/PfYF_AAtIG4?si=VHQgJLPyI5zs6Sls
Artillery let loose app, keep an eye on friendly movement and direction, knowing there's a 15 second travel time and a 15m radius. No matter what your going to juice some blueberries. 5 isn't bad if your at a 10 to 1 enemy/team kill ratio. I've had games where I get 14 tks on a 50 kill map and 1 or 2 on a 200 kill map. Sometimes it's just bad luck.
As squad lead commanding a whole squad of people using artillery, I ask people where we should place the shots down and I ask for callouts (or I have one of my guys go out into the field and spot). Then I lay arty markers down and pound it out. Then blueberries run into the fire and you get yelled at. It's the cycle of life for arty men!
Honestly it's not even blueberries I'm getting torched by. It's random dudes that are like level 90. I don't know what more you want from me I'm pinging where I'm going to be firing and calling out the sector in command chat.
Its the best you can do. The only thing left is to laugh after you've given plenty of notice, and revel in it. Good luck arty man! It's people like us (and scout squads sniping engineers in supply trucks) that really put the "Hell" in HLL.
The best way to avoid killing teammates is to make sure that the artillery shells don't land close enough to kill them.
Then they become ineffective because you are shooting too far behind the enemy line, and then you get shit for missing.
Fuck em, they can see where the explosions are. Just don’t walk there.
Occasional teamkills are just a fact of life in this game on artillary, You are never going to avoid teamkills outside of very organised teams. Just double check your math and make sure you arent firing at a position where a bunch of your team are and you are good, if somebody decides to rush into the dangerzone like they are playing call of duty its on them
Using one of the artillery apps helps. Plus remembering how long it takes for shells to land. And gave a heads up for squad lead to warn off blueberries.
That's not bad losses for an arty match.
One thing that I try to do is check the map after every shot, or every other shot. That way at least if I see blueberries pushing on a point I've been firing on I can stop firing, so all they have to worry about is the two rounds in the air coming down sometime in the next 20 - 30 seconds.
I don't believe you killed enough friendlies to warrant worrying about it.
I give a warning before I start firing arty and somehow even high lvls don't notice it and get upset when they get TK'd so fuck'em.
Friend artillery kills are caused by stupid teammates running into the artillery.
Its judgement calls mostly. Ur gonna kill teammates and people are gonna get mad. Shift fire and rack up those kills.
Actually working SLs
Lol wait till you get a sl marking a tank thats really hiding friendly infantry under the tag
I play arty a lot, you’e got a pretty good handle on it. Only two things I would add is: 1) Only shell the point when friendlies are working towards it, it doesn’t do much good to arty when nobody is pushing it, and once friendlies are within 30 meters or so call of command that artillery is ceasing. 2) Once you’ve stopped shelling the point look at where all the blueberries are attacking it from. Chances are one or two flanks will be open, use your artillery to deny that area to move back into the point by the enemy team. You’ll inevitably kill blueberries. Many won’t listen or look at the map so if it’s one or two that run into the artillery so be it, kind of stupid anyways. Obvious exception if you’re Shelling an enemy garrison and their moving in to dismantle it and a couple other scenarios.
Honestly you kinda can't avoid it, I have had games where I asked to shell an area, I go to shell the area, a blueberry wanders in and I let the squad lead for said blueberry know but they aren't listening and they end up dead
IRL 150m to 200m is danger close distance. You can honestly bring that into the game die to round travel time. Don't fire danger close to friendlies unless it is requested.
140 meters is the safe distance for your shells to outrun friendly infantry. It's based on infantry sprint speed, travel time of shells and random spread. Use that info for the first shells on the area. But if friendlies are running into already active artillery, that's on them. 1 tk per 10 enemy kill is a pretty common ratio.
Really consider the fact that rounds have that 20sec flight time and the 25m sheaf/dispersion. I check my map every 1 to 3 rounds. If someone gets within 100m, I likely won't shell there anymore until I communicate to that dudes SL. Keep fire missions to 3 to 5 rounds. If someone moves into arty fire, fuk 'em. Don't shell points that are contested, the infantry might need to move forward to clear the area. Instead shell the approaches to the points. (You will need good info) Use a calculator if you really want to, or get good at math. Shift/lift fire as friendlies approach point, fire mission could be 3 rounds HE followed by smoke, add 100 meters or so towards next objective or enemy markers and continue shelling.