B4 artillery?

Its like a 50kg stuka bomb for 80munis in vet1, right?

And if you pay 100 munition more, you can hit.

Its like a 50kg stuka bomb for 80munis in vet1, right?

90 muni and its I'm not sure, maybe 640 dmg?

I dont care of the damage...Sometimes when I launch a stuka diving on a parked katyusha, IT DOESNT KILL IT. It gives motor break or something like that, but COME ON, how a 50kg bomb cant kill a simple truck?

No, it's accuracy is actually pretty bad. If you get vet1 though it can use precision shot for 80 munis which is pin-point.

Is it really pin-point for 80 munis? I thought it will hit the point were you shoot pin-point for 80 munis, but if the tank moves it will miss, and tanks often move... The time from were you order it to shoot and until it shoots is so long that pin-point shot seldom is pin-point.

Is it really pin-point for 80 munis? I thought it will hit the point were you shoot pin-point for 80 munis, but if the tank moves it will miss, and tanks often move... The time from were you order it to shoot and until it shoots is so long that pin-point shot seldom is pin-point.

It is in fact very accurate for 80 munitions. It also has the ability to target vehicles which guarantees a hit and penetration I think as long as LOS is maintained. For the Perc strike just use an at nade to cripple a tank then fire the B4 at the tank. If the B4 is rotated on target, which it should be since there is no penalty for rotating it between shots, it will immediately fire after elevating the gun. You really won't have to worry about the tank moving. If you want an ally can button a vehicle and then you can also drop sweet death on it. Very, very powerful support commander in a team game.

I could agree that it is a very very powerful support commander in team games but on my side, I never got any luck with this gun. It's so inaccurate that it takes me like 8-10 shots to vet1, and then either howie dies or the game is already over. Short reload time is great but increased rate of fire draws to much attention. I'd rather have ML20 shoveled somewhere deep in the bush and covering two out of three VP.

I'm not saying that the gun and commander itself is a waste of time because I've seen other fox impressively knocking out German heavies with precise strike.

I also don't really like KV1, its armor is pretty fat and it can safely exchange shots with Tiger but 76mm pee-pee gun does like zero damage to tanks. It works alright in conjunction with SU85, when KV1 is your shield and SU85 is your sword, and if you wield this weapon skillfully you might decapitate the Dragon and save the Princess.

The whole idea of this commander is great but I don't like the fact that when choosing this commander you loose building choices. It's like you must go T2 for ZiS gun, and then you must go T4 for SU85. This way the game turns into "Rock Paper Scissors" even more.

I also would love to see Guards instead of Shocks. I think they fit here better.

^^

I've seen the B4's anti-tank strike only work if the Opfor is already in front of your base, and you have a clear line of sight. Then you use the KV-1s to stall the German tanks. This buys time for the B4 to shift into position.

Sorry to necro this thread, but thought I'd add some tips for using B4.


When you build it, dont waste time trying to hit with standard strike. You will miss, waste time and alert your enemy you have one.


When you place it, think of it as a giant AT gun, i.e. try to place it where it has the longest straight line of vision, obviously near your base.

Now wait and bait your enemy armour into its already set up cone of fire. It should perform the direct shot fairly quickly. Try to attack a medium tank thats had a little damage done (hello KV1). This will vet it instantly, at the same moment your opponent just found out youve got it.

Now obviously defend it like mad, and use the precision strike with abandon.

Only use the standard barrage if you have no targets and want to just lob one into the FoW, or if your really stuck for munis.



Take home point: Use the direct fire as a supprise 1st shot, it will be easier to pull off if they dont know you have it yet, and then you get vet for precision strike.

Calm down it is not that great of a unit.

1. Getting vet 1 on the thing is very hard. The accuracy is so random you can take 10 shots before it kills anything. Add in high cost to make vet harder.

2. Precision shot is not 100 percent. But enough to hurt static emplacements like pack 43 and howitzers.

3. Tank shot cost 150 munitions? So many variables come into play for the ability to work and not waste your munitions.

You need full line of sight. Which means there are only so many places you can build it effectively on the map. Also elevations in terrain screw with the ability to target.

Your shot can also hit buildings, dead vehicles ect.

4. Pop cap really hurts

5. Slow rotation and aim speed

6. Easy to kill

7. Long cool down times.

Honestly the only time I seen it usefull was in a 4v4 when I got the lower island on the steppes. My tanks got wiped out by a pack 43 camper with good panther defense and support. So I sent in a sniper with hold fire on to scout his emplacements. I destroyed all his pack 43's and all his damaged panthers with pio hordes repairing too.

His buddies simply recon/Stuka run my b4 but I would rebuild again. Even though I kept getting bombed it was one less recon or Stuka run against my teammates and they could push the middle and top of the map. Since then I have not seen much use for the unit.

Yes it's situational and map dependant. 4v4 your always going to face bomb strikes.


Your point number 1 is exactly why I suggest using the direct fire to vet it. If you set it up correctly and use it at the right time, it will have no problems. The cone of fire is quite wide at long range and it will hit pretty quickly, of course better if you can AT nade first.

The damage it does got nerfed really bad last patch. Is it still useful against tanks or was it a over-nerf?

From the games Ive just used it in, its very inacurate using normal barrage, and tanks probably will survive anyway if you get quite a close hit (at vet 0).


But I cannot stress enough how good the direct fire is. So long as you have set it up so the cone of fire is widest where you expect to fire at armour, exactly the same princical you would use for an ATG.

If you have done that, It fires in less than a second from clicking. Its faster than target weak point for christs sake!


From that point on you have vet 1, so can rain precision strikes. Only using normal barrage if your low on muni.


Think of it as a stationary ZiS, with a powerful barrage! I believe its direct fire function is very important for getting the most out of it.

I will definitely try your ambush method. I always gave away my b4 position because of blind shooting for vet. Sorry my post earlier was not aimed you it was the posters acting like it was overpowered in some way.

Apocalypse now.... Probably watched that show 20 times...

Relic balance is like watching a snail crawl across a straight razor. A straight razor....

Yeah I think people just want to rush blindly in desperately firing off shots to try vet it as fast as possible. But it does only serve to give away the fact you have it, and its position. It probably takes 4-6 shots before you land a good hit... no good at all.


But if your just patient, they dont have to even know you chose counter attack, if you can manage building one before calling a KV1, its best.

They will happily parade their 1st tanks right in its FoV, and if you can get off a direct fire shot and then 1-2 precision strikes they will hardly know whats going on. Killing their 1st tank(s) like that, then calling a KV1 is a game winner, at 8 CP they wont even have strong bomb strikes yet.

No don't do this. I've tried it twice and got the same result both times. It doesn't actually aim for the vehicle but the ground underneath it and if the tank moves at all you can say goodbye to 180 munis. It is defenetly not worth it, especially if you have precision shot that has the same results.

My experiences with direct fire:

1. There was a single tree in the way. Shot blew up on that. 180 munis lost.

2. Tiger moving sideways. Shot lands behind it. 180 munis lost.

3. P4 slowly moved backwards 2 meters. Shot landed in front of it. 180 munis lost.

Unless your target is just sitting there as still as can be the shot will miss, and it's way too much munis to risk and way too dangerous just exposing your B4. Not worth it if you ask me.

My experiences with direct fire:

1. There was a single tree in the way. Shot blew up on that. 180 munis lost.

2. Tiger moving sideways. Shot lands behind it. 180 munis lost.

3. P4 slowly moved backwards 2 meters. Shot landed in front of it. 180 munis lost.

Unless your target is just sitting there as still as can be the shot will miss, and it's way too much munis to risk and way too dangerous just exposing your B4. Not worth it if you ask me.

you mind posting a replay? i was trying the doctrine out but, if this is true, i might forgo thi

you mind posting a replay? i was trying the doctrine out but, if this is true, i might forgo thi

You're lucky, it is still the last one I played so I still have it. Give me a sec to uplaod it.

you mind posting a replay? i was trying the doctrine out but, if this is true, i might forgo thi

Ill vouch for him. B4 is easily countered by simply moving. Also, its shells blow up on the most stupidest of obstacles. When some apartment buildings get blown up, they still have a spire that stands tall and indestructible. It also has a huge hitbox, even though there is no longer a building there. B4 is really not that good in urban maps because the shell hits these indestructable remnants and the entire shell is wasted. I am pretty sure a 203 mm shell can go through these things...

Here you go!

I built it after a got a two KV-1s towards the end of the game. I built on the railroad track to give it a good line of sight and the first shot after I built it was the missed direct fire. Luckely I was able to make some good use afterwards and help win the game, but the ability needs some work.

BTW how do you guys use to record your games and put them on youtube. I'd like to make it more visible and probably make a new thread.