What is the best way to use the B4 Howitzer?

Title says it all. Normally, this is just a manpower dump for me, but a lot of people worship this unit. Any tips on how to use this unit as effectively as possible?


My counterattack build is normally:

T2
Con
Maxim
Maxim
Con
At Gun
Fuel Cache
T4
Su-85
KV1
(B4?)
KV1

Also, I always neglected using static artillery as it seems to be way too easy to counter. Would I be better off just ignoring the B4, put the Manpower towards more Fuel Caches and Get 2 Kats or so? Thanks for the tips!!!!!!

I figure that I am already building the T4 building anyway, so Kats might be worthwhile.

Are we talking about 1v1, 2v2 or higher?

Are we talking about 1v1, 2v2 or higher?

1v1 and 2v2. Mainly 2v2 though.

Mainly 2v2 though.

I think counterattack best goes with T1, actually, because you end up spending more manpower reinforcing conscripts, maxims, and other assorted team weapons making floating MP for the B4 (or multiple B4s depending on the situation) more difficult. With T1, most expenditure ends up being on snipers and the occasional scout car or penal, which are much lighter on reinforce costs(ideally you won't ever need to reinforce a sniper after it is built if you have healing).

what I go with early on:

engineer
engineer
penal
M3 (s)
sniper
sniper
Shocks

This varies depending on map- urban maps mean more penals and less snipers, on open maps the shocks can be dispensed with, the number of M3s depends on how many wehr players there are, how many kubels, how many support weapons, etc. Your ally can handle the AT, while you plant the mines.

Later:

T4
Katyusha if you had the lead early (if you can afford it at 4,5 CP for example), if there are a lot of team weapons, forward battlegroup HQ.
If I get T4 after 5CP, german armor is probably too close to afford a katyusha. on a map like Minsk, the SU85 will do. On tighter maps it may be worth just waiting for the KV1.
After that, B4, or multiple B4s. throw in an assortment of KV1s, SU85s, Snipers, and the B4 depending on the enemy composition and you can handle most things (other than CAS/LUFT + JT).

One last thing- if the enemy is double OKW or has no combination of recon and stuka, it's reasonable to pick counterattack off the bat. If your opponents are reasonably coordinated, they'll have an offmap doctrine (eg CAS, LUFT, JAEGER ARMOUR), and it would be prudent to wait til after they show their hand even if it means delaying your shocks. Picking counterattack if they go for these doctrines is quite pointless.

Just my two cents.

I think counterattack best goes with T1, actually, because you end up spending more manpower reinforcing conscripts, maxims, and other assorted team weapons making floating MP for the B4 (or multiple B4s depending on the situation) more difficult. With T1, most expenditure ends up being on snipers and the occasional scout car or penal, which are much lighter on reinforce costs(ideally you won't ever need to reinforce a sniper after it is built if you have healing).

what I go with early on:

engineer
engineer
penal
M3 (s)
sniper
sniper
Shocks

This varies depending on map- urban maps mean more penals and less snipers, on open maps the shocks can be dispensed with, the number of M3s depends on how many wehr players there are, how many kubels, how many support weapons, etc. Your ally can handle the AT, while you plant the mines.

Later:

T4
Katyusha if you had the lead early (if you can afford it at 4,5 CP for example), if there are a lot of team weapons, forward battlegroup HQ.
If I get T4 after 5CP, german armor is probably too close to afford a katyusha. on a map like Minsk, the SU85 will do. On tighter maps it may be worth just waiting for the KV1.
After that, B4, or multiple B4s. throw in an assortment of KV1s, SU85s, Snipers, and the B4 depending on the enemy composition and you can handle most things (other than CAS/LUFT + JT).

One last thing- if the enemy is double OKW or has no combination of recon and stuka, it's reasonable to pick counterattack off the bat. If your opponents are reasonably coordinated, they'll have an offmap doctrine (eg CAS, LUFT, JAEGER ARMOUR), and it would be prudent to wait til after they show their hand even if it means delaying your shocks. Picking counterattack if they go for these doctrines is quite pointless.

Just my two cents.

'


2 things:

1. What do you actually do with the B4? Where do you place it, and what mode of fire do you use? How long does it take to recharge?


2. Also, are shocks even all that worth getting? I've never understood the value of shocks. How do you actually use your shock troops on the field?

Thank you

My 2 cents: readjust the cone of fire while it's reloading, so it doesn't have to adjust when you want to fire = faster reaction time.

1. What do you actually do with the B4? Where do you place it, and what mode of fire do you use? How long does it take to recharge?

Deciding placement is an interesting exercise in itself.

Firstly, your map situation. If you have map dominance and you're confident in your ability to hold it, you can build it within range of the enemy base (particularly vs double wehr or okw without FHQ). If the map is small enough to reach the enemy base from a well-defended spot (like semois), just build it as far back as possible.

Against a Walking Stuka, which can destroy the B4 with a light call-in artillery strike, it's prudent to build it further back.

If the enemy goes for Fortifications or Breakthrough (breakthrough being fairly common), building the B4 in your own base is a good idea as neither of their artillery strikes can be used on the allied base sector.

If the enemy team has a doctrine that can kill the B4, but has no recon, and you decide to risk building the B4, build it as far back as possible, too, and mine the approaches of the base to nail kubels, scout cars, pumas, and the like from spotting for the artillery.

Say none of the above is the case, and the enemy goes for (example) Elite Troops + Breakthrough.



As you can see, the closer the howitzer is to the front line, the more accurate it is. However, it also means it has to pick up and traverse more to hit targets at different angles. With a non-vetted B4, increased accuracy is superior, because you want those squadwipes. However, once you do get vet and begin spamming the precision strike, the further the B4 is, the less it needs to move to align to different targets. In my opinion, since the B4 comes into it's own at vet 1, building it further away from the front line is the superior option (also keeping it safer).


From vet 0-1: Priority will be hitting vehicles, it only takes two or three solid damaging hits to give it vet 1. Alternatively go for multiple team weapons or a large group of squads. Don't fire it as often as possible the moment the cooldown is up, wait for a good opportunity. Reload is 60 seconds, iirc.

Vet 1: The fun starts here. Wait til the OKW player mass retreats to the FHQ, or Wehr player back to base. Precision the spot, get vet 2 instantly.

Vet 2 and 3: Reload is now something like 30 seconds, insanely low. Spam the hell out of regular shots, precision shots for the mass retreats and snared/slow vehicles, destroy everything within range. Pair with For the Motherland or Mark Target to instakill anything. If they don't kill the B4 now it's a matter of time before the GG.

Just my opinion of course.

@ Strummingbird

If you are going T1, your teammate in 2v2 has to go heavy for AT. Otherwise Luchs, Flakruck and gg.
T1 + shocks combination has no place in 1v1.
________

T2/Cons
Maxim
Maxim
Maxim
ZiS
Shocks
Shocks
T4
SU85
SU85 / B4
KV1

Dont build it near points because OKW has barrage ability (the one with JT) that can complety destroy your B4 if you build it around point.

@ Strummingbird
If you are going T1, your teammate in 2v2 has to go heavy for AT. Otherwise Luchs, Flakruck and gg.
T1 + shocks combination has no place in 1v1.

I didn't state it explicitly, but I made a reference to it being a team-game scenario that I described

Your ally can handle the AT, while you plant the mines.