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DIRECT FIRE IS A MINOR BUT VALUABLE WAY TO USE ARTILLERY.
This puts the guns in danger but can be very useful in open country when the enemy is advancing as it can cause major damage to quite distant units. 75 mm Field Guns can wipe out loaded trucks, wagons, horses and motor bikes up to 18 hexes away. German 81 mm mortars deliver 7 attack points 9 hexes away and Russian 82 mm mortars 12 hexes away.
Once the guns fire they may be exposed to counter battery fire but, if not, they get a chance to load up and flee.
In broken country guns in place for direct fire can be useful for ambushes and guarding against enemy probes.
SELF PROPELLED GUNS are great for direct fire as they are so mobile and have some protection. They can even hide close to the front line, advance, shoot once and then hide again.
ANTI TANK GUNS These valuable resources should be placed in Pillboxes, bunkers etc with some infantry or mortars to protect them and to soak up enemy artillery fire. After firing at distant tanks they must be ready to move if tanks or artillery threaten them. Early in the game if an 88 can be placed in a hex with maximum visibility it can kill far distant tanks without danger from enemy artillery (except perhaps rockets.) Once an 88 has fired and been spotted tanks will stay out of its line of fire and report it to their artillery so it may be time to load up and use it again in a fresh valuable site.
SMALL ANTI-TANK GUNS can protect rear assets from marauding enemy armoured cars
PRIORITY TARGETS FOR DIRECT FIRE (IN ORDER) -- Troops/guns loaded on trucks etc ( they only have a defence factor of 1), Artillery or anti-tank guns, HQ (rarely seen but may be spotted by raiders) and engineers or other high assault value units.
Infantry guns should not fire at tanks unless there is just one of them and it is close by.

I like the US 60mm mortar for direct fire -IMO of little use for indirect fire

Pip, don't forget that one should only use SPA's (self propelled artillery) for scoot and shoot if you are CERTAIN there will be no op-fire from the enemy. SPA's have poor armor.

Also, in many cases, indirect fire will cause more damage. Only if you see enemy units loaded, or in open terrain, is scooting/shooting warranted, and even then, only sparingly. Most of the time, it's simply not worth the risk. Also, your opponent will quickly become aware of the presence and TYPE of guns when you scoot and shoot with SPA's, especially if he hadn't been watching earlier for unspotted hex "muzzle flashes." I.E., attacking this way leaves no doubt at all in the mind of your opponent as to what kinds of enemy artillery are in that area. Deception should be a big part of any player's strategy.

Hell, you might even want to load up non-mobile artillery (when they become low on ammo is best) and move them closer to the action, particuarly if the front is moving further from the guns. I say this not only because attack factors are higher when the target is closer, but also becuase some players (like me) look for "muzzle flashes" in "3D extreme zoom-out" (view 3) mode. This is done so as to enable me to start blind-shelling enemy artillery locations. These places usually have unarmored transports nearby (their carriers) and HQ's as well, so it's always good to keep your enemy guessing as to where your artillery assets are. When you do set up your artillery, try to set up in places that give a good defensive value - city, village, forest, and wadi are good spots.

Most of my opponents think I'm a bit too cautious, and perhaps it's true. It does win me games though, so I'm not about to stop it. ;)

Thanks John. A very useful contribution to the manual we are building up on the use of Artillery.
As your previous contributioin about firng into the unspotted area where the enemy was last seen and also about firing at gun flashes with setting 3 could you please repeat them in the Indirect Fire thread so that we will all have access to all suggestions.

When enemy units charge up and disappear from sight it is not easy to see what they are so listening to the sound helps. One needs to know as there is no point in shelling tanks at a distance.

If one is lucky enough to see the flashes and have long range artillery you might even be able to knock out an enemy counter battery!!