The Art Of Tank Warfare - Chris Keeling

AMERICAN ARTILLERY
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The US Army used many different types of artillery, several of which are available to the American player as
“on-call” indirect fire, using high explosive or smoke ammunition. The following types of artillery barrages may
be available, depending on the scenario:
81mm Mortar: The US M1 81mm mortar was essentially a copy of the German mortar of the same caliber.
It was also used much the same way, being allocated to support companies and battalions. This weapon could
fire its 3.1 kg shell out to about 3,000 meters. The battalion mortar battery normally included three sections
with two mortars each.
107mm Mortar: This mortar was originally designed to fire smoke and chemical rounds, but was quickly
adapted to fire high explosive ammunition as well. It could launch its 12.3 kg shell out to 5,500 meters. The
heavy mortar battery usually consisted of four 107mm mortars.
75mm Field Gun/Howitzer: This heading includes several weapons, such as the M1916, M1917, and M2A2
field guns and the M1 and M1A1 howitzers, the majority of which also served in World War I. The field guns
fired a 6.1 to 6.8 kg high explosive round out to 12,000 to 14,000 meters. The howitzers projected their 6.8
kg shell out to 9,000 meters. The howitzers were the very lightest models, designed for transportation by horse
and cart and use in the mountains, where their crews often manhandled guns into position. All of these guns
were organised into batteries of three sections of three guns each.
105mm Howitzer: The 105mm howitzers used by the American forces in World War II were generally
designed shortly before the war and put into production only in 1939, and were therefore more modern than
their smaller 75mm cousins. This includes the M2A1 howitzer as well as the M3 howitzer, which was designed
as a lightweight gun for airborne units but was also adopted by the regular infantry in North Africa due to a
shortage of guns. Both of these weapons fired a 15 kg shell, the M2A1 projecting it out to over 11,000 meters,
while the M3 fired it out to 7,500 meters. These guns were normally organised into batteries of three sections
of three or four guns each, or one section of six guns (for self-propelled guns and regimental artillery).
155mm Howitzer/Field Gun: The mainstay of the US heavy artillery was the 155mm howitzer M1 and the
Gun M1. The howitzer M1 fired a 43.1 kg high explosive shell out to 15,000 meters. This weapon had a
reputation for excellent accuracy, due in part to the innovative fire control techniques pioneered by American
forces during the Second World War. The Gun M1 fired the same 43.1 kg shell out to a maximum range of
23,200 meters. Both utilised separate-loading ammunition. These guns were generally organised into batteries
of three sections of two guns each.
207mm Howitzer/Field Gun: This heading represents both the 8-inch howitzer M1 and the less common 8inch
Gun M1. Both were designed shortly after World War I, and both were pressed into service during World
War II, although the Gun M1 did not see action until nearly the end of the war. The howitzer M1 fired a 90.7
kg high explosive shell out to 17,000 meters. The Gun M1 projected its 108.8 kg shell out to 32,500 meters.
They were usually organised into batteries of three sections of two guns each.