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240 mm artillery! What is this stuff?


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In a scenario I recently played I had US forces and was issued an FO for 240 mm artillery. Man, it was powerful! I didn't have many rounds (16?) and a slow rate of fire but it had a huge blast and took out whole heavy buildings when it hit them, as well as knocking out unspotted AT guns and even a PzIV hiding at the back of the map, killed by a near-miss.

So I really enjoyed playing with this stuff but I don't really know what it is. I'm familiar with the Allied 8" gun (203 mm) but have never encountered or heard of the 240 mm before (which works out to about 9.6 inches). This is bigger than the gun on a heavy cruiser (about 8"). It must have been a huge gun. Anyway, anyone know anything about it? When it arrived? How many? How used? etc., etc.

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the 240mm M1 came into service in May '43, was used "extensively" in Italy and later in NW Europe. Took up to 8 hrs to set up and weighed over 30 tons, so was only used when front lines were fairly static.

Used by the US Brits it fired a 360lb shell. Went out of service in the late 50's though supposedly still in use in Taiwan. (source: Chris Bishop Encyclopedia of weapons of WWII.)

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The Scenario Named******

I didn't name the scenario because I didn't want to include a spoiler, if someone played it from the German side--but I don't think it's really critical information.

Anyway the scenario is "Guns of Navarone", which is really a pretty cool scenario all around. I'd play it either Allies against the AI or PBEM. I think I got it from Scenario Depot.

[ 10-24-2001: Message edited by: CombinedArms ]</p>

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<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by panzerwerfer42:

The 8" and 240mm weren't quite as rare as many people think. As of May 8, 1945, the ETO had 38 8" howitzer battalions, 5 8" gun battalions and 15 240mm howitzer battalions. Source here.<hr></blockquote>

Gamey bastards...

But note that the battlation were smaller than the usual 3x4 guns size.

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You guys think that the 240mm and 8inchers are deadly.

Play Clubfoots Pointe du hoc scenario. Allies have 3 or 4 14inch arty spotters and 3 or 4 8inch spotters.

Then a few turns later you get a British 7.2inch spotter. I thought my damn house was gonna fall down from the noise. :eek:

These spotters are set up to represent the naval bombardment on D-day. I took out almost 2 companies with 1 barrage each from the spotters.

Alot of people don't know about the 14inch spotters because they are only available in the first months of the campaign.

[ 10-24-2001: Message edited by: Shatter ]</p>

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I just setup a scenario where I had 2 14" , 2 8", 2 7.2 ", and 2 240mm FOs on a huge hill looking down on a sqaure of large buildings probably 200X200 meters. I put the flag in the middle and let the germans take it. I then reigned the arty down on the concentrated buildings. It was awesome how when the 14"s hit the buildings just crumbled.

Gen

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<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Gen-x87H:

I just setup a scenario where I had 2 14" , 2 8", 2 7.2 ", and 2 240mm FOs on a huge hill looking down on a sqaure of large buildings probably 200X200 meters. I put the flag in the middle and let the germans take it. I then reigned the arty down on the concentrated buildings. It was awesome how when the 14"s hit the buildings just crumbled.

Gen<hr></blockquote>

Ya almost 2 years now when I recieved CM (changed name from Shatter5O to Shatter) I played around with all the units and came across the 14inchers. I did something similar to what you did except with only 2 14inchers. One shell from these big boys will level several of the Heavy large buildings.

Can you imagine what those poor German went threw when those suckers rained down on the Normandy Beaches. :eek:

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Just played another scenario where the GERMANS had a 240 mm FO. Those suckers were powerful, too.

Shatter, I've looked around for Clubfoot's Pointe du Hoc scenario and can only find one from another author that doesn't seem to have any artillery. Could you possibly send it to me or suggest where I can find it. I don't find it listed under Clubfoot's name at Scenario Depot.

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