Playing LongBowGold with 3dFx patch.
F7 view targets after calling in artillery strike to try to take out zsu-23's prior to taking out tanks with cannon when winchester rockets and hellfires, all I see is artillery rounds landing around target. Do they ever do damage?

I've never played LBG enough to even think about calling in an arty (artillery) strike, but I will answer for LB2 (should be almost exactly the same). Arty strikes are not really very effective, especially if the target starts moving. Generally I've found that the arty will come down until the designated target is destroyed, if it is stationary. It would make sense to try and target a cluster of tightly-packed targets, although most of the time the arty appears to be very loose with accuracy and spread. And to make things worse, there is absolutely no 'splash' damage done by the arty rounds - so there must be direct hits, even on things like tents.

I would never suggest to use arty on point targets other than say, a bunker - something big and tough. If the arty acts anything like it does in LB2, it's best for just keeping the enemy's 'heads down', so to speak. Unlike in real-life, an arty bombardment won't stop the enemy from firing, but it will disperse a group of threats and make their accuracy and effective rate-of-fire arguably lower. This then gives you a bit more time to clean up with Hellfire, MPSM rockets and chaingun (although I know that wouldn't help you as you called in arty when you'd run out of ammo).

If you find yourself in a mission with multiple threats - too many for the amount of ammo you have - you really need to use strategy and think before you deploy any weapons. Try and avoid as many threats as you can on the way to the mission area and keep your weapons for the mission priority targets, THEN, use up any remaining weapons on the way back.

Yes. The artillery barrages look nice but only take out the single target designated when the strike is called. On the other hand, an A-10 Airstrike is quite effective at taking out multiple armored vehicles...but it is wise to first clear out any SAM threat or the Warthog will go down.

Another hint you may or may not be familiar with. In LB2, anyway. Not sure if this applies to LBG...calling for an Airstrike with an friendly helo targeted results in an F-16 essentially flying escort. I usually do this in Escort missions to help protect the Chinooks or Blackhawks against enemy helos, but, again the F-16 is vulnerable to SAMS along the path.

Yeah airstrikes did cross my mind when replying but I thought that after I'd explained about arty, it had got complicated enough! Good advice though.



Wow, I never knew that! Excellent hint!

Thanks for the tips!
I was on my way back from the mission strike and wanted to take out a "little more", I will to take out a zsu-23 a night with the cannon but it seemed a bit risky during the day to go try and take them out to get to the tanks!

I played LB2 for 12 years and completely missed this. Boy, this would have taken the stress out of all of those insertion missions

funny,
i tried it but after designating my wingman as the target and requesting an airstrike I kept getting a message from the pilot to confirm the target. I never did see an inbound friendly jet. That was in LBgold and haven't tried it in LG2 yet ( I'm getting there, It's Captain Jon now ( soon to be Major))!

In which case it ONLY works in LB2!