Artillery question

[PaulofCthulhu2 0]

 So my buddy is playing Allies and I'm playing Axis.  We're slowly working out the kinks in our understanding of the rules through playing scenarios.  We seem to have run into an inbalance issue in regards to artillery and I'm wondering if we're missing something.  I'm using a Lothar with Nebelwerfer 42 and he's using Steel Rain.  We're both using observers to call in artillery strikes against squads and enemy vehicles.  Based on our understanding of the rules I seem to have a definite advantage here.  I have what appears to be unlimited ammo (but must take one action to reload) where he has 4 x 4.2" rockets.  So it seems that I can continuously call in artillery strikes as long as I have an observer and my Lothar whereas he only has the 4 rockets to shoot and then nothing else for artillery.  Is this right?  Is there something else that we're missing that would balance this out?

[felkor 74]

What balances it out is Steel Rain's other weaponry, and that it can rain all its artillery at once for an almost sure kill.

[PaulofCthulhu2 0]

 I see your point and we came to a similar conclusion.  It just doesn't seem like an equivalent unit though.  Having something with essentially unlimited ammo that can hit enemies at a distance seems preferable to a similar unit with limited artillery ammo but more deadly short-range mortar weapons.  I can see the argument that it comes down to tactics then, but superior firepower is tough to beat.  How do other players combat something like the Lothar w/ Nebelwerfer?  Man I'm either crazy or a good friend to be asking how he can kick my @$$! LOL 

[Major Mishap 33]

Not sure why you need advice to combat the Lothar, its pretty rubbish really, just get in in LOS and shoot it or take it out with a fast moving squad and get within its minimum range.

[PaulofCthulhu2 0]

I'll be happy to explain.  Perhaps it's scenario dependant.  We were playing through the Victory Bridge scenario with Axis (me) attacking across the bridge.  As I said earlier, we're still working through our understanding of the rules, so mistakes on both sides were inevitable.  Originally (before we knew better) we assumed that Steel Rain had unlimited ammo like the Lothar.  When we played through that way, Allies always slaughtered Axis as they came across the bridge.  My buddy would simply put two Steel Rains behind the structures on his side in front of the bridge and deploy two observer squads to call in artillery strikes on anything that moved.  I can now see where having a limited number of rockets on the Rains makes that less of an issue.  Even so, once those rockets are gone (and provided they haven't wiped out the squads needed to cross the bridge) if I my observers are still alive I can rain down hell on him while storming across the bridge.  With 130 points I took the Lothar, an observer squad, Marcus, Apes and Zombies.  On his side he had 2 Steel Rains, 2 Observer Squads, and Reapers.  I think he might have had snipers too but I'm not sure.   With a new and correct understanding of the rules we'll have to play through the scenario again a couple of times.  I see now where there are a lot more choices than a futile suicide run across the bridge.  He'll have to make a choice (depending on what I do of course) to either take of my observers (if they're exposed after calling in a strike) or save his rockets to bombard units on the bridge.  If he takes out my observers then the Lothar will have to come out of cover to be of any use at all.  Once it does that its a sitting duck.  If he saves his rockets for the bridge then at most he can wipe out a couple units and then move his Reapers into CC... lots of options now.  I think I answered my own question :-)  I can see how the Lothar would be less of a threat on a different map though (and certainly in a table top environment).