Question: Spotting and Artillery

[Wyke]

Hi guys,

A quick question on spotting for Artillery. OK, I know that you suffer a big penalty if the hex being attacked cannot be seen by the spotter calling in the strike. But how does the game manage it when you use more than one spotter? Does it remember who called in what, or just work on the location of the last spotter used?
Oh yes, and does the same apply to SPWW2 too?

Thanks in advance

[Mobhack]

Last spotter used.

[Pfor]

Originally Posted by Mobhack

Last spotter used.

Spotter A can see Target 1, and Arty fire is plotted.
Next spotter selected.
Spotter B can see Target 2, and Mortar fire is plotted.
Spotter B cannot see Target 1.
Situation unchanged when both fires arrive.

The above response suggests that the Arty fire on Target 1 will be "unspotted" and the mortar fire on Target 2 will be spotted.

If correct, this doesn't seem right;
If not correct, perhaps you could define "Last", "spotter" and "used" .

[Mobhack]

If A is selected as the spotter and plots battery A's fire then battery A is spotted by A.

If B is then used as the spotter and plots battery B, battery B has observer B as the spotter.

If you select observer C and use him to move battery A or B's impact - then C takes over from the previous spotter, whoever he was.

The battery has a record of who his spotter is. Using a new one to plot or adjust changes that, naturally.

[Suhiir]

One cheat you can use is to have a FO class unit plot fire to a target hex it can't see then use a "Unit 0" unit from another formation that can see desired target hex adjust the fire. This can often significantly reduce the delay between plotting and impact.

[Aeraaa]

Originally Posted by Suhiir

One cheat you can use is to have a FO class unit plot fire to a target hex it can't see then use a "Unit 0" unit from another formation that can see desired target hex adjust the fire. This can often significantly reduce the delay between plotting and impact.

I must admit I'm guilty of that. Another thing I do is when I know that the enemy is "somewhere there" but not sure, I use smoke rounds at their positions (if your forces are too far away) and when you make contact with then, use your spotter with HE rounds. That way you dont waste ammo.

[jaywalker]

Originally Posted by Suhiir

One cheat you can use is to have a FO class unit plot fire to a target hex it can't see then use a "Unit 0" unit from another formation that can see desired target hex adjust the fire. This can often significantly reduce the delay between plotting and impact.

Why would you call this a "cheat"? Surely having a unit with "eyes on the target" adjust artillery fire (regardless of who called it in in the first place) is a realistically acceptable occurence.

jaywalker

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by Aeraaa

I must admit I'm guilty of that. Another thing I do is when I know that the enemy is "somewhere there" but not sure, I use smoke rounds at their positions (if your forces are too far away) and when you make contact with then, use your spotter with HE rounds. That way you dont waste ammo.

Personally I think of using their smoke as a targeting aid simply represents the not-included-in-game counter-battery radar

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by jaywalker

Why would you call this a "cheat"? Surely having a unit with "eyes on the target" adjust artillery fire (regardless of who called it in in the first place) is a realistically acceptable occurence.

jaywalker

In order to plot a fire mission the firing battery needs to know:
1) Their own location
2) The location of the observer
3) The targets direction and distance from the observer

If a second observer tried to adjust the fire (s)he can't (well, not easily) because their location and the direction and distance to the target are be different.

Once upon a time I actually was an FO.

[Imp]

Originally Posted by Aeraaa

I must admit I'm guilty of that. Another thing I do is when I know that the enemy is "somewhere there" but not sure, I use smoke rounds at their positions (if your forces are too far away) and when you make contact with then, use your spotter with HE rounds. That way you dont waste ammo.

If your going to do that why not just fire HE & turn the tube off (or some of them for offmap units) Pretty rare I do it but have done so on occasion. Use it more for offmap MLRS to preserve ammo by switching off a tube or two.