Jager 7

MG 42 Muzzle velocity = 2,480 fps M1917A1 .30 MV = 2800 fps M1919A4 .30 MV = 2800 fps M2 HB .50 MV = 2930 fps I knew someone was going to go looking for it and I had it handy. Ref "Small Arms of the World" Ezell (Smith)

Good topic but it has been addressed here before. Having the facility for the FO or "spotter" to designate the number of rounds to fire on a specific target would be more realistic. Currently in CM the FO can fire through "the minute" turn or cancel fire or shift those fires. If no changes are made and the FO is not suppressed or killed he will continue to fire until the ammo is expended. This is somewhat abstact but in reality reflects the FO's ability to "Repeat" the fire mission and keep repeating his Fire For Effect until the desired effects on target are achieved. FOs do assess and report target damage. If they aren't happy with what has been achieved with a particular Fire For Effect they can "Repeat" the FFE. I for one don't think we would gain much by having the more realistic ability to designate the volume of fire for a target. We really have that ability now..we just have to canel the fire at the one minute increment. Not a big deal IMO. Out here...

X-OO, Great to see a fellow arty guy. Greetings from Ft. Sill. I attempted to explain some of these questions a few months ago but must say you have done a better job. I agree with your statements. The adjustment penalty for moving the rounds outside the 100 meter radius is a big issue for me. As a competent FO can call the adjustment in seconds and as you said the FDC can make their data adjustment also in seconds. There should be no additional time penalty for adjusting rounds once the fire mission has begun. Now, if the FO is suppressed and can't continue or loses his LOS to the target he should be penalized something if not having to reinitiate a call for fire all together. Cheers, ------------------ When the situation is obscure....attack! CGen. Heinz Guderian

In PBEM: Rule 1 - Never surrender! Rule 2 - If you can't achieve a total victory then fight for the major victory. Rule 3 - if you can't get the major victory then struggle for the tactical victory. Rule 4 - if you can't get the tactical, then go for the draw. Rule 5 - if you can't get the draw then fight so your opponent doesn't get anything more than a tactical victory. Rule 6 - Never surrender! I think everyone likes winning, but the quality and challenge of the good fight is the most important to me. If I go by the ideas above I may not win..but I always have a good game.

Greetings, Arty spotters (FOs) don't usually just call for fire and leave it at that. They observe the fire, adjust it when necessary, and keep repeating the Fire For Effects until the desired effect on the target is achieved. If the spotter is pinned down and can't see the effects it is possible or even likely he is wasting valuable arty rounds...which is not in his or his supported unit's best interest. Basically if he is suppressed by enemy fire he will have a hard time doing his job. The remedy; be careful where you place him and try to keep him out of easy reach and sight of enemy infantry types. Hope that helps. Out here....

Medieval, Here are a couple websites you can check out. They carry most of the good kits and paints available. http://www.blitzkrieghobby.com/ http://www.ehobbies.com/? Have a good one.. Jager 7

U.S. Marines, 1981-present. Currently instructor for Marine Artillery Scout Observers (0861) at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Semper Fi

Ooorah and Semper Fi fellow Marines...Happy Birthday.

RD does has a good ladder system but so does Tournament House. Many players of all experience levels and user friendly site. http://tournamenthouse.com/CM/

Have to agree. Have played and am playing several Infantry-only PBEM ladders and find them challenging and rewarding. MGs shine, infantry mortars and arty spotters shine...infantry manuever shines...it's great! ------------------ When the situation is obscure....attack! CGen. Heinz Guderian

A good TOT is more than just a surprise bombardment, although it is that. A TOT masses the fires of several batteries/battalions or even regiments on a specific target. Most folks (Allies or Axis) in WWII couldn't accomplish effective TOTs without having the various firing units co-located. TOT missions take good preparation and close coordination between the controlling FDC (Fire Direction Center), the subordinate FDCs and the firing units. The Americans in WWII enjoyed a very flexible and efficient FDC that was at the top of the heap and had the communication assets to make it all work. Hope that helps. Out here... ------------------ When the situation is obscure....attack! CGen. Heinz Guderian

You guys at T.House have a good set up and I enjoy the ladder matches. The tourney sounds fun. ------------------ When the situation is obscure....attack! CGen. Heinz Guderian

Not to be a stickler but there is no reason for a firing delay with adjustments of anything less than 1000 meters. (yes, count the zeros) An FO can and does shift his fires several hundred meters if his target location is in error with no noticable delay from the FDC or guns. In CM this would mean that once an FO started adjusting he could shift effortlessly throughout the entire battlefield with no time penalties...realistic...very..but probably not good for our favorite game. Now he should be made to establish another call for fire after he has effectively neutralized his target to his satisfaction. In other words, if he hurts an infantry squad or HT taget he should have to end the mission and begin again for a new target. But for adjustment purposes, before the FFE goes in he should be able to literally adjust anywhere on the map with no time delay constraints except for the mission processing delay of the first adjustment round. I know this will cause some a fit...but it's realistic. Out here...

BH, I agree that in combat there is much more confusion and many more things competing for the observers attention. Yet being able to spot his own round is fairly easy as he should know where to expect it and he can also request "splash" which is a five second "head's up" sent to him by the FDC specifically to help him spot his own round in all the clutter. As for fusing. The only other fuze that one might use that may reduce the spotting would be delay. .005 seconds after the round impacts. That forces the projectile under ground or causes it to ricochet if the surface if rock or concrete. Delay is usually used against troops with overhead cover or troops in a tree line in order to avoid tree bursts. It's also used to adjust fire in Danger Close situation (within 600M of friendlies.) For HE fuse quick (point detonating) is standard for adjust and in effect. I still maintain that at the ranges used most often for CM battles it would be hard to find an obstruction that would totally block the smoke from a normal HE round. As a sidelight to your other point about lots of smoke and dust being kicked up..this is not modeled in CM at all. After about four rounds of HE in any one area LOS through that area would be completely obscured until the smoke cleared. The more volleys fired over several minutes and you would have a complete LOS obstruction that would persist for several minutes after the last volley was fired. AS far as I know the lazy W pattern was what was used by the Americans during WWII. It was called a parallel sheaf. Today we use a circular sheaf with 100M radius generated by the FDC's computer. Hope that adds something to the discussion. Out here....

Great article IntelWeenie, thanks!