poesel Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Why are smoke rounds used for spotting? The number of smoke rounds is usually quite limited so using them for spotting instead of normal rounds seems wasteful. Or is the trajectory of smoke so much different that it has to be the real thing? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 ISTR that back in the days of Squad Leader arty fired smoke rounds for spotting as a normal procedure even when the FFE was HE. I assumed the rationale was that a smoke round would still be visible even if the spotter had his head down when it hit. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poesel Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 So why do we then have such a limited amount of smoke rounds? In the context of CM using them for spotting is a waste. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 TBH, I've never seen a smoke round used for spotting except when I had ordered a smoke mission. And yes, the trajectory might be enough different (due to differences in shell weight) that the kind used in the mission would also be the kind used for spotting. I'm not sure how accurate a smoke mission needs to be though. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poesel Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 And yes, the trajectory might be enough different (due to differences in shell weight) that the kind used in the mission would also be the kind used for spotting. I'm not sure how accurate a smoke mission needs to be though. Now you are contradicting yourself. If smoke rounds were used for spotting for 'normal' rounds then the other way round has to work, too. Accuracy may or may not be needed. But if you want a smoke screen between you and that enemy position and it falls behind him then - not so good. Also if you have only 8 rounds and two are used for spotting then these six rounds are all you have. Doesn't cover much so some accuracy would be nice. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Just curious if there existed special "less lethal" rounds for spotting - just in case it landed on friendlies(?) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holman Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Just curious if there existed special "less lethal" rounds for spotting - just in case it landed on friendlies(?) In my CM experience, No. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Just curious if there existed special "less lethal" rounds for spotting - just in case it landed on friendlies(?) I was thinking just that, earlier. But for "pre-registering" targets (setting up a TRP). You wouldn't want to give the game away by peppering the area with various calibres of artillery... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultradave Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I was thinking just that, earlier. But for "pre-registering" targets (setting up a TRP). You wouldn't want to give the game away by peppering the area with various calibres of artillery... A TRP doesn't necessarily mean it was fired on (it can be and that would be more accurate but doesn't have to be). A registration corrects firing data for current conditions and is not necessarily fired on a spot that will be a TRP although by coincidence it can be. The firing battery conducts the registration and then sometime later (most likely) the FO and infantry/armor CO plan their fire support and designate TRPs. A TRP is a preplanned target that the firing battery has already computed firing data to and does not have to depend on an observer to provide a location for on the fly. The TRP can come from a map recon (road intersection for example). Then the unit on the ground can call for fire on the TRP when they need it. Saves time in the fire direction center as it's already plotted and calculated correctly. Just need to send the precomputed data to the guns. So you fire the registration mission on a well known point to improve firing accuracy, then can plot TRPs with a reasonable confidence that your rounds will actually hit where you thought they would. (speaking as an ex-arty officer of towed 105mm from before the days of computerized firing and GPS - back then we called it "charts and darts"). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Now you are contradicting yourself. If smoke rounds were used for spotting for 'normal' rounds then the other way round has to work, too. One might think so, but you are missing what I actually said. My initial post in this thread was a reminiscence of something in one game quite a few years ago and a meditation on what the possible rationale for that might have been. How things go down in CM and the rationale for that might be another matter entirely. And what actually happened in reality might be different from either of those. Now then, which would you like to discuss? I suspect that someone here might be able to satisfy you. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultradave Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Just to be clear, my post was definitely speaking of reality, just to give some background. Game concepts may vary :-) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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