Two Artillery Spotter Questions

[Zitadelle]

I have two questions regarding options for using artillery spotters.

First, if an artillery spotter is command linked to a HQ unit (e.g. a burgundy line to a Company/Battalion HQ) that has a lightning strike symbol- for greater firepower, then does the incoming artillery get a firepower or accuracy bonus?

The second requires a little more background....

I know that I can use a platoon or company HQ to spot for onboard mortars that remain out of LOS from their target. That is a simple tactic.

OK, I am wondering if I can use the same logic for an artillery spotter. Can I keep an artillery spotter in one location and have him linked (again, burgundy line) to a HQ unit in another position that has an LOS to a target that I want the artillery spotter to accurately call in an artillery strike. Maybe, an example helps....

Here is the scenario: artillery spotter is currently calling fire into a location, and he is linked to a Company HQ. Company HQ is in LOS of a tempting target, but the artillery spotter cannot see same target (buildings block LOS). It would take 2 turns to move spotter to the LOS of other target. Can I keep the spotter where he is, and through the Company HQ get an LOS to call in accurate artillery support.

Thanks for the advice

[CombinedArms]

I'm afraid the answers are "No" and "No". Spotters don't gain firing effectivenss from HQ lightning. All an HQ can do is improve their individual stealth or morale (i.e. very limited effect.)

And you can't use an HQ to help an FO spot. It did happen in real life, but not in CM. I think they feel it would make arty spotting a bit too easy and low risk.

[Apache]

As above. In addition, AFAIK if the FO does not have LOS to the target (blue line) the time to round arriving is roughly double what you see in the countdown box (or to put it another way it takes 2 seconds for each second on the clock to tick away) which is doubtless included to ensure you have to put the FO at higher risk to to get a quick call-in.

[Silvio Manuel]

If your FO is in C-and-C of any HQ, the fire he calls in will be *slightly* more accurate than if not.

[MeatEtr]

what does AFAIK mean? never seen that one.

[Redwolf]

Originally posted by MeatEtr:

what does AFAIK mean? never seen that one.

"As far as I know". Look up google under "irc faq" for a dictionary.

I did not observe that the fire is more accurate under any HQ influence, BTW.

[wbs]

With respect to 'Combined Arms' Post above, it seems that if a FO gets SOME benefits of being in command (stealth and morale, in his example), he would get ALL of the benefits (i.e. enhanced firepower accuracy) if the HQ has those qualities.

I once had a veteran mortar unit doing an indirect fire mission. The unit was in command of an HQ with a +2 firepower (lightning bolt) rating. The mortar, on two consecutive turns, scored a direct hit on, and destroyed, a halftrack at 600 meters, and followed it up by scoring a direct hit on a Sherman and destroying it at a range of 450 meters. It was game, set, and match.

I believe that your artillery FO WOULD get the benefits of an HQ's firepower rating. BTS, would you care to comment?

[Redwolf]

Originally posted by wbs:

I once had a veteran mortar unit doing an indirect fire mission. The unit was in command of an HQ with a +2 firepower (lightning bolt) rating. The mortar, on two consecutive turns, scored a direct hit on, and destroyed, a halftrack at 600 meters, and followed it up by scoring a direct hit on a Sherman and destroying it at a range of 450 meters. It was game, set, and match.

I was talking about spotter teams for offmap arty. On-map mortars benitfit from the combat rating of a spotting (not only controlling, spotting) HQ in increased accuracy.

I believe that your artillery FO WOULD get the benefits of an HQ's firepower rating. BTS, would you care to comment?

I think if so I would have noted that in my arty testing. I am pretty sure the fall pattern of offboard arty is not influenced by controlling HQ's abilities.

[wbs]

Redwolf, I interpreted Zitadelle's post to mean off-board artillery FO's (and your post,too) and I realize that my example was perhaps a little off-target (pardon the pun) (-: It is my admittedly untested opinion that the command benefits accrue to both on-board and off-board artillery. This is based on nothing more than anecdotal observations. I have not done the testing that you have done, so I may be wrong.

I have wondered about the original question myself and would be interested to hear, from someone who has worked on creating the game and thus is in a position to say for sure, what the answer to this very good question is.

[ February 12, 2002, 05:33 PM: Message edited by: wbs ]

[Zitadelle]

First thanks for everyone's input. I am thinking that the consensus is that HQ bonuses do not apply to FO units. And, just to clarify, I was talking about off-board artillery FO units; I almost exclusively use on-board mortars under HQ control.

Now, all I need to do is wait for on-board Russian 120mm mortars!!!

[Goanna]

FO's have to do the spotting themselves and I believe this is consistent with real life in WWII from information in a previous thread by Steve (BTS)

For the other question, my experience through testing shows:

FO's make use of the morale bonus (heart) like regular troops.

FO's make use of the stealth bonus (question mark) like regular troops.

FO's get the benefit of the command bonus (silver star)by rounds arriving on target sooner.

FO's do not gain any benefit from accuracy due to the combat bonus (lightning bolt)