Reuqirements on spotters for arty

[Sgt Joch]

the issue with the spotting rounds should be fixed in the next patch.

the way artillery worked in CMSF and should work in CMBN is:

1. spotter calls in strike, gets an estimated time (say 4 minutes);

2. spotter can move. I do it sometimes to get a better view:

3. spotting round lands, spotter calls correcting fire until spotting rounds are on target;

4. at this point, spotter calls Fire For Effect and strike is on its way.

In CMBN, for some reason, the spotter will sometimes call in FFE even if the spotting round is off target or he has no LOS to it. This is not an issue in CMSF. This will be fixed.

If the spotter cannot complete #3, say he has no LOS to the spotting round, is dead, suppressed, etc., #4 should not happen.

If the spotter has called FFE (#4), the strike is on its way even if the spotter loses LOS, is killed, suppressed, etc.

After #1, the process is automatic and requires no player input, "adjust" should only be used if you want to change the mission.

[MOSwas71331]

My US mortars have sufficient range to hit anything on the map. However, they can only see into the next field. They don't have radios, so the best I can do is to place a radio equipped platoon leader near them and then move another leader with a radio to some place where he can see a German target. I can only hope leader 2 can pass firing instructions to leader 1 who can then yell them to the mortar crews. Whenever I move US troops to positions where they can be seen, they quickly get shot up, usually (but not always) taking out a few Germans at the same time. In my half dozen attempts to play the demo, I've "ceased fire" in frustration after seven or eight minutes of losing men and getting only fleeting glimpses of German units.

Can leader 2 pass firing instructions by radio to leader 1 to control the mortars near leader 1? [i've never been able to move leader 2 to a place from which he might see a German unit, so I don't know whether this will work. As I recall, similar actions worked in CMBO-CMBB-CMAK.]

Is there some other way to control mortar fire?

I've seen posts describing how to beat the demo scenario, and they make it sound easy. As I recall, one guy claimed he lost about a dozen men and eliminated around a hundred Germans without using any of his Shermans. Well my best result was getting six men (of twelve) from one squad into the trees past a hedgerow, and the Germans knocked out both of the two Shermans providing the smoke the men were using for cover. With the squad's survivors all cowering, I ceased fire to avoid their inevitable death or capture.

[GreenAsJade]

Bloody great news, great input! Thanks Sgt Joch!

When it's working like this it will really really feel _right_ !!

[DavidFields]

My understanding was that "adjust fire" resulted in an entirely new fire mission, not a correction of an existing one. Correct or not?

[bTW, Courage and Fortitude Campaign gives one a lot of artillery experience, if you have not already done it]