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Indirect Fire Considerations
On page 205 of v2.2 the indirect fire rules state that to call for fire the FO (Forward Observer) and the firer must be in radio communications. Another real world consideration is that the firer must no the location of the FO or of the target.
The target has to be either a preplanned target or a target of opportunity the FO is calling in referring to another known point so the firer knows where to send the rounds. This requires some kind of reference system. The most common is a map. The FO relates the coordinates to a point on the map or to a preplanned target reference number of some sort. The firer would then know nearly the exact azimuth (bearing), range and elevation of the target. Yes artillery and off shore bombardment is 3D.
For off shore fire support or bombardment a further requirements is present. The need to know where the gun actually is. A ship is a moving battery. Even self propelled artillery does not fire while moving. A ship has to. Even a ship at anchor can swing on it’s chain hundreds of feet. That kind of error can be disastrous if not corrected for.
So a ship needs accurate navigation to correct for it’s movement. During daylight this most easily accomplished by visual navigation. Taking visual bearings to known and fixed points and crossing them to determine your location. This would be done even if anchored to determine if the anchor as holding and the ship wasn’t being dragged by the current.
In bad weather or obscured visibility radar navigation with the surface search or navigation radar. Ranges to prominent points off land and structures very near shore are crossed to determine your location.
The same kind sometimes be done with fire control radar’s (FC). A Bearing and range to a known point is taken. FC is not always accurate due to frequency variables, angles on the objects surface, make up of the object (materials) and weather.
The obvious choice is all three simultaneously and compared.Ships can also offer direct fire support if the target can be seen. It can be fired upon visually or have FC lock on to it, at which point visibility doesn’t matter. The lock on will be maintained as long as there are no structures between the ship and the target.
Ships in direct fire should be;
FC: +1 (either digital or analog computer*)
Stabilization: good. (unless ship stabilization is broken and weather is bad)A maintenance roll should be made prior to the fire mission. The second maintenance number is for the ammo loading system (hoists and elevators for shells and powder casings) it also should be rolled prior to the fire mission. A failure of the first number indicates main gun failure the second check means the ammo will have to be brought up by hand and will expose the round and the carrier to hostile fire around the mount.
3” (76mm)x50cal maint: 12 (mk33) +4
5”(127mm)x38cal maint: 12 (mk38) +12
5”(127mm)x54cal maint: 12 (mk42) +12
5”(127mm)x54cal maint: 10 (mk45) +10 (note- no fire is allowed if hoist is broken.)
16”(406mm)x50cal maint: 12 per barrel + 12 per barrel (note- no fire is allowed if hoist is broken.)*An analog computer uses gears and servos to calculate data not logic circuits.
