The Commander Series Forum

A question on the indirect fire LOS portion of infantry support fire (mortars, guns, art. support units on-board). I'm pondering a situation that hasn't come up yet but I could see it happening in the future. Hopefully I haven't muddied this up too much.

1- Do the spotting unit, the HQ that's w/i 20cm, and the firing support unit all have to be in the same formation(the HQ w/i 20cm is the command for the spotter & gun) and is that flexible due to doctrine (ie, flexible doctrine HQ could command any units to make this group, while rigid would have to have the firing unit and spotter, assume an inf unit, under the same HQ). End result: could a unit not under in the same formation as the HQ and gun be the spotter for inf support indirect fire?

2- If any unit under that HQ in #1 would incur a command distance modifier, it affects the entire attempt (command roll)?

example:

enemy infantry
(say 30cm distance, all open terrain)
friendly infantry A
(20cm distance)
friendly HQ (formation commander of both A and B)
(45 cm distance)
friendly infantry gun B

1. No, they don't have to belong to the same formation

2. Yes

Assuming that the spotter unit is not in the same formation, I'm believing the HQ/inf support gun would be the activating unit? The spotting unit would just "be there"? Would there be any penalty to the spotter unit?

Ah, the spotter and the HQ have to be in the same formation, but the guns/mortars can be elsewhere.

Ah ok. The guns then just wouldn't be able to activate later in the player's turn(say if one gun of a 4 gun formation) was to fire? Any other penalties to the firing gun or it's formation?

I may be missing something simple but I'm getting thrown off by the outside unit (the gun if the HQ and spotter are in same formation but gun isn't). It looks like guns are assigned to formations so I don't believe it would be a "who controls the reece" situation.

1 - is the question of what formation the inf support unit & spotter in a matter of doctrine (same formation for rigid, any for flexible, take the -1 for normal)?

2 - Are the support units really assigned to formations or in a "pool" where anyone could grab them and pay distance penalties?