The Commander Series Forum

A recent game led to some discussions about how on-board artillery worked, triggered in part by the feeling that they were way too powerful. Can I check I've got this right?

a)HQ units can't spot for on-board artillery units.
b)The American Special rule "Close Artillery support" refers to acting as a FAO for off-board artillery and isn't an exception to the "HQs can't spot" rule
c)However any friendly unit within 20cm of a HQ may spot for an on-board artillery unit. When the HQ rolls for command the spotting unit need not be part of the group being given a command.
d)No command penalty applies for the distance between the HQ and the on-board artillery.
e) There is no LOS requirement for the (Spotter-HQ) or the (HQ-Artillery) elements of the equation.
f) There is no requirement that the on-board artillery unit belong to the same formation as the spotting unit or the HQ even when the army has a rigid doctrine.
g)Can a HQ issue orders to units close to him and to distant on-board artillery units using the same command roll or do they have to be separate rolls?
h) On-board artillery uses AT values when firing directly at armoured targets or indirectly at fully armoured targets but otherwise,including when shooting at open vehicles, uses AP values.

Any clarifications appreciated.

Most of your questions can be dealt with if you remember that the rules state that artillery support units should be treated exactly the same way as infantry guns on page 24.
a) HQs cannot spot but friendly units within 20cm of the command unit can.
b) The close artillery support relates to on table command units (CO or HQ) using the CV of an FAO on the army list to call in artillery support and can therefore only be used with off table artillery. The LOS is measured from any unsuppressed friendly unit within 20cm of the command unit.
c) Correct although the command unit could be the CO or a HQ.
d) Correct.
e) There is no requirement for a LOS to exist between the spotter and command unit, or for a LOS between the command unit and the IG/mortar/artillery support unit.
f) I believe you are correct.
g) One command roll can be used to order normal units to move/fire or deploy. The same command roll can be used to fire IG/mortars/artillery support units at the same time. If IG/mortars/artillery support units are ordered to move then the distance between them and the command unit is important for the command modifier.
h) On table artillery only uses AT values when firing directly at an armoured target. The AP values are used at all other times incluing firing indirectly at armoured targets. IGs have a minimum range of 30cm when using direct fire.

Hope that helps.

g)I think that the distance between command and mortars/IG/Art. Supp. never modifiers the command value.

Leonardo, thanks for pointing out that distance between mortars/IGs and the command unit does not affect the command roll even for movement.
That's another change from BKC that I hadn't noticed although I noted that mortars now need a deploy order between moving and firing and between firing and moving.

Thanks for the feedback. It's good to know that we were playing most things correctly but leaves me with the feeling that on-board artillery is very powerful.

Easy solutions:
a) Allowing no-more than a third of purchased Divisional artillery units to be deployed on baord.
b) Restricting Regimental Infantry guns and heavy mortars etc to real world TOEs.
c) Not allowing the concentration of Battalion level mortars- so each mortar unit must be attached to a particular Battalion and can only be commanded by the Battalion's HQ.

Harrydog,

Remember that there are different statlines for onboard artillery, and some armies/lists do not allow artillery to be onboard.

Offboard artllery uses templates, onboard does not.

I wholeheartley agree with your 'c' point. This is especially pertinent to the Germans, who can mass mortar fire to pick of unit after enemy unit in short order. Even light/open topped armour can be rapidly disposed of, much more easily than using AT fire!

Steve

RE: c)However any friendly unit within 20cm of a HQ may spot for an on-board artillery unit. When the HQ rolls for command the spotting unit need not be part of the group being given a command.

So as long as any unit is 20cm from the HQ and can see an enemy unit there is a spotter? I'm guessing there's no restriction if the spotter was already activated or not since it's "being there spotting" as opposed to active FAO spotting?