Air and Artillery by the Map Optional Rule for D85

[timshin42]

Real world: "on January 15, 1945, in the VIII CORPS area of operations, the 1st BN of the 358th INF, 90th INF DIV makes a forced march into 6th ARM DIV sector to attack Niederwampach...... and gains town after artillery barrage by 14 (thats fourteen :eek1:) artillery battalions". U.S. Army in WWII,Special Studies, Chronology 1941 - 1945.

Now the fire support coordination of the fires of 14 FA batallions on a single target or group of targets requires a complex artillery chain of command and communications capability, which demonstrably existed in 1945. presumably among FA battalions of the 6th ARM DIVARTY, the 90th INF DIVARTY, VIII CORPS ARTY and other DIVARTYs and Artillery with the Corps. (there are 3 to 5 FA batallions in a DIVARTY and usually 2 to 4 FA battalions in a CORPS ARTY group). :soap:

So (game world) that FA operation would have been impossible without "indirect fire by the map" as the 1st of the 358 INF would have been unable to call in fires from any FA unit other than those (3 to 5) of the 90th INF DIV. What might have happened at Niederwampach? :conf:

Of course the option may be abused in a "gamey" way. Many other rules, including default, can be used in a "gamey" way by those clever fellows who play that way. Obviously you can play any rules an opponent will agree to. I prefer to play a scenario where any FA unit can fire on any target within range. That reflects the actual capabilities of the Direct Support and General Support type artillery units of my real world experience during the '60s and '70s. I have given an example of that capability existing in the U.S. Army of January 1945.

Generally I don't play that rule as most opponents don't care for it. Perhaps they prefer to get 2 shots instead of one, or perhaps they prefer to pick the precise unit target. If an opponent feels strongly about a rule, I'll let them have it.

Of course the best of all possible artillery game worlds would be the capability to turn the rule on or off during a game.:whis:

Getting too wordy! Will discuss artillery unit missions further only if the discussion warrants it.