Realistic Artillery Management - FOO Rule

[Narwan]

I've managed to keep quiet so far but I guess I'll throw in my objections to the FOO rule now.

As it currently stands the rule is a 'dumbed' down rule. That means its not realistic but a simplified version of 'reality'. That is also what the game itself does, it simplifies reality to manageable proportions. So the question is whether the dumbed down FOO rule is significantly less unrealistic than what's already in the game and if so, is it worth the extra hassle?
In my opinion it's roughly in the same ball park of unrealism. So I don't bother with it.

A couple of things should IMO always be possible: call arty with the A0; call arty with company commanders (and for some nations/years platoon commanders too); fire a battery in a "sheaf" (ie not all at the same hex but roughly the same area); use gold spots for quick response fire (in case you use a one mission per spotter rule that should be a second allowed). Try to see who gets to call what where is impossible considering rounds will drift and create 'odd' patterns for the one receiving the incoming. Way to much hassle to bother with policing.

The A0 should always be able to call arty for the very simple reason it represents the battallion staff. Seabolt very rightly pointed out that the game basically only shows the fighting elements of your forces and not the loads of support forces behind it who make it all possible. The batt HQ should be able to call down arty, it's one of their main jobs to determine who gets which support!
What also seems to be missed by everyone is types of fire missions. It seems there's only speak of missions against 'observed' targets. But what about interdiction fire missions? Counter battery fire missions? Area denial fire missions? All misisons where you're most likely not to have a LOS to. All there's needed is to give coordinates to an arty officer and tell him what to fire at it for how long. No adjusting by an observer etc and no FO needed. Typically a job for a battallion HQ flunky. Should be no problem giving orders for multiple missions of the kind in a single turn. The game deals with the ability of players to shift nonetheless by having the rounds scatter all over the place. Balances out just fine IMO.

Then there's the FO himself. He's expensive. Part of it is because he can do so much. Limit his abilities by extra rules and a price drop seems appropriate too.

There are certainly aspects that could be tweaked (and some likely will in upcoming versions of the game) but on the whole I just accept it as one of the many things unrealistic about the game.


Narwan