Realistic Artillery Management - FOO Rule

[Narwan]

Hi Chris,

no slamming intended from my side. It's just that I don't agree that the rule makes the game as a whole more realistic (which is a view I gathered at least some people here have of it). It only adresses a single issue and created new ones. I don't think it's better (or worse), just a different sort of unrealism.

I have a very simple solution, as simple as it gets. Plotting rule: "A unit can plot one arty mission".

That's it. No specification of FO's, A0, company commanders or whatever. Every unit that should be able to plot a misison still can but no more than 1. A0's and other non FO's are already handicapped by a longer delay, less ability to shift and a higher chance of fire drifting so it's not as if they'll all suddenly turn into FO's.
There's off course the problem of what an 'arty mission' is but why solve that now? Since players have to agree before a game whether to use the rule or not let them decide at that point what they want to define as a mission. Prepare some options they can choose from if you like. Those can include the 'only plot for subordinate units' and the 'a mission includes subsequent adjusting/continuation of fire', etc.

If your worry is policing the rule than it's simple too, don't use any. If you feel you can't trust your opponent on it why bother at all?

Narwan