Rules Question

[Schwerpunkt75]

Gentlemen,

1) What is the rule re: unobserved indirect fire? How is the attack strength for unobserved fire missions changed compared to observed fire?

2) If an indirect fire mission is plotted on an unobserved hex, but drifts onto a hex that is observed, will the attack strength be as for an observed fire mission, or an unobserved fire mission?

3) I suspect I already know the answer to this question, but does the direct fire target density rule apply to indirect fire missions?

Schwerpunkt75

#1:

From Manual, section 5.15, Indirect Fire (page 48 of the 2.01 Manual):

Indirect Fire Density –: In addition to the normal modifiers (see Combat Results), in an Indirect Fire attack (only), each target unit's Strength Points are multiplied by the applicable nominal Attack Strength and the result is then divided by 6 to find the effective Attack Strength vs. that unit. (In other words, effective Attack Strength = [nominal Attack Strength * SP#] / 6)

Example: A 6 Strength Point target will have the nominal Attack Strength applied to it. A target unit of 2 Strength Points will have 2/6 (1/3) of the Attack Strength applied to it. The rationale for this calculation is that the Indirect Fire results against a single target unit of, say, 4 Strength Points should be the same as the total Indirect Fire results against two target units of 2 Strength Points in the same hex. The calculation will apply the indirect Fire Attack Strength against target units proportional to their Strength Points, thus resulting in a total combat result comparable to firing at a single unit of the same total strength.

#2: They are the same.

#3: See #1.

Hope this helped!

Kat,

I appreciate the effort, but you misunderstood my question. Indirect fire strikes that aren't observed are weaker in terms of attack factors than those that are observed. I thought I could remember reading a rule re: unobserved IDF missions, but could not find it again. Wrt Question #2, still not answered. Wrt Question #3, got it.