INDIRECT AREA FIRE

Indirect Area Fire is carried out by artillery, including rockets and larger mortars, where the target is out of sight of the battery and fire is either controlled by an observer or is programmed.

Interdictive fire
This type of pre-planned fire is used to disrupt enemy lines of advance or retreat, supply or communication. It must be plotted before the game commences and each battery may have only one interdictive fire point.

Which batteries may use interdictive fire are shown on the Programmed Fire Table 6.7.4. Defensive batteries able to use defensive fire may carry out interdictive fire whenever they are not called upon to carry out any other fire.

Attack or Encounter game batteries may only fire the number of bounds listed. These need not be continuous but once the programme has been cancelled it may not be restarted.

Interdictive fire may not be carried out by rocket batteries.

Interdictive fire is subject to a negative FN modifier depending on the firing weapons’ calibre.

This is allowed only to defending units in an attack/defence game and is used to provide an instant barrage of fire in support of a defending unit.

DF may be called down by a FOO attached to that battery or the unit is given orders to support and arrives in the same period that it is requested.

It may be called down by the observer if an enemy unit is seen moving within 250m of the fire point or if fire is coming from within 100m of the fire point.

The levels of batteries able to carry out DF missions and the number of fire points allowed are given in table 6.7.4. These missions must be planned before the game starts and their exact position shown on a map.

Tripod mounted SFMGs, HMGs or cannon used in defence or deliberate attacks may be used as area fire weapons, covering the same area as aircraft-fired MGs for a section of 4-6 MGs, half this in width if 2-3 guns. The long axis of the pattern follows the line of fire in each case.
Deviation is as for artillery but with the distance from the point of aim halved before being modified. Fire may be adjusted as normal if the section can see the target or if observed by friends on the same net. Such fire can be planned as programmed, DF, reactive or interdictive fire.

FN used is as on the artillery data tables, not the infantry table. MMGs have a FN of 4 for barrage fire. Ranges are double those given in the artillery data charts for HMG and cannon, as for direct area fire for MMGs.

This is the most usual form of fire mission. It is requested by a FOO or command element, with its delay before arrival depending on its level of control and who is requesting it, as listed in the artillery orders section 6.5.

Opportunity fire may be brought down on an acquired target, or if it is moving a point on its estimated line of advance within 250m of its current location.

If, when the fire is to arrive, the target is not within 100m of this point the battery will only fire for one period using the interdictive fire modifier. This prevents such ‘reasons’ being used for calling fire onto otherwise ineligible targets at full effect, while tying the battery to completing the mission.

All programmed fire must be pre-planned before the game.

A battery’s programmed fire may be cancelled at any time but, if so, it may not be restarted.

Counter-battery fire is carried out by batteries designated for it, which may not carry out any other missions, or by other batteries in the form of opportunity fire against spotted enemy batteries. Dedicated CB batteries are fully supported by locating equipment, usually sound and flash ranging, although a British counter-mortar radar was deployed by the end of the war, which may be used against mortar and rocket batteries only.

The fire is centred on the middle of a deployed battery, from which any deviation is calculated.

Counter-Battery Fire Table

Battery equipped	Range to target in km
	0-3	3-5	6-15	15-30	30+
Sound and flash ranging	7	7	8	9	10
Counter-mortar radar	5	5	6	-	-
Mk I eyeball + binos	9	10	-	-	-

Die roll modifiers
+1 Each period of fire from target battery, maximum +5
+2 Rockets firing
-1 Mortars firing (not CMR); target battery dug in or camouflaged

Long term artillery plans can be used by all supporting artillery, using the interdictive rate modifier and ammunition of a HE nature appropriate to any known targets, otherwise GBHE only.

Usually batteries will fire on several targets each in order to cover a large area. Calculate the effect on each target according to the amount of time divided by the number of locations fired at.

Use the column for the resulting FN and find the percentage chance of each result listed for each target covered. Multiply this by the number of periods the fire lasts for and test for each element using 2D%.

Artillery firing long term barrages are subject to location and counter-battery fire as usual. Any moves made to avoid such fire will deduct from the time that the barrage is effective. Counter-battery fire over long periods can use the same calculation as above
for effect.

Artillery under the same command as direction-finding units may be bought as for counter-battery units, firing immediately on any RDF located target only.

Artillery up to 10” or 245mm calibre may fire at a rapid rate during the first period of a fire mission provided they have not fired for at least two periods previously and the mission is registered or has been adjusted onto the target. This modifies the FN by +50% during that period. Planned preparatory fire may be ordered to end with a period of burst fire.

Burst fire uses a great deal more ammunition than fire at the regular rate, so see Section 23 on ammunition depletion.

The beaten zones for a artillery batteries are as shown on the table below, 13.11.5. These are for open and converged patterns for a battery of 3-5 or 6-8 pieces.

The beaten zone for rockets is for up to 4 launchers; for each pair of additional launchers increase the width by 50mm.

Programmed and defensive fire may also use linear concentrations. These are half the depth and twice the width of that given for the size of battery and may be aligned in any direction. The position and direction must be marked on the player’s map.

Linear concentrations will follow ground features - roads, crests, wood lines - or compass bearings as ordered. Batteries may use them for other than programmed or defensive fire but their delay in arrival is increased by 100%They must be controlled by an FOO.

Battery fire zones

	Open sheaf		Converged sheaf
Howitzers and mortars	Width mm	Depth mm	Width mm	Depth mm
Up to 90mm	60/65	50/65	25/25	50/50
Up to 125mm	75/100	50/65	40/40	50/50
Up to 160mm	125/150	50/65	50/50	50/50
Over 160mm	190/210	50/65	75/75	50/50
Guns
Up to 90mm	55/60	70/90	25/25	65/65
Up to 125mm	70/90	70/90	40/40	65/65
Up to 160mm	125/150	75/90	50/50	65/65
Over 160mm	150/175	75/90	60/75	75/75
Rockets	150	75	-	-

#/# = 3-5 guns/6-8 guns
See 24.2.7 for details of ready-made pattern overlays available

Regular pattern: width is increased from the open pattern by 50% and FN is –25%.

Parallel pattern: width and depth are the same as the battery deployment. FN is adjusted by the same percentage of change from the area for an open pattern.
E.g. 6x122mm howitzers are deployed in an area 100mm by 75mm. This is 11% wider and 25% deeper than their open pattern, so their FN is reduced by (11+25)/2
= 36/2
= 18%, or –2 from a FN of 12.

Converged patterns give FNs of x2 if up to 4 weapons, x2.5 if 5 or 6, x2.75 if 7 or 8. There is a delay of +2 periods
before fire falls on the target.

An alternative to using effective and maximum range FNs.
Gun and rocket batteries firing at over two thirds their maximum range have –1 deviation, increased zones and decreased effect at a rate of one step for every third of the long range bracket (or ninth of their overall range).
For mortars, the differences are applied to each half of the long-range bracket, or one sixth of their overall range. These ranges are listed on the national weapon sheets.
The standard Firefly reductions in FN for long range are still listed if this simple method is preferred.

The increase in area of the fire pattern is to the next size up on the template. Zones greater than that for ordnance over 160mm are 25mm wider and 5mm deeper per step.

E.g. a Hummel (150mmL30, FN 15, max range 13000, so 2/3 = 8667) firing at 11500m is just within the ‘FN-2) bracket (10111m to 11555m). The deviation is subject to –2, the pattern used is 2 sizes larger than normal, making it 250mm x 150mm, and the FN is – 2 = 13.

Observation and requests for artillery fire support are made during phase 5.1.2 and must follow the format given under section 6.8 Fire Missions.

Unless carrying out pre-planned fire, a battery will only have one fire mission at a time. While a further mission can be requested of a battery, it will finish its current mission before starting a new one. The exception to this is defensive fire, which if requested will cancel the battery’s current mission.

While a battery may only receive one request for a fire mission per period, an observer may request the same mission from a number of batteries in the same period, providing he is netted in to them. See 6.5.

Other liable targets.
Opportunity fire missions may be brought down upon a map feature or point other than on an acquired enemy under the following circumstances:
Enemy elements have been acquired within 250m of the feature.
Friends within 1000m are advancing with the feature as an objective, will pass within 500m of the feature or their objective is within 500m of it.
Friends visible within 500m (1000m if advancing) are receiving fire from the feature.

If the fire continues for more than one period then any vehicle that moved through the fire in the previous period must also be tested. This allows the attacker, if he has read his artillery missions correctly, to call down fire on an enemy position for a number of periods and then attack it while the defenders are still suffering from the bombardment. The enemy is unsure when the bombardment will end and when it will be safe to send reinforcements in, etc.

If more than one battery is firing at the same point, each is assessed separately for deviation and fire effect.

Roll two differentiated D10, one for left-right, one for over-under. The deviation grid (right) and modifiers below are consulted to give the point of fall of shot.

Using the grid.
The numbers to the left and bottom of the grid are the dice scores, those to the top and right are distance in cm from the point of aim at X.

Results.
Positive modifiers bring the fall of shot nearer to the point of aim by one step per point. Negative modifiers move it away from the POA in the same manner. Movement is horizontal or vertical such that the points move closer or further with each step, never diagonal. If the sum of modifiers is negative the fall of shot will be further from the POA than the dice showed, but no further than the edge of this grid.

If the remaining deviation is an odd number of steps from "X", errors up or down count more than left or right.

-2
-1
-2
+/-1
+2
-2
-1

Battery

-2
+2
+/-1
+2
-4
+2
-1
-2
-1

Observers calling for artillery fire must use ranging shots to adjust fire before asking the battery to use burst or effective fire, unless fire is counter-battery, DF, pre-programmed or artillery is FOO dedicated. Each shot is adjusted as for normal artillery fire but will only affect any element directly hit. Periods of ranging shots do not count against ammunition expenditure (Section 23) or ability to use burst fire (13.10). Such fire must be observed by the FOO or command element remaining in sight and doing nothing else.

If fire is unobserved, one error is calculated when fire is opened and the barrage lands where indicated.

The die roll modifiers are cumulative. E.g. if the fire is FOO observed, DF, for the second period, then the DRM is +6.

Fire adjustment and creeping barrages. Observers may move the point of aim to follow a target or hit otherwise uncovered areas in bounds of 400m, in any direction, per period. After moving, each adjusted fire point is checked for deviation with modifiers for the number of periods fired in the current mission at previous point(s) of aim.

The minimum and maximum ranges of mortars and rockets are given in the artillery data charts. Neither of these has any dead ground behind a hill crest.

The minimum indirect fir range for other weapons is 1000m. The dead ground is 250m per contour for guns, 175m per contour for gun-howitzers, 100m per contour for howitzers and zero for mortars.

E.g. if a gun battery is firing over a four-contour hill, the minimum distance for the fire point beyond the rear top contour is 1000m. If a battery is firing at the crest of a hill, then a deviation of ‘over’ would become the minimum dead ground range or the deviation range, whichever is greater. For a battery that drops short behind a hill into dead ground, the deviation becomes the near edge of dead ground or the deviation, whichever is shorter.

Note: if a weapon has no direct fire number then it may not fire direct. If it has no indirect fire number then it may only fire direct, not indirect.

This is the area in which it is physically impossible for artillery rounds to land. Therefore, if the point of aim is on or near a hill crest the area affected by GBHE may be split, part on top of the hill and the balance at the extent of the dead ground for the weapon type. Hull-down vehicles or other elements using the top contour to count as in cover are not in dead ground but suffer the effect of the artillery fire.

Airburst patterns are not split but are moved to the nearest edge of the dead ground if the POA falls within it. Targets within what would be dead ground for GBHE are subject to half the FN.

To resolve indirect area fire, take the appropriate fire number (FN) from the artillery data charts. The Effective FN is used if the range from the battery is up to two-thirds of its maximum range (halved if firing WP), otherwise the maximum range value is used. The direct FN is used for firing at a target in sight of the battery or if using a converged pattern.

Larger zones and smaller FNs can be calculated at long range, see 13.12.4. Note also the minimum ranges and dead ground applicable.

The FN is modified by the appropriate column modifiers and the column arrived at is used on the Area Fire Table 13.21. 1D20 is used to test each element in the fire zone.

E.g. a platoon of Italian infantry supported by three M13/40 tanks is caught in the fire zone of an 8-gun 25-pounder battery at a range of 7000m. This is inside effective range and the 25-pounders FN is 9, modified for both target types to 10 as they are moving. The 10 column on the Area Fire Table is consulted and 1D20 rolled for each element.

The results of indirect fire on infantry elements are as in section 12.5.

The results of hits on vehicles and heavy weapons are as in section 12.6, except the caveat about being knocked out within 50m does not apply.

The results of indirect area fire on AFVs are as follows

An AFV that is neutralised may be disabled. Deduct the vehicle’s rear armour from half the weapon’s unmodified effective fire number (rounded down): this number or less must be rolled on 1D10.

E.g. in the example above, 13.19.4, a DS result occurs on a roll of 19 or 20. The rear armour of an M13/40 is 1; half the 25-pounders’ FN is 4, so 3 or less on a D10 disables the M13/40.

Die roll

Fire Number

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

1

S

S

S

2

S

S

S

S

3

S

S

S

S

S

4

S

S

S

S

S

S

5

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

6

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

D

7

S

S

S

S

S

S

D

D

D

8

S

S

S

S

S

S

D

D

D

D

9

S

S

S

S

S

S

D

D

D

D

D

10

S

S

S

S

S

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

11

S

S

S

S

S

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

PD

12

S

S

S

S

S

D

D

D

D

D

D

PD

PD

PD

13

S

S

S

S

S

D

D

D

D

D

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

14

S

S

S

S

D

D

D

D

D

D

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

15

S

S

S

D

D

D

D

D

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

16

S

S

S

D

D

D

D

D

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

DS

17

S

S

D

D

D

D

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

18

S

S

D

D

D

D

PD

PD

PD

PD

PD

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

19

S

D

D

PD

PD

PD

PD

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

20

D

D

PD

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

DS

Area fire modifiers

	Type of fire
	Indirect fire	Infantry fire	Direct fire
+2	Target is SSV Each additional battery firing	Target is open-topped AFV within 50m (100m if rifle grenades)
+1	Target moving (not crawling) Target open-topped AFV or heavy weapon ABHE at soft target in the open	Target is moving infantry (not crawling) or animals Firer stationary last movement phase Target is SSV	Target is SSV Target moving (not crawling) Target is heavy weapon
+1	FN in excess of 20, per column right of 20
-1	ABHE at infantry in light cover GBHE in mud or soft sand	Firing mounted Firing at night Up to 100m at infantry in body armour	Per 500m of range over 500m Also firing auxiliary weapon, per weapon Target on mud or soft sand
-2	GBHE target in light cover Firer moved last movement phase ABHE at infantry in medium cover Target is dispersed infantry	Target in light cover Firer suppressed Firing ATK weapon this phase Over 100m at infantry in body armour	Target in light cover Target is dispersed infantry Firing on the move Firing at night
-3	GBHE target in medium cover
-4	Interdictive fire up 10 170mm in calibre	Target in medium cover Firer is dispersed	Target in medium cover
-5	GBHE target in heavy cover ABHE at armour-topped AFV	Target in heavy cover
-6	Interdictive fire 170mm calibre or more		Target in heavy cover

ABHE modifiers are doubled if firing WP.

Deductions for LAW in small sections
If using small arms FN by section size (see 12.3.1), the deductions for firing ATK, LAW, etc. is 40% per two-man crewed weapon.

GBHE fired into trees, which cause some of it to explode before reaching the ground, will have the effect of being half ABHE. This is also effective for GBHE landing on buildings against troops in the pattern but otherwise in the open.

Light cover applies as follows:
(a) Stationary infantry and heavy weapons using natural cover such as hedges, ditches, woods and shell scrapes
(b) Moving infantry in dense woods, bocage or BUA
(c) Artillery fire against vehicles in BUA

Medium cover
(a) Infantry and heavy weapons occupying field defences
(b) Stationary infantry and heavy weapons in BUA
(c) Dug-in vehicles

Heavy cover
Infantry and heavy weapons occupying concrete buildings, pillboxes and other permanent defences with overhead protection.

Infantry fire has no effect on cover, other than possibly setting it alight.

Artillery fire has no effect on light or medium cover within the length of the game (shell holes and rubble are just as good cover), except that the elevation advantage of built up areas is reduced by one for each two periods of fire by weapons up to 125mm, or by one level each period for larger weapons. Also, roads within and adjacent to BUA are destroyed, treat them as BUA, after two or one periods respectively. Roads in the open are destroyed after 3 periods of fire up to 125mm, or two periods if larger. Interdictive fire triples these times.

Concrete buildings and defences are treated as armoured targets and should be given an armour value (treating 150mm as 1). They are tested for each area capable of holding one infantry section. Direct fire may be used against them and they should therefore by given a size by comparison to AFVs of similar dimensions.

Combustible cover, such as buildings, parched wood or foliage, will be set alight by GBHE on a 5% chance, WP shells at 50%, by flamethrowers or incendiaries or arsonists at 75%. If troops remain in burning cover they will suffer as for area fire with a FN of 2, plus 2 per period.

A fire will increase in intensity at a FN of 1 per period until it reaches 10 and then burn out by decreasing at the same rate, unless extinguished by a fire fighting section exceeding the current FN on a D10. Burnt out cover will be reduced in its effect by one category: medium cover becoming light and light becoming none. Fires spread at 2cm per period downwind into combustible areas, or 1cm in all directions if there is no wind. For smoke from such fires see 14.6.

Artillery concrete piercing or AP rounds treat heavy cover as medium and medium cover as light. Buildings, bridges and defences may therefore be reduced by artillery firing these rounds with a PD or DS result.

Canister can be used to clear dense undergrowth or to thin hedges, reducing their effects on visibility and movement. The FN for the canister round is used against a 25m frontage of cover using the area fire table 13.21. Any result of 'S' or better reduces the cover from summer or tropical levels to that of bare woods. Hedges and other light obstacles are reduced to half the movement penalty to cross.

Guns on land, naval or railway mountings of large calibres fire at so slow a rate that individual shells are calculated for separately regarding errors and effects.

ROF in this case is the number of shells per period for naval guns. Land mounted guns have this number halved (rounded down, so one every two periods for 18” or larger). Any target model completely within the burst circle but not apparently hit directly by a shell suffers from half the given FN.

Gun characteristics

Gun size up to		FN	Max Range	ROF	Burst radius
9.2"	235mm	12	19000	5	4cm
9.4"	240mm	13	18000	5	4.5cm
10"	255mm	14	16000	5	5cm
11"	280mm	15	21000	4	5.5cm
12"	305mm	16	20000	4	6cm
12.6"	320mm	16	22000	4	6cm
13.5"	345mm	17	24000	3	6.5cm
14"	355mm	18	26000	3	7cm
15"	380mm	19	28000	2	7.5cm
16"	410mm	20	30000	2	8cm
18"	460mm	22	44000	1	9cm

Special artillery of this type will require specialist FOOs, such as naval liaison officers.
These guns can be used only as FOO on call, pre-programmed or counter-battery.

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