DS 2 A. 4 Fire Control versus DS 8 FC

[snrdg082102]

Morning all,

I've got a silly question after reading through Design Sequence 8.

Why isn't the need for a Fire Direction Center (FDC) mentioned in DS 2 A. 4?

I realize that the FDC shouldn't add to the weapons specifications for weight, volume, or price, however without, at least based on my understanding, a FDC there can be no indirect fire mission made by the gun.

 

[Timerover51]

You are correct, without a fire direct center, and some from of forward observation or aerial observation, you cannot conduct accurate indirect fire. You can, of course, simply fire away based on map calculations, and pray that your rounds hit something meaningful, and not your own side.

Chalk that one up to GDW's sloppy editing.

 

[shield]

Tom

I think its probably because you can link multiple guns to 1 FDC to run the artillery barrage. TL of the FDC defines how many independent artillery missions you can run at the same time.

Basically you get several guns linked via a FDC to drop shells onto a single designated target

 

[snrdg082102]

Morning timerover51

You are correct, without a fire direct center, and some from of forward observation or aerial observation, you cannot conduct accurate indirect fire. You can, of course, simply fire away based on map calculations, and pray that your rounds hit something meaningful, and not your own side.

Thanks for confirming that my thought on indirect fire missions is on the right track.

The odds of friendly fire incidents are not eliminated by have a FCD and/or direct observation of the target area they better the odds that the rounds hit the other sides personnel.

Chalk that one up to GDW's sloppy editing.

Editing may not be the reason that DS 2 left out mentioning the need for a FDC. I'll admit I haven't checked out the rules in either Book 1 or Book 2 but the odds are that is where the need is mentioned. DS 8 Fire Control does mention the need and the authors may have decided that was the place to detail the need for an FDC.

 

[snrdg082102]

Howdy shield,

Tom

I think its probably because you can link multiple guns to 1 FDC to run the artillery barrage. TL of the FDC defines how many independent artillery missions you can run at the same time.

Basically you get several guns linked via a FDC to drop shells onto a single designated target

Anything is possible and since DS 2 is for a single gun the need to mention the FDC was left for DS 8.

As mentioned the question was silly, but I'm of the opinion the only dumb question is the one not asked. Of course some questions, a few I've asked can be put here , are probably not the best ones to ask.

Thanks for the reply