Using Artillery to "clear" smoke screens

[sultanbev]

But this is a WW2 set of rules, not WW1.....

Mark

[Dr Dave]

But this is a WW2 set of rules, not WW1.....

The other points to consider are
- we don't know if the infantry attack failed and they were simply looking to blame someone else (not the first time) - what was the result of the enquiry?
- what was the weather doing. If windy, that might be why the smoke was dispersed
- This, I think, is the only set of rules that allow this to happen. Has everyone else really missed it?
- The physics of obscurants don't let this happen. Explosions can't cause aggregation (clumping) of the smoke particles that would make them drop out of suspension.
- Besides your gunner has anyone else claimed this is an issue. Was the smoke blocking his los in a game when he suggested it?..
- Battlefield ISTAR is my area and I've never heard of this and none of my Arty colleagues think this is possible
- Real WW2 accounts show smoke and HE was mixed.

[T13A]

Hi Mark

For what it is worth I have seen mixed HE and smoke used by 105mm Abbots in the 70's (yes I know it is the wrong 'period') and the HE certainly did not 'clear' the smoke. Sorry Mark, but I cannot help feeling that it is rules like this one that give a rule set a bad name. 

That said I admire your persistence in 'defending' a dodgy position! 

Just my tuppence worth.

Cheers Paul

[Big Insect]

The difference between a WW2 and a WW1 shelling is probably marginal from a set of rules perspective.

I will find the actual quotes and whilst I can see that dropping modern smoke might be different I'm sticking to my guns currently 

[Dr Dave]

Today I asked another RA gunnery instructor and two chaps working in "operational analysis" and ammo design. All three thought that this is not possible. A BSM from Larkhill also says that this isn't possible. Physics of suspensions and blast waves don't allow it. You'll move it a little within the screen, but you'll never remove it. 

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Ok if we doing technical stuff there were two types of smoke :-

Base Eject- this is non phosphorous and used almost entirely by the British - smoke candles were ejected from the rear of the shell. Takes a little longer to build a screen but it lasts much longer. It also has no anti-personnel effect.

White Phosphorous - shell bursts on impact and releases a cloud of chemical smoke. This has an anti-personnel effect and dissipates a bit quicker. I suspect that WW1 smoke was of this type.  Its very dangerous, and self defence smoke is of this type (grenades and dischargers) .

Unless the HE fire destroys all the candles a base eject screen is going to remain, and a phosphorus screen is a scattering of small pellets over an area so the HE is going to have little effect. Also only ground burst HE is going to have an effect, if any.

The rule should be removed.

IanS

[sultanbev]

"The rule should be removed. "

Seconded.

[Dr Dave]

Thirded