CO & Artillery Support...

[SK-BLitz]

What are the steps/moves required for a CO to call in artillery support?

For example, a friendly non-HQ/Observer spots some enemy. What happens next?

[Big Insect]

Ok ... like a lot of questions like this Chris ... it all depends upon circumstances (as follows) - it differs for off-table artillery and on-table artillery (see below):

1) is your CO eligible to command off-table artillery - your army list will tell you if he can.

2). if he can and he can see the target (e.g. does he have Line-of-Sight to the target) because if he doesn't, he cannot bring down fire on that enemy unit, unless there is a Recce unit acting as spotter.
NB: this process if different if the CO is looking to fire on-table artillery/mortars at a target - where the nearest friendly unit to the target can direct that fire.

3) assuming that he can see the target, he would normally attempt the Command Order to the off-table battery/batteries using the CV of his FAO (or the value of the FAO from his list if he hadn't bought an FAO). There are some army lists where the CO or HQ can use their own CV value to make this order. This is specifically stated in the Special Rules section of the list

4) if the CO passes the Command roll, the distance from the CO to the target is measured to determine any deviation and the process proceeds as it would if an FAO was ordering an off-table artillery strike.

5). any orders by the CO (or an HQ) to off-table assets incurs the same penalties as if it was any other order - e.g. a Command roll failure means they cannot order any other formations (on or off-table) and a blunder uses the Artillery blunder table (if the guns are off-table) or the standard blunder table if they are on-table. A Command bonus means that there is no deviation - the salvo hits home with no deviation.

If the process is for on-table artillery units, that is very different, as the CO uses his full CV to order the strike, and as long as he has LoS to the target, or a friendly, unsuppressed unit (not involved in attacking or defending in an assault) is within range of the target and can see it (has LoS) and is (in effect) acting as a spotter; and the firing unit has Line-of-Fire (eg. it is not restricted by being incorrectly orientated, for example) etc). The CO rolls for a commanded order as per normal. If he achieves the roll, the on-table artillery/mortars fire and will hit the target unit with the appropriate number of dice. There is no deviation applied, but the guns/mortars are not using templated fire.

A CO might choose to select any number of on-table guns or mortars in a single command group/order.
There would (usually) be no distance Command penalties to command these units, as on-table artillery and mortar units are (generally) classified as being Independent (or Dedicated) units. These guns can all focus on a single enemy target unit or each can target a separate unit, but one gun cannot split fire between two or more enemy target units. If the army has Rigid Tac.Doc. then the CO/HQ would get the +1 for all units under command receiving the same order, as per other units.

Each method has its advantages and disadvantages and reflects very different battlefield practice.

Hopefully that all makes sense?
Cheers
Mark

[theboxroom]

Clarification please.
When you say "as the CO uses his full CV to order the strike" do you mean CO only or CO/HQ? And by using his full CV, do you mean that he may do nothing else that CV roll, or he may not make any other CV rolls before or after? Sorry to be thick. I wasn't expecting that he/they could be used at all with the exception of your Para 2. NB.

[Big Insect]

Clarification please.
When you say "as the CO uses his full CV to order the strike" do you mean CO only or CO/HQ? And by using his full CV, do you mean that he may do nothing else that CV roll, or he may not make any other CV rolls before or after? Sorry to be thick. I wasn't expecting that he/they could be used at all with the exception of your Para 2. NB.

Not at all.
In some instances the CO uses a reduced CV (e.g. that of his FAO) - so not his full CV.
So (for example) if the CO is CV-9 and his FAO is CV-7 - if the CO orders in off-table artillery he uses a reduced CV (e.g. CV-7 which is the FAO's CV).
In some lists, the CO (or HQs) have the ability to use their own (full) CV to make that order.
If the CO (or HQ) can order off-table artillery strikes or can do so at their full CV, that will be specified in the Special Rules in the army lists.

Once the CO has made the successful off-table order. He drops the off-table guns and his CV then goes back up to its full value when ordering other, on-table assets.

Does that make it clearer? 
Cheers
Mark

[Big Insect]

In BKC - some of the German lists have the capability for COs and even HQs to order off-table guns (for example).

In CWC - you can also buy Special Abilities, such as 'Accurate' (@ 10pts per gun) for your artillery, and that reduces the number of deviation dice by half. Ideal for your BAOR gunners 

[SK-BLitz]

Thanks Mark.

Where in the lists is the bit about CO/HQs being able to request off-table artillery support - or not?

Chris

[SK-BLitz]

Apologies, I've found it. Looks like I'll have to start painting Americans! 😯

[Big Insect]

Apologies, I've found it. Looks like I'll have to start painting Americans! 😯

Or Bundeswehr if my memory serves me correctly