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Arty spotters

Rapier_21

Member
Sep 16, 2006
12
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So. I have a question, which I didn't see when I did a search for it.

How come, the Sniper/Marksman have binoculars but they can't spot arty coordinates?

Since these guys are supposedly somewhat better trained than your average grunt with a Mosin, and they're usually someplace where they have a long field of view towards the enemy, it makes sense to me that they ought to be able to place coordinates for arty.

They should not be able to call for it over the radio though, and if the SL spots for arty his coordinates should override the snipers.

It kind of frustrates me when I'm the sniper and I see a good place for an arty barrage and I can't spot it for the SL and he can't see it because he's busy directing his squad.

Otherwise I can't see much reason for the sniper to have binocs, because unless you're playing on a dedicated sniper map there really aren't any stock maps that have a sight line long enough that you'd have to use the bniocs over the rifle's scope to make an ID on a target.
 
As for MG and PTARD..it makes sense giving them binocs. They are useally ( and heavly depending on the map ) "long range" troops. Thus it helps them for planning movement, spoting threats early and either avoid or face them. Anyhow...the guys with the binocs should comunicate what they see, that helps alot during the bigger and even smaller maps.
 
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Bare in mind that when arty is placed with the binoculars what you would in effect be really doing is jotting down on a map the coordinates for a desired artillery fire mission. You would then either have to go to a radio your self and call it in, or pass the information verbally in person to the Squad Leader or other authorised person.

The personnel radio equipment that allows sniper teams to operate as forwards scouts and spotters calling in artillery on targets of opportunity just didn't exist, or at least was not widespread, back in WW2.
 
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Have no fear, I is here (yes, I'm an artillery forward observer in ze finnish army). Anyhow, I don't see how only one man could call in arty that would be accurate. And tbh, it's quite unrealistic to "spot" the artillery coordinates with your binocs. Why? Because A) It's way too accurate when compared to reading the coordinates from a map and B) you'd need your own coordinates when reading the direction and distance to your target.

And iirc, the soviets didn't have any artillery support on squad/platoon level. Mostly on strategic level, so they just picked a grid on the map and fired lots of shells on it.
 
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And iirc, the soviets didn't have any artillery support on squad/platoon level. Mostly on strategic level, so they just picked a grid on the map and fired lots of shells on it.


Yep. And neither did the germans.

Light and mini mortars, if anything, were the weaponry, which was available to call in, in the platoon level.

Heavier artillery was used and ordered usually from company level and beyond. Using artillery/ indirect fire was not very flexible back in the WWII.

And like Xendance said, soviet spotter system was not so "sophisticated" as the german counterpart, so soviets did not ordered/used artillery effectively even from company level.
 
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If I am a russian AT soldier and run out of ammo,I turn into a spotter and by typing in or voice command say where tanks and troops are. Ive had the SL drop arty on what ive spotted quite a few times and made aware our tanks what enemy tanks are approaching.
I even spotted the enemy SL and directed a tank to HE him to bits.:)
I dont think we need spotters just more communication!
 
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And iirc, the soviets didn't have any artillery support on squad/platoon level. Mostly on strategic level, so they just picked a grid on the map and fired lots of shells on it.

This is mostly true but the Soviets did pioneer the use of the 120mm mortar for slightly larger engagements. The Germans were happy to copy that idea from them.
 
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Yes, they did train spotters.

What do you think, arty fell from the sky? There were trained teams, with binoculars and radios, that knew how to relay cooridnates, ect.


Hmm... I wonder if you can read properly, mate. But if you can, I recommend that you read the thread again from the start, and then you try to figure out what I meant in my post. Capisci?

And yes, artillery actually tends to fall from the sky.
 
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And yes, artillery actually tends to fall from the sky.

LOL

And with mortars there usually weren't any forward observers. The mortar team did the spotting and aiming. But sure they could be fired with the aid of forward observers.

Isn't that just for light mortars? I'm pretty sure medium and heavy mortar batteries usually had forward spotters, since they were at company or battalion level?

Come to think of it, I'd like some lighter artillery like medium mortars to be available in RO. The constant barrages of heavy artillery onto pinpoint-accurate areas throughout the whole engagement gets really tiresome for players, and is not realistic anyway...The fact that new players often confuse it with "air strikes" is kind of telling.
 
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