Forward Observers and HQs?
 

It has been a while since I played SPMBT, a couple of versions back in fact, so I am relearning a lot.

Are Forward Observers the only units that can call in Bombardment Missions?

I'm currently playing the Caribbean Crisis Campaign and was startled to find that HQ units are unable to call in Bombardment Missions.

Has this always been this way or am I missing something?

I did look through the manual, but found nothing the answer my question.

Thanks for any info.

Re: Forward Observers and HQs?
 

Are you sure your HQ units have radios? I've never had any problems with X0 units with radios calling in bombardments. And are they in contact? And not retreating or routed?

- Koh

Re: Forward Observers and HQs?
 

I guess that you are missing something, do you have any arty units?

Re: Forward Observers and HQs?
 

Hmm, I have some navy attack aircraft and two DDs offshore.

Given that these are 1960's US Marines, I assume they have radios. But I'll check on the radios and the 'in contact' status this evening.

Glad to hear this seems odd to you guys also.

Re: Forward Observers and HQs?
 

Note #6 in the second mission of the campaign suggests you assign bombardment missions before you load your units onto landing craft and LVTs. Are the units you're trying to use to call in the strikes loaded in vehicles? When I try to use the A0 at the very start to call in the mission it works fine for me.

Re: Forward Observers and HQs?
 

Ha, got his problem, there are no 0 units outside the transports maybe?

Re: Forward Observers and HQs?
 

Ah! - a minor fact, not mentioned. A beach assault mission.

- Passengers cannot call arty
- 0 units with radios can call arty
- All units are loaded into barges in a naval assault and the barges are usually auto-added to formations so no 0 barge units.
- So, guess why we changed the observer code way back in the MS-DOS days to allow any barge to call for arty fires in a beach assault?....

The "use your HQ to plot arty before loading in a beach assault" is really not necessary, since probably 2001 or so.

Select any barge to plot arty as you approach the beach, if you do not have a non-passenger 0 element handy (e.g. supporting helos, a gunboat, an LVT). Barges are navy, and so are on the NGFS radio net (if they have a radio).

Andy