Why can't my FO order his mortars to fire

[Artofwar]

Ok I have an AO and then I have an infantry squad company whatever it is .. I choose it from the Battle set up it has an F0(the F0 here is not a forward observer but a German uber LT he is head of the platoon of F's) , F1, F2,F3, and F4 F1 -F3 are Infantry grunts under the FO Lt. ... F4 is the mortar platoon section whatever .. anyway, I figure the F4 comes under the F0 so Y can't the F0 tell my F4 mortar to fire at something. AND Y can't my F4 mortars fire at what they can see.

I press B and it only allows my AO to direct mortar fire and the AO is way back

I read the Guide but I'm to dense also it seems from the forums I was suppose to by about 25 FO... Forward Observers...

[Mobhack]

It may help if the F0 (as well as the mortar team) have radios. Did you check that?.

And if they do have radios, then they also need to be in contact (which is not guaranteed).

Next - the mortar needs to be a proper indirect fire capable mortar element, and not a direct-fire only type (like some 50mm and other "commando" ones are).

Your AO is an artillery observer - better at it than a company or platoon commander, but not as good as a proper FOO. If he cannot see the target - then fire the mission unobserved, if needed. Less accurate than observed fire, but often good enough.

Andy

[Imp]

AND Y can't my F4 mortars fire at what they can see

They can unless its out of range including to close most cant fire within 100ms

[Artofwar]

Thanks Andy I started rereading what I had read the other day sure enough on page 344 it reads what you just said "Although any “0” formation HQ unit
with a radio can perform spotting with the exception of on map artillery units" I read this the other day .....duh ... I'm fighting this battle in April 1940 they probably don't have radios they probably don't even have bullets. How do I figure out if they have radios AND if it is 'a proper indirect fire capable mortar element' I guess I figure this out in the UNIT Info screen or encyclopedia or both perhaps I can right click on unit while on the map too. ???

OH Hey IMP ok yeah that makes sense too nothing like putting the tube perpendicular to where your at firing straight up in air so it lands in your own position.. bad day for everybody ..

Ok there it is under the info screen .. It's a 5cm LeGrw 36 Radio = 0 Vision = 0 Fire Control = 0 ... uh Good thing they gave them a smg and 60 rounds ammo !!!

Thanks for guiding me never would have figured it out..

[Imp]

Radio is in the HQ screen - equals none while a red yellow white R show contact details out of contact, radio contact, shouting distance.

[Artofwar]

Thanks IMP its starting to sink in now how it works. Other issues I had (it's my families fault and there heredity) is I was trying get the AO to have the mortar fire on a hex but it would not do because the hex I wanted to fire on was out of the RANGE of the mortar. Then I wanted a mortar to fire and it was like ... Where is the mortar .... well I had loaded it on a truck so duh ya can't send a fire mission now noobie . .oh otay Now I'll try and figure out the radio stuff the IN Contact thing I figured out too.. It's like 3 or 4 hexes according to the manual.. for inf at least the month year I'm playing at ...

[Artofwar]

One can also go to the Preferences screen turn OFF .. SPOTTERS and Then -

When this button is ON only the formation HQ units (the "0" units) with a radio are capable of calling
and spotting for indirect fire, and the specialist artillery observers. If you turn this control OFF then any
unit can call and spot artillery.

Like the Lt. can whose arty unit is under him problem now is ANY unit can call.

lmao