Communications

The Fire Support Chief (FSC) should be in direct communication with their Forward Observer at all times and updating them frequently on their state to let them know what their remaining munitions and support readiness are.
All of the relevant communication can be found in the communication combat area SOP. A short summary is as such:

• Your observer will request fire missions via the standardised Call for Fire

• Your observer will spot for you to adjust your fire and eventually end the fire mission and update you on its effects

• You and your observer are expected to be familiar with the commonly used terminology for artillery control

• Fire support radio networks are transactional and every transmission on them will be read back word for word; this makes for good error correction and avoids friendly fire.

Crucially, more than almost any other profession, you are going to benefit from pen and paper ready at your desk to write down the information coming through the radio. You will find your own groove in note taking soon, but for a start, you will do just fine simply getting into a habit of writing down what you hear right as you hear it.

Methods of Target Location

POSREP

When the Forward Observer includes the prowords 'POLAR' or 'SHIFT KNOWN POINT' in their warning order (transmission #1 of a fire mission), you are going to plot a location relative to the FO from the information in the next transmission (#2, target location). Similarly, during adjustments of fire, the deviation (LEFT / RIGHT) and range (ADD / DROP) corrections will be issued to you relative to the observer, too.

Therefore, you must first know the position of the observer. In missions with cTab available, you can look up their position there. In missions without it, however, or if the FO does not have one, you must rely on their previous POSREP to measure from. If the FO has forgotten to issue a POSREP, allow the Call for Fire to complete after the third transmission and then ask.

The position can be given as an 8-digit grid, a 6-digit grid with an expounding detail or in the worst case, a prominent location on the map, such as 'Radio tower, hilltop, northeast of Kavala.'

Example:

FO: Hammer, Hawk 8, POSREP.

FDC: Hawk 8, Hammer, send POSREP.

FO: GRID 012 tack 345, large concrete structure.

FDC: Roger, GRID 012 345, large concrete structure, OUT.

Polar Plot

With a polar plot, you are going to be given a DIRECTION in milliradians and a DISTANCE in metres relative to the observer.

FO: DIRECTION 1160, DISTANCE 1400.

To measure towards the target, put the centre alignment dot of your map tool on the observer's position and rotate it (hold ALT + drag the outside of the tool) until the red line intersects the correct azimuth on the outer circle.

Then move the tool to the side, put the edge ruler's 0 mark on the FO position and apply the distance in metres. Draw a line towards or place a dot on the correct spot.

Finally, measure towards that position as marked (not the observer's position!) as you normally would for a grid location.

 

Shift Known Point

With a call to shift from known point, the FO will transmit a known position in their second transmission. This can be a previously marked position, such as a TRP or pre-briefed fire missions, a previous fire mission or a prominent location visible on the map.

There are two methods to shift from that known point:

1. Polar known point

2. Adjust from known point

In the first method, you simply proceed as if this new location were the polar origin of a polar plot fire mission above. The advantage with this method is that you do not need an accurate POSREP from the FO, unless you have to adjust later. The disadvantage is that the FO needs precision measuring tools or very good depth perception for accurate spotting.

FO: SHIFT KNOWN POINT TRP 01 ALPHA, DIRECTION 0300, DISTANCE 500.

With the second method, the observer will transmit an adjustment as if you were adjusting fire, like so:

FO: SHIFT KNOWN POINT Thronos Castle, RIGHT 200, ADD 200, DOWN 50.

The advantage here is that the FO does not need special tools, but of course you as the FDC will need to know their location from a POSREP.

A simple way to get there is to align your map tool with the observer's location so that the alignment line intersects the known point. This is your reference for deviation (L / r) and range (A / d). Just move the tool as you need it given the adjustments in metres, then mark that point and measure towards it as you normally would for a grid mission.

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CREDITS
This SOP has been contributed to by 1 editors:
Lieutenant Colonel James

REFERENCES
UNITAF Standard Operating procedures (SOP) are adapted primarly from US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Our written and audio procedures are a combination of the following primary source materials, as well as our own learnings, modifications and adaptations:
- US Army Techniques Publication, Infantry Platoon and Squad (ATP 3-21.8)
- Soldier’s Manual of Common Tasks Warrior Leader Skills Level 2, 3, and 4 (STP 21-24-SMCT)
- The Warrior Ethos and Soldier Combat Skills (FM 3-21.75 / FM 21-75)
- Leadership Development (FM 6-22)
- Dyslexi's Tactics, Techniques, & Procedures for Arma 3 (TTP3)

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