Bracketing

In the absence of laser rangefinders and GPS precision tools, you can still do range corrections for rounds on target using the successive bracketing method.

With successive bracketing, you are mathematically guaranteed to be on target on conclusion. In fact, you can even do this with only your eyeballs - no tools required. However, it is time-consuming.

• To set up for adjustment by successive bracketing, you first need a good line of sight to the target. If you are in a combat situation, make sure to request SPLASH in your Call for Fire to know when you can quickly peek over your cover to observe.
   
• Next, prepare for an ADJUST FIRE. Determine the target location using your preferred means and tools available. Remember, ADJUST FIRE means the artillery will send a single round with every correction until you transmit FIRE FOR EFFECT.
   
• Proceed with the CFF and observe. Chances are your round impacts long or short of the target. That’s fine. We are going to establish a bracket using the initial impact.
   
• If your impact is behind the target, away from you, you transmit “DROP 400.”
   
• We generally overcorrect, so the next impact is probably going to be in front of the target, short towards you. Transmit “ADD 200.”
   
• The next round, again, is going to fall long. Transmit “DROP 100.”
   
• This was our final adjustment, because with this next impact we have broken the 100-metre bracket. It will likely fall short, but our next adjustment is to transmit “ADD 50, FIRE FOR EFFECT.” This will take us into the error margin, or dispersion zone, of most field artillery. Any finer adjustments will be negated by the random dispersion, so we can FIRE FOR EFFECT now to get quicker, sufficient effects. However, if the DROP 100 adjustment already puts you on target, you instead transmit, “RANGE CORRECT, FIRE FOR EFFECT.”
   
• If you are still unsatisfied with the results of the FFE, you can keep adjusting in finer increments. For example: “RIGHT 25, ADD 25, REPEAT.”
   
• The REPEAT proword repeats the last fire mission, including the adjustments if any.

With experience, you can clamp down your initial bracket to 200 metres, saving time. However, always halve the distance. Any mistake in your estimation compounds the more adjustments you make, whereas continuously halving the distance geometrically converges on 0.

Using the Vector 21, but still without the MicroDAGR available, you can get immediate one-round adjustments.