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[[File:FO.jpg|thumb|350px|A German FO team. Terrain mod by Aris and German camouflage from SJS-Vein.]]
Forwards observers (FO) are used to call indirect fire support be it mortars, artillery and aircraft. Some assets are restricted to be called by FOs.
 
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A '''forward observer''' ('''FO''') is an [[infantry]] [[team]] with special training to call indirect fire support of all kinds, including mortars, [[artillery]] and [[air support]]. Air support and many kinds of the heavy artillery can only be called by FOs. In the German army FO was called Vorgeschobene Beobachter (VB).
==Tactics==
 
FOs are valuable assets which have to protected and therefore exposure has to be kept to a minimum. The following sequence of action helps to do this
 
#The FO needs a clear view to the target when calling the mission ("Requesting Fire Mission"). So give the fire order for the assets you want to use.
 
#While transmitting the orders (between the Request and the end of the "Preparing" Phase of the asset) you can take to FO back into good cover.
 
#As soon as the "Spotting" phase starts for the asset you need to have your FO back in the observation position, so that he can adjust fire.
 
#After "Fire for Effect" has begun you can pull the FO back again.
 
With this approach your FO will be exposed only during the moment when requesting the fire mission and during the spotting.
 
   
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The wiki has an article on [[Tactics for Artillery Observers]].
It is also wise to give a small cover arc to your FO so that they don't start to shoot at some opportunity target and expose themselves to enemy fire.
 
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[[Category:Artillery]]
 
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[[Category:Concepts]]
Officers (infantry, armor etc) can usually act as FOs for assets organic to the division.
 
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[[Category:Rules]]

Latest revision as of 10:57, 20 January 2012

FO

A German FO team. Terrain mod by Aris and German camouflage from SJS-Vein.

A forward observer (FO) is an infantry team with special training to call indirect fire support of all kinds, including mortars, artillery and air support. Air support and many kinds of the heavy artillery can only be called by FOs. In the German army FO was called Vorgeschobene Beobachter (VB).

The wiki has an article on Tactics for Artillery Observers.