Since it first arrived on the battlefield in the 12th Century, artillery has played an ever expanding role. This no less the case on the modern battlefield of 1987. Whether employed off-map or as on-map fire support, artillery assets are a major facet of MBT.

In game terms, artillery comes in two flavors: individual on-map mortars and self-propelled guns and off-map artillery batteries, which represent a group of guns of various calibers modeled as light, medium, heavy and super heavy. Not limited to just smoke, illumination and high-explosive shells, the modern battlefield includes specialized ordnance. If available in a scenario, players may also choose from cannon launched guided projectiles (CLGP), e.g., the US M712 Copperhead, improved conventional munitions (ICM), and artillery delivered mines (FASCAM). Also keep in mind that where there is artillery there is also the possibility of counter battery and counter-counter battery.

How does artillery fire function in the MBT? The game’s Combat Phase is very straightforward having just two steps – Indirect Fire and Direct Fire. All off-map artillery batteries and indirect fire capable on-map units lacking line-of-sight to a target unit or hex resolve their combats by indirect fire; all on-map units with line-of-sight use direct fire.

Direct Fire is the simplest process. Vehicle guns and infantry weapons live by it. Spot a target – shoot a target. Indirect Fire is a little more involved since it requires an observer to spot a target unit or hex and then “call” fire from one or more indirect fire units located either on-map or off-map.

Called indirect fire just does not automatically arrive; it is subject to Fire Response. Indirect fire units may be busy with other fire missions outside of the scenario or they simply may not receive the call for fire in time to respond. How they respond is based on the type and quality (grade) of the observer and the attachment level of the indirect fire unit. Planned indirect fire is also a consideration, but this article focuses on called indirect fire.

Observer types range from dedicated Forward Observers (FOs) to command and recon units within a formation. As a rule of thumb, the higher the command level, the greater chance of response.

Attachment Level is classified as one of three types: Attached, Organic or Unattached. All on-map units are “Attached” to one or more of the formations included in a scenario. Off-map artillery batteries are “Attached” or “Organic.” As with on-map units, Attached off-map artillery batteries are linked to one or more of the formations included in a scenario. Organic batteries are typically available to all of the formations fielded in a scenario. “Unattached” is not a specific classification. However, since fire may still be called from units that are not Attached or Organic to a formation, those fire units are considered unattached to the calling observer.

As would be expected, the best chance of response is to have a high-quality FO calling fire from one or more Attached units.

Example of Play

The situation on the map below finds the lead elements of a Soviet tank regiment advancing against a mix of US forces in a defensive position. The US goal is to hold up the Soviets until reinforcements can move up. The Soviets do not want to get tied down in a slugging match as their objective is to bypass and penetrate.

During the previous turn, the Soviet units advanced to the positions as shown. The BMP-2s dismounted their infantry squads into the adjacent woods and heavy woods hexes.

While all of the US units are displayed for the purpose of this example of play, they are actually hidden units (that is an optional rule in MBT), so the Soviet player is not certain what he is up against if anything since hidden unit counters may also represent false positions.

The players completed the Spotting, Command and Initiative Phases with the US force winning the initiative for the turn.

The Soviet units are not within range to spot any of the US vehicles or infantry squads due to terrain (infantry counters with 4 figures represent squads). Consequently, direct fire is out of the question since it requires spotted targets. They could all mark Overwatch commands, but waiting and watching only plays into the US’s hands as they are more than willing to sit tight – time is on their side. For the Soviets, the only valid course of action is to continue forward, albeit somewhat cautiously until they are able to identify the US units and their actual positions.

On the left side of the map, the Soviet player plans to advance the 3 T-80BVs on village Bravo-3 and then move the 2 squads up to the edge of the tree line. The 2 BMP-2s and the single BRDM-2 ATGM will overwatch the tanks’ advance with their Spandrel ATGMs. On the right, the 4 vehicles will continue to cross the stream and advance along the path ending up abreast of the clump of woods northwest of the small pond.

In placing his commands, the US player is waiting to see what actions the Soviet lead elements take. Overwatch Fire enables units so ordered to fire in response to movement. While the M1 Abrams has a clear shot on the vehicles directly to its front, the US player’s preference is to determine where the Soviets maneuver to before taking Overwatch Fire in response.

The US player does have at his disposal an off-map Organic Heavy Battery. Tucked in next to the M1 Abrams is a Veteran Grade M981 FISTV track (Fire Support Team Vehicle). This M113 variant is a Forward Observer (FO). The US player plans to drop a little surprise on the heads of the Soviet vehicles to its front.

During the Combat Phase’s Indirect Fire Step, the US player announces that he is calling indirect fire from the Organic Heavy Battery. He places a US Artillery Impact counter in the hex with the BMP-2s. This is possible because the M981 FISTV spotted the Soviet vehicles.

Now, he steps through the process of resolving the indirect fire. First, he announces that the fire is Closed SHEAF GP. Fire SHEAF defines the pattern of the indirect fire as it hits multiple hexes on the mapboard (remember, off-map artillery batteries represent more than a single gun).

With Closed SHEAF, the indirect fire affects the impact hex, and the 6 surrounding hexes. With indirect GP fire, he could also have chosen Open SHEAF – hits the impact hex and the 18 surrounding hexes; or Closed Linear SHEAF – hits the impact hex and running in a straight line out 6 hexes from the Impact hex.

Second, he determines if the indirect fire responds. Cross referencing FO Observer Level row with the Organic column on the Called Indirect Fire Response table (found on the Players Aid Card), a 4 is found. For the called indirect fire to respond, a modified 4 or more must be rolled on a single d10 (called roll (10) in the game). There are a number of potential DRMs (die roll modifiers), e.g., the observer is suppressed, damaged or hindered, but for this example, only the US M981 FISTV’s grade applies. As stated above, it is Veteran, which applies a +1 DRM.

The US player rolls a 3, modified to 4 (3+1), so the called indirect fire responds. Had the US player rolled a 1 or a 2, it would have failed to respond resulting in the US Artillery Impact counter’s removal with no further action.

Note that a response roll of 1, regardless of any modifiers, may result in a friendly fire situation (Danger Close). So, care must be taken when calling indirect fire in proximity to friendly units.

The indirect fire is now resolved against the units that fall under the Fire SHEAF. Note that indirect fire individually attacks all units, spotted or unspotted, friendly or enemy. Consequently, there are 8 attacks to resolve. Let’s resolve two of the attacks, a BMP-2 and the left hand squad, to see how it is done.

The first step is to identify the Organic Heavy Battery’s GP Factor. Referencing Data Card Um-7A: Artillery Batteries, the Heavy row is crossed-referenced with the range. The range is determined from the observer to the Impact Point, which is 11 hexes, S=Short Range. The Range ‘R’ is greater than 7, but less than or equal to 13. Therefore, the GP Factor is 11 for each of the attacks.

For the BMP-2, the 11 column on the GP Combat Results table is cross-referenced with its GP Defense. Referencing Data Card Sm-4B: BMP-2, its GP Defense is 1A; the ‘1’ is the GP Defense and the ‘A’ indicates that it is an armored target (A-Type). In MBT, DRMs are used to distinguish between the target types, A=Armored, P=Protected, and S=Soft, rather than tweaking the GP Defenses. This approach keeps the tables a manageable size and assures that the same combat resolution procedure works for all target types.

Two values are found where 1 intersects 11, N10 and S45. These two numbers define the combat results points. Like AP Combat, GP Combat utilizes a 01-100 range of results. Two different colored d10s are rolled (called roll (100) in the game). One color d10 is the tens result while the other color d10 is the units result, e.g., a 2 and a 7 results in 27.

For the attack on the BMP-2, if the modified result is equal to 10 or less, the attack would have No Effect ‘N’. If the modified result is between 11 and 45, the BMP-2 would be Suppressed ‘S’. If the modified result is 46 or greater, it is an Effective result.

For the attack on the BMP-2, there is a DRM that applies, -20 since it is an A-Type target. This is found in the GP Fire Modifiers table.

Draw attention to one additional modifier in the table – If Open SHEAF -20. While an Open SHEAF impacts 19 hexes compared to a Closed SHEAF’s 7 hexes, the dispersal of the indirect fire, while covering a greater number of hexes, has less chance of doing damage.

The US player rolls a 62, modified to 42 (62-20), so the BMP-2 is Suppressed. It is marked with a Suppressed On counter.

For the squad, the 11 column on the GP Combat Results table is cross-referenced with its GP Defense. Referencing Data Card Sm-8A: Squads, Half-Squads and Sections, its GP Defense is 4S; the ‘4’ is the GP Defense and the ‘S’ indicates that it is a soft target (S-Type). Two values are found where 4 intersects 11, N24 and S59.

Determining infantry GP Defense is slightly different than for vehicles. Vehicles have an intrinsic GP Defense while infantry derive their GP Defense from the terrain they occupy and if they are stationary, moving or in full cover. The squad is located in a Woods hex, which provides Medium Cover, but it is moving, so its net GP Defense is 4S (6-2).

For the attack on the squad, if the modified result is equal to 24 or less, the attack would have No Effect ‘N’. If the modified result is between 25 and 59, the Squad would be Suppressed ‘S’. If the modified result is 60 or greater, it is an Effective result. No DRMs apply.

The US player rolls a 71, so it is an Effective result. The squad is reduced to a half squad and is also suppressed. The squad counter is flipped to its half squad side, 2 figures, and is also marked with a Suppressed On counter.

The attacks for the remaining 6 Soviets units are resolved in the same manner, applying the results individually. The results from indirect fire are apply before the Direct Fire Step and the subsequent Movement Phase.

Note that by calling indirect fire, the M981 FISTV is not placed on the mapboard. Observing for indirect fire does not reveal a hidden unit for spotting purposes. The M981 FISTV would not be spotted unless a Soviet unit, in this case the moving T-80BVs, were to move within range. Its protectors the M1 Abrams and squad might have something to say about that.

In the subsequent turns, the indirect fire may continue at its current hex without checking for Fire Response. It could also adjust up to 3 hexes from its current hex. That would again require checking for Fire Response, but would apply an additional +1 DRM.

Note: All map, counter and data card images are the actual components from the MBT.

Panzer Series Support Site: FYI, if you want to get to know more about the Panzer/MBT series, there’s an excellent gamer-created (Thank You, Fernando Sola!) support site (with scenarios, variants, AARs, etc) for Panzer here: The Panzer Pusher Enjoy!