7.0 Indirect Fire

The following weapons only may use indirect fire:

• Off table artillery/rockets
• Off table mortars and artillery
• On table mortars (Except 81mm Naval mortar mounted on Riverine vessels. This may only fire in the direct fire mode)

For off table weapons the target must be observed by an on-table observer.

Free World Forces indirect fire weapons may not fire during any player initiative when friendly aircraft are also conducting air strikes. This is due to the risk of the path of the shells interdicting the flight path of the aircraft. It doe NOT apply when resupply or Dust-Off helicopters are operating on the table as the artillery can be controlled to allow for the helicopters.

Forward Observers (FOs)

Forward Observers (FOs) must be one of the following types:

• US/Australian/New Zealand: A Specialist FO or any command group (platoon or company), Special Forces/LRRP stand or AFV.
• ARVN/Korean: Specialist FO or any command group (platoon or company).
• VC Local Forces: None. Any support weapons may only fire over open sights at targets visible to the firing weapon.
• VC Main Force: Specialist FO. Support weapons may also fire over open sights at targets visible to the firing weapon.
• NVA Regular: Specialist FO. Support weapons may also fire over open sights at targets visible to the firing weapon.

Note that indigenous troops led by US Special Forces may NOT act as FOs or call for artillery or air support. This must be done by the Special Forces command stands.

If a non-FO stand is controlling fire all the usual restrictions placed on a normal FO stand apply (ie it must be stationary and not suppressed).

Indirect Fire Weapons

Indirect Fire and Air Strikes close to built up areas

Restrictions on the Rules of Engagement in Vietnam frequently prevented the use of area weapons, such as artillery and air strikes, within 1,000 – 1,500 metres of villages and built up areas in order to minimise civilian casualties. The following rules apply:

• Free Fire Zone status for the playing area must be confirmed either within the scenario instructions or prior to the start of play. There are no restrictions on Indirect Fire or air strikes in a Free Fire Zone.
• If the playing area is not a Free Fire Zone and includes at least 5 model buildings placed adjacent to each other (representing a village, hamlet or larger built up area) then permission must be obtained before Indirect Fire or Air Strikes may be employed within the playing area by the Free World Player.
• Free World FO's and FAC's must dice, throwing 1D6, when they make the request for fire support or air strikes. A score of 5 or 6 will authorise artillery and helicopter gunship support, while a score of 6 is required to authorise the use of fixed wing air strikes.
• An FO or FAC may make one request per initiative.
• Once permission has been given during a game then no further requests need to be made as it is assumed that the permission will last for the duration of the game.

7.1.3 Air Support Requests

Air support may be requested by Free World players during the course of a game. The type of air support provided will be random unless specified by the scenario. The rules below cover the use of air support requested during a game and which is beyond the players capacity to influence. Helicopters allocated to players as part of a scenario will use the helicopter rules in section 11.1.3 (Helicopters).

Requests for air support must be made by a command group or a Special Forces/LRRP stand, using an Air Support Request action. Requesting air support does not lose the initiative, even if the request fails.

When making a request throw one dice. The result is the number of initiatives delay until the air support is requested. The score is reduced by 2 if a FAC is included in the scenario, while it is increased by 2 if at night or in bad weather. A score of 6 indicates that no aircraft are available for the next hour of game time.

The requesting player should also make a note of the target. This should be written down but not told to the opposing player.

No more than one airstrike mission is allowed on the table top at any one time. Further strikes may not be requested until the current mission is finished.

If the request is successful dice for the type of support at the start of the initiative when the air strike arrives.

* Fixed Wing Fighters armed with bombs ignore the -1 pip modifier when engaging targets in bunkers/trenches due to the penetrative effects of the bombs.

Air attacks are expended in the same way as support fire attacks.

Air attacks are conducted as follows:

• Once an airstrike arrives on table, then the attacks MUST be used in successive initiatives. One attack is made per initiative.
• Aircraft must make their attacks in a straight line across the table in any direction chosen by the attacking player.
• Place a model aircraft or marker over the intended target and calculate the results of any defensive AA fire.
• Providing the defensive AA fire does not abort the attack then calculate results of the attack.

Cancelling Air Strikes

A player may cancel an air strike at any time prior to the initiative in which it arrives providing that he does so when he has the initiative. If the strike is not cancelled then it will go ahead, regardless of who is in the target area. If friendly troops are in the area then there is a fifty-fifty chance that they will be the target. Troops in open will be targeted before troops in cover.

7.2 Smoke

Smoke appears to have been little used in Vietnam, other than for marking positions for friendly units (US Marine doctrine however seems to have called for smoke to cover movement across open ground – USMC units may use smoke as per the original Crossfire rules). Air-dropped napalm however did generate considerable smoke which may affect visibility and movement. Smoke and burning areas resulting from air dropped napalm is represented as follows:

• Calculate the effects of the attack as normal and then place one smoke marker on the point of aim.
• Throw 1D6. Place a number of additional smoke markers equal to the number shown on the dice on the table adjacent to the original marker, following the line of flight of the aircraft.
• Add 1 extra smoke markers on each subsequent attack.
• Once the attack is completed remove one smoke marker on each subsequent player initiative.
• Troops may not move through burning areas (ie they may not cross the smoke markers).

Usual rules for obstructing LOS apply.

7.3.1 Firing at aircraft carrying out an airstrike

Any rifle stands, HMGs or AAA weapons with a line of sight to an attacking aircraft may fire at the aircraft providing that they comply with the following rules:

• The firing stand is not suppressed.
• Infantry stands may only fire if the target aircraft is in the open or within the same terrain feature as its target.
• HMG/AAA stands may fire if the target is in the open or no more than two LOS blocking terrain features away AND is within the weapon’s arc of fire.

The firing unit throws dice as follows:

7.4 Friendly Fire

Any fire which is directed at an enemy stand which is close to a friendly unit may cause friendly casualties. The distances at which there is a risk from friendly fire are:

• One base width of a friendly stand for small arms or HMG fire.
• Two base widths of a friendly stand for other direct fire heavy weapons.
• Three base widths of a friendly stand for indirect fire or air strikes.

Test for friendly fire casualties as follows:

• Calculate the fire on the target as normal then throw 1D6. A score of 4, 5 or 6 indicates that one friendly stand within the appropriate base width of the target stand must also be fired on, although only one attack is made (no group fire etc).
• Calculate the effects of the fire on the friendly units.

This rule will allow VC/NVA players to simulate the tactic of "hugging" the enemy's perimeter to minimise the threat of attack from air and support weapons.