07-15-2014, 02:37 PM | #41 |
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
They're built into hardware available now. There are fielded examples of gunsights that translate data from networked rangefinding glasses to coordinates to aim at. These rely on GPS at the moment, but it's hardly impossible to have a computer that translates "the place where these binoculars are pointed and focused, with rangefinder data" to "the settings needed for this gun to shoot there." This has been managed with COTS technology in the form of cell phones, which worries certain people in high places. (I cannot say how I know this except to hint that I occasionally edit papers that aren't for SJ Games.)
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07-15-2014, 02:57 PM | #42 |
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
The only part where you actually need intelligence in the process is the part where you decide what to shoot; solving ballistics problems is a significant part of what computers were originally invented for. Given your coordinates, the coordinates of your target, and some information about atmospheric conditions (plus, ideally, a gravity map), a computer that can determine that you should aim in direction X at angle Y with powder charge Z is actually pretty trivial, and an automated mount that can point the gun in direction X at angle Y isn't much harder, though the vibration from firing the weapon would be a pain and at current tech you'd pay a weight penalty. An automatic loader is the hardest of the three but still not really AI.
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07-15-2014, 03:08 PM | #43 | ||
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
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07-17-2014, 11:57 AM | #44 | |||
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
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Edit: Also when to shoot which is big deal when you are coordinating fires in support of mobile elements and you want to avoid friendly fire. Last edited by sir_pudding; 12-30-2017 at 04:06 PM. |
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07-17-2014, 12:24 PM | #45 | |
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
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Where to divide skills definitely depends on culture (eg. the fine divisions of Law or History make sense from the late 19th century onwards, but not in earlier societies; artillery organization was very different in 1918 than in 1815).
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07-17-2014, 12:26 PM | #46 |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
Yes, TL4 or less "Artillery" really isn't. It can only effectively do indirect fire against preplanned targets and lacks observers and fire direction (both of which are experimental technologies at TL5). GURPS rules seems to say that mostly you use Gunner with TL5 and earlier pieces because mostly you are using direct fire.
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07-17-2014, 12:56 PM | #47 |
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
Plotting boards have to be set up for use. The guns and FO positions need to be plotted, grid lines need to be labeled, deflection needs to be labeled, ect. Ballistic Mortar computers actually need even more; precise grids for the guns and FO, ammo counts by shell, and so on.
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07-17-2014, 01:10 PM | #48 | ||||
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
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...I'm not sure how this works with using Gunner for a mortar in direct lay. I might appeal to the matter of sights and the lack thereof of more primitive systems. With a well-designed range-adjusted ballistic sight and standardized ammunition you can make a straightforward mechanical process out of a task that calls for sophisticated-for-its-time science and a touch of art when done with a TL3 bombard. Quote:
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07-17-2014, 01:16 PM | #49 | |||
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
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07-17-2014, 01:42 PM | #50 |
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Indianapolis, IN
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Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Artillery (and Forward Observer)
It is this sort of action that I want to explore more with GURPS - being part of the line, not commandos. Thank you Sir_Pudding for laying this out. I like the different takes on where the responsibility for the action lies. Working out how to make that dramatic will be interesting.
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artillery, basic, forward observer, skill, skill of the week |
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