Strategic BF: Artillery seems prone to Friendly Fire. I'm I reading it right?

[Leafback]

I just picked up IO and I can't wait to get a game going, especially with combined arms. However, artillery just seems....wrong. I can't be understanding this right. For refernce, the rules I'm consulting are IO pgs. 203-204.

How I understand it now is for unguided artillery (let's say Arrow IV), attacking a HEX is skill+4 and attacking an enemy FORMATION is skill+7. A spotter will reduce these by 1 on each. Spotters must be within the same hex or an adjacent hex. Each successive hit on a HEX, NOT a Formation, that has a spotter will award a -1 bonus to the TH.

A failed shot causes a scatter check to see if friendlies are hit. For friendlies in the same hex, roll a d6, a 5-6 hits a friendly. If there are no friendlies in the target hex, roll d6, a 6 hits a friendly.

Now here is my concern: First, that you either target an enemy Formation OR a Hex; second, that you can get bonuses for successful hits on a HEX, NOT on a Formation hit; and finally, that it's automatically a virtual minimum 50% chance to fail a Formation hit, AND that a failed HEX hit CANNOT randomly hit an enemy Formation. Unless you are attacking static targets, it is more dangerous to your own troops.

Is it errata that there should also be a 33% chance to hit enemies? Or am I missing something somewhere?

[Wolf72]

can you use remote sensor drones, or something with a recon camera for range?

[Col Toda]

I aim for the hex behind target mech . 2 : 5 point hits to the rear may hit the same torso area for suprising results. More importantly  scatter 1 hex in 3 directions still hits the target and give more space to avoid friendly fire

[Leafback]

I aim for the hex behind target mech . 2 : 5 point hits to the rear may hit the same torso area for suprising results. More importantly  scatter 1 hex in 3 directions still hits the target and give more space to avoid friendly fire

Which rules are you referring to? How do you hit the rear torso in Strategic Battleforce?

[theagent]

I just picked up IO and I can't wait to get a game going, especially with combined arms. However, artillery just seems....wrong. I can't be understanding this right. For refernce, the rules I'm consulting are IO pgs. 203-204.

How I understand it now is for unguided artillery (let's say Arrow IV), attacking a HEX is skill+4 and attacking an enemy FORMATION is skill+7. A spotter will reduce these by 1 on each. Spotters must be within the same hex or an adjacent hex. Each successive hit on a HEX, NOT a Formation, that has a spotter will award a -1 bonus to the TH.

A failed shot causes a scatter check to see if friendlies are hit. For friendlies in the same hex, roll a d6, a 5-6 hits a friendly. If there are no friendlies in the target hex, roll d6, a 6 hits a friendly.

Now here is my concern: First, that you either target an enemy Formation OR a Hex; second, that you can get bonuses for successful hits on a HEX, NOT on a Formation hit; and finally, that it's automatically a virtual minimum 50% chance to fail a Formation hit, AND that a failed HEX hit CANNOT randomly hit an enemy Formation. Unless you are attacking static targets, it is more dangerous to your own troops.

Is it errata that there should also be a 33% chance to hit enemies? Or am I missing something somewhere?

I'm assuming this is the new version of IO (IO:BF).  I'm looking at my print version (2nd corrected printing), which matches up with pp. 273-4 in the original IO book, & I think you're confusing the type of attacks:

• +4 is the modifier for "direct-fire" artillery attacks (within 1 hex, the firing Formation has direct LOS), plus any intervening terrain mods.  If targeting a Formation/Unit (vs. just targeting the hex), also apply the target's TMM and unit type mods.  They cannot employ spotters
• +7 is the modifier for "indirect-fire" artillery attacks (all attacks 2 or more hexes away, or from closer than 2 hexes if there is no LOS).  No range or terrain modifiers apply.  Spotters are not required, but can improve the chance of an indirect-fire attack hitting the target.
• Artillery units can (if allowed by the scenario) set up "pre-plotted" attacks.  Basically, the artillery unit has already made the necessary calculations & adjustments beforehand to hit a specific hex on the map.  If attacking the hex, the attack will automatically hit.  If using a pre-plotted hex to attack a Formation, the mod drops from +7 to +5.  Pre-plotted hexes have to be marked down before the engagements start, & the total number available agreed to by both parties.
• An optional rule allows for the calculation of a Formation's "Battlefield Intelligence" score.  If the rule is in play, the unit with the highest starting BI score (see p. 207 for the calculation) that also has artillery units gets to use Pre-Plotted Artillery (even if not part of the base scenario).  However, unlike standard Pre-Plotted Artillery, they don't auto-hit, nor do they get the revised +5 mod for attacking a formation, but do get a -1 mod to the role.  The total number, however, is limited by how many artillery units are in the Formation(s).  You also have to recheck your BI numbers each turn, as it's possible for the side that starts with the benefits to lose them if their BI drops below their opponent's.