(Answered) Spotting and Indirect Fire

[CReller]

This one may or may not be a doozy, so my apologies in advance.

When you are performing an indirect fire attack do you spot with a unit beforehand, or is spotting a "passive" action performed when a unit performs an indirect fire attack?

The Indirect Fire Rules on Pg. 41 of ASCE read that spotting is not an action performed by a unit when it is activated during the combat phase but something that is started when a unit goes to use an indirect fire attack. Essentially, the rule currently reads that indirect fire units look for a unit which can be spotted not one that is spotted.

In addition, if the above statement is correct that IF attacks "looks" for a unit/PoI that can be spotted, how does that interact with the new TAG special attack for spotting (since the unit is spotted, not that it can be spotted)?

This topic has caused quite the disputes and arguments in the BT communities I'm in, so a definitive yes/no/this is how it works from the powers that be would be great.

Thanks in advance!

[nckestrel]

These answers are all effective the 6th printing errata.

Spotting for indirect fire is declared when the indirect fire attack is being made, and the spotter must not have attacked yet this turn. The indirect fire attacker is the one declaring an attack at this time.

TAG has a new option where it makes an attack and, if successful, spots the target.  This specific use of TAG to spot overrides the general spotting rule about timing above.

[CReller]

So, just to ensure I'm understanding this correctly:

Unit A wants to use indirect fire on Enemy Unit. Then you check to see if any friendly units meet the spotting requirements, and if multiple meet those requirements you choose one to be the spotter as well as declare whether it will shoot later in the turn (to ensure the +1 for spotter shooting has been added). The IF attack then continues onwards with determining to-hit number and so on.

If a TAG is being used, you would activate a TAG-equipped unit and use its TAG special attack (let us assume it hits successfully). You would then start the IF attack process and the "checking for a spotter" process is overwritten by the successful TAG hit.

If the TAG did *not* hit, the "checking for a spotter" process is also overwritten as you are considered spotting even if the TAG misses (you just get all the negative parts still), as per your errata post earlier today?

[nckestrel]

So, just to ensure I'm understanding this correctly:

Unit A wants to use indirect fire on Enemy Unit. Then you check to see if any friendly units meet the spotting requirements, and if multiple meet those requirements you choose one to be the spotter as well as declare whether it will shoot later in the turn (to ensure the +1 for spotter shooting has been added). The IF attack then continues onwards with determining to-hit number and so on.

If a TAG is being used, you would activate a TAG-equipped unit and use its TAG special attack (let us assume it hits successfully). You would then start the IF attack process and the "checking for a spotter" process is overwritten by the successful TAG hit.

If the TAG did *not* hit, the "checking for a spotter" process is also overwritten as you are considered spotting even if the TAG misses (you just get all the negative parts still), as per your errata post earlier today?

The TAG attack would not cause the indirect fire attack to take place then.  The TAG unit would continue to finish its attacks, if any. Later, when it is the indirect fire unit's turn to attack, it already has a spotter and the "checking for a spotter" process is overwritten by the successful TAG hit.

Rest is good.

[CReller]

Sorry, yeah I worded that poorly but that was what I intended in the steps in the example.

Thanks for the information!

With that being the case with TAG being able to "override" the normal IF/spotting relationship, could there be a blurb added in the TAG or IF rules explicitly stating such?

[CReller]

Another related question that surfaced today.

Assuming a unit successfully uses the TAG special attack to spot a unit, does it still take the "+1 to-hit for spotting" modifier for the unit's own attacks?

EDIT: If the TAG special attack fails, the tagging unit still takes a +1 to it's to-hit rolls assuming it fires?