F/O or F/O Jeep?

[John Galt]

What is the advantage of using an F/O Jeep? Playing as the USA. Does the F/O get in the jeep or is there one in there that can't get out of the jeep? Does the jeep F/O have the same response time advantages as the F/O?

[rbrunsman]

If you buy an FO Jeep you get greatly increased mobility obviously, but you are quite easy to spot and a spotted spotter is a dead spotter as far as I'm concerned. I stick with the foot FOs. They perform the same functions. FO Jeeps trade stealth for movement. Jeeps are rather easy to destroy too. Whereas foot FOs can be difficult to root out of rough terrain even if they do get spotted. I just fired everything I had at an FO in a rough hex that has overwatch on the whole southern front and I only succeeded in routing him, no casualties. I'm sure a jeep would have been a burning heap in no time.

Only get the FO jeep if you must have the mobility! IMHO anyway.

[G_X]

I agree, Foot F/O's have served me much better.

Of course most of the time I use my commanders (Platoon LTs, Tank LTs, so on) So that I have direct accuracy along the front where I need it.

F/O's can be kindof hard to place sometimes too.

[Jim1954]

I buy foot FO's and buy some sort of transport to get them close to where they can actually see the enemy. Then dismount and use the expendable transport as a fire attracter away from my FO.

[Hades]

Remember also keep a FO next to your HQ. That way itll neve be out of contact.

[Jim1954]

I usually buy some with support points, those are my forward , FO's. They still seemed to get whacked a lot but the bring in more damage than they suffer.

[bigtroutz]

Originally posted by John Galt
What is the advantage of using an F/O Jeep? Playing as the USA. Does the F/O get in the jeep or is there one in there that can't get out of the jeep? Does the jeep F/O have the same response time advantages as the F/O?

I buy FO Jeeps to move with my Jeep 60mm mortars and other mobile Arty. When i need to move my jeep-mortars, i can move their FO jeep with them to keep them 'in contact' Response time is equal to leg-FO, as far as i have observed. The FO jeep observer is integrated, but you could buy a jeep and a leg fo to put in it for about the same price.

Keep in mind that (I believe) arty units in a rough line of sight cluster or 6 hex cluster around the FO seem to be available to fire MUCH more often than scattered units. Because this cluster makes such a juicy counter-battery target, I often will shoot and scoot, which is much easier with a jeep FO.

I agree that FO Jeeps are far too vulnerable to use as actual front line observers unless you like to live dangerously.

I also buy leg FO for my leg arty units, and I like the Brit Lynx FO because it has pretty good armor and a useful MG. I haven't noticed enough difference between the kill rate of FO LOS directed arty vs behind the lines, non-los FO arty to make placing an FO close to the action worthwhile but i could be convinced it makes a difference. Perhaps the Brit Lynx FO has enough beef to try it W/O getting zapped so easily.