How to use FFD properly?

[Zeebie (OP)]

Hi folks - can someone help me figure out how to use FFD properly to get ships in orbit to support ground forces? Here's my situation:
- I have FFD units in my battalion formations.
- I have ships in orbit with the "Provide orbital bombardment support" movement order
- I have ground forces currently attacking enemy forces
- The ships in orbit appear in the drop-down menu next to the Assign OBS button on the ground forces screen
BUT:
- when I select a battalion formation, select a ship from the dropdown menu, and click Assign OBS I get an error message saying "Ground support aircraft or orbital bombardment ships can only be assigned to aground unit formation that has sufficient forward fire direction units."
This happens with all battalions and all ships. If I select a formation that does not have FFD, the Assign OBS button does not appear, so the game is clearly recognizing that they are there. Does anyone have any advice?
 

[Rye123]

How many ships have the movement order, and how many FFD units do you have? One FFD only supports 6 fighters iirc.

[consiefe]

1 FFD supports 1 orbital or 6 ground support fighters with fighter pods.

In OOB screen you choose accordingly to support a formation with enough FFD.

[Zeebie (OP)]

Ah, thanks folks. Looks like if there are more than 6 ships in the fleet per FFD, you can't choose any of the ships in that fleet for ground support.  Does the OoB show anywhere what ships have been assigned to a given formation? 

EDIT: found it, orbital support appears as a new formation on the planet.

[consiefe]

Yes, as long as you have enough FFD, you can choose to support one formation with one fleet. That formation is which you put the FFD in. Tough not sure about if you can choose a higher command level to support which includes the FFD subordinate.

[Zeebie (OP)]

Ok, now how do I tell if the orbital bombardment is doing anything useful?  A cycle of ground combat just went by with no mention of it or any of the assigned ships.

[consiefe]

That should be mentioned as Orbital vs GUC or Ground Support vs GUC reports I think. I don't know what is wrong.

[Borealis4x]

Speaking of FFD, is it at all beneficial to put them on a light vehicle other than the armor bonus?

[consiefe]

Light vehicle makes them more unlikely to get hit. Becuase it has lower to hit chance.

[Father Tim]

Speaking of FFD, is it at all beneficial to put them on a light vehicle other than the armor bonus?

Technically, yes.  There is also the hit point bonus and the evasion bonus.  And the fortification bonus, but that probably went down unless you mean "instead of a super-heavy vehicle."