Start with the reports, not the gun
Liberation gives you several pieces of information before it gives you a clean firing solution, so the first job is sorting the reports. Read the newest objective and note every named village, observer, patrol, or suspected target area before touching the calculator. A bearing in a report begins at the observer named in that report, not automatically at the Iron Nest. Plot the report from the correct origin first, because every later range and elevation depends on locating the right point.
Use reconnaissance to confirm the target
A report can indicate activity in an area without proving that the first visible object is the target. Use reconnaissance to confirm the target type, its relation to nearby friendly units, and whether the objective is above ground or underground. Keep the active mission text visible while comparing the recon result with the map. If the two do not agree, return to the report rather than forcing a shot from an uncertain marker.
Plot from the stated observer
When a spotter supplies a bearing, place the spotter on the map and draw that direction outward from the spotter position. When a separate report supplies a distance from another known point, treat that distance as a circle around its stated origin. The target candidate is where the available clues agree, not where one line happens to pass near a convenient landmark. Once you have a candidate point, measure a new bearing and range from the Iron Nest itself for the actual firing solution.
Recognize the underground objective
Liberation can direct you toward a cache or installation that is not a normal exposed surface target. Look for mission wording and reconnaissance that identify the objective as underground, protected, or otherwise unsuitable for a surface blast. Do not assume that a visually empty map position means the plotting is wrong, because the target may not be represented like an exposed unit. Confirm the location and classification together before moving to ammunition selection.
Choose AP only after confirmation
AP is the practical choice for a confirmed underground or armored objective, while HE is better suited to many exposed or soft surface targets. Loading AP too early is still a mistake if the classification is uncertain, because the correct shell cannot repair a bad plot. Match the shell, charge, and calculator entry to the same shot plan. If you change the shell or charge after calculating, run the calculation again before setting elevation.
Check friendly proximity before firing
Liberation places friendly-force safety close to the targeting problem, so target identification is not the final check. Read any warning about allied troops, compare their reported location with your candidate point, and avoid firing while the safety condition is unresolved. Do not treat a smaller blast as permission to ignore the warning, because the mission may be testing whether you understood the report rather than only whether you hit the location. Wait for clear separation or a clear objective update before committing the round.
Build the final firing solution
After the target is confirmed, measure the final range from the Iron Nest to that target and take the firing bearing from the Nest as well. Enter the final range with the exact shell and charge you intend to load, then use the calculator output for elevation and flight time. Set the turret, load the matching round and charge, and reread the objective one last time before firing. This final check catches the common error of solving the right geometry for an objective that has just changed.
Read the result before correcting
After impact, wait for the mission response and observed result before changing multiple controls. If the impact is visibly off but the target classification remains correct, make one measured correction and keep the other inputs unchanged. If the shot lands correctly but produces no expected result, recheck shell type and objective status before assuming the range was wrong. Corrections are useful only when you know which part of the original solution failed.
Common Liberation failure points
The most common failures are drawing a spotter bearing from the Nest, treating a suspected area as a confirmed target, and using HE against an underground objective. Another mistake is calculating before the final Nest-to-target range is known, then keeping the old elevation after changing charge or shell. Friendly proximity can also turn a good ballistic solution into a failed objective. If stuck, rebuild the chain in order: report origin, target intersection, target type, ally safety, final range, shell, charge, and elevation.