What does mutual support mean in artillery deployment?

Mutual support in artillery deployment refers to the strategy where multiple artillery units work together to provide overlapping fields of fire and defensive capabilities against enemy threats. By positioning two or more guns in proximity to each other, they can cover each other’s vulnerabilities, ensuring that if one gun comes under attack, the other can provide supporting fire to defend it. This cooperative defense enhances the overall effectiveness of the artillery units, allowing them to maintain operations even when under threat from the enemy.

In contrast, the other options do not capture the essence of mutual support. A single gun defending itself focuses on isolated defense rather than cooperation. The use of observers to coordinate fire highlights the importance of communication and targeting but does not specifically address the concept of supporting units in a defensive posture. Deploying weapons far apart for safety could decrease the effectiveness of their mutual defense, as it would limit their ability to cover for one another. Thus, option B accurately represents the essence of mutual support in artillery deployment.