Tracer
The visible trail a shell leaves in flight, which gives away the position of whoever fired it.
Also known as shell tracer, tracers.
A tracer is drawn from the gun to the point of impact. Anyone watching can follow it back to a firing position that was never spotted, which is how tank destroyers are found and how artillery is counter-batteried.
It is the cost of taking a shot from concealment, and the reason a good position has more than one firing line.
Related terms
CamouflageA vehicle's concealment value, which shortens the distance at which it can be spotted.BushFoliage that adds concealment while a vehicle stays behind it, and that turns transparent for a moment when the vehicle fires from close range.ArtilleryThe indirect fire class, firing high explosive from an overhead view at targets it cannot see directly.Blind shotFiring at a position where an enemy is believed to be, without it being spotted.