Per C9.3
......the Spotter must be predesignated by the owning player during his PFPh/DFPh and marked with an appropriate fire counter for having used a SW during that phase.
However, I have never played it that a Spotter actually needed to be marked with a counter.
And some Q&A for your question:
"... the Spotter must be predesignated by the owning player during his PFPh/DFPh ..." May a Spotter be predesignated during setup? If yes, when must this predesignation be declared?
A. Counting DFF as part of the DFPh for this exercise, the Spotter may be recorded anytime prior to the start of the firing phase, with that designation becoming effective at the start of the firing phase. {4}
And:
C9 – Spotted Fire. The rules state that a spotter is designated during the owning player’s Prep/Defensive Fire Phases. They also state that a HIP unit can spot, but must be "recorded" as such. Can the designation of a spotter take place during setup? (I assume yes, because of the comments about a HIP unit being "recorded" as the spotter.)
A. Yes; counting DFF as part of the DFPh for this exercise, the Spotter may be recorded anytime prior to the start of the firing phase, with that designation becoming effective at the start of the firing phase.
When a spotter dies/breaks/is captured the rules state that you must wait "until the start of the owner’s MPh following such a loss of the original Spotter". Since you must designate during Prep/Defensive Fire, this effectively means you must wait till the player turn following the owner’s next MPh. Is this correct?
A. No; see ASOP step 3.11A. {4}
von Marwitz