A high speed printer of the chain type in which the type characters on the chain are spaced apart a distance greater than the distance between adjacent print positions and in which the number of firing hammers is less than the number of print positions such that each hammer services several print positions. The attachment or control for the printer maintains identity of the type character in front of a print position optioned to print by modifying a type character counter in accord with scan being taken, print position and position of the firing hammers.