Mortar's

[kcdusk]

Is anyone using mortars in their games To what effect Size

[Legbreaker]

They're not exactly practical for smaller groups, same with most other types of artillery. However, I've never seen a group that didn't have at least one in their arsenal.
Usually there's a lack of forward observers too in my experience.

[aspqrz]

But, theoretically, mind, you could rig them up like some of the 'Gun Mortars' used on some modern French armoured cars, and use them in direct fire mode as well. Theoretically.

Phil

[pmulcahy11b]

And remember, firing a Grenade Launcher is nothing like firing a mortar. There should be a separate skill.

[Legbreaker]

And remember, firing a Grenade Launcher is nothing like firing a mortar. There should be a separate skill.

True. Something like Indirect Fire Weapons that allows the laying and firing of mortars, light artillery, tripod mounted machineguns and automatic grenade launchers at targets using maps, compass, and sights such as the C2A1, along with various electronic aids.

[dragoon500ly]

Truly, anything above 60mm is a waste of a player groups time, although watching the antics of players trying to set up a 120mm during an ambush can be amusing!

[Legbreaker]

Not as much fun as watching them debus from a vehicle while still in the kill zone to assault across several hundred metres of open ground on foot.
Yeah, that works out well....

[Adm.Lee]

I remember in a Merc game, my PC shooting a 60mm mortar at a barracks.
- First shot Over.
- 2nd shot short.
- Other PCs: "Why are we waiting for this Look, they're starting to come out of the barracks now! Let's open up and get in there!"
- Third shot Right through the roof, adjacent to the front door, where the bad guys were arming and rushing for the door. Lots and lots of die-rolling, for damage and fragments and more damage.
- Me: "That's why we're waiting. Now go and collect their surrender."

I can think of another game, I was GM, where the PCs barrelled into an ambush, which had 120mm mortars covering the kill zone. That really spooked the PCs, and they drove away really fast, despite having some armor.

But yeah, most of the time, IF weapons, beyond grenade-launchers, weren't really used.

[Legbreaker]

That reminds me of another time with another group going through Ruins of Warsaw.
The PCs had set up a meet with an arms dealer and shown up with a truck and LAV-75 to make the trade. Naturally things went bad and the merchant's covering force opened up with a mortar firing chemical rounds (those in the meeting had gas masks on their belts). First shot hit the LAV on the glacis resulted in absolute panic on the part of the PCs (they ran away as fast as they could).
One of the players had all of his characters after that wear a chem suit 24/7 - and his character at the time had been safely tucked away in the LAV!

[LT. Ox]

hmmmm

That reminds me of another time with another group going through Ruins of Warsaw.
The PCs had set up a meet with an arms dealer and shown up with a truck and LAV-75 to make the trade. Naturally things went bad and the merchant's covering force opened up with a mortar firing chemical rounds (those in the meeting had gas masks on their belts). First shot hit the LAV on the glacis resulted in absolute panic on the part of the PCs (they ran away as fast as they could).
One of the players had all of his characters after that wear a chem suit 24/7 - and his character at the time had been safely tucked away in the LAV!

Now in the 2020 merc game I may need one of those suites..... How to get item have and chem scare. yes that should work

[aspqrz]

One of the players had all of his characters after that wear a chem suit 24/7 - and his character at the time had been safely tucked away in the LAV!

I know MOPP suits are only good for a relatively short period after the plastic wrap they come in is opened ... 24 hours or until taken off, whichever is the lesser is the best figure I have seen ...

(However, I know as a Company Sig back in the day we were ordered to break the batteries of our AN/PRC-25 Radios in two on something hard when we replaced them every, 24 hours, to prevent them being from being reused ... the implication being that they were rated for longer periods of use ... so maybe its the same with MOPP suits).

Then there are the filters on the Gas Mask - again, change every 24 hours.

So wearing them all the time would be ... expensive. Dying would be cheaper

Phil

[Legbreaker]

Meanwhile we were using our "dead" batteries to charge up the PALs (Patrol Ambush Light). Can't remember the exact details, but I think it was 24 hours on the battery gave ten minutes of absolutely BLINDING light.

[copeab]

Unless you have a large party, one of the commando mortars would be most appropriate. Not as accurate as a normal light mortar, but much more portable and normally operated by one man.

[Olefin]

have had several different groups that had mortars - and you are right you need larger parties to handle them - the most we ever had (and this was my first campaign where we ended up having our party getting enough 5th division guys out that we had quite the time feeding and transporting everyone) was two 81mm mortars, one 60mm mortar and two 120mm mortars that we captured - with the 120's almost never being used

[rcaf_777]

France, UK, Canada and Belgium have infantry/light mortars that are used at the platoon level. They usually have a crew of two.

I was my platoon mortar man when I was infantry. Canada had the M19 Light Mortar which I carried and hated it there was nothing light about it. Its a 60mm Mortar it only took a crew of one to operate, the number two was basically the ammo carrier. As my unit was light infantry (IE no wheels) additional ammo was spread out thought the platoon. Spotting was always difficult if you were lucky you or your number were mortar qualified and were able to spot rounds effectively. Since my reserve unit was not designated to have a Mortar Platoon, I was usually out of luck.

Mostly theses mortars were used for laying smoke to cover platoon movements. The only time I remember using HE was for defensive ops and I had the large base plate and the bipod.