Best Uses/Practices for: Small caliber Light Mortars

[RedDevil]

Every hates those little bottle rocket launcher wannabees when they hog up important support points in a Quick battle Kit pick. Why?

These little mortars are a valuable asset to platoon tactics if used properly.
They can move along with the platoons to give them that extra power to take out the enemy positions they engage. They also provide smoke cover for an emergency situation, whether it's to advance across an open spot or blind enemy guns from making mincemeat of the platoons caught in a bad move.

Many commanders feel they are worthless, as they carry light ammo loads and have limited ranges. They also move to slow and oft times get picked off while setting up to fire.
If this is your case, then perhaps you're not using these little specialty items correctly.

Speed is of essence to the impatient, the patient commander sets up his forces to allow maximum firepower to be directed at the point of attack. Setting up the mortars BEFORE the attack begins is a work of art and it does require effort to get them right. In Cities or villages, Mortars are not as effective because the houses can withstand quite a bit of fire from them before collapse. Mortars are best when used against soft targets that are in the open or not dug in. Against units in woods, scattered trees, and pines, you will have varied success depending on the shells hitting treetops or making it to the ground.

Many commanders use the Company commander to direct fire of these mortar units by hiding them behind something out of LOS but in command range. This allows the mortars to area fire without ever seeing the targets. An excellent option, but they tend to waste their allotment quicker and suddenly are empty and worthless. Reason for this is they will fire for the entire turn because their target was not visual and therefore once it was suppressed or killed the unit didn't break off firing at it.

A note to add is that PLATOON leaders can also direct fire for these little mortars in the same manner as company commanders do.

So how do you like to use your Little Mortars, and are they effective killers for you?

I like to mount them on armor or trucks to get them up front as quickly as possible and into some covering positions. Good areas to cover are possible ATG and MG positions, and open fields that the enemy MUST cross.
I tend to use a commander to spot for these mortars in certain terrain conditions like big hills and heavy forests. When it comes down to defending a position however, I'll direct fire these guys so they won't waste ammo by area firing, and they are real deadly against INF advancing/assaulting across open areas.

I like to put smoke in front enemy tanks and guns I spot so they have to move thru it to shoot and lose their LOS to units that can then hide or reposition better. It is sometimes better to smoke directly in front of the enemy unit firing, rather than trying to guess if you plotted correctly to cover your men.

Anyone else have some tips to share?

[Jobu88]

ANY size mortar will cause enemy vehicles to button up, which is always useful.

I have been on the receiving end of an immobilizing hit to a tank from a 50mm mortar, and I once dropped a 50mm shell right into the open top of an American armored car. But those are long shots & probably not worth the ammo to try for them.

And as you mentioned smoke when required.

I prefer to buy 81mm, and whenever possible use them with a HQ that has at least a +1 combat rating. Only drawback is that the HQ could be put to better use leading an infantry platoon, but sometimes you can spare a good HQ to spot for a bunch of mortars if the map cooperates, and a +1 or better yet +2 combat rating will result in highly accurate fire from the mortars, either direct fire or using the HQ to spot.

[Copper]

[PoorOldSpike]

[PoorOldSpike]

TREEBURST GETS HALFTRACK
It took quite a few shots before this one finally got him.
Tac note - I used area-fire rather than direct-fire because I find mortars tend to lose their direct-fire locks at the drop of a hat, whereas with area-fire they'll usually keep plastering the impact point mercilessly for the whole turn, although the ammo expenditure will be higher..

[Nort]

I like to mass my small mortars and have one HQ spot for them. Then, as Randy says, unload a bunch at once to supress and enemy position, and sometimes rout it out.

[Copper]

[Chipmunk]

Great picture Nort, really good colour for a WWII image.

[The Coil]

[Extraordinarius]

My favorite use for small mortars: tanks under mortar fire will move without orders, even from 2"/50mm fire which has no chance of damaging them. Great for getting the enemy out from behind buildings.