Explosive effectiveness

[HorseSoldier]

The emphasis has been on getting more consistent and relatively small fragments from HE weapons intended to fragmentation effects, the better to ensure hits on personnel or other targets in a kill zone. I don't recall the exact numbers, but read years ago about some experimental tests on fragmentation, where there was a higher probability of hits from fragments from mortar bombs but artillery (I think 105mm, 122mm, and 155mm were all listed) was much less consistent in fragment dispersion . . . but there tended to be some very notable "sucks to be you" fragments coming off those rounds, made up of large enough chunks of the shell a target might be killed or incapacitated even if the frag hit body armor or helmets. Getting howitzer projectiles downrange at the pressures and velocities they run at meant the shells had to be sufficiently heavy that they were not optimized for fragmentation, whereas lower pressure mortars were much better in that respect.