Mortar's

[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. It’s 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.

[LT. Ox]

Originally Posted by 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. It’s 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.

The 60's were dropped during my time in Viet Nam as the wonderful M-79 and LAW was to supplant them. I liked the law and loved the M-79 but the loss of the 60's as company support was felt big time.
I operated as an FO and we could get support in a hurry "most" times and it was on target "most" times just not as fast nor as on target as company level 60's.
when your getting fired on BY light mortars you want to counter battery [U][I]right now!![I][U] not after a bit of radio chatter.

[Ancestor]

I don't use them for the PCs but against them it is a real threat, especially if they don't have armor. We just played one of the best gaming sessions of my RPG career. But all it entailed was the PC's plus an NPC forward observer trying to find and then take out a Russian mortar team. The session was about 1 and 1/2 hours and it was really tense. And I stuck religiously to the V.1 rules. It's funny b/c the PCs and their associated NPCs are Infantry. We've played PC's vs T-72 tank, PC's vs mob, and PC's vs sniper scenarios and every time they've taken mercy on any captured wounded. This time, once they located the enemy 82, killed one of the bad guys team and wounded the other three I asked them what they wanted to do with the survivors. The company commander PC said shoot them and the 1SG PC said I'll do it myself.