OK, now that MadMatt has fully enlightened us on mortar and artillery (I'll send you the link to his recent post if you can't find by searching) usage in CM, I am ready to post my question.
Mortars in CM are required to have LOS either themselves or by their HQ to the target location in order to fire at that location (unless firing on the predetermined fire target and not moving since setup). I believe that this is totally unrealistic and ahistorical. With this feature in place, any infantry unit can make itself immune to attack by mortar fire by simply hiding behind a hill, trees or building out of LOS of the enemy. This is totally unrealistic, since mortar fire was typically used in an indirect fire mode to hit troops (and terrain where enemy troops were suspected to be) that couldn't be seen directly. If the enemy, or the ground where enemy is suspected to be, were visible (i.e. in LOS), then it would have been (and would be) attacked by direct fire from conventional weapons!
Steve, Charles, I would like you change this in the 1.02 patch to allow mortars in C&C with their HQ to be able to indirect fire to any location on the map (in range) regardless of whether it is in LOS of the HQ or not. Each HQ leader had a map of the battlefield and could direct the mortar team to fire, for example one hundred yards directly ahead, etc, even to terrain he couldn't directly observe where he suspect enemy troops may be located.
Thanks for a great game,
Rob C.