Mortars out of contact...

[Javaslinger]

I'm running into all kinds of issues keeping my mortars in contact in a scenario. First, when you go to the leader artillery screen and it lists the mortars which are out of contact, is there an easy way to figure out which ones they are???

If a mortar is not in contact with it's platoon leader, can it be in contact via other nearby leades?

Is there any kind of designation of the UI as to whether a mortar is deployed other than going to the admin buttons and checking to see if it's green?

Thanks,

Ken

[Ranger33]

I think this is bugged a bit, especially for the Germans. I have one scenario where all of my mortars were in contact just fine, but then I moved the relay HQ away for a few turns (they had a desperately needed P-faust), and when I moved them back I could never establish contact again. I tried three different HQs (including the mortar platoon HQ) with no success. All had radios and everything.

[phil stanbridge]

Yeah mortars (and machine guns for that matter) can be tricky to setup effectively in my opinion, but they're so worth it when you finally figure it out. For the first time really, I've been able to use MG and mortar fire to suppress the enemy units. It's working a treat in the campaign, but you have to have decent LOS, that is the only problem of course. If you can see them, then you know damn well they can see you.

I'm sure someone will come in and correct me if I'm wrong, but I *think* you can call in rounds if you have a leader near a 'deployed' mortar. In the RTM campaign I'm playing through now I have mortars out of contact with their HQ but I can still call them in via other nearby leaders. I generally tend to leave 60mm mortars to their own devices however. They get through the rounds so quickly otherwise.

I check the graphic of the mortar or MG in the UI, if there's no 'not deployed' or whatever text then you know its ready for action. But I'm using a graphical mod which is different to the BFC one.

[Javaslinger]

But can you tell which mortars are out of contact without finding them and selecting? seems like you should be able to just click on them and figurevit out from the leader screen which is listing them as being out of contact.

[Vencini]

First, when you go to the leader artillery screen and it lists the mortars which are out of contact, is there an easy way to figure out which ones they are???

When you select an on-map mortar in the leader artillery screen, that mortar will changue to organe color in the map. Select the mortar then look for it on the map. I think ther is no button to jump directly over that mortar

If a mortar is not in contact with it's platoon leader, can it be in contact via other nearby leades?

I think yes. Be sure the mortar is deployed. Then be sure your mortar unit have voice or "see" or radio comand with the HQ how wants to direct the fire

Is there any kind of designation of the UI as to whether a mortar is deployed other than going to the admin buttons and checking to see if it's green?

You can see "deploy" or "not deploy" in the UI mortar's panel directly. You can also Aproach to the mortar unit with the camera and see if they are deployed ;-)

But can you tell which mortars are out of contact without finding them and selecting? seems like you should be able to just click on them and figurevit out from the leader screen which is listing them as being out of contact.

I don't understand this question very well, sorry :-S

Hope info helps

[Peregrine]

It actually isn't too hard once you get the hang of it.

Mortars need to be in a command chain that has verbal communications. Not sure I have ever seen a mortar crew with radios so this means the crew need to be deployed within 50m of a leader to have voice contact (yelling mouth in the UI, the close or distant visual contact icons aren't enough). This is 3 action squares when plotting orders.

The voice communication can be with leaders other than their platoon leader. Once in contact with a leader the mortar will then be available to other units that the leader has voice C2 to. Now radios come in to play which will greatly increase the distance between the units. The drawback with radio communication is that it is broken when units move or casualties. Moving units will lose radio communications and sometimes it will take a little time to re-establish after stopping.

A simple way to keep them in command and safe is to deploy them with their Plt commander and don't move them until you have to. Typically a sprint from one location to the next to minimise their out of contact time. This should keep them in communications nearly 100% of the time. A drawback with this method is that they may end up being a little distant from the fighting and not available for direct firing. That is the trade-off.

Other times I may attach a mortar crew to each infantry platoon and not really plan to do any indirect firing with those units.

[LukeFF]

Mortars need to be in a command chain that has verbal communications. Not sure I have ever seen a mortar crew with radios so this means the crew need to be deployed within 50m of a leader to have voice contact (yelling mouth in the UI, the close or distant visual contact icons aren't enough). This is 3 action squares when plotting orders.

You can also establish radio contact with a mortar crew by keeping a radio-equipped vehicle next to them.

[Michael Emrys]

You can also establish radio contact with a mortar crew by keeping a radio-equipped vehicle next to them.

Preferably one that can carry them and their ammo bearers in one lift if you need to move them.

Michael

[Hessian deserter]

I recently had one of my Infantry Platoon HQ unit's get an outstanding LOS while behind a hedge,he got an LOS on a German platoon behind a wall,that allowed me to "linear target" the length of the wall. So I am learning to check more often the LOS's of all my HQ's units for art'y support in addition to the FO and Mortar HQ.

[Hister]

Am new to the series and need a little help.

What is the XO unit? How should I use it?

I concur it is some kind of the observer but lacking the radio it's use seems kind of limited.

[Vencini]

Hilster hope this tread helps you

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=101037

[Hister]

Hilster hope this tread helps you

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=101037

Thank you mate!

[Javaslinger]

Thanks everyone for all the advice on tips with regards to keeping mortars in contact! Very helpful!

However, there is something I'm still struggling with that I think I'm not communicating very well.

When a mortar is displayed as 'Out of Contact' or 'Not deployed' it cannot be selected. Thus there is no way to find it on the map from that leader - quickly... Thus I need to 'manually' find it but I'm struggling figuring out which 'Out of Contact' mortar corresponds to which mortar on the map - since they cannot be selected when out of contact.

is that more clear?

thanks,

Javaslinger

[Praetori]

Thanks everyone for all the advice on tips with regards to keeping mortars in contact! Very helpful!

However, there is something I'm still struggling with that I think I'm not communicating very well.

When a mortar is displayed as 'Out of Contact' or 'Not deployed' it cannot be selected. Thus there is no way to find it on the map from that leader - quickly... Thus I need to 'manually' find it but I'm struggling figuring out which 'Out of Contact' mortar corresponds to which mortar on the map - since they cannot be selected when out of contact.

is that more clear?

thanks,

Javaslinger

There's no "easy" way. Check the C2 links for all the mortars.

The one's missing C2 to platoon are usually the culprits but any broken C2 could be the issue.

Another problem is that the mortars need to be in the same formation as the FOB. If you've got attached mortars that doesn't share a C2 link to a higher echelon HQ you can't use them with that FOB. Or at least that's what I've observed. Basically if you have mortars attached to a force but they're not under the same battalion or the FOB is missing a higher HQ they won't play ball.

And yes I've seen some scenarios set up this way though only for the AI side (which still brakes MP games though).

Also FOBs and Mortars in different formations seems to be unable to use other nearby units radios or other C2 links to get in contact with each other (which at first glance feels realistic but any normal higher officer would probably commandeer those assets to their own battlegroup pretty fast IRL).