German light mortars

[arpella72]

Why the germans dont have light mortars in CMx2 like US and CW troops? They only have 81mm mortars.After doing some research I found that they had the 5 cm leichter Granatwerfer 36 but it was dropped from 1942 because it was too complex to manufacture.It's said they used french and russian captured models.

Anybody have more information about it?,why they never developed an effective light mortar?.

[Michael Emrys]

I think increasing the number of heavier mortars in the regiment was part of a general upgrade of the weight of firepower that followed from their experience on the East Front. They certainly seem to have gotten a lot of use from their 81mm and 120mm models.

Michael

[womble]

Their 50mm system was also inefficient at delivering HE. Its warhead was significantly less powerful than the US 60mm. Their 81mm tubes at company level served the immediate fire support needs of the platoons, as the US 60mm did.

The paratroopers had a shortened (and therefore lighter) version of the 81mm, at least during the period of Gustav Line - they were showcased in the first demo AAR over in the FI forum.

[c3k]

Plus, their particular 50mm mortar was heavy and complex. Rifle grenades filled the immediate role for the squads, and, as mentioned above, the 81mm mortar rapidly filled the medium role. (It HAD been the heavy mortar. Once the Germans encountered the Russians with their 120mm mortar, they adopted them as their new heavy mortar and started calling the 81mm a medium.)