On Map Mortars dropping ammo during setup. Can I get I back?

[dkchapuis]

This is happening in CMBS (only title I own), but I assume it is true for all titles. 
 

im playing a H2H QB. I purchased 6 81mm on map mortars (mostly for their high ammo loads). 3 attached to company A and 3 to company B.  I noticed on turn 2 that about half of the ammo is gone. 
 

I reloaded my setup file, and the 6 teams had the following ammo counts:

Co A - 44 - 44 - 22  

Co B - 66 - 66 - 66 

 

Question 1: why did Co A lose so much ammo at setup. I check the vehicles (no trucks), but it doesn’t show up anywhere. I checked every A Co unit. 
 

note - no unit in B Co has any vehicles. 
 

Issue 2 : on Turn 2 my ammo loads available are (no pre planned used):

22 - 22 - 22 - 44 - 44 - 66. 
 

So I went back into my setup file and noticed that if I move a mortar unit, that unit drops 22 HE shells. And if I move it again, it drops another 22. If I move it back to its original position, it picks up shells. 
 

I have to say, this makes no sense. Usually BFC seems pretty good about not doing things that don’t make sense, but this one is a head scratcher. 
 

question 3: now that the game is going, can I go back to the original deploy point and “find” more HE. 

Edited March 26, 2022 by dkchapuis

[Codreanu]

If the mortars are close to each other they all share their ammunition into one big pool, so you aren't gaining or losing shells, it's just that one mortar can lend ammunition to another if it needs to. Separate them and it will go back down to 22 each of the tubes. It's a poorly explained UI element though, I agree.

[dkchapuis]

So you are saying that I deployed with 6 x 22 = 132 HE shells total.  Not the 22 + 44 + 44 + 66 + 66 + 66 = 308 HE shells that shows when you add up the units ammo counts?

[Codreanu]

21 minutes ago, dkchapuis said:

So you are saying that I deployed with 6 x 22 = 132 HE shells total.  Not the 22 + 44 + 44 + 66 + 66 + 66 = 308 HE shells that shows when you add up the units ammo counts?

Yep, exactly.

[dkchapuis]

Thanks for the quick reply.  I guess it makes sense, even though it definitely messes up my QB plans

[A Canadian Cat]

@Codreanu has it correct. If you look at the mortar teams ammo section - the left hand one that shows the team members small arms ammo too you will likely see a line that says it has 22 HE rounds. That is the list in small print. That number doesn't change depending on its position. The available rounds list - to the right and in a larger font shows the ammo it can share from other teams and trucks near by. So, if you put then near another team with 22 then both teams will report 44 rounds available. In the artillery call menu they will both list 44 rounds.

I usually position my on map mortars far enough appart to avoid this. If they have vehicles with ammo I'll set it up so each vehicle can supply one and only one mortar team and the teams are independent. That way the artillery call screen best reflects available rounds.

[Erwin]

It can also be helpful to move the HT with the spare ammo far enuff away that the mortar doesn't use up all the ammo if you forget to stop it firing when using (for example) HARASS fire with MAXIMUM DURATION.

[dkchapuis]

Are there QB purchase options for “ammo trucks” that just have spare 60, 81, or 230mm ammo?

[A Canadian Cat]

15 hours ago, dkchapuis said:

Are there QB purchase options for “ammo trucks” that just have spare 60, 81, or 230mm ammo?

There are supply platoons. I am not sure if they are available in a QB. If you find they are it will take some experiments to see if they have the ammo you want.

[woody901]

Wow, you learn something new everyday.

Thanks guys

 

Mick Wood

[chuckdyke]

The Landrovers in SF2 sometimes have spare ammo for the on-map mortar of 50mm.