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Mortar fire


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I have been playing CMBB since its initial issue so I am somewhat ashamed to ask this question; how do I get mortars to fire. The range is right (442 Meters). The line of sight is there; they are under command of an officer who also has LOS. What am I missing? Thanks for your help.

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Reminds me of an earlier thread. Sometimes (rarely) those danged mortar crews just don't want to do their job, and it's impossible to figure out why! I'd bet money you're working with 50mm mortars. Maybe with their high rate of fire they're hesitating to use up all their ammo on one target. It's not just you, the AI seems to have similar problems. Finish a game and check to see how many enemy AI 50mm mortars crews still have all their ammo.

[ May 30, 2003, 10:42 AM: Message edited by: MikeyD ]

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I've encountered the spotted mortar fire problem many times, and it is always one of a small set of detail things. The most common is a hiding HQ, but you say he isn't. The next most common is the HQ not having clear LOS to the target location. Then another HQ grabbing the command line, without LOS. HQ panicking is another (rare) way it fails.

The mortar team itself needs to be set up and not pinned, and not in "cover panic" (shot at in open ground looking for cover). You need the target order to "stick" and say "area fire". It also has to be beyond the mortar's minimum range (and for 50s, within its maximum - usually not an issue with the 81-82s). They don't just refuse to fire *spotted* missions with all those elements in place.

What it may be in your case is they are firing not a spotted area fire shoot, but a direct fire shoot with the team looking at the target itself. They can sometimes stop in that case if the ammo is low (half a dozen remaining rounds e.g.), they don't think they can hurt the target (e.g. targeting a tank or bunker), or both.

In that case, try moving the aim point slightly off the target (just short is best, just long almost as good - most misses are just long or just short but on the right line) to get an "area fire" targeting line instead of a standard one. Then they don't know to judge target vunerability, and will just expend their ammo for the full minute.

[ May 30, 2003, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: JasonC ]

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Another possiblility, enemy troops tend to shift ("twinkle") in and out of LOS early in an engegement, so if your mortar man broke LOS with the enemy for just a second or two he wouldn't fire.

..but you said he stayed in LOS.

[ May 30, 2003, 05:26 PM: Message edited by: MikeyD ]

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I too have seen this, Mortar team was set up perfectly, sometimes with an HQ spotter sometimes just with the MK1 Ocular orbs and still they refuse to fire. I sympathise with Claude as it is frustrating expecting your mortar to rain fiery death on some unsuspecting troops and nothing happens!!

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Here is some more detail on the current situation;

Two 81mm mortar - neither will fire

Full ammo load (30 He & 5 smoke)

Range to target 546m

No units are hiding

No friendly units in area

Target line is solid red

Units have been ready since turn 3 - now turn 20

Units have never been under fire

Still no JOY! :confused:

I think I'll see if area fire has an impact. I appreciate everyones input. Hopefully there's an answer.

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