Where are the US Mortar Teams?

[Truppenfuhrung]

Here's what happen when you give a mortar to an insurgent:

http://op-for.com/2007/08/4_3_2_1.html

[Battlefront.com]

WW2 will pretty much require on-map mortars. At least 60mm type.

Steve

[Cpl Steiner]

Steve,

A US mortar team is featured quite prominently in the "Overview" section of the CM:SF website. As it is no longer in the game you might want to consider removing it from the website to avoid misleading anyone.

[thewood]

What's interesting is its the exact same issue everyone complained about in TOW. Showing it in screenshots, than absent from game.

[Truppenfuhrung]

What's the minimum and maximum range of modern mortars ?

[ August 25, 2007, 07:27 PM: Message edited by: Truppenfuhrung ]

[ChrisND]

M224 60mm: 70-3500 meters. (Approx a 1000 less if hand fired)

M252 81mm: 80-5800 meters.

M120 120mm: 200-7200 meters.

This is off the top of my head for 800 series HE, ranges will differ depending on ammunition used.

[StrykerPSG]

Originally posted by Normal Dude:

M224 60mm: 70-3500 meters. (Approx a 1000 less if hand fired)

M252 81mm: 80-5800 meters.

M120 120mm: 200-7200 meters.

This is off the top of my head for 800 series HE, ranges will differ depending on ammunition used.

Note, the minimum ranges are not how close you can fire near friendly troops, just minimum range for the elevation and propellant charge. The lethal burst radius is as follows:

60mm: 35meters

81mm: 50meters

120mm: 100meters

When employing mortars today with GPS, registered guns and updated METT messages, many NATO mortars have the ability to have first round hits within about 50meters of initial reported grid. This applies especially to the Stryker 120mm, which incorportates the MFCS system. Our first round hits were within 5meters each time, fire for effect is standard for follow on corrections.

BTW, hand held max range is 1200meters, since the force of the recoil would likely (and generally does)break your hand.

[ChrisND]

Originally posted by StrykerPSG:

BTW, hand held max range is 1200meters, since the force of the recoil would likely (and generally does)break your hand.

Dangit, your right. My old FDC would smack me upside the head for that one.

[flamingknives]

Gents, is the lack of mortars going to affect the British module? The 51mm mortar is still used at platoon level.

[StrykerPSG]

Flaming Knives,

Wow! 51mm is still used? How many tubes per platoon? Whats the range on the system? Just curious, as the range would be the only possible advantage over a 40mm grenade. Not implying I am an all knowing weaponeer, but am suprised that caliber is still supported. Does the British MTOE also have company based mortars too, such as the 60mm or just BN level?

[Sequoia]

Since the British Module and the WWII game are planned to be coming out within a couple months of each other (hopefully about a year from now), perhaps they'll have the mortar as the coding will have to be done for the WWII game anyway.

[coe]

It might be nice to have on -board mortar teams the above reasons but also there are times when when a firebase might get over-run or perhaps one side does a sudden strike and finds the mortar position and tries to eliminate it before the other side can get it to retreat...that would be fun.

[Wisbech_lad]

There's one 51mm per platoon, then 82mm at the bn level. Range is about 700-750m.

ISTR that it was meant to be made obsolete by 40mm rifle grenades at the section level - but will now be kept, though likely standardised to 60mm.

Like it's WW2 version, it isn't the HE that is useful, but the illumination and smoke. Especially in a multi-national operating theatre like Afganistan, it has been a force multiplier/ communication tool for light troops. E.g. "See where the red smoke is? Please blow the crap out of it"

[StrykerPSG]

What truly makes the mortars more versatile now are their multi-option fuzes. The 120mm on near surface burst will clear a trenchline very nicely or a rooftop, minimizing collateral damage.

The 60mm is generally just HE and illum, since smoke rounds need way too many to truly obscure. We often used the illum in ground burst mode for marking CAS. The Illum rounds now also now come in an IR variety.

[Battlefront.com]

Cpl Steiner,

A US mortar team is featured quite prominently in the "Overview" section of the CM:SF website. As it is no longer in the game you might want to consider removing it from the website to avoid misleading anyone.

Grrr.... that should have been taken down a long time ago. I just checked and you're right... it's still there. I'll remind the Bald One that somefink is STILL there that shouldn't be.

Steve