"Light Mortar question" Topic

Played my first game this weekend with light mortars. I couldn't find any rules that state how they work other than indirect fire rules.

So, am I right in assuming they are not subject to any infantry firing rules, such as the penalty for having moved?

Regardless of what the unit did, they just shoot as normal, needing a 6 to hit on the first try, and so on?

That's how we played it, any helpful input welcome.

Steve

Correct, you can move and indirect shoot on a 6. Take note of the minimum and maximum range.

Ah, thanks. And yes, we made sure to use proper range. Thank you.

Depends which light mortar. The British 2" mortar was lanyard fired and could, and often was, used by Commando's and Airborne troops as a direct fire weapon.

That's not catered for in the rules, however. You'd have to house-rule it.

The light mortar can shoot over the heads of friendly troops. Getting a hit with a 6 is pretty lucky, but its a nice extra when you are attacking. The light mortar squad is small and if anyone shoots at it they are not shooting a bigger more important threats.

@ Jarrovian:
"The British 2" mortar was lanyard fired and could, and often was, used by Commandos and Airborne troops as a direct fire weapon."

Not just special forces, it was a standard way of using the 2-inch mortar. I have posted elsewhere a WW2 YouTube video of Universal/Bren carriers mounting 2-inch mortars and using the mortars as a direct-fire weapon. I also found a reference in Caen: Anvil of Victory by Alexander McKee about a British infantry assault on a building which took place under cover of the 2-inch firing in direct-fire mode. The crew accidentally loaded smoke instead of H.E. but banged off the smoke anyway. Either way the assault worked. Finally at least one British soldier, Robert Henry Cain VC won the medal for firing a 2-inch by propping it against a wall or a tree at Arnhem.

"By 25 September, the area occupied by the Lonsdale Force saw heavy fighting against self-propelled guns, flamethrower tanks, and infantry. There were no PIATs available to the force by now; instead Cain armed himself with a two-inch mortar. Mortars are muzzle-loading indirect fire weapons but Cain was forced to fire it on an almost horizontal plane due to the enemy's proximity. His citation states that his leadership ensured that the South Staffordshire gave no ground and drove the enemy off in complete disorder." (from Wiki)

His daughter later married TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson who later related that his daughter never knew about her father's VC as "he didn't mention it…"

Barry

I found the movie:

YouTube link

Go to time code 10.40 (YouTube time code, not screen time code) and you will see a two-inch mortar used in direct fire mode with both H.E. and smoke. In this role it rather resembles the US M79 or M203 grenade launchers used since Vietnam.

Barry