Living with 50mm morter

robot · Post by **robot** » Sat Mar 23, 2002 10:12 pm

I have found to use the 50 in indirect does not do as much dam as direct fire. After cursing because they never score any body count, and changing them to mg at first upgrade. I told myself they have to be good for something. Dam it we used them in real life. I tried using them like i use inf 150. When fired direct they do kill as well as cause some dire suppresion. Used prior to assault by troops on position my losses and success has risen much higher. Used in conjunction with supressing fire by my hmg. I am one of those who over the years got into using rotation moving and firing. Very bad habit to get out of. Platoon leader moving and firing then next unit and so forth.

11Bravo · Post by **11Bravo** » Sun Mar 24, 2002 12:10 am

When you play as the Americans, that wonderful 60mm mortar really spoils you. When you try to accomplish the same tactics with the German 50mm, its limited range and power can make you weep with despair.

There are several very good posts on the subject of using the 50mm mortar well. Try searching for them. I have had some success by adopting their tactics. But I prefer playing as American, so I can't really help.

Lately, I get some mileage out of dud units by forcing them to abandon their primary weapons using the 9 key I thing. Sometimes, a unit fights better with its misc. weapons than with its primary weapon, at least under my inept command.

Taglia · Post by **Taglia** » Sun Mar 24, 2002 8:27 pm

In a recent game I had only 2x60mm mortar squads ... and when I had finished the 60mm rounds I just only caused some supression to advancing units, and nothing more! (I used them by calling the support with FOs) ....

11Bravo · Post by **11Bravo** » Sun Mar 24, 2002 11:16 pm

Originally posted by Taglia
In a recent game I had only 2x60mm mortar squads ... and when I had finished the 60mm rounds I just only caused some supression to advancing units, and nothing more! (I used them by calling the support with FOs) ....

Well that's pretty much what light mortars seem to do most in SPWAW, cause suppression. But that suppression is invaluable when it is followed by either attacking and killing the suppressed unit, or escaping from it. I tend to use my mortars as support for the other units, and their role is to deliver suppression.

I do get kills with the 60mm when it fires at close range (a few hexes) and is spotted for. Also, in direct fire mode, it kills light vehicles and suppresses armored ones.

I really like that 60mm. It has legs, it can be transported, it has awesome range compared to many other mortars. It can fight as infantry. I seem to have developed a knack in using it. If it had smoke it would be perfect.

Taglia · Post by **Taglia** » Sun Mar 24, 2002 11:53 pm

Probably it's just a matter of habitude. I normally replace the light mortars with HMGs, or to use heavier mortars like the 81. Maybe it's just me that I'm unable to be effective in using them

gnoccop · Post by **gnoccop** » Mon Mar 25, 2002 1:29 pm

I'm a US 60mm mortar fan!

good range
good suppression on enemy units
good mobility
good kill against no or light armor in direct fire (and sometimes against heavy too!)

Use it in a combined motorized army.

Larry Holt · Post by **Larry Holt** » Mon Mar 25, 2002 6:06 pm

Yes the light mortars were there in real life as they served a useful purpose. They don't cause many casualties as real artillery does but here is what they do: They are the hip pocket artillery of the small maneuver leaders. If you keep them in sight of the leaders, they will always be available. Do to their small damage radius, they can be used in close to their units where larger arty would cause friendly casualities. You should be focusing on having a friendly platoon attack an opposing squad. The mortar can supress a hex that you do not have LOS to so when you do step into the enemy's LOS, they are too suppressed to do much damage. Mortars' ability to supress units in smoke, behind buildings or in a woodline, etc. that you do not have LOS to is something that HMGs and other weapons just do not have. If you upgrade to them you give up a weak indirect capability for none at all.

panda124c · Post by **panda124c** » Mon Mar 25, 2002 8:36 pm

You are finding the same problems that the Germans had with their 50mm mortars, slow and short ranged. By the end of the war the Germans had replaced the 50mm with a light weight version of their 81mm mortars.
The 50mm indirect are invaluable (as are other mortars) when you have to assualt that MG, just enough suppression to keep the MG quiet so you can move a squad next it.

They also work fairly well in headgerows.

Belisarius · Post by **Belisarius** » Mon Mar 25, 2002 11:04 pm

Pbear, thanx for the tip.

I've never had any use of my 50mm's .. their short range is bad enough, but combined with slow move, they can't keep up with the platoon. However, if the other platoon squads get caught up, they're somewhat useful.

Last battle I ended up with all my 50's in one big group straggling about halfway between the start line and the front. They were way out of the combat area, but could mop up some SO squads that made it through and tried to harass the heavy mortars.

Taglia · Post by **Taglia** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 2:16 am

Originally posted by Taglia
Maybe it's just me that I'm unable to be effective in using them

That's it :p

ToutUnHomme · Post by **ToutUnHomme** » Tue Mar 26, 2002 3:26 am

If you can bring them within 5 hexes from the ennemy infantry position , then you can get a kill about 3-4 times on each 5 shots ...

Then they are deadly...

Of course, a dedicated halftrack is often needed to get them there.

ToutUnHomme

Living with 50mm morter

Living with 50mm morter

I'll make a note of that