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Battalion Mortar platoon positioning

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May 8, 2015
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The mortar platoon section for this motorcycle battalion stays out of effective range after a probe attack was carried out on the two crossings. From that position they are way too far away to support my units, I understand I can move them independently but is this on purpose?

The mortar platoon is behind the HQ circled in black.

ry8h3hK.png
 

Dave 'Arjuna' O'Connor

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I think you will find that the 81mm mortars have an eff range of 2380m. If you turn on the bombard range ring you will see that it overlaps and hence covers those inf units in the south. I admit that it would be better if they were a little further south but it is very open there.
 

GoodGuy

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I think you will find that the 81mm mortars have an eff range of 2380 m.
The 8-cm-Granatwerfer (Gr.W) 34 (exact calibre: 81.4 mm) had a max range of 2400 meters, where the spread at that exact max range (of 2400 meters) was 65 meters. If it was installed on a Sd.Kfz (250/7, for example), it was designated "Granatwerfer 67" (translates to "grenade-thrower" ).

German mortars were rather bad.

From 1939 - 1941 the German 50-mm mortar (5-cm-Granatwerfer 36) was the most widely used/produced mortar, its max range was 510-520 meters (depending on source). Originally, it was introduced as a Inf Coy-level mortar before the war started, because the 80-mm mortars were supposed to deliver mortar support on the Bn level. Production phased out in 1943, but - despite the lack of punch - the mortar was still popular here and there and used on a platoon level, until grenade stocks dwindled in 1944, so that Russian versions had to be used. German sources state that a higher number of these mortars remained in service at fortresses/bunkers and at the Atlantic Wall (French, Dutch and Norwegian coast) until the end of the war.

In 1938, the Germans captured czech mortars, where a total of 563 mortars (calibre?) were incorporated until 1940, eventually, and in 1940 the Germans captured large amounts of french mortars (then designated "8-cm-Granatwerfer 278/1(f)" and "6-cm-Granatwerfer 225(f)") and some belgian mortars, but only the 80-mm-mortars were used by frontline troops, the 60-mm-mortars were used to train recruits.

Basically, neither czech, polish, nor french mortars impressed the Germans, as either the max range was really low, or the accuracy rather bad.

During the German onslaught in Russia, in 1941, the Germans captured large amounts of Russian 50-mm ("5-cm-Granatwerfer 205/3(r)"), and 120-mm mortars ("12-cm-Granatwerfer 378(r)"), and they were deeply impressed by the performances of the 120-mm mortars.
Field tests and encounters showed that Russian 107-mm, 120-mm, 127-mm and even 150-mm mortars (all derivates or modifications of the original Russian M1938) were superior to the German standard mortars. So, at the time, Russian mortar units had more punch/accuracy/range than any comparable German mortar unit.

According to Finnish sources (the Finnish Army had captured large amounts, too) the Russian 50-mm mortar was quite accurate and even though it lacked the punch of a 80-mm round, the Finns were quite happy with the range (~800 meters) and setup time: It took only 1 minute to set it up, unlike with the German 50-mm mortar, where it took at least 5 minutes, as it was relatively complex, and its accuracy was pretty bad (the spread was 31 meters in length and 4 meters to the sides).

The captured Russian 120-mm mortar with its max range of 6000 meters was tested and incorporated under the designation "12-cm-Granatwerfer 378(r)" right away, as it turned out to be the most popular (and accurate) mortar the Germans ever had. The Germans started to produce a copy based on that Russian mortar ~January 1943, the "12-cm Granatwerfer 42" (range: 6000 meters according to German sources, 6050 meters according to other sources), to replace damaged or lost 120-mm units, and to give mortar Coys in the Russian theater more punch, the 80-mm mortar was produced until the end of the war, though. In December 1943 and (then in summer 1944 again, for other types of Bns - eg. Grenadier-Bns) the German High Command decided that the 120-mm mortar should become the standard-issue for some Infantry Bn's Heavy Coy's 3rd platoon (often called "heavy platoon"), as the KStN from December 1943 required the 3rd platoon of a number of Inf Bns (eg. Jäger-Bns) to be equipped with the 120-mm mortars. It could fire captured Russians rounds as well as the German rounds that were then particularly produced (1943-1945) for that mortar.

The most widely used layout of an Inf/Gren Bn's Heavy Coy in 1944:
  • 1. Platoon: TWO infantry guns (le IG)
  • 2. Platoon: SIX 80-mm GW
  • 3. Platoon: FOUR 120-mm GW (mot.)

The mortars provided support on a Bn level, the IGs were tasked to support the line Coys (range 3350 meters), but were ordered to deliver high-angle fire (they had to get somewhat closer for that task, obviously) from concealed positions or from terrain depressions/ditches on camouflaged and entrenched enemy units only, according to the German field manual. The manual also stressed that only those enemy units were to be shelled that endangered the friendly Coys the most, in order to minimize ammo consumption, and that even such targets should then only be shelled when other units (mortars, artillery) could not fire or could not score hits. The IGs were supposed to get closer to the forward observer (for "observed fire" missions, the radio range of his backpack radio was around 0.5 - 1 km, a bigger version - a tornister with a weight of 20 kg - had a range of 5-25 km, but was too bulky), if phone lines had not been layed yet, which was quite often the case, as the Bn's IGs were used as mobile quick reaction guns and shuffled around often.

That said, the six 80-mm mortars should be outsourced. In the Bulge pack, Inf and Gren Coys carry the 80mm mortars right to the front, despite the need for a bombardment unit (with rage) to stay away from the frontline. Realistically, they should be fielded as 3 independent platoons attached to the Bn HQ, as these platoons feature quite different max ranges of 3550 m (IG), 2400 m (80-mm mortars) and 6000 meters (120-mm mortars).

Sidenote: There was a 73-mm-Propaganda-Werfer 41, which was not a mortar, but a platform (weight: 11 kg) that could launch a rocket (weight: 2.8 kg, length: 4.08 meters) which contained 200,250 propaganda leaflets. The max range of the solid-fueled rocket was 3200 meters.

Can we get that rocket into the game? We need some special weapon to get the stragglers to surrender! ;)
 
Last edited:

Dave 'Arjuna' O'Connor

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Of course you can get that weapon into the game GoodGuy. It's easy. Just use the EstabEditor. Your difficulty will be assigning a realistic effect. I suppose though that if those 200,250 leaflets would weigh a fair bit. If they all landed in the one spot they might give a nasty headache. ;)
 
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