Mortar Platoon

Mortars fire in a high arc, dropping a high explosive bomb down onto the enemy's positions.

Rifle Companies can call on the support of two types of mortar—three 60mm mortars from their own Weapons Platoon, as well as another six 81mm mortars from the Battalion's Weapons Company.

The Allies have the fascists on the run in North Africa, but the fight is not over yet. The United States is the newest army to enter the war. They boast some of the best tanks in the world, backed up by well-equipped infantry, either marching to battle on foot or riding in half-tracks, and the latest deadly tank destroyers. Their troops are inexperienced, but they have trained hard and are eager to prove themselves. They will need to learn quickly, as they face a cunning and battle-hardened enemy.

The 81mm M1 Mortar was developed from the French Brandt design first developed during WWI. The U.S government purchased the manufacturing rights in the late 1930s. The 81mm could be broken down into its three basic components for transport: the tube, the mount and the baseplate. The 81mm mortar’s range varied depending on the type of shell used, up to a maximum of 3,290 yards. The 60mm M2 Mortar was developed from experience with the 81mm Mortar and used where the need for a lighter alternative was important.

Each round was fin stabilized in flight causing it to strike fuse-end first. Removable increments between the fin blades were used to adjust the range the projectile was thrown.

To fire the projectile it is dropped down the barrel, fin end first, the primer strikes the fixed firing pin which detonates the primer and ignition cartridge (inserted in the base of the round), which in turn ignites the propellent increments, forcing the round out of the barrel, carrying the primer and cartridge with it and readying the mortar for the next round.

Comparing weight and size of the weapon to the destruction they delivered to the target, mortars are very efficient. As ’the infantry’s artillery’, they provided small infantry units artillery-like fire support when artillery either was not available, or could not be moved forward fast enough.