60mm Mortars

[Wildcat]

Has anyone done any write ups for Mortars, or for that matter Artillery?

 

I'm going to need some soon... I'm sure I could write some up, but hey I got lots more to do, and isn't that what this forum is all about?

 

WC

[Edsel]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

Surprisingly I don't know of any write-ups that have been done. If I wasn't in the middle of something I'd be tempted to give it a try. If anyone does feel like building one here's a link to a site with lots of data on the M224 60mm Mortar the current US model. There is even a further link on the site that gives data on the various rounds for use in the mortar.

[Kraven Kor]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

Should be fairly simple...

 

Indirect (always follows arc) or whatever.

 

Explosive RKA, with built in +OCV to offset range penalty.

 

Increased range to several dozen km on artillery (I'm unsure of modern artillery range capabilities.)

[gewing]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

Should be fairly simple...

 

Indirect (always follows arc) or whatever.

 

Explosive RKA, with built in +OCV to offset range penalty.

 

Increased range to several dozen km on artillery (I'm unsure of modern artillery range capabilities.)

 

iirc off the top of my head, the long range 60mm mortars can reach out about 3500 meters.

 

there are shorter ranged versions too. Each round should be somewhat more powerful than a hand grenade, maybe 50% more damage? they tend to weigh about 2 pounds.

 

Everything larger just gets ugly.

 

and a time on target barrageof 120mm shells from an AMOS twin barreled mortar should threaten even serious supers.

 

14 shells each weighing something like 30 lbs going off at once...

 

proximity fuses are available.

[Trebuchet]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

Don't forget all mortars have a minimum range. They are not designed to attack targets in close proximity. Fifty yards (20") is probably a good minimum even for a small 60mm mortar; it'll be larger for larger mortars

[Storn]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

Here is how i would handle a mortar attack on player characters. This is an abstraction, so ranges and all that can be dispensed with.

 

As they run through (or are in) an contested area: re: one that is being mortared... have each player roll for each Turn!!! (not every action or phase, Turn) that they are in or they passed through said contested area.

 

If they roll a 17 or 18, they are close enough to take damage from shrapnel.

 

The base attack is 4d6 RKA (off the top of my head). Explosion. Have them make a Concealment roll if they are hunkering down, a Dex roll if they are moving around. For every 2 they make it by, the damage is reduced by one die... but only to 3 dice maximum reduction... Target at bare minimum will take 1d6 RKA.

 

Mortars are designed to be fired in unison, are not super accurate at typical squad level environs. But if your squad gets pinned down... and the enemy can start walking fire in... yup, then your squad is in trouble. If the Mortar(s) is sighted in, then a sucessful hit might be 15-18. I would rarely make the odds of getting hit more than that.

[Mantis]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

When in doubt, I look up my Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) rules. And their comprehensive Vehicle and Ordnance listings.

 

WWII-era US Army 60mm mortars are listed as being of two types; the light M19 version for Airborne and special forces troops, and the standard M2. Converting from the ASL scale of 1 hex = 40 yards, the M2 has a minimum range of 120 yards and a maximum of 1800 (which is high for a light mortar, BTW). In addition to being able to fire HE (RKA, Explosion?), it could fire White Phosphorous rounds, which combine an attack (RKA, Continuous, vs ED?) with a Smokescreen (Darkness v sight?), or Starshell (Dispel Darkness, AoE?) rounds. The M19 has a minimum range of 80 yards and a maximum of 720 yards, and was slightly lighter, but has the same general capabilities. Unlike larger Mortars, they are not given the capability to fire Smoke rounds, but that is another possible type of ammo. Plus Gas and Chemical rounds if you want to be evil and devious, but given their short range these can be dangerous to the firer too. Nuclear rounds are likewise unlikely to be popular with the troops.

 

In ASL, both weapons are considered to encumber the carrying unit sufficiently to hinder their movement (the M19 less so), unless they are dismantled, which takes time. Mortars (and other artillery) are given greater effect vs units in Woods or Orchards due to Airbursts. If you are using a post-WWII version, this effect can be caused in any terrain by the use of proximity fuses, which guaranteed detonation of rounds at a fixed height. Conversely, Snow and Mud reduce their effectiveness (treat as SFX rather than Adv/Lim?). A Mortar requires a clear area overhead when firing, they generally can't be used from within buildings, or in dense foliage. They can be fired from out of Line-of-sight of their target with the aid of a Spotter (Clairsentience, OAF: Field Phone?), although with slightly reduced accuracy. Finally, they are not a precision weapon, rather they blanket an area with a lot of shots and hope one hits the jackpot, so they should only be able to target a Hex. But they also hit this small area consistently, once zeroed in; in ASL they get a To Hit bonus each time they fire on the same location. Perhaps give the weapon a series of +1 OCVs with a Limitation on each that it only applies after a minimum number of shots at the same target Hex (or a number of -1 penalties that reduce after a certain number of shots).

 

My HERO-rules-fu is weak, so I can't help you out with a full write-up, I'm afraid.

[ThothAmon]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

A few words for y'all wanting definitive hardware writeups

 

(A) Danger International

( Edge Of The Sword by Kevin Dockery

[AlHazred]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

Hmmm... Now I'm tempted to write up the vehicles from Ogre/G.E.V. in Hero terms, since you got me started thinking about the Mobile Howitzer...

[dark_claw]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

A few words for y'all wanting definitive hardware writeups

 

(A) Danger International

( Edge Of The Sword by Kevin Dockery

 

Don't forget

 

Guns, Guns, Guns by Greg Porter

and the followup More Guns which has a Hero writeup for 60mm Mortars and a lot more.

[Thia Halmades]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

The cat is helping today. One paw on my arm and looking at me, as though wounded, that my hands are typing instead of petting him. *sigh* There's enough cat-hair on my keyboard to warrant calling the SPCA for a pick-up. As for the mortar, here's an outside the box thought:

 

I'd handle ammunition as various changed costs for effect - i.e., Starburst Shells cost (X) as ammunition for the mortar. Or, if that's too much hassle, the mortar itself could be built likely as a very limited VPP - it's Active would be the maximum points in a shell it could fire, it's control cost would pick up the following limitations:

 

104 M2 Man-Portable, Crew Served Mortar: (70 Point VPP), Long-Range Weapon (Extra Range, +1/4), All Rounds Indirect (always falls from overhead, +1/2); Crew Served (3 men, -1/2), Must have Clear View (cannot be fired indoors/through ceilings/overhead blockages, -1/2), Extra Time (Mortar must cool after extended use, -1/4), Increased Reloading Time (2 Full Phases to prime, load, & fire a shell, -1/4), Can Only Fire Appropriate Ammunition (Military mortar rounds of the correct caliber, -1/2), Long Range Weapon (Range Minimum, 50" -1/2), Real Weapon (-1/4)

 

4 Inital Barrage: plus, +1 OCV, Must have previously fired on the same location (second and subsequent shots to the same location, -1/4)

7 Following Barrage: plus, +2 OCV, Must have previously fired four shots to the same location (fifth shot to the same location, -1/2)

5 Continued Barrage plus, +2 OCV, Must have fired six or more shots to the same location (seventh and subsequent shots to the same location, -3/4)

 

Final bonus on 7th & subsequent shots: +5 OCV, which is resepectable.

 

I calculated for a 70 point VPP based on an Explosive Indirect 2d6+1 shell, I wasn't certain if Indirect would need to apply to all shells, or if they were inherent to the VPP, so based on my lack of knowledge it's also possible to use a 3d6 Explosive Shell if Indirect becomes an effect of the VPP and not the ammunition (which it well may). This also lets you load... um... damn near anything, all without the muss & fuss. And that's a shell with no limitations (real weapon, etc.) so depending on how your VPPs are handled you could do considerably more damage.

 

Hope that helps. As always, taking suggestions.

[Teflon Billy]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

Don't forget

 

Guns, Guns, Guns by Greg Porter

and the followup More Guns which has a Hero writeup for 60mm Mortars and a lot more.

Does More Guns have Hero write-ups for everything in the book?

 

What edition of Hero?

 

TB

[dark_claw]

Re: 60mm Mortars

 

Does More Guns have Hero write-ups for everything in the book?

 

What edition of Hero?

 

TB

 

I haven't found any writeups missing The start of the book describes the weapons It then splits into sections for each system covered which discusses how the builds where done then a list the weapons stats for the system. It was written with 4th ed rules after Dark Champions was released (which helped in the fine tuning the builds according to the author)