Light Mortar - Bolt Action Unit Guide

[@barleysixseventwo6665]

According to the rulebook, a 1” HE blast should always hit at least 2 people, since the squad’s troops always need to be within 1” of each other. Just thought I’d point that out.

[@MrHarrytheJew]

I think the light mortar is a great little addition. I take it in ultra small point lists 500pts and below. It’s also an auto include if I’m playing a theatre selector that allows me access to a light mortar only slot (No Land Beyond the Volga gives you access to either a heavy, medium, or light mortar + a light mortar). Great for assaulting armies to keep up the pace and drop a shell on a static small team; snipers, artillery, other mortars. Lastly don’t forget the smoke shell, I resent firing a smoke from a larger indirect firing weapon that would cause real damage. The ability to drop a 3” smoke is massive for such a cheap unit.

[@1krani]

Considering I just built one of these from a Perry Minis set I bought, this was eerily well-timed.

[@Shadowplay-jo1oz]

Light mortars don’t have the fixed weapon rule so they can move and shoot. At minimum it’s a cheep order dice in the bag also 1-2 pins can help for little investment it can threaten units that are worth a lot more points than it is and can cause target priority issues. I think they have a use

[@user-um1xo9ed1x]

Dam, I just got a couple of starter kits and it seems all the vid's were released years ago. But I can't believe you missed the best option for the light mortar. My target list would include, enemy mortars. medium machine guns, sniper teams and the like. And the biggie, enemy A/T guns, you know, that tight little grouping you were mentioning and options that get a heavy penalty, from what I can see, for moving. It is my understanding that these units are more likely to be regular troops rather than Vet's because they are not at the sharp end. So you know, I think you rather undervalued them.

[@Groundpenguin]

These videos have been so great thanks for making them.

[@tomgroenendaal5601]

I love these unit guides

[@panzerrules6627]

As always very nice description !!!

[@logan-9900]

Thank you !

[@user-um1xo9ed1x]

The other comment I would add is targeting levels in a building. In WH40k my lad was targeting my infantry with Guard mortars and I had my troops in a three level building on the ground floor. We found we had a very clunky agreement to damage these troops and the dice roll would have been a much better equalising factor. Just saying.

[@anthonysanzeri8756]

You mentioned French and Japanese units with light mirtars, but what about the Italian Guastatori Support Group that is a 5 man squad with both an LMG and light mortar with split fire at 120ptsfor veteran (100pts regular).

[@mattcappelli5822]

Good video. I haven’t bother looking at light mortars because the only value I can see is running them in a squad that can get positioned within rifle range and throw a few mortars out. Any thoughts on reviewing campaign books? I really like the idea of a lot of them, but don’t want to Willy nilly buy them because not sure if they are worth it. Thanks again!

[@HollywoodWargaming]

Campaign Books will be reviewed in the future. Right now i’m going to finish up the rules guide and work on getting batreps out

[@matej2733]

Im having fun with light mortars when I play japanese grenadiers with 3 in squad... firing smoke lol

[@kanrakucheese]

How do you run smoke drift with terrain height changes? If it can go down but not up, it adds a lot more to an inexperienced mortar that does nothing but spam smoke in certain terrains (urban).

[@robertstrong6798]

Anti tank riffle much better for dice 🎲 can take out light vehicles too

[@user-um1xo9ed1x]

The light mortar can take out light vehicles, especially open topped.

[@ME-hm7zm]

One would expect an indirect fire weapon to be pretty poor against buildings, considering overhead cover is basically defense de jour in every field manual I've read. That said I just realized there's not a rule to stop an indirect fire weapon from firing *within* a building.

[@HollywoodWargaming]

Fair point, but my critique mainly sits with it being a major drawback vs other HE weapons in the game against buildings, which at just 1” with shorter range than things like an Autocannon really kills the appeal IMO. Also there’s something to be said about not being under something that may collapse on top of you under mortar fire irl, which obviously isn’t accounted for in the game considering leveling buildings is an all or nothing endeavor.

[@MrNikolajN]

Do you also roll for the roof?? .. or is it only floors?

[@SnEaKyGiTau]

The Japanese unit that can take several light mortars in it, can it split fire or do they all need to fire at same target?

[@HollywoodWargaming]

They are not able to unfortunately. Page 49 of the rule book states that only single shot weapons can split fire.

[@SnEaKyGiTau]

@@HollywoodWargaming dang, that makes them pretty sub par, if the most the unit with the light mortars in it can only do d2 pins to one target 💩 that's if they even hit

[@HollywoodWargaming]

@@SnEaKyGiTau You would think so but it’s pretty inconsequential considering you need a 6 to hit anyways

[@SnEaKyGiTau]

@@HollywoodWargaming turns out indirect weapons in a squad can target seperately, page 72, not so bad after all

[@ChrisS-fh7zt]

I have no light mortars I got a medium German and heavy Soviet types.

[@HollywoodWargaming]

You’re not missing out on much tbh

[@ChrisS-fh7zt]

@@HollywoodWargaming I really don't like the D3 damage as the medium has a D6 and the heavy has 2 D6. and the 2 inch and 3 inch templates. But you are right that Japan is probably the best faction for these as they can be integrated right into the squad and not have to be their own team.

[@SnEaKyGiTau]

@@ChrisS-fh7zt D3 damage? do you mean vs buildings?

[@ChrisS-fh7zt]

@@SnEaKyGiTau No when you score a hit and so roll for damage the light mortar uses a D3, the medium a D6 dice and the heavy 2 D6's

[@SnEaKyGiTau]

@@ChrisS-fh7zt never head of that, which edition are you playing?