Mortar experiences

[Cerpin Daiyokai]

Hi, I'm new here. Been lurking for a few days before I registered, but I've been very addicted to this game the past couple weeks.

My first play-through I pretty much stuck with the basic assault rifle/machine pistol/RPG load out. This time I'm trying to vary my tactics a bit. I've been trying to get good with the mortar and was wondering if anyone has some tips for aiming, or is it all trial/error type practice?

I haven't really been able to use it to its full range yet. I usually stick to 3-5 "notch" range, and can be pretty effective. I know one time I was approaching a GP, I believe one the ones just outside Selao, and managed to put a round right on top of a sniper tower.

I've also been able to take out a convoy by "pre-sighting" a point on the road before hand. Anyone else have some mortar experience?

[spaceboy]

Well, welcome to the forums Cerpin!  We're glad you decided to sign up.  As for mortars I'm terrible at it but make sure you use the tracer/smoke shot first to see where it will land. 

That's quite impressive by hitting the sniper tower...you may already be our resident mortar expert.

[Cerpin Daiyokai]

About the smoke rounds, it seems a little difficult to use them to test the distance when enemies are around, because they will often just high-tail it out of there (understandably) when they see that smoke.

This can be a good thing, though. I often travel with a mortar/sniper rifle, so when the smoke flushes them out, they are easy pickings for my rifle. And I think you have unlimited smoke rounds, so even when you are out of explosive rounds, you still have a backup weapon in it.

[Art Blade]

Hello and welcome, Cerpin Daiyokai :)

I admit it is quite challenging to use that mortar properly. As spaceboy pointed out, the yellow marks are useful, and better waste them before wasting the real grenades on a trial and error basis. But as you pointed out, those attempts may attract mercs.

Then again, I cannot imagine that a 1on1 against a merc with a mortar would be wise. The AI is incredibly good at shooting with mortars... but the human player may be better with a grenade launcher such as the MGL. Quick, precise, long-ranged... and with a scope :) That's more to my taste than to die trying.

[Cerpin Daiyokai]

I've been taking the mortar out into a field and trying to hit specific targets (bushes, rocks, zebra....) and noting how far away they are, and how many "notches" on the mortar aim-y thing it took to fire that distance. It seems like to get really good, you just have to internally know how far each notch will fire.

Also, it looks like to really get long-range use from the mortar, you'll have to be able to fire at things you can't see (just going by the map alone, I mean.) I tried to take out the assassination target in Selao (or was it Sefapane? I get them mixed up) from outside of the city. It took me two shots, but on the second shot I nailed him.

Of course, I stupid went in to inspect my handiwork, and the guards must have looked at the mortar strapped to my back and put two and two together...

[Art Blade]

haha... yeah... Offenders always return to the scene of the crime, they say :)

[JRD]

I must echo Art's and spaceboy's words...
Mortars are hard to use, but funny as hell though.
AI will outsmart you for sure if you want to take one of the mortar mercs out, so don't try it.
What I did was head to the armoury northwest of Bowa and grab a mortar. From there you can go up the sand dunes just south of it and practice on the GP anearby. You can come back to the armory to reload and try again... too bad mercs won't respawn as you don't go too far. But you get to practice with many rounds as you want, if you don't mind sprinting to reload, of course ;)
But I have to say... take out a convoy with a mortar is a stylish way to accomplish a mission... well done.  :-X
I once killed Leon Gakumba from far away... a lucky shot I must say ;)
Spaceboy may be right... you seem to be the expert on mortars around here  ;D
You came to a place to get info and end up being a master... welcome Cerpin Daiyokai stick with us and share your stories  ;D

[Cerpin Daiyokai]

Yeah, the first time I used it I had no clue what was doing so I just ditched it. But the more I use it the more I like it. My goal is to hit a target at the max range.  8)

I accidentally found an easier way to mortar a convoy. I had just had a vehicle shootout with an assault truck, and our two vehicles were left strewn about on the road. I watched the convoy get hung up on them, and then cursed myself for not having my mortar with me at the time.

[PZ]

I'm glad to have a member that is interested in acquiring expertise in using the mortar - I've tried it on occasion and was not very successful.  I didn't know that you had unlimited supply of tracer rounds - learn something new every day.  It is interesting that you mentioned that the mercs often run away from the mortar shells - using the smoke rounds might be a good way to clear an area, even if temporarily - would be fun to play with in any case.

Welcome to the forums, Cerpin Daiyokai

[Cerpin Daiyokai]

I haven't actually tested if they are unlimited, but it just seemed like I was never running out of them. :) I think when you are out of normal rounds, there is no ammo indicator while holding the tracers.

[Art Blade]

if I'm not completely wrong, I think I ran out of tracers once. But I had used loads before that happened :)

[PZ]

Seems like a reasonable conclusion to draw then - now that you mention it, I too seemed to never run out of the smoke rounds, but I've never used the mortar that much.

In any case, we'll be interested to hear of your experiences!

[Cerpin Daiyokai]

Either way it seems like tracers can be used to cause as much chaos as the normal ones - minus all the fire and explosions.

[Art Blade]

one thing that I didn't like about mortars (still don't like it) that every time I used them, I used them up rather quickly. They sparked off like a fuse of a firecracker and doh, nothing... had to get a new one. Quite sensitive, they are :)

[Cerpin Daiyokai]

I also found that you don't have to watch the mortar round fall as the camera follows it. By tapping the ammo type button twice after firing (once to switch to tracers and again back to normal) you can really unleash a true "barrage." Very effective if you are sure you're on target.

The ammo upgrade definitely helps, but it does hurt when you don't make them count. :-\

[Art Blade]

at first I didn't know the camera followed the tracer... I released the button too quickly :)

[PZ]

Of course, when you play on easy like I do then there are usually plenty of rounds!  ::)

[RedRaven]

got to admit it, tried to use the mortar once, failed completely to hit anything and never bothered to try again (have used every other weapon as they become available to test them if nothing else but always use RPG / GL instead).
annoyingly the guy with a mortar during the barge mission seems to hit every time, moving target or stationary! took at least 6 attempts to get the barge to dock on 1st play thru, was 4th or 5th when actually spotted him to put an end to his shenanigans.

[Art Blade]

it's amazing how well those mercs can aim with a piece of pipe, and the barge mission... my first through was a walk in the park, then the second through, surprisingly quite nightmare-ish  ;D

[PZ]

I've similar experience to report - sometimes the barge mission is quite simple, and at other times almost impossible to complete.

[Art Blade]

Ok people, another old topic, but no one seems to have tested any more with our beloved weapon, the mortar, so far. Time for someone to figure it out  ;D

Simplest thing to do is to put the mortar on the ground, on a mark, to be more precise. The mark is the starting point from where on to count the steps you need to get to the point where the yellow tracer lands. And if you want to continue testing, you need to find your mark again (in case you can't or won't reload a savegame). Well, you can do it without, just find a long straight road with interesting stuff on the sides, so you can memorise the point where it hit. You'll soon notice that the yellow smoke runs out before you reach the point... so memorise the surrounding, find a landmark where the shell dropped. Then fire from there back to where you started, walking back and forth... :)

Next thing is, choose the steepest angle, basically shoot the round straight up. See where it lands, and walk up to that spot. I counted 17 steps from the firing mark to the impact spot. Then I shot towards the mark, only one notch up. Best if we count from the lowest possible notch as "1" and count upwards.

It was about 12 more steps... quite logically, you start with 5 steps "overhead" and add 12 per notch, hence the first available notch is 17 (5+12) and then always +12, and +12, and so on :)

So, if you pick notch 6, it will hit "6 x 12 + 5 ~=65 steps away from you. Taking into account that "steps" are not very precise, and picking a notch is gliding around on that scale... rather sloppy mechanics and not really a precise measurement, but at least you'll know how it works :)

By the way, if you use a Logitech G15 keyboard, programming one key so it simulates a pressed-down right mouse button makes things a lot easier. Like that, the mortar will stay the way you want, without constantly pressing the RMB. :)

I tried it practically, in an environment with solid landmarks and a target that reacts to a hit... a car in Bowa  ;D I walked from the car along the road where the hospital is, and hoped the mercs wouldn't mind  ;)

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[fragger]

Nice bit of research mate. Funny, I've never bothered with the mortar after my first playthrough (after finding out how to fire an explosive round), I thought it was more trouble than it was worth. But after doing that kill-the-Jackal-in-the-prison thing I've gotten interested in it again.

[Art Blade]

same here (apart from the Jackal bit  ;) ) I remember how I had a used mortar and it exploded in my hands... even a fresh one from the armoury isn't exactly long lasting... but with the reliability and unlimited ammo cheat, that thing is slightly more interesting  ;D

If you ever thought about how to administer the real big suppositories, here's a tip  ;D

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[fragger]

 ;D ;D :-X

That'll make his eyes water ;D

[Art Blade]

 ;D

Really? I couldn't tell his eyes from his knee caps. All the same mushy stuff plastered across the walls and raining down around, it really didn't matter.  ;D