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I've noticed that the PSC russian heavy weapons kit came with 4 50mm mortar, this weapon did not appear in the arsenal section of Red Bear. Im wondering what the use of this weapon?

Use it for games that feature the weapon...

All my Soviet units have 50mm mortars. They were not officially deleted from the Rifle Division TOE until the December 1944 revisions.

The Rifle Companies in July 1942, each fielded four 50mm mortars in a Mortar Platoon. Under Lend-Lease Britain provided over 1 million 2" mortars to the Russians and it was a weapon that remained in use throughout the war.

Slightly OT ; Funny thing is that the British Army uses a 51mm Mortar today (usually the Platoon Sgt has it). It was being phased out by late 90's suddenly after 9/11 the need for a organic fire support and more importantly smoke and illumination rounds became a pressing need and it was back in service for Iraq in 2003 and has never left service. Good bit of kit.

Amazing how that works out? Seems the first thing we discover we need after a dust up is the last thing the powers that be said we didn't?

I mean history is full of examples like that.

Aircraft cannons after Korea...oops, we were still dogfighting in 'nam.

British aircraft carriers...oops, we still have to protect the Falklands, don't we?

Proxy them as another type of mortar or glue on a small plastic rod and make them bigger.

Use them in early/mid war?

mwnciboo wrote:Slightly OT ; Funny thing is that the British Army uses a 51mm Mortar today (usually the Platoon Sgt has it). It was being phased out by late 90's suddenly after 9/11 the need for a organic fire support and more importantly smoke and illumination rounds became a pressing need and it was back in service for Iraq in 2003 and has never left service. Good bit of kit.

Of course now we're swapping them out for 60mm versions and more under slung grenade launchers. There are some good accounts of their use (51mm) in Sniper One.

As for the Soviets, I'd mix them in with your infantry to help bulk them out. British paras do the same thing but can shoot as a light mortar team when required.

I once set fire to hillside at sennybridge using a shamoolee Illumination round, "Sir before you fire that make sure you know which way the wind.....*WHOOOSH*" que a worms like high wind moment and Brecon town got an impromptu fireworks display, I look sheepish and stare at my feet, Platoon sgt says "Sir, with all due respect you are an fething idiot". Good times, cost me a case of Port. Never let me near the 51mm Mortar because of that little incident....