Viewing Weapons & Equipment
Weapon & Equipment Information
General Details
Name:  'Mech Mortar/4
Type (Category):  Weapon (Missile)
Reference:  Tactical Operations: Advanced Units & Equipment (p. 136)

Description:
A rather old-fashioned concept, more akin to short-range artillery than a dedicated anti-vehicle weapon system, ’Mech-based mortars never really caught on through the centuries, especially thanks the existence of more effective missile launchers, and had largely vanished from Inner Sphere battlefields by the mid-29th century. Regardless, some agencies—noting these weapons’ immunity from anti-missile fire—have explored their potential as a suppression-fire alternative to LRMs, reviving the concept for modern times.

Game Rules:
Though their damage effects vary with the mortar types chosen, ’Mech Mortars otherwise operate in the same fashion as LRMs, and may be fired directly or indirectly per the standard game play rules. If fired indirectly, ’Mech Mortars follow all of the standard rules for LRM Indirect Fire, but do not require a completely blocked line of sight or a spotter to execute (though an additional +2 to-hit modifier applies if no spotter is present, reflecting the general lack of guidance systems on the mortar shells). If fired directly, a +3 to-hit modifier applies to the ’Mech Mortar attack because the shells still fly in an arcing trajectory towards the target.

’Mech Mortars may only be fired by ground-based units. Airborne units may not fire ’Mech Mortars, nor may ’Mech Mortars be fired while submerged.

Anti-Missile Systems (including Standard and Laser types) may not engage incoming ’Mech Mortar flights.
Unit Type Availability
BattleMechsIndustrialMechsCombat Vehicles
Inner Sphere Data (BattleMechs)
Prototype Date:  ~2526
Production Date:  2531
Extinction Date:  2819
Recovery Date:  3043

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Heat
Damage (Aero)
Range (Aero)
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
5
* (–)
6/7/14/21 (–)
B
D-F-F-E
32,000
7
3
26.000
* See rules for this equipment

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
~2526
2530
Experimental
2531
2818
Advanced
3043
Advanced

AMMUNITION COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Rounds
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Battle Value
Explosive
Prototype
Production
Extinction
Recovery
Reference
Airburst
6
C
B-D-C-D
48,000
1
3.000
~2540
2544
TM (p. 373)
Anti-Personnel
6
B
B-B-B-B
24,000
1
3.000
~2526
2531
TM (p. 374)
Armor-Piercing
6
C
B-B-B-B
28,000
1
3.600
~2526
2531
2819
3043
TM (p. 374)
Flare
6
B
A-A-A-A
14,000
1
3.000
~2533
2536
TM (p. 374)
Semi-Guided
6
C
X-X-E-D
60,000
1
3.000
~3055
3064
TM (p. 374)
Smoke
6
B
A-A-A-A
12,000
1
3.000
~2526
2531
TM (p. 375)

ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short
Medium
Long
Extreme
Special Abilities
5
0.255
0.51
0.51
Indirect Fire

Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
 Indirect Fire (IF)
The Indirect Fire special ability allows a unit to attack a target without having a valid LOS to it via arcing missiles over the intervening obstacles, similar to how mortars and artillery work. This attack requires a friendly unit with a valid LOS to act as a spotter. The numerical rating for this ability indicates the amount of damage a successful indirect attack will deliver. Because they attack when other weapons cannot, damage from an indirect attack applies in place of the unit’s normal weapon attack.

Units with the IF and LRM specials may make use of all alternate munitions and Special Pilot Abilities available to the LRM special when making indirect fire attacks, but are limited to using the LRM special ability’s long range value if it is lower than the IF special ability value.

MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  'Mech Mortar 4
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  IS Mech Mortar-4
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  'Mech Mortar/4
Clan Data (BattleMechs)
Prototype Date:  ~2835
Production Date:  2840
Extinction Date:  
Recovery Date:  

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Heat
Damage (Aero)
Range (Aero)
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
5
* (–)
6/7/14/21 (–)
B
D-F-E-E
32,000
3.5
2
26.000
* See rules for this equipment

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
~2835
2839
Experimental
2840
Advanced

AMMUNITION COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Rounds
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Battle Value
Explosive
Prototype
Production
Extinction
Recovery
Reference
Airburst
6
C
B-D-C-D
48,000
1
3.000
~2540
2544
TM (p. 373)
Anti-Personnel
6
B
B-B-B-B
24,000
1
3.000
~2526
2531
TM (p. 374)
Armor-Piercing
6
C
B-B-B-B
28,000
1
3.600
~2526
2531
TM (p. 374)
Flare
6
B
A-A-A-A
14,000
1
3.000
~2533
2536
TM (p. 374)
Smoke
6
B
A-A-A-A
12,000
1
3.000
~2526
2531
TM (p. 375)

ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short
Medium
Long
Extreme
Special Abilities
5
0.255
0.51
0.51
Indirect Fire

Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
 Indirect Fire (IF)
The Indirect Fire special ability allows a unit to attack a target without having a valid LOS to it via arcing missiles over the intervening obstacles, similar to how mortars and artillery work. This attack requires a friendly unit with a valid LOS to act as a spotter. The numerical rating for this ability indicates the amount of damage a successful indirect attack will deliver. Because they attack when other weapons cannot, damage from an indirect attack applies in place of the unit’s normal weapon attack.

Units with the IF and LRM specials may make use of all alternate munitions and Special Pilot Abilities available to the LRM special when making indirect fire attacks, but are limited to using the LRM special ability’s long range value if it is lower than the IF special ability value.

MegaMek Output → Weapon List:  'Mech Mortar 4
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  Clan Mech Mortar-4
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  'Mech Mortar/4