A38 pack Question and Basing My Mortars

[Sojka]

Hello!

I began painting some of my Americans today, and noticed that my pack of mortars came with 6 figures (4 loaders in 2 poses, and 2 figures with binoculars) and 1 mortar. The description on the website says it should have 3 mortars? And I based on the casts, I am guessing each should have a crew of 3 figures? Can anyone let me know how many men and mortars this pack normally has, so I know who to put where?

I want to play Chain of Command with them, and normally CoC calls for single basing figures; I've never liked single basing things like mortars and MGs in any scale, as it's a pain to move them around, and I certainly am not going to do it in 10mm. I will use a small dice as a counter for the stand. Does anyone else play CoC with 10mm? Does 3 on the base seem fine, or should I place 2?

I am planning on running a US Armored infantry platoon, which has a mortar squad of 9 men: A Staff Sergeant, 2 gunners, 2 ammo handler/loaders, 2 riflemen, and 2 drivers. Can someone who knows more than me explain perhaps what each would do, and how many actually would serve the mortars? What would each man in this squad do in combat, when they were called on to provide fire? I am guessing the "drivers" do not just, you know, sit in the halftrack.

Thanks, and sorry for my many questions. I would like to represent them as well as i can.

Sojka

[fsn]

Think you're two mortars short, Sir.

A quick e-mail to Leon will sort you out.

[Leon]

Apologies for the missing items there, if you can pop me an email either through the website or to d.pengilley AT btinternet.com we'll get those sorted out for you.

[Sojka]

It's no worry at all! I was wanting to make another order anyway, you can just toss in the missing bits if you like? I'd still love advice on what the various folks in the mortar squad would be doing =D

I did email you, Mr. Leon sir, and placed another order. 13 minutes from forum post to response, that may be a world record for service speed!

[Leon]

It's no worry at all! I was wanting to make another order anyway, you can just toss in the missing bits if you like? I'd still love advice on what the various folks in the mortar squad would be doing =D

I did email you, Mr. Leon sir, and placed another order. 13 minutes from forum post to response, that may be a world record for service speed!

Order and email received, we'll get those all sorted for you.

[Sojka]

Thank you! You're awesome 

[fred.]

We've played quite a lot of CoC in 10mm.

I would recommend basing up the mortar and a couple of crew on 1 base. Its easy to mark losses on multiple bases, and single based 10mm figures are a bit fiddly to move around, 2 or 3 on a base are much easier.

[fred.]

As to your question about the various crew - moving ammo was the main role of the various men in heavy weapons units. Ammo is big and heavy and lots of it can be used very quickly.

As to the drivers - in British doctrine it was normal to get the vehicles back into cover, not sure what the US doctrine was. Drivers would tend to stay with their vehicles if there was any legitimate reason to do so, rather than getting involved in combat.

[Sojka]

Thank you for the answers! I think I'll just do 2 teams of 3 + mortar on the base, and then base the squad NCO singly. I can always base a pair of riflemen together if i need to round out numbers.

They're a bit fiddly to single base, sure enough, but I like them. 15's just a shade too big, 6 is a shade to small, but 10 is perfect

[fred.]

Yes, definitely base NCOs and officers separately - they are important in CoC. I based mine on small round washers, and my normal infantry 2 figures on 30x15mm bases.

I agree with your thinking on 15s vs 10s vs 6s!

[petercooman]

I based my guys all on 1 eurocent pieces and things like hmg's as a team on 5 eurocents:







As you can see, the mortar and crew are based separate


And here a pic of the hmg on 5 cent base (obscured by the building):

[Sojka]

I like the idea of single basing a lot, but I worry it will require me to spread them out much more, and mess with command distances and so on, plus possibly cause issues with simply "fitting" them in certain spots.

[petercooman]

Can't comment on that, as i use USE ME wwII, and those rules don't use command distance.

[Wulf]

I play CoC in 10mm, I base my mortars & small guns on 1p coins with one figure - the gunner - and the others on crescent moon bases I make from thick card - they fit around the coin with a minimum of space used. Bigger guns I would base differently, but as I'm gaming 1940 France & Barbarossa the guns tend to be small...