HM-38 120mm Mortar Squad

; HM-38 120mm Mortar Squad
Army	Soviet Army
Role	Mortar Fire Support Infantry
Men per Squad	5
Unit Cost	340; 9
Upkeep per Minute	13.5
Prereq.	Defensive Tactics (Community); Soviet Shock Army; Guards Motor Coordination Tactics
Produced By	Call-In
Cost to Reinforce	15
Health per Man	350 (weapon); 80 (each crewman)
Received Accuracy	1.25
Basic Weapon	1x HM-38 120mm; 4x Mosin Nagant Rifles
Firing Range	25 to 100 meters; 120 meters (Smoke Barrage)
Sight Range	35 meters
Primary Weapon Damage	80
Penetration	35 (all)
Max. Speed	3.6 m/s
Abilities (4)
	Mortar Barrage Rapidly fires 6 mortar shells at a target.; Costs nothing; Cooldown: 30 seconds; Will put Fire Smoke Barrage on cooldown; ; Fire Smoke Barrage Rapidly fires 3 smoke shells at a target 15-75 meters away, concealing the entire area in smoke.; Costs nothing; Cooldown: 30 seconds; Will put Mortar Barrage on cooldown; ; Hold Fire Prevents the unit from acquiring targets automatically. It will only attack manually-selected targets or on barrage command.; Costs nothing.; Duration: permanent until deactivated.; ; Delayed Fuse Fires the heavy high-explosive rounds that detonate shortly after impacting the ground.; Requires Veterancy 1; Costs 30; Duration: ? seconds; Cooldown: ? seconds (after firing);

Overview[]

Compared to the non-commander specific PM-41 82mm Mortar Squad, the HM-38 120mm Mortar Squad is more expensive, but deals much greater damage to infantry in a wider area of effect. This also makes it more dangerous to use in support of infantry in close quarters combat, but the bigger shell and longer range make it very effective at demolishing emplacements and buildings.

Weapons[]

Abilities[]

Mortar Barrage[]

Costs nothing
Activation: Select Ground (at least 15 meters away)
Cooldown: 30 seconds (upon activation)

Fire Smoke Barrage[]

Costs nothing
Activation: Select Ground (at least 15 meters away)
Cooldown: 30 seconds (upon activation)

Hold Fire[]

Costs nothing
Activation: Immediate
Permanent until deactivated

Delayed Fuse[]

Costs 30 30
Activation: Target Ground
Duration: 35 seconds
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Requires veterancy 1

Veterancy[]

	Level 1 Veterancy: "Delayed Fuse" ability unlocked.
	Level 2 Veterancy: -40% recharge time of the all barrages.
	Level 3 Veterancy: +20% barrage accuracy.

Tactics[]

Area Coverage

Just like any other mortar, the HM-38 will automatically lob shells at any visible enemy within range. Lucky hits will injure and kill German soldiers, giving your or your allies' troops the edge in combat. The larger explosion of this mortar increases that chance, but is also more dangerous to your own troops if they happen to be within the target zone.

Use of Smoke[]

Use exactly like the 82mm, with the benefit of a longer range.

Siege[]

The 82mm mortar is a little too light to deal with hardened targets like stone buildings containing MG42's or Oberkommando West halftrack emplacements. Its big brother poses a serious threat to these if allowed to get in range and fire continuously - even one will force the Germans to repair or lose the building (also allowing their engineer squads to be blown to bits) and two will make short work of anything that isn't a tank.

Weaknesses[]

Note that the Mortar Squad cannot board transport vehicles.

The HM-38 shares the weaknesses of other weapon teams, but is able to Fall Back, as well as operate with only one squad member due to the wheeled carriage. This greatly increases its durability, at the cost of taking a bit longer to setup and tear down.

Its shell may be huge and powerful, but it is still a high explosive and shrapnel shell, and will barely scratch a tank. Unless the Germans are playing without their panzers for some reason, the HM-38 often becomes useless in the late game, especially since it costs like a 76mm AT gun, or one and a quarter squad of conscripts.