NEW: Follow the Editorial Staff on
StrategyPage Twitter Link

GROUND COMBAT +

AIR COMBAT +

NAVAL OPERATIONS +

SPECIAL OPERATIONS +

HUMAN FACTORS +

SPECIAL WEAPONS +

WARFARE BY THE NUMBERS +

LOGISTICS +

TOOLS +


Visit StrategyPage's US Cavalry Store
Artillery Article Index : Current 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
 Latest
 News 		  Most
 Read 		  Most
 Commented		  Hot
 Topics

April 27, 2003

Although the U.S. Marine Corps has fought many times on sandy beaches, their training for mortar crews has lost sight of this. In Iraq, marines noticed that the first few rounds of mortar fire were erratic. The mortar crews quickly figured out what was going on. When they set up their mortars in sandy areas, the first few rounds fired would drive the base plate (a flat metal plate the mortar tube is attached to) deeper into the soft sand. This would change the position of the mortar enough to throw off the accuracy. The solution was either to fire something like illumination (flares) rounds first (which did not need the same kind of accuracy as high explosive shells), or simply to get out the shovels and make sure the sand was tamped down well before laying down the base plate. 

submit to reddit
Send Link to a Friend

   






New Strategy - Wargames at Discount Prices
1.Modern Air Power: War Over the Middle East
2.Commander: Napoleon at War
3.Close Combat: Watch am Rhein
4.Gallic Wars
5.Fast Action Battle: The Bulge

100+ Computer and Board games all with free shipping.
 
 
 

StrategyWorld.com© 1998 - 2009StrategyWorld.com. All rights Reserved. StrategyWorld.com, StrategyPage.com, FYEO, For Your Eyes Only and Al Nofi's CIC are all trademarks of StrategyWorld.com Privacy Policy