Italian Brixia Modello 1935 45mm mortars in action in North Africa, 1942

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BlueSkyd2000@reddit

In the modern context, yes. Sort of. Depends on the modern military, but automatic grenade launchers, in the 30-40mm range, do this same mission.

In 1940? Arguably the Italians had slightly more refined tactical systems than the Brits. Most Western militaries had a strong mortar section at the infantry company level coming out of the Great War.

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Either_Reception4367@reddit

The italians being more refined in any way shape or form than someone else in WW2 context is something new for certain

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BlueSkyd2000@reddit

So my 10 year old knows my standard line - “Be like the Italians - they’ve been on the winning and losing side of every world war…”

Last week I watched the Bogart movie Casablanca, which caricatures the Italians as Nazi stooges (which they were…). The Italian Army seemed to bumble most things - Egypt, Greece and the larger Balkans.

That said, the Italians had some good days against the British and a close run thing in the overall naval supremacy in the Mediterranean. The Brits won, sometimes convincingly, but they were the best Navy in the world. The Italians had compromised codes, questionable large caliber naval shells (logistics and industrial capacity again) and mixed leadership. However, the Italians still sank the Mediterranean Fleet‘s flag battleship at anchor, numerous cruisers and scores of smaller combatants.

The naval small unit warfare from the Italians were masterful. Sinking two battleships in Alexandria harbor and a cruiser in Suda Bay as well as the lengthy sabotage campaign in Gibraltar showed the Brits up time and time again.

Forgive me the digression. You’re right, but the Italians did some things really well. Fortunately they were terrible at a lot too.

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Either_Reception4367@reddit

Hm true that. They did things right sometimes.

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Galbaatorix@reddit

All mortars are grenade launchers

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NormalfloridaCitizen@reddit

I have an idea..... Put this on a UGV

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Jumpy-Silver5504@reddit

someone needs to bring this style back. the US brought back Japans

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Cuck_Yeager@reddit

Of course they’d manage to over complicate a tube

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Bursting_Radius@reddit

As a mortarman I wouldn't say that is entirely accurate. Mortars in general are dependent on gravity to fire, so you don't load it until you're ready to do so - one exception being the M224 60mm mortar which can be fired with what is basically a trigger. This thing here can be loaded, the ammo man can have another round ready to go, and the gunner can fire whenever he feels like it.

Having the ability to depress the barrel as far as this thing goes takes "direct lay" to a whole new level, and in actuality it's more like a kind of crank-operated M203 in this configuration. This firing mode is something you wouldn't normally want to do with a larger mortar.

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