I made this post yesterday in an arty/mortar thread:
"As for mortars.....I think it would be a great feature if a mortar emplacement could be deployed, built by players with e-tools(shovels), and then manned. It to would have to be used in conjunction with a spotter. It could also have a depleteable amount of ammo so as to not be too "uber" that would need to be resupplied by a command truck ammo box. Also give it a feature where the tube could over heat by too many rounds being fired in a row.
Mortars would have a great place on Basrah or any other map for that matter!
81mm Emplacements in use in Afghanistan:
YouTube - Marines fire 81mm mortars in Afghanistan
HE 81mm suppression impacts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6gxz...eature=related
They could be deployable much like the new 50cal emplacements will be in .8!"
Also.....
There could be a request placed on the comm rose. When a SL has his binos out, the same way he spots targets such as armor or enemy infantry, etc......a selection could be placed there that says "MortorSupport"....they could select this and it would place a marker on the command map for all to see.(just as the "enemy spotted" currently does)
The commander could then place a marker on the command map to hold the position....allowing all to see which direction and distance the target is from all players. (much like what is currently in game).
The mortarman now knowing which direction the target is.....and how far it is.....now must orientate the tube in the direction of the target by lining up his site/tube in the direction of the target/marker.
Next....by looking at his map and also the distance to the target marker must adjust the elevation on his tube.
He could add or subtract elevation by right clicking and getting a sharper view of the sites, while the rest of the view is blurred. While having the right mouse button depressed....the direction and elevation of the tube can be adjusted by just dragging the mouse. Once the sites are where the mortarman desires he releases the right mouse button.
To fire, the mortarman clicks the left mouse button.
He then fires a series of 4 shots.
His first shot is a smoke. This allows the SL/Spotter to adjust fire...."Right 1 click, Add 2 clicks!".
The mortarman then adjusts his sites and fires again.
This time he fires 3 consecutive HE rounds in order to destroy a target or provide suppressive fire.
This
could be done.....and it can also be done with the current engine.
It would add yet another degree of ever improving team-work to the game!
I would love to discuss this further with any interested devs.