Project Reality Forums

Yes i was using mortar other day i a noticed there was SMOKE, HE PHX, and HE IM. Im wondering what is the difference in these HE rounds as i could not find it in manual.

One detonates on impact, the other is airburst.

so i take it IM detonates on impoact, and PHX is airburst. so how many feet does it detonate off the ground???

depends on elevation set supposedly.

Believe it just automatically detonates once it gets close enough to the ground.

Also, it's PRX, as in Proximity, not PHX.
IRL, they're actually the same mortar round, but with the detonation fuse set differently.

Celestial1 wrote:Believe it just automatically detonates once it gets close enough to the ground.

Also, it's PRX, as in Proximity, not PHX.
IRL, they're actually the same mortar round, but with the detonation fuse set differently.

yep, thats why ingame the ammo between PRX and IM are linked and smoke is a seperate round

what works better in which situation? I can imagine the PRX mid-air burst could give you more area of effect, but what's it advantage over normal impact rounds?

IM will have better effect if the enemy has some decent cover, the splash hits closer to the ground often catching people near windows/doors. PRX is more for catching the enemy out in the open, with ball-barings/shrapnel flying all over the place if you don't get cover you're swiss cheese.

I may be mistaken, but so far I have had great effect using the rounds as I have describe.

That sounds about right.

Impact detonation for general use, and then Proximity detonation for areas like forest, open plains, desert areas; open terrain with minimal man-made cover. If they have a roof to cover them, proximity won't be effective.

IM, use against cover, PRX, use against concealment

Celestial1 wrote:Believe it just automatically detonates once it gets close enough to the ground.

It auto-detonates, but it is height-related (not "closity" to the ground related, if you know what I mean). Hence, AFAIK, if you set the correct elevation between mortar and target, you'll have an airbust from about 8m(?) from the ground. However, set the height differently and you'll get it blowing up higher up?

I don't believe it actually does that in-game.

I remember a mortar firemission where the mortar team was missing by about 50m either short or far of the target, and they later said it was probably due to them not setting the elevation improperly. The target was near the side of the hill, so the rounds that landed short fell further down to hit the slope, and rounds that were far landed at an area near the same elevation of the target. It seemed that all of the airburst rounds they fired all detonated at the same height from the ground.

I could be wrong, as I haven't experimented with them or seen them all that much, but I think it just detonates at a set relative height from the ground automatically for you. Could always find out by building a mortar pit in flat ground, firing to hit 100m in front of you with airburst, and fire with a few different elevations in the calculations, but I think they'll all explode at the same height.

I think the last poster explained the difference the best.

Totally agree with Truism, well said anyuta34.

I use IM in general because if you use PRX you have to hit almost right on target. By the time your weapon is zeroed the enemy will be long gone or behind effective cover.

IM has a wider range of damage so you don't have to be spot on.

(Please excuse my english)

Daewi wrote:I use IM in general because if you use PRX you have to hit almost right on target. By the time your weapon is zeroed the enemy will be long gone or behind effective cover.

IM has a wider range of damage so you don't have to be spot on.

(Please excuse my english)

So in other words, there is no real benefit to pick airburst over impact?

No, use IM for spotting to ensure you're on target and then use PRX if the one calling it in asks for it. If they don't, ask them if it would be a better alternative to kill the target.

PRX for when targets are in cover, such as in foxholes or trenches or in urban ares. This allows the round to explode inside their cover, and not outside of it.


HE is better for vehicles, hard targets, bunkers, etc.

Cassius wrote:So in other words, there is no real benefit to pick airburst over impact?

Use it for suppression. Also it is useful when firing and you know there will civis there, hoping to hurt them and displace them, rather than outright kill them.

Usually everybody flees or change position before you can zero the mortar. If not they usually sit tight and stays down in a blob in the few good cover spots. Anyway you have now accomplished your mission which is to suppress the enemy, not necessarily kill them