Mortar Troops?

[Warlord1981]

I can't comment on the Howitzer comparison. What I can say is that there is a lot to be said for fewer troops doing as much damage as a larger group of archers/rifles, the ability to keep a small group together, working inn tandem, and not getting split up forcing you to use rally, it's a bigger advantage than you may think.

Sure 6 rifles may cost less, train faster, and do a fairly equal amount of damage, however, 2 mortars are more likely to stay together than 12 archers. Now let's increase that, 3 mortars equaling 18 ranged, now 4 mortars vs. 24 ranged, it it's very difficult to keep 24 units all going for the same target, vs. 4 units.

The flow of battle favors mortars because they can work together when faced against a very dense base.

 

[JuDomines]

Don't want to be harsh but Maybe it's not the troop but you... First time I used HTs i though it was unimpressive. Then made some research how to use them effectively. Now 100% of my attacks in war are with HTs

 

[JMoney]

So the new library tech bonus for mortars give them 20% both hp and attack and +1 range which puts them at siege unit range, they also have splash damage. Ontop of that the Suleiman uni tech which is very easily accessible compared to siege uni tech from DaVinci which is all the way behind all that research. So by the end of all that research you've got mortar troops with 50% more damage and hp and as much range as a howitzer ontop of that bonus damage and splash damage.

If the numbers are right then this should be the resulting numbers after the library and uni buffs:

Field Mortar (With uni, and library buffs. No wonder buffs.) 1449 hp, 420 DPS, 525 DPS against defenders.
Howitzer (With no uni, wonder, or library buffs) 725 hp, 670 DPS.

Mind you most folk in Global will have the lvl 2 Calvary library tech by now, so the 670 DPS on Howies will be +10% which will up it to 737 DPS. The tankyness of the mortar troop helps them out in fighting back against buildings and defenders where the siege unit specializes more in actually wiping out the buildings in the surrounding range before they get a chance to attack back.

 

[Manifesto]

That's ok - I don't get upset easily. I can say that I've tried them in many battles and when I compare their cost and their training times against the rifles I prefer the rifles but more importantly on the battlefield I prefer the speed and effectiveness of the rifles.

 

[Manifesto]

Actually, in the latest library upgrade the text talks about a big railway gun - are you sure the mortar tech upgrade isn't about the mortar towers not the troops?

 

[ColdestRage]

You forgot main selling point of mortar unit - splash damage

 

[Quang t legend]

Field Mortar (With uni, and library buffs. No wonder buffs.) 1449 hp, 420 DPS, 525 DPS against defenders..

Ok I use your stats and including space adjust, because mortar only 6 space, arty 9 space.

Field Mortar (With uni, and library buffs. No wonder buffs.) 1449 hp, 420 DPS, 525 DPS against defenders with splash damage.
Howitzer (With no uni, wonder, or library buffs) 725 hp, 737 DPS, (no damage against defenders, 737 with splash against attacker in TC defense)

Equivalent firepower of Mortar-9 space: 2173.5 hp, 630 dps vs building, 788 dps with splash vs defenders and attackers.

Remember the howitzers here didn't have 30% uni boost, and the number may be different because % boost is not apply multiple to other boost.
Versailles give 10% HP on the base HP. And uni boost may takes months to max!
Uni boost dont carry to donated troop, but uni tech of receiver may apply.

 

[ColdestRage]

This is an intriguing thread. I may bring mortars back into my line up and play around a bit. Never been a fan of HC anyway..

Chapter 5 of one of Global library researches gives them +1 range .

Mortar units with range same as brit shooters will prolly be even more intriguing and devastating

 

[ColdestRage]

Second that

 

[Kraitok]

My theory crafting here is that once you have applicable research completed, mortar may actually take over machine gun units. Granted this is late global, but it's a possibility. If correct, that would probably put Germans, or possibly french up top as #1.

 

[Manifesto]

I can't comment on the Howitzer comparison. What I can say is that there is a lot to be said for fewer troops doing as much damage as a larger group of archers/rifles, the ability to keep a small group together, working inn tandem, and not getting split up forcing you to use rally, it's a bigger advantage than you may think.

Sure 6 rifles may cost less, train faster, and do a fairly equal amount of damage, however, 2 mortars are more likely to stay together than 12 archers. Now let's increase that, 3 mortars equaling 18 ranged, now 4 mortars vs. 24 ranged, it it's very difficult to keep 24 units all going for the same target, vs. 4 units.

The flow of battle favors mortars because they can work together when faced against a very dense base.

I see your point but remember towers (eg archer towers) target a single troop. When a tower kills a mortar troop, and you only have 4, thats 25% ofyour troops. 4 shots and they're gone. If you lose 4 archers out of 24 you still have 20 archers left.
And l found while l was experimenting with troop combos that archers killed troops or buildings before mortars even got within range. Also with the arc of the mortars shots, the shots often fell behind the advancing troop, splash damage or no. But the retrain cost and time was the biggest killer for me.

That's just my experience, not my opinion.

 

[Manifesto]

Mortars only have a max range of 4 with the research - its unlikely their range will ever match the brit archer or artillery. I think the research range upgrade is wrong too - mortars are short range infantry support weapons after all!

 

[ColdestRage]

Manifesto my mortar unit has a range of 4 without this research done.
With this research done they will have a range of 5 since 4+1 is 5.
Mortar units range was 3 before.
With one of updates (around 5 months ago if I remember correctly) Nexon changed it to 4

 

[JMoney]

I see your point but remember towers (eg archer towers) target a single troop. When a tower kills a mortar troop, and you only have 4, thats 25% ofyour troops. 4 shots and they're gone. If you lose 4 archers out of 24 you still have 20 archers left.
And l found while l was experimenting with troop combos that archers killed troops or buildings before mortars even got within range. Also with the arc of the mortars shots, the shots often fell behind the advancing troop, splash damage or no. But the retrain cost and time was the biggest killer for me.

That's just my experience, not my opinion.

I think that's a bad comparison because 4 of those ranged troops would never do the same amount of damage as a single mortar troop could. They barely even harm buildings as is. Which is why they absolutely need to be grouped together to be effective, spread out ranged infantry are pretty much useless.

 

[ColdestRage]

Second that once moar

 

[Warlord1981]

So I've been testing different combinations and no matter how I slice it, when dealing with a dense base, the affects are similar because the buildings are close together allowing the archers to stay on the same target.

However, when dealing with a more spread out base, I don't need to really a bunch of times to keep my mortars on target like I do with archers.

So basically, I second what you said, or third I guess lol.

 

[JNation]

This is an interesting topic. ill have to weigh in once i try an army assortment that includes more mortar troops.

 

[JNation]

Assessments:

Troop assortment
23 Praetorian fusiliers
9 Guard mortars
1 artillery
2 healers
29 musketeers
2 heavy Gatling guns
1 plane

The base I attacked was level 110 enlightenment, I am currently 132 industrial. However the only troop I have that is industrial is artillery.

Not a overly strong base or layout, walls are weak but a good test from the mortar troop none the less.
To be fair in my assessment I did not use any tactics, I only used rally. I was able to complete the attack with gaining all 5 stars. The duration of the attack was 2:25

I would say that keeping the mortars together is paramount to your success, which for the most part I was able to do. A few decided to run off and did die because of that. All together I did lose 4 mortar troops. Mortar fire is slower than artillery (cannon or bombard, which ever you have). I did notice that on more occasions than one that my fusiliers would destroy a building before the mortar troops shells hit that same building. Roman Praetorian fusiliers are very powerful troops against buildings, especially in numbers. Having splash damage to the mortar troops is a plus which does count against artillery (except on defense).

I am interested in trying different combination now that includes mortar troop use. I however do believe that artillery use will quick move through a base in its destruction. But I am willing to give these guys a chance!

Let me know what you guys think

 

[Hammer]

Well having tried mortars with all the library upgrades and just over half the Uni upgrades, I'm not impressed. Back to howitzers for me.

 

[Horsepower]

I think you guys are thinking this wrong. It's not about howies vs mortar troops. Totally different animals. Mortar troops work better with British or Korean. Preferably British because of the 5 range. I'm a high level AA British. My mortar guys are fully upgraded. They are also fully upgraded in the Library including the range 5 upgrade. Mortar troops need protection and that is why the British shooters are best since they both now have a range of 5. Also, when trying to rally out of wall mortar troops will break walls for the shooters. They move and attack collectively and do good damage. You still need Howies. As many as posible. The Howies are one of the best weapons in the game. The British shooters and mortar troops protect the Howies. In MP I don'even need a tank.

Not saying you should use mortar troops all the time. Just don't disqualify them so fast.