As two different weapons, grenadiers and mortars are both curved artillery, but there are great differences in structure, range, and use. The purpose of this article is to analyze the differences between grenadiers and mortars in order to better understand the characteristics and scenarios of application of both weapons.
1. Structure
The grenadier is a kind of individual equipment, the caliber is generally below 50mm, the structure is simple, and it is composed of three parts: the bottom plate, the body tube, and the adjustment bolt, and the total length is shorter and the weight is lighter. When firing, the soldier can pull the firing lever, reload the ammunition, adjust the angle to aim at the target, and then pull the belt on the firing machine to fire the explosives to shoot the grenade. The mortar is larger in size and complex in structure, usually composed of parts such as a base plate, a body tube, a bracket, an aiming system and a buffer, and the length and weight are larger than that of a grenadier canister, which requires multiple people to operate and takes a long time to prepare for launch.
Second, the range
The range of grenadiers is generally only 200 to 500 meters, while mortars can reach a range of 800 to 1500 meters. This is mainly due to the fact that mortars have a larger body barrel and higher accuracy, and a more complex method of ballistic calculations is used, so they have a greater advantage in long-range combat. However, grenadiers can also play a great role in close combat, especially in an emergency, capable of delivering heavy fire strikes.
3. Use
There is also a big difference in the purpose of grenadiers and mortars. The grenadier is mainly used to support infantry operations, and to fire grenades against the enemy, especially in tight spaces or targets on anti-slope planes. Mortars, on the other hand, are mainly used to support artillery and armored units in combat, and fire points are fired by launching grenades against enemy positions, fortifications, and firing points. In addition, mortars can also be used to launch chemical warheads, such as the Japanese army used grenadiers to launch a large number of chemical warheads during World War II, causing a large number of casualties to the national army.
Fourth, artillery shells
The shells used in grenadiers are usually grenades, while mortars can use a variety of shells, including grenades, high-explosive shells, armor-piercing shells, etc. Different types of artillery shells can meet different combat needs, such as grenades are mainly used to kill and injure the enemy's living forces, high-explosive shells are mainly used to hit the enemy's armored targets, and armor-piercing shells can be used to hit the enemy's fortifications and underground bunkers and other targets.
5. Development history
The history of the grenadier can be traced back to the Japanese tactics of concealment in trench fortifications during the Russo-Japanese War, which rendered weapons such as the Makqin heavy machine gun useless. Subsequently, the Russian army used naval guns to be mounted on the artillery carriage obliquely and fired shells at a large elevation angle, which was the first mortar in history. In the 1930s, Japan began to massively copy mortars of various calibers, including Taisho 10-style grenadiers and 89-type grenadiers. During World War II, grenadiers and mortars were mass-produced and equipped by the Japanese and became the main support firepower for their infantry.
6. Summary
To sum up, although grenadiers and mortars are both curved artillery, there are great differences in structure, range, use, etc. The grenadier is more suitable for close-range combat, with a shorter range and a simple structure, which is suitable for individual combat, while the mortar is suitable for long-distance combat, with a longer range and complex structure, and is suitable for multi-person operation. Although grenadiers and mortars can be used interchangeably in some cases, in actual combat, it is necessary to select the appropriate weapon for use according to the specific situation in order to maximize combat effectiveness. At the same time, grenadiers and mortars are also issues that the state needs to seriously consider when carrying out the development of military equipment.
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