Talk:Mortar (cannon)

The Design section is copied from here: http://www.free-definition.com/Mortar-(weapon).html 80.230.136.54 20:18, 9 Nov 2004 (UTC)


 * You mean they copied the article from Wikipedia? Look at the bottom of the page: "This article by Wikipedia authors is licensed under the GNU FDL." -- mkrohn 21:13, 9 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Page move
Umm, why was this page moved from Mortar (weapon) to Mortar (artillery) (via Mortar (cannon)) when: So far as I can see, there was no discussion, or I would have objected. -- Securiger 13:41, 2 May 2005 (UTC)
 * 1) nearly all its inlinks are pointing at the original title, Mortar (weapon); and
 * 2) as our article already points out, mortars are nearly always an infantry weapon, not artillery?


 * I moved it from mortar (cannon) because a mortar is not a cannon. A mortar is another type of artillery piece, whether it is employed by an artillery organization or an infantry organization (mortars are used by both).  I don't remember whether I considered the title "mortar (weapon)", but "artillery" is still a better disambiguation term, because it is, um, less ambiguous.  It doesn't matter how many links point to mortar (weapon).  &mdash;Michael Z. 2005-05-2 14:34 Z 
 * I agree you were right to move it from cannon, whoever moved it there from the original name should have discussed it. However, with a very few exceptions (old nineteenth century artillery siege mortars in museums, and 120 mm mortars, which are relatively uncommon), mortars cannot be called artillery pieces. By definition, that is restricted to the largest ballistic weapons (conventionally those that require a special carriage to move them around, or sometimes even restricted specifically to cannon and howitzers). Most mortars are carried into battle strapped to a man's back. More to the point, it defies the common usage; neither mortarmen nor artillerymen call 60 mm or 81 mm mortars "artillery pieces". "Weapon" covers the whole gamut from 50 mm / 2 inch mortars (which mostly don't even have a baseplate) all the way through to artillery siege mortars; whereas artillery excludes the most common types. -- Securiger


 * Okay, I see your point, although in my mind anything that fires shells indirectly is a kind of artillery in the general sense. This would still rule out the lightest mortars, which are practically the same as grenade launchers.  Go ahead and rename the article to "mortar (weapon)".  Or maybe it should be something like "mortar (launcher)", to include smoke mortars, fireworks projectors, etc.


 * Also please proofread my latest edits to the introduction. Still needs a little work, I think, and it would be nice to add a history section.  Cheers.  &mdash;Michael Z. 2005-05-2 16:14 Z