Mortar
Mortar
"Mortar launcher. Lobs bombs over walls. Very inaccurate but long-ranged."
Base Stats
Building
- Size
- 2
- Cover Effectiveness
- 40%
Ranged Combat
-
"Single-shot" is not in the list (Melee, Single-Shot, Single Thrown, Single-Use, Burst) of allowed values for the "Mode" property.
- Mode
- Single-shot
- Damage
- 50 dmg
- Warm-Up
- 500 ticks (8.33 secs)
- Cooldown
- 1,680 ticks (28 secs)
- Range
- 500 tile(s)
- Minimum Range
- 30 tiles
- Accuracy
- 79% - 42% - 18% - 6%
- Velocity
- 41 (m/s)
- Burst Count
- 1 (per burst)
- Miss Radius
- 16 tile(s)
- Blast Radius
- 3.5
- DPS
- 1.38
The Mortar is a manned stationary siege defense mechanism which launches 1-round artillery mortar shells at any enemy that enters its 500-tile firing radius but it will not fire once the enemies have reached within 30 tiles, or can be manually set a forced target. The range indicator of mortars is not its actual range, but the size of its blind spot.
It has a 5.8-second warmup time, a 28-second cooldown, and an 11-tile forced miss radius. Mortars explode in a 4.9-tile radius when destroyed and deal 50 damage.
Mortars require a pawn each to load and fire shells. Their skills have no effect on accuracy and either melee or ranged can operate them. However, pawns incapable of violence will refuse to man them. Unlike drafted colonists, mortar personal do not relieve their position once the battle is over and must be manually unassigned, or they will become exhausted, starve, and potentially suffer a mental break. There is no way to increase mortar accuracy.
Loading different shells into it will produce different effects. These shells can be manually extracted from the mortar. Mortars can also be set to allow different types of shell.
Ammunition
Different shells can allow the mortar to serve a variety of functions.
High-explosive shell
High-explosive shell
A shell filled with high explosives. Can be fired from mortars or installed as a trap. Explodes when damaged.
Base Stats
- Type
- Crafted resources – Mortar shell
- Tech Level
- Industrial
- Market Value
- 55
- Stack Limit
- 25
- Mass
- 1.25 kg
- HP
- 60
- Deterioration Rate
- 1.5
- Flammability
- 100%
- Path Cost
- 14 (48%)
Ranged Combat
- Damage
- 50 dmg (Bomb)
- Armor penetration
- 10%
- Velocity
- 41 (m/s)
- Blast Radius
- 2.9
- Stopping power
- 0.5
Creation
- Crafted At
- Required Research
- Mortars
- Skill Required
- Crafting 4
- Work To Make
- 800 ticks (13.33 secs)
- Resources to make
15 + 
15
- defName
- Shell_HighExplosive
- thingCategories
- MortarShells
- tradeTags
- MortarShell
The high-explosive shell is the most common kind of mortar shell, that deals 50 damage in a 3-tile radius upon exploding.
Acquisition
Mortars can be constructed once the mortars research project has been completed. Each requires 
50 Stuff (Metallic, 500 for SMVs), 
1 Reinforced barrel, 
6 Components, 2,000 ticks (33.33 secs) of work modified by the construction speed of the builder and the work to build factor and offset of the material, and a construction skill of 5. The steel cost is increased to 25 if the Classic Mortars difficulty option is enabled.
They can also be purchased from traders.
Finally, siege raids will have high-explosive shells drop podded to them, and if unused by the raid, can be taken by the player.
Usage
| Product | Ingredients | Type [ExpandCollapse] |
|---|
Summary
When fired from a mortar, mortars deal [[Damage types#|]] damage in a tile radius.
When damaged beyond 70% of its health, it will explode after between 30 ticks (0.5 secs) and 60 ticks (1 sec), dealing 50 Bomb damage in a radius around itself. The radius depends on the quantity in the stack, with a single shell covering a 2.9 tile radius, and expanding this radius proportional to the square root of the stack size times 0.4 up to a maximum radius of 6 tiles at a full stack of 25.
They are also used in the construction of explosive IED traps.
Analysis
High-explosive is the standard shell for mortars, dealing high damage to any target with a decent blast radius. Mortars in general are quite resource-intensive, so it's best to wait until mid-game until beginning the use of mortars. Given the mortar's inaccuracy, it's best to have a battery of mortars firing at once to deal heavy damage to the enemy.
Mortars are most useful against stationary targets, such as sieges, crashed ship parts, and mech clusters
. Against sieges in particular, dealing enough damage will force the raiders to assault directly - as opposed to them peppering your base with mortar shells. A siege's mortars can and will deal large infrastructural damage to any base not under overhead mountain; your mortars are powerful defenses against them.
Storage
As with all explosive items, these should be stored in separate storage containers. For maximum protection, put each stack of shells in a separate 1x1 stone box to prevent chain reactions. Pawns currently in a tantrum should be stopped at all costs, whether it be by arresting, creating another stockpile zone with a higher priority than the shell zone and prioritizing hauling the shells, or simply by shooting the pawn.
Gallery
One high-explosive shell
Partial stack
Full stack
Version history
- 0.18.1722 - Added to replace mortar type system.
- 1.1 - Crafting cost was increased (20 --> 25 steel, 10 --> 15 chemfuel).
- 1.3.3066 - Steel requirement decreased from 25 -> 15 unless Classic Mortar difficulty option enabled.
- Security
- Barricade • Sandbags • Spike trap
- (research)
- Autocannon turret • Foam turret • Mini-turret • Rocketswarm launcher • Uranium slug turret • Mortar
- IEDs
- IED trap • IED incendiary trap • IED EMP trap • IED firefoam trap • IED smoke trap • IED antigrain warhead trap • IED tox trap
• IED deadlife trap 
- Related
- Antigrain warhead • EMP shell • Firefoam shell • High-explosive shell • Incendiary shell • Smoke shell • Tox shell • Deadlife shell
Incendiary shell
Incendiary shell
A shell filled with flammable gel and a small explosive charge. Starts fires when detonated. Can be fired from mortars or installed as a trap. Explodes when damaged.
Base Stats
- Type
- Crafted resources – Mortar shell
- Tech Level
- Industrial
- Market Value
- 55
- Stack Limit
- 25
- Mass
- 1.25 kg
- HP
- 60
- Deterioration Rate
- 1.5
- Flammability
- 100%
- Path Cost
- 14 (48%)
Ranged Combat
- Damage
- 10 dmg (Flame)
- Velocity
- 41 (m/s)
- Blast Radius
- 2.9
Creation
- Crafted At
- Required Research
- Mortars
- Skill Required
- Crafting 4
- Work To Make
- 800 ticks (13.33 secs)
- Resources to make
- 10 + 20
- defName
- Shell_Incendiary
- thingCategories
- MortarShells
- tradeTags
- MortarShell
The incendiary shell is a type of mortar shell that explodes into a conflagration, dealing flame damage and setting the area alight.
Acquisition
Mortars can be constructed once the mortars research project has been completed. Each requires 50 Stuff (Metallic, 500 for SMVs), 1 Reinforced barrel, 6 Components, 2,000 ticks (33.33 secs) of work modified by the construction speed of the builder and the work to build factor and offset of the material, and a construction skill of 5. The steel cost is increased to 20 if the Classic Mortars difficulty option is enabled.
They can also be purchased from traders.
Usage
| Product | Ingredients | Type [ExpandCollapse] |
|---|
Summary
When fired from a mortar, mortars deal [[Damage types#|]] damage in a tile radius. They also set the area on fire and creating chemfuel puddles which themselves burn.
When damaged beyond 70% of its health, it will explode after between 30 ticks (0.5 secs) and 60 ticks (1 sec), dealing 10 Flame damage in a radius around itself. The radius depends on the quantity in the stack, with a single shell covering a 2.9 tile radius, and expanding this radius proportional to the square root of the stack size times 0.4 up to a maximum radius of 6 tiles at a full stack of 25. Note that, unlike shells fired from a mortar, shells that explode from damage do not leave chemfuel puddles.
They are also used in the construction of IED incendiary traps.
Analysis
Incendiary shells are most useful against sieges - stationary targets with explosive mortar shells to light on fire. The fire makes it more likely to "hit" an explosive target than the use of regular high-explosive shells, but watch out for pawns with firefoam pop packs.
Otherwise, incendiary shells are of limited use. The other "main" target of mortars, stationary mechanoids, are completely immune to fire. For ordinary raids, fire spreads too slowly to be useful in combat. As mobile raiders are smart enough to avoid the flames, only a direct hit would cause damage. As high-explosive shells deal much more damage on direct impact, they're the superior choice. Note that the game will automatically cause rain if fires get too far out of control.
Sieges can and will use incendiary shells against you, which will ravage rooms floored with carpet, fields of plants, and storage rooms filled with flammable items. Firefoam poppers are ideal for protecting against fire. These incendiary shells that can also be looted once the siege is repelled - while crafting them typically isn't worthwhile, these shells are free and sometimes suboptimality can be outweighed by volume of fire.
Storage
As with all explosive items, these should be stored in separate storage containers. For maximum protection, put each stack of shells in a separate 1x1 stone box to prevent chain reactions. Pawns currently in a tantrum should be stopped at all costs, whether it be by arresting, creating another stockpile zone with a higher priority than the shell zone and prioritizing hauling the shells, or simply by shooting the pawn.
Gallery
One incendiary shell
Partial stack
Full stack
Version history
- 0.18.1722 - Added to replace mortar type system.
- 1.1 - crafting cost was increased (15 --> 20 steel and chemfuel cost).
- 1.3.3066 - Steel requirement decreased from 20 -> 10 unless Classic Mortar difficulty option selected.
- Security
- Barricade • Sandbags • Spike trap
- (research)
- Autocannon turret • Foam turret • Mini-turret • Rocketswarm launcher • Uranium slug turret • Mortar
- IEDs
- IED trap • IED incendiary trap • IED EMP trap • IED firefoam trap • IED smoke trap • IED antigrain warhead trap • IED tox trap • IED deadlife trap
- Related
- Antigrain warhead • EMP shell • Firefoam shell • High-explosive shell • Incendiary shell • Smoke shell • Tox shell • Deadlife shell
EMP shell
 | This page could use some more or updated images. You can help RimWorld Wiki by uploading images to make this page better. Note: Images of fired AoE and one of stack AoE (1 shell and full stack designated by color) in a style similar to File:Skip shield radius.jpg. |
EMP shell
A shell filled with batteries and antennas, for generating an electromagnetic pulse when detonated. Electromagnetic pulses temporarily disable electrical devices and mechanoids. Can be fired from mortars or installed as a trap. Explodes when damaged.
Base Stats
- Type
- Crafted resources – Mortar shell
- Tech Level
- Industrial
- Market Value
- 55
- Stack Limit
- 25
- Mass
- 1.25 kg
- HP
- 60
- Deterioration Rate
- 1.5
- Flammability
- 100%
- Path Cost
- 14 (48%)
Ranged Combat
- Damage
- 50 dmg (EMP)
- Velocity
- 41 (m/s)
- Blast Radius
- 8.9
Creation
- Crafted At
- Required Research
- Microelectronics
- Skill Required
- Crafting 4
- Work To Make
- 800 ticks (13.33 secs)
- Resources to make
- 15 + 2
- defName
- Shell_EMP
- thingCategories
- MortarShells
- tradeTags
- MortarShell
The EMP shell is a type of mortar shell that upon exploding, releases an EMP burst.
Acquisition
Mortars can be constructed once the mortars research project has been completed. Each requires 50 Stuff (Metallic, 500 for SMVs), 1 Reinforced barrel, 6 Components, 2,000 ticks (33.33 secs) of work modified by the construction speed of the builder and the work to build factor and offset of the material, and a construction skill of 5. The steel cost is increased to 25 if the Classic Mortars difficulty option is enabled.
They can also be purchased from traders.
Usage
| Product | Ingredients | Type [ExpandCollapse] |
|---|
Summary
When fired from a mortar, mortars deal [[Damage types#|]] damage in a tile radius, stunning mechanoids, turrets and other mortars for 25 seconds, and instantly but temporarily downing shield belts, low-shield packs , mech low-shields, and mech high-shields.
After being stunned, mechanoids become 'Adapted' and gain immunity against further stuns for 2,200 ticks (36.67 secs). Immunity is applied on stun, and will not be extended by stunning an adapted or already stunned mechanoid.
When damaged beyond 70% of its health, it will explode after between 30 ticks (0.5 secs) and 60 ticks (1 sec), dealing 50 EMP damage in a radius around itself. The radius depends on the quantity in the stack, with a single shell covering a 11.9 tile radius, and expanding this radius proportional to the square root of the stack size times 0.4 up to a maximum radius of 15 tiles at a full stack of 25.
They are also used in the construction of IED EMP traps.
Analysis
It is a niche weapon that is extremely good at whatever it does- downing shields and stunning mechanoids. Its blast radius is much larger than regular high-explosive shells, so only a few shells are required per barrage. Because of this, it finds good value even though it deals no physical damage whatsoever. Given that, as well as its combat effectiveness, it is a very cost-efficient choice - despite requiring components to make.
EMP shells are required to down mech high-shields from a distance, so that other mortars can fire. The shield stun isn't enough for the same mortar to fire an EMP shell, then fire a mortar shell. Therefore, 2 (or more) separate mortars must be used together, with the EMP shell firing slightly before the others.
The radius from an exploding EMP shell is significantly larger than that of a fired EMP shell. Depending on the purpose, placing a single shell and causing it to explode may be more efficient than firing it from a mortar.
Gallery
One EMP shell
Partial stack
Full stack
Version history
- 1.1 - crafting cost was increased (20 --> 25 steel, 1 --> 2 components).
- 1.3.3066 - Steel requirement decreased from 25 -> 15 unless Classic Mortar difficulty option enabled.
- Security
- Barricade • Sandbags • Spike trap
- (research)
- Autocannon turret • Foam turret • Mini-turret • Rocketswarm launcher • Uranium slug turret • Mortar
- IEDs
- IED trap • IED incendiary trap • IED EMP trap • IED firefoam trap • IED smoke trap • IED antigrain warhead trap • IED tox trap • IED deadlife trap
- Related
- Antigrain warhead • EMP shell • Firefoam shell • High-explosive shell • Incendiary shell • Smoke shell • Tox shell • Deadlife shell
Antigrain warhead
| This page could use some more or updated images. You can help RimWorld Wiki by uploading images to make this page better. Note: Images of damage AoE with damage drop off indicated and stack AoE (1 shell and full stack) with damage drop off indicated, in a style similar to File:Firefoam shell radius.png but unlike other shells it'll need to be customised or have multiple images to display damage drop off. |
Antigrain warhead
An ultra-tech warhead powered by a grain of antimatter. Usually used by spacecraft or glitterworld war machines, it creates a huge explosion and starts fires around the target. Can be fired from mortars or installed as a trap. Explodes when damaged.
Base Stats
- Type
- Resources – Mortar shell
- Tech Level
- Spacer
- Market Value
- 1200
- Stack Limit
- 25
- Mass
- 1.25 kg
- HP
- 60
- Deterioration Rate
- 1.5
- Flammability
- 100%
- Path Cost
- 14 (48%)
Ranged Combat
- Damage
- 550 dmg (BombSuper)
- Armor penetration
- 130%
- Velocity
- 41 (m/s)
- Blast Radius
- 14.9
- Stopping power
- 2
- defName
- Shell_AntigrainWarhead
- thingCategories
- MortarShells
- thingSetMakerTags
- RewardStandardHighFreq
- tradeTags
- MortarShell
The antigrain warhead is a mortar shell that can be fired by using a mortar or used as material to make an IED antigrain warhead trap. It both does massive damage and has a large blast radius, making it exceptionally effective, although rare.
Acquisition
Antigrain warheads cannot be crafted nor bought from traders. Instead they can only be acquired as a reward for performing quests. Note that quest rewards are selected with a weighted random generator, so there is no way to guarantee access to antigrain warheads in a given play-through. Anecdotally, it is often reported that the increased number of reward options added by the DLC dilute the reward pool with more options.
They can also rarely be found inside an ancient shrine.
Summary
When fired from a mortar, mortars deal [[Damage types#|]] damage in a tile radius, dealing at the center and Expression error: Unexpected * operator. damage at the extreme edge of the radius and linearly interpolated in between. It will also set fire to roughly 22% of the affected tiles.
When damaged beyond 70% of its health, it will explode after between 30 ticks (0.5 secs) and 60 ticks (1 sec), dealing BombSuper damage in a radius around itself. The radius depends on the quantity in the stack, with a single shell covering a 14.9 tile radius, and expanding this radius proportional to the square root of the stack size times 0.4 up to a maximum radius of 18 tiles at a full stack of 25. As above, it will deal at the center of the explosion, Expression error: Unexpected * operator. damage at the extreme edge of the radius and be linearly interpolated in between. It will also set fire to roughly 22% of the affected tiles.
Deterioration damage, however, will not cause an explosion, and the warhead will "deteriorate to nothing" instead.
They are also used in the construction of IED antigrain warhead traps.
Analysis
Antigrain warheads deal more than enough damage to one-shot most enemies in the game. This makes them utterly unmatched in siege defense, as they are capable of wiping out entire groups of raiders in a single blast. Additionally, their blast radius is sufficient to always hit the targeted tile in the blast, giving them reliability in hitting point targets far exceeding that of normally inaccurate mortars.
Tougher, armored enemies such as the centipede are a bit more than likely to survive a blast, but will be severely weakened such that finishing them off becomes much easier. Also take note that a direct hit, rare as it is, will likely kill it outright.
Installed as a trap, it can be extremely useful against crashed ship parts as doing so helps overcome the inaccuracy of mortars.
Storage
As with all mortar shells, it is heavily advised that you keep it in a safe place where it cannot deteriorate, come under fire, or be targeted by a tantrum. In addition to the loss of the antigrain warhead itself, its detonation is likely to cause massive damage to your base, anything inside it, and its occupants. If a tantruming pawn does decide to punch an antigrain warhead, try arresting them. If your pawns are too far, shooting them may be the better option than the alternative - the injuries, mood and social penalties, and even risk of death are still better than the almost-guaranteed death of the tantruming pawn, let alone the collateral damage. For maximum safety, consider sealing it behind a quickly-deconstructable wall, ideally under thick mountain roof on the small chance that a mortar hits that single tile.
Gallery
One antigrain warhead
Partial stack
Full stack
Version history
- 0.18.1722 - Added.
- ? - Description changed from "A tiny ultra-tech warhead [...]" to "An ultra-tech warhead [...]".
- Between 1.0.2096 - 1.3.3159 - Texture changed.
- Between 1.4.3523 - 1.4.3901 (inclusive) - Tech level changed from industrial to spacer.
Original texture
- Security
- Barricade • Sandbags • Spike trap
- (research)
- Autocannon turret • Foam turret • Mini-turret • Rocketswarm launcher • Uranium slug turret • Mortar
- IEDs
- IED trap • IED incendiary trap • IED EMP trap • IED firefoam trap • IED smoke trap • IED antigrain warhead trap • IED tox trap • IED deadlife trap
- Related
- Antigrain warhead • EMP shell • Firefoam shell • High-explosive shell • Incendiary shell • Smoke shell • Tox shell • Deadlife shell
- Consumables
- Antigrain warhead • Healer mech serum • Resurrector mech serum • Orbital bombardment targeter • Orbital power beam targeter • Techprof subpersona core • Tornado generator
- Structures
- Infinite chemreactor • Psychic emanator • Vanometric power cell
- Body parts
- Archotech arm • Archotech eye • Archotech leg
- Others
- Persona core
Image Gallery
Plan grid: Mortar sits between 4 tiles
Manning a mortar
Setting a forced target
Version history
In Beta 18 the three types of mortars (Incendiary, EMP and explosive) were replaced with a single type, which fires different types of shells that achieve the same effect. In addition, two new shells are added, the firefoam shell and the antigrain warhead.
- Security
- Barricade • Sandbags • Spike trap
- (research)
- Autocannon turret • Foam turret • Mini-turret • Rocketswarm launcher • Uranium slug turret • Mortar
- IEDs
- IED trap • IED incendiary trap • IED EMP trap • IED firefoam trap • IED smoke trap • IED antigrain warhead trap • IED tox trap • IED deadlife trap
- Related
- Antigrain warhead • EMP shell • Firefoam shell • High-explosive shell • Incendiary shell • Smoke shell • Tox shell • Deadlife shell