60mm Vietcong Mortar Team

As hard and as unpalatable as it may be, most US veterans give grudging acknowledgement to the proficiency of NVA and VC mortar fire. Usually delivered swiftly and accurately, the NVA and VC mortar crews were often capable of delivering extremely effective suppressive fire.

A single 60mm mortar was to be found in the Combat Support platoon of the NVA and VC infantry company. The crew usually consisted of two, a gunner and an assistant gunner. It should be borne in mind however that PAVN force structure was extremely fluid and that although it was normal for the rifle company to be supported by a single 60mm mortar, it was not uncommon to find that in combat, the rifle company was supported by either more of these weapons or even none.

The 60mm mortar was light and easily man-portable and as such, was frequently to be found supporting the lead elements of an assault and placing fire onto targets just to the front of the assaulting troops - quite often firing over open sights.

The 60mm mortar team from Britannia consists of two Viet Cong figures; the gunner is depicted kneeling behind the deployed mortar, and the loader, also kneeling, has a round in his right-hand ready for use. Both are attired in the now familiar PJs and conical straw 'peasants' hat and carry shoulder-slung rice bags.

The castings are clean and very basic - each figure carries a single shoulder-slung pouch and these are the only accoutrements that are depicted. Under normal circumstances both men would be armed although no personal weaponry is represented on the figures. There is not a lot to get excited about in this weapons team - it is a purely functional unit that allows you to deploy a 60mm mortar on the table-top and in this respect it is to be appreciated.

All figures are from my own personal collection and have been painted and photographed by me.