Flipped/Limbered 81mm Mortars and Col Shifts

[Poor Yorek]

If an 81mm mortar platoon is flipped to its limbered side and comes under BF or DF, do (or should) the col shifts still apply? The Combat Tables make no distinction; so, by the letter of the law, the answer presumably is "yes," col shifts do apply. Just curious if anyone else has pondered this question?

PS (perhaps a better way to have phrased this is to question whether such a unit ought to be granted an exception to the col shift)

I should add that I'm thinking specifically of 81mm where the limbered side can move on its own by foot (essentially moving not unlike an HMG platoon) and not, for example, a 120mm whose limbered side must be towed (where I'd have no question regarding the col shift vs. the limbered side as the unit is still particularly vulnerable).

[joe_oppenheimer]

I've never made the distinction. They are lugging ammo and big equipment so they are still vulnerable.

[Poor Yorek]

I've never made the distinction. They are lugging ammo and big equipment so they are still vulnerable.

I'd concede the first, but not the latter: 81mm mortars are not that big; and the unit can move with the same rate as an HMG platoon so presumably has comparable maneouverability.

I guess what I'm thinking of is the relative vulnerability of the unit when set-up to fire vs. loaded up for transport. Perhaps the ammunition vulnerability is key.

[vince hughes]

+1 col on all occassions for our games PY

[campsawyer]

Poor, In your question you were specific on the limbered side, do you make the distinction of not applying it on the unlimbered side?

[Poor Yorek]

Poor, In your question you were specific on the limbered side, do you make the distinction of not applying it on the unlimbered side?

I hoped it was clear in the first sentence of the original post that I take applying the col shifts to the unlimbered side as given. In fact, I am not even suggesting that the rules as written make or imply an exception for the limbered side (of 81mm mortars). What I was asking was whether anyone else had ever considered (e.g. as a house rule) to waive the col shift against such units when they are limbered and, hence, moving more like regular foot units (or at least not dissimilar to an HMG). This is why I further distinguished between 81mm and 120mm as the latter are so big/heavy that they must be towed.

I am/was at the "I wonder whether ..." stage, not the "after careful and exhaustive consideration, I submit that ... " stage.

[campsawyer]

Understood, +1 for all.

[Diocletian]

For me, I do not consider the +1 column shift when limbered up. I think of the unit more as foot infantry at this point. 81mm mortars are not that big and the unit would not be spread out in a firing configuration.