Originally Posted by
Tartiflette Fan
What makes this a self-propelled mortar, instead of a self-propelled gun ? I believed that the defining characteristic of a mortar was loading down the barrel: the name being carried forward from the mediaeval barrel-loading mortiers.
Mortars are easy to move from firing position to another compared to artillery. Also, mortarts usually fire at higher angle than 45 degrees dropping greanades near vertically, but range is limited compared to eg howitzers. Ammunition is different as well. a 120mm mortar may have max range of 10km while artllery goes beyond that.
Mortars are great infantry support tools with smaller danger area and can be moved around (shoot and scoot).
If that chassis would have a 120mm gun instead of mortar, it would be more of a IFV/MBT and most likely have a smoothbore gun intended for direct fire up to max 5km (comparing to eg. French AMX-10 RC). If it would have a 120mm gun it would then be a self propelled howitzer intended for indirect fire and ranges from 10km to 20km (ish).