Mortar
A mortar is usually a simple, lightweight, man-portable, muzzle-loaded weapon, consisting of a smooth-bore (although some models use a rifled barrel) metal tube fixed to a base plate (to spread out the recoil) with a lightweight bipod mount and a sight. Mortars are used as indirect fire weapons for close fire support with various ammunition.[Norris, J. & Calow, R.]
A mortar is an artillery weapon that fires explosive shells. The shells are known as (mortar) bombs. They are fired at close targets, as mortars do not range long. It has a short barrel that fires the mortar bomb at a low speed, high into the air to reach its target. They have been used since medieval times. Mortars are made in different sizes, from large and heavy mortars to infantry mortars which can be carried by just one soldier.
It is pretty simple and easy to use. Most are muzzleloaders made up of a tube that a gunner drops a bomb into. The tube is usually set at between 45 and 90 degrees angle to the ground. The higher the angle, the shorter the range.[Gábor Ágoston]
Norris, J. & Calow, R. (2002). Infantry mortars of World War II.
Gábor Ágoston (2005). Guns for the sultan: military power and the weapons industry in the Ottoman Empire. Cambridge University Press.