Sir We Have an Orc Problem Mortar Turret - Sir, We Have an Orc Problem
Arcing splash for stacked hordes - best behind Flamethrower softening and tight choke geometry.
What the Mortar does
The Mortar lobs explosive shells in an arc, dealing splash damage to orcs in the impact zone. Unlike the direct-fire Gunner or the cone-based Flamethrower, Mortars punish groups - especially waves that compress after burn softening or narrow path geometry. Sir, We Have an Orc Problem uses Mortars as the middle act of many kill boxes: forward fire thins and slows, Mortar shells delete the pile, Cannons pierce whatever remains.
Post-mission stats often show Mortars dealing far less total damage than Flamethrowers. That screenshot misleads new players. Burn touches every orc in a cone; Mortar splash hits only where orcs stack. On a bad layout, stacks never form and Mortars look useless. On a choke map with proper softening, Mortar value jumps to A tier in the Turret Tier List without changing a single upgrade node.
Strengths and limits
Strengths:
- Splash damage on clumped hordes
- Arcing shots ignore some line-of-sight blocks that stop direct towers
- Strong mid-row placement behind Flamethrower funnels
- Scales with damage and shell-count meta upgrades
- Complements pierce finish from Cannons without overlapping role exactly
Limits:
- Delayed impact - poor on fast leak maps without prior slow or burn
- Low value on fully open spreads before chokes form
- Misleading damage totals compared to cone weapons
- Requires prediction of stack points, not just enemy presence
Mortars reward players who read orc flow as fluid dynamics rather than static lanes.
Unlock and upgrade path
Unlock Mortars in the meta tree after early Gunner and usually Flamethrower nodes. Consult Upgrade Priority for your campaign pace. Mortar-focused spending:
- Mortar unlock - enables arcing placement.
- Maximum Mortar count - second and third lobs cover wider stack zones.
- Splash damage - percentage nodes shine on dense stacks.
- Fire rate or shell cadence - more shells per stack window.
- Partner caps - Cannon finish row and Gunner leak line behind Mortars.
Avoid maxing Mortar damage while placing a single lob on open terrain. Unlock count, fix geometry, then scale numbers.
Placement behind softening
Standard row order:
- Forward Flamethrower cones (one or two passes)
- Mortar line aimed at the stack point where path narrows
- Rear Cannon row for pierce burst
- Gunner nest for leaks and fast units
Identify the stack point by watching build-phase path preview: where orcs pause, bend, or pile after burn. Center impact zones there, not on spawn fields.
Over-wall lobs: terrain that blocks Gunners may still allow Mortar arcs. Use Mortars as indirect fire when direct towers cannot angle safely.
Multiple Mortars: stagger impact zones slightly along the choke so one shell does not waste splash on a handful while the main horde sits untouched ten meters ahead.
Mortar vs Cannon
Both deal AOE. Community confusion is common.
| Factor | Mortar | Cannon |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery | Lobbed arc | Direct explosive shot |
| Best target | Compressed stack behind choke | Visible clump in kill box |
| Terrain | Over obstacles | Needs line of sight |
| Timing | Slightly delayed | Immediate burst |
| Role | Mid-finish splash | Pierce finish |
Many optimal clears run both at A tier. Choosing Mortar over Cannon first depends on map walls and stack visibility, not universal power.
When Mortars underperform
- Open maps with no compression before base lane
- Skipping Flamethrower softening on dense missions
- Placing lobs on spawn instead of stack peaks
- Comparing total damage to burn after double-pass cones
- Underinvesting in tower count while chasing splash radius upgrades
Fix placement and softening before swapping Mortars for more Gunners.
Pairing with abilities
Mortar shells and Bombing Runs both want the same moment: maximum density in the kill box. Fire bombing runs when shells and burn overlap, not when the stream is still spread across the approach. Abilities are spike damage; Mortars are sustained stack punishment.
Sample layouts
Classic funnel: two Flamethrower passes, three Mortars on bend stack, two Cannons rear, two Gunners leak line.
Wall-heavy map: reduced Gunner row, extra Mortars for indirect splash, Cannons only where line of sight opens.
Early Mortar unlock before full burn caps: one Flamethrower cone plus two Mortars on first visible stack - temporary until burn count rises.
Meta progression notes
Sir, We Have an Orc Problem runs last roughly four to six hours. Mortar literacy matters mid-campaign when density spikes. Spend between-run currency on Mortar caps before final-mission retries that fail to clear stacks - not before first choke maps where Gunners and one Flamethrower suffice.
Common mistakes
- Judging Mortars by total damage alone
- Placing lobs forward of Flamethrowers
- Ignoring Choke Points when repositioning after mirror maps
- Skipping Cannon partners because splash “should be enough”
- Neglecting Upgrade Priority count unlocks for Mortar slots
Related pages
- Turrets Hub - all four towers
- Turret Tier List - Mortar A-tier context
- Flamethrower - softening partner
- Cannon - pierce finish partner
- Gunner - leak control
- Choke Points - stack geometry
- Upgrade Priority - mortar caps and damage
- Bombing Runs - timed stack spikes
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions.
Why do Mortars show low damage compared to Flamethrowers?
Burn hits every orc in a cone; Mortar splash only hits stacked groups. Low totals usually mean poor stack placement, not a weak tower.
Mortar or Cannon first after Flamethrowers?
Mortar first when terrain blocks direct fire or stacks form at a clear lob point. Cannon first when pierce finish on visible clumps matters more.
Where should Mortars aim?
At the choke stack point where orcs compress after burn - bends, narrows, and pause zones - not at spawn fields.
Do Mortars work without Flamethrowers?
On light maps, yes. On dense late missions, softening before Mortar rows prevents leaks and makes splash worth the placement slot.