German Minenwerfer gave infantry useful fire support, but many were heavy and required substantial effort to move. Some were portable, while larger versions had to be broken down extensively. German forces valued them enough to commit the necessary manpower and transport. In this interpretation, British observers overestimated their mobility because they did not initially appreciate how much support Germany assigned to them. A weapon can appear easy to maneuver when the observer cannot see the resources devoted to moving it.
Notable Point · 1:09:31-1:11:08
Why German mortar mobility misled British observers
The apparent mobility of German trench mortars depended partly on the support devoted to them, a factor British observers underestimated.