BAS depth charge

Two BAS depth charge launched off the aft off Impetuoso.

Description

BAS depth charge is a depth charge used by the Italian Cold War-era vessels. It's available with a conventional mortar, dropping charges in a fixed direction and range, as well as the Menon mortar, which allows you to choose a direction in which charges are ejected, but still lacks the ability to adjust the range.

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

• Impetuoso

General info

A triple-barrel Menon ASW mortar used to launch BAS depth charges off the bow of Impetuoso

Typically to all the other depth charges, BAS can have its activation time adjusted between 3 and 10 seconds before the match, where the countdown begins since the charge hits the surface of the water, ground, or vessel. Depth charges are meant to be an anti-submarine weapons, but given the lack of submarines in the game - their only use case remains to be an extremely situational against surface vessels.

Effective damage

The Menon mortar launches depth charges at the exact range of 0.85 km (the charge will hit the hull of the target from stationary Impetuoso once the range to the stationary target indicates 0.85 km in-game), it takes 13 seconds for it to reach the target.

A conventional mortar launches the depth charges at the range of around 0.30 km (2.5 times the hull Impetuoso's hull width) and it takes 3.25 seconds for it to reach the target.

Direct damage inflicted by the charges is relatively low, often requiring multiple direct hits to sink a destroyer if it fails to blow up the ammo racks. It's much more efficient against coastal vessels, but scoring a hit requires extreme luck.

Comparison with analogues

Against its peers, BAS comes with a slightly above-average TNT equivalent and a relatively large dead-weight.

Name	Country of origin	Mass (kg)	Explosive type	Explosive mass (kg)	TNT equivalent (kg)
7.2 in T37		29	Torpex	15.9	25.44
B TG		63	TNT	50	50
B TG 100		126	TNT	100	100
BAS		160	Torpex	70	112
BB-1		165	TNT	130	130
BM-1		45	TNT	25	25
Guiraud		176	TNT	130	130
K-gun Mk.9		190	TNT	136	136
Limbo mortar		177	Minol	94	108.1
Mk.10 Hedgehog mortar		29	Torpex	15.9	25.44
Mk.4		160	Minol	94	108.1
Mk.6		190	TNT	136	136
Mk.6 mortar		190	TNT	136	136
Mk.9		190	TNT	136	136
Mk.VII		196	TNT	130	130
RBM mortar		160	Amatol	70.8	70.8
Type 3		50	Type 88	20	26
Type 95		160	Amatol	100	100
WBD		196	Amatol	130	130
WBF		139	Amatol	60	60
WBG		160	Amatol	100	100
Y-gun Mk.VII		196	TNT	130	130

Usage in battles

Describe situations when you would utilise this depth charge in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)

Pros and cons

Full load of the depth charges ejected from the aft launcher on Impetuoso

Pros:

• Quick reload rate
• Menon mortar can be rotated (±150°) allowing to more precisely guide it on target

Cons:

• Fixed-firing range (0.30 km for conventional mortar, and 0.85 km for the Menon mortar)
• No user interface elements assisting in aiming the mortar, regardless of the game mode

History

"BAS" stands for Bomba Anti Sommergibile - literally: anti-submarine bomb.

The large mortar that can be found in the game is the Menon mortar. It was introduced in 1956, and its range could be set between 900 and 400 meters.

There are two variants of this mortar - the earlier triple-gun turret that we have in the game and a later single-gun fully enclosed turret to protect the operator from the elements.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

• Mk 2 mortar
• Ordnance ML 4.2-inch mortar
• Limbo mortar

External links

• [Wikipedia] Menon
• [NavWeaps] Italy - ASW Weapons # Menon Mortar K 113