This article is considered accurate for the current version (1.58) of the game.
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A heavy mobile mortar platform fitted with a thick frontal shield for assaulting fortified locations.
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— In-game description
The Balfour Falconer 250mm (also known as a Baby Ballista or 250mm push gun) is a WardenField Mortar equipped with a 250mm Heavy Mortar specially designed to destroy fortified structures.
The Balfour Falconer 250mm houses a crew of two soldiers:
Driver (Left Side)
Controls the movement of the vehicle - requires a soldier in the Gunner seat in order to move
Gunner (Right Side)
Controls the reloading, and firing of the chassis-mounted 250mm Heavy Mortar
Uses the Mouse Scroll Wheel to adjust the firing distance
Required to move the vehicle
NOTE: Despite not having an actual Passenger seat, it is possible for a soldier to stand on the Spade (the long metal piece on the back of the vehicle) and move with the crew.
Unlike enclosed vehicles, Field Weapons cannot switch seats, requiring the crew to exit the vehicle in order to change seats.
Armament
The Balfour Falconer 250mm is equipped with one main armament:
The Balfour Falconer 250mm is specifically designed to destroy enemy static defenses at close range, with concrete structures being the most susceptible to 250mm shells. Emplacements are also high-value targets, but all of this depends on how dangerous they are compared to other defensive structures in the area. 250mm shells excel at breaking concrete, so they are high-priority targets. Due to its slow speed, high armor penetration, short ranged weapon, and lack of defensive weaponry, it requires a lot of support to get close to its target and be used effectively.
It is of utmost importance to protect the Balfour Falconer 250mm from enemy armored vehicles and infantry, as they will easily destroy the Field Mortar. Despite the protection from other vehicles and infantry, Balfour Falconer 250mm crews should not be expected to survive these attacks and should solely focus on destroying as much enemy defenses as possible before being destroyed.
Chassis
All push guns, by their nature, are one of the most vulnerable vehicles in the game in terms of crew protection. They are exposed to the enemy, making them susceptible to all enemy fire. Due to push guns requiring both crew members to move them, the death of a single crew member could result in the push gun being lost. Due to this, it is recommended to only lock the gun when it looks like enemy infantry are going to overwhelm you and can steal it. This tactic is vital if a push gun is decrewed, as it allows a friendly soldier to quickly man it and drive it back to safety.
Visibility Mechanics
Push guns have a visibility mechanic, which allows it to operate differently compared to regular vehicles. Similar to infantry, they are affected by vision, meaning their movements cannot be seen unless it is within your line of sight. Due to this, they can hide behind structures, or even bushes (depends on how big the bush is). It's also affected by the time of day, with nighttime making it possible for push guns to become invisible to the enemy if you're far enough from them. Keep in mind that if the enemy decides to illuminate your position, this will expose it until the flare dies out. The push gun's position will be exposed anyway if the crew decides to fire its main armament.
Tips
Like all vehicles that use large shells, they can be quickly submitted into them without accessing their inventory
While this can be done for all vehicles, it should only be done if they can carry/use large items
Equip the shell and walk up to the vehicle
Submit the shell into the vehicle - pressV
Trivia
The Balfour Falconer 250mm was the second vehicle introduced to the game that utilized 250mm, with the HC-7 “Ballista” being the first
Due to it being a smaller, and much more vulnerable vehicle compared to the Ballista, it gained the nickname 'Baby Ballista'
The Falconer re-used the chassis of the 'Logan Cannon 150mm' field artillery, which has since been removed from the game.
