The Empire Great Cannon, an example of a cannon in use by the armies of the Old World.
A cannon is a large, muzzle-loading, ballistic weapon that uses the internal combustion of blackpowder to fire projectiles, meaning that the shot and powder are loaded from the front and ignited by lighting the blackpowder charge at the rear of the weapon.
Essentially, cannon are larger, deadlier versions of gunpowder weapons. As the original precursors to handguns and other firearms, cannon represent a powerful force on which many of the current mortal armies of the Known World depend. However, though capable of shattering units, blasting walls, and killing huge monsters outright, they are unpredictable, capable of spectacular misfires and internal explosions that kill their crews and many around them.
The very first blackpowder cannons were invented by the ancient ancestors of the Giants known as the Skytitans, which have been repurposed into Ironblasters by the Ogres.
History[]
Cannons in the Empire[]
Imperial scholars believe that the first cannons were introduced into the Human realms of the Old World about five centuries ago during the 21st century IC, imported by Dwarfs who had long used the weapons and then modified them for use by Men with the aid of the engineers of the Imperial Gunnery School.[2a]
These early Human blackpowder weapons were either small and cast of bronze, or large, banded, wrought-iron cannon. These early cannon were even more unreliable than those used by Imperial armies at present.[2a]
These early cannon sometimes fired arrow or ballista-like projectiles, but such ammunition quickly replaced by the far mor effective stone and iron cannonballs. Recently, grapeshot has seen greater use as an effective antiifantry weapon, and hailshot (bundles of small rocks, nails, glass, or scraps of metal) is equally commonplace when an army hopes to use cannon against massed infantry.[2a]
As design and reliability of cannon improved, Human engineers fitted these large metal tubes to wooden carriages. Originally, cannon were mounted on stone frames set atop walls. By making them mobile with the addition of gun carriages, the use of cannon became even more popular with the Empire's armies. Now, nearly every army the Empire fields is accompanied by blackpowder artillery support, which has been instrumental in many battles in that nation's long history -- especially in the tumultuous times that have marked the still-young 26th century IC.[2a]
Cannons are devastating, if sometimes unpredictable, weapons whose manufacture is limited to only a few races like the Dwarfs and the Men of the Empire who possess the requisite technological knowledge to manufacture and operate them. When they work, cannons can shatter the most determined enemy, slamming shot after shot into massed formations of infantry and cavalry.[1a]
However, cannons are still not the most reliable of weapons, even for experienced artillerists. The blackpowder charge can fail to ignite, or explode prematurely. Worse, weaknesses in casting methods can leave minute cracks or other deficiencies in a cannon, which can lead to the cannon exploding when fired.[1a]
Cannons in the Southern Realms[]
"You have many enemies: the ratmen, the Norse, the Naggarothi, the Arabi corsairs and the rest. I have three ships, with many mighty cannons. You have heard them firing. With these I can sink the ships of your enemies before they reach the shore. If we catch any that are returning from your land, we will recover the treasures which they have taken and return them to you."
- —Extract from The Tale of Marco Colombo, ca. 1492 IC[5a]
The Tilean mercenary artillery band known as Bronzino's Galloper Guns unleashing the might of their cannons.
While Imperials believe that the first cannons were introduced to the Old World by the Dwarfs in the 21st century IC, Tileans reportedly made use of these weapons long before this. An example is Marco Colombo's expedition to the continent of Lustria in ca. 1492 IC, where his ships were already outfitted with cannons.[5a]
Both the Tileans and the Estalians possessed blackpowder weaponry several centuries earlier than the Empire, due to their extensive trade links with Grand Cathay.[6a]
Since Dogs of War armies are always on the move, they cannot afford to carry and maintain the massive Great Cannons typical of the armies of the Empire. For this reason, lighter, easy to move, small-calibre guns are a treasured element of many mercenary armies.[3]
Batteries of Dwarf cannons are always available for hire and are high in demand. These mercenary batteries are always led by renowned Dwarf master gunners or bombardiers.[4a]
Notable Artillery Units[]
- Bronzino's Galloper Guns - This Tilean mercenary artillery band became infamous due to their unusual ability to move their cannons so quickly that they could employ hit-and-run tactics.[3]
Canon Conflict[]
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Armoury indicates that Imperial scholars believe that the first cannons were introduced to the Old World by the Dwarfs in the 21st century IC, yet Tileans reportedly made use of these weapons long before this, as noted above.[5a]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Battles: Rulebook (8th Edition)
- 1a: pg. 112
- 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Armoury (RPG)
- 2a: pg. 50
- 3: Warhammer: Dogs of War - Army for Hire
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy Battles: Warhammer Armies (3rd Edition)
- 4a: pg. 150
- 5: Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen (5th Edition)
- 5a: pp. 50-55
- 6: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Shades of Empire - Organizations of the Old World (RPG)
- 6a: pg. 75