12-lber Howitzer Foot Artillery (ETW Unit)
| 12-lber Howitzer Foot Artillery (ETW Unit) | |
|---|---|
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| Class | Artillery |
| Unit Size | |
| Weaponry | |
| Morale | |
| Melee Attack | |
| Ranged Attack | |
| Defence | |
| Charge Bonus | |
| Accuracy | |
| Range | |
| Ammunition | |
| Region | Worldwide |
| Recruitment Cost | 630 |
| Upkeep Cost | 150 |
| Turns to Build | |
| Unit Limit | |
| Building Requirements | |
| Technology Requirements | |
| Attributes | |
Overview
Howitzers fall somewhere between guns and mortars, the other main artillery types. They have a limited mobility, like guns. Like mortars, they do not fire straight at the target, but send shots high into the air to plunge down on a target (and over anything in the way). By angling the barrel and changing the propellant charge used, howitzers have an impressive flexibility in shell trajectories. Experienced crews can lob explosive shells and incendiary rounds with great accuracy into a “beaten zone”, making life utterly miserable and very short for anyone within it. In close action, they can fire canister rounds directly into enemy formations, like giant sawed-off shotguns.
The term foot artillery applies because the gunners walk into battle alongside the draft animals. Like all artillery, the rating of these howitzers refers to the nominal weight of shot fired; loading the heavier pieces made for strong gunners!
Historically, howitzers – like many other artillery pieces – were far from standardized weapons in the 18th Century. Shells and spare parts made in one foundry did not always fit another foundry’s pieces, even if the caliber was nominally identical and the two guns were part of the same battery in the field. It took a good deal of effort and argument to get foundries to standardize barrels and ancillary equipment, even in a single country.
