64-lber Heavy Artillery (ETW Unit)

64-lber Heavy Artillery (ETW Unit)
Class	Fixed Artillery
Unit Size
Weaponry	64 pdr cannon
Morale
Melee Attack
Ranged Attack
Defence
Charge Bonus
Accuracy
Range
Ammunition
Region	Worldwide
Recruitment Cost	950
Upkeep Cost	230
Turns to Build
Unit Limit
Building Requirements
Technology Requirements
Attributes

These enormous cannons can pound enemies to pieces in very short order. Their size and weight makes them almost immobile once emplaced.

Overview

As the name suggests, these huge guns fire cannon balls in excess of 60 pounds. The impact of such a shot crushes anyone unlucky enough to be caught, and does terrible damage to any structure hit. That canister shot can be added on top of such a ball is merely piling on the misery for the unfortunate targets. These enormous guns require large-scale support to operate effectively. Indeed, in Indian service they are often towed by elephants rather than a team of smaller draught oxen!

Historically, guns this size were difficult to cast without flaws; the size of gunpowder charge involved in firing these guns meant that any flaw would be fatal to the gunners. Secondly, there was the difficulty of moving these guns to the battlefield. Smaller artillery produced substantial trains of draught animals, additional carts for powder, spares and shot, (all with more draught animals) – and then all of these would need feeding and watering, even before the gun crews were considered. That it was considered worthwhile to produce and then use these guns with all these drawbacks shows just how destructive they were.