Board of Ordnance 24-lber Battery (ETW Unit)
| Board of Ordnance 24-lber Battery (ETW Unit) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Artillery |
| Unit Size | 24 men |
| Weaponry | 24 pdr cannon |
| Morale | |
| Melee Attack | |
| Ranged Attack | |
| Defence | |
| Charge Bonus | |
| Accuracy | |
| Range | |
| Ammunition | |
| Region | The Americas |
| Recruitment Cost | 860 |
| Upkeep Cost | 340 |
| Turns to Build | |
| Unit Limit | |
| Building Requirements | Engineer School |
| Technology Requirements | None |
| Attributes | |
A demi-cannon is a heavy artillery piece from the previous century, deployed in a fixed battlefield position.
Overview
Although obsolete, a demi-cannon is still a dangerous weapon to face as it fires a ball with a nominal weight of around 24 pounds. This large caliber makes for a large weapon with a massive gun carriage. Once properly emplaced, a demi-cannon is hard enough to adjust for aim, let alone drag to a new location! Originally, this lack of tactical mobility was not a problem, as the gun was for siege work or for a battlefield where there was little artillery present. It was unlikely to ever suffer any kind of counter-battery fire, so didn’t need to be moved.
Artillery was sometimes incredibly dangerous to its users as well as the targets: fire was a terrible risk. The artillery baggage train usually held an enormous quantity of powder, and any stray spark was liable to cause an explosion. Anyone out of place caught near the powder train could expect little mercy: some generals ordered that enemy agents should be burned alive if caught in an arson attempt, and immediate lynching for their own errant soldiers wandering too near the artillery train!
Details
Board of Ordnance 24-lber Battery is a cancelled unit available only in the Road to Independence campaign. Demi-cannons are slightly superior to sakers. Other than that, they are identical. They should be utilized early to provide rudimentary artillery firepower to the battlefield, and then replaced with more suitable options.
