Gun Carriage
GUTS AND GEARS — THE BEASTS AND MACHINES OF THE IRON KINGDOMS
Though they have undergone constant refinement, weapons like the Gun Carriage have been in use by Khadorans for centuries. In fact, Khador began to field the earliest gun carriages during the later phases of the rebellion against the Orgoth. After the Army of Thunder was destroyed, knowledge of the weapons first invented in Llael spread throughout the region, and rebels in Khador were among the first to succeed at translating smaller firearms into much larger and heavier cannons. These weapons, while powerful, required a special degree of effort and logistics to maneuver on the field. Khador’s first massive cannons were hauled to the battlefield in great carts pulled by powerful draft horses. Northern engineers were not content with the setup time required to unhitch and situate these cannons or with the subsequent loss of mobility for the artillery. They soon developed the means whereby such guns could remain fixed on more heavily reinforced carts, with armored plating to protect their crew, and over time these took on the role of mobile artillery.
The earliest of these gun carts were crude and dangerous. Forced to fight from dark, smoky interiors, the crews were often rendered deaf by the shattering noise of the cannons. A proper balance had to be found between the caliber of cannon on board and the mobility of the armored wagon. Nevertheless, these early gun carts proved effective and became a staple of war among the nascent armies of the fledgling Iron Kingdoms. As arms and armor improved over the years, warjacks became the battlefield standard for many nations, who then abandoned cart-based mobile artillery. Khador, however, continued to employ them, modifying them as techniques for building more powerful but compact cannons were refined.
The current Gun Carriage is a culmination of these centuries of refinement and is a testament to Khador’s highly efficient engineering corps. The current incarnation has changed little in the past fifty years but has seen a number of smaller refinements. In particular, its armor has incorporated metallurgical advances to make it lighter without sacrificing durability, its gun turrets have been improved to allow greater range of motion and therefore wider firing arcs, and its suspension system has been gradually improved to allow the carriage to reach greater speeds without loss of control.
Though many of Khador’s enemies consider the armed carriage outdated and surpassed by other developments of war, it remains a mainstay in the Khadoran military even today. The relative scarcity of cortex materials has reinforced Khador’s desire to maintain options that combine high mobility with firepower. While the Gun Carriage of today evolved in small steps over the centuries, it stands as an entirely different weapon than what it once was, transformed into a versatile, mobile, and incredibly deadly weapon platform that complements and supports Khador’s warjacks in the field.
The major components of the Gun Carriage are described below, as well as how the machine developed through the centuries to reach its present form.
Locomotion: Gun carts have long relied on teams of horses to provide locomotion. Older and cruder gun carts sometimes required teams of four or six horses to pull them, but the improvements in the present model combined with careful selection of horses has reduced this to a single pair. The largest and most robust breeds of Umbrean and Khardic draft horses are preferable, as they are bred for strength and stamina; a single draft horse can pull a load of two tons and still maintain a reasonable pace. A pair working together can even pull the great weight of a Gun Carriage at a full gallop when necessary.
The current Gun Carriage rests on four stout wheels of hardened iron. Records indicate some of the earliest armed carts used by Khador utilized iron-rimmed wooden wheels, which were far more vulnerable to fire and explosives. The iron wheels on later versions are all but impervious to small arms fire and can withstand indirect blasts from enemy artillery as well as, if not better than, the armored hull of the vehicle.
Due in large part to their intricate, independent suspension system, armed carts easily negotiate various types of terrain. This system has seen almost constant improvement over the last century. The current Gun Carriage can go anywhere its horses can pull it, and even the most challenging terrain can do little to slow it once it reaches its full momentum.
Steering Assembly: One issue addressed very early in the history of the gun cart is the importance of protecting the driver. The first gun carts featured an open or partially armored cockpit, which allowed the driver room to manipulate the reins controlling the horses but left him vulnerable to enemy sniper fire.
The steering assembly of later gun carts allowed the driver to control the vehicle while enjoying the protection of the machine’s armor. The driver is now completely surrounded by an armored cupola with view ports providing a 360-degree field of vision. In addition, the reins used to control the Umbrean draft horses pulling the vehicle are completely encased in an armored yoke and connected to a series of levers within the cabin. By simply pulling the correct lever, the driver can easily direct the horses’ speed and direction.
Armor: Since its inception, the gun cart has been heavily armored. Increasing its overall efficiency over that of earlier versions, recent adjustments in the shape of the Gun Carriage’s armor resulted in greater deflection of incoming projectiles and artillery. The use of more refined steel alloys has allowed for lighter armor with the same level of protection, reducing the load on the horses.
No expense has been spared to armor the draft horses pulling the Gun Carriage. Each horse is fitted with barding on par with the heavy armor worn by the Karpathan destriers ridden by the Drakhuns. This armor is perfectly fitted, alchemically strengthened, and all-encompassing enough to foil most types of small arms completely and can withstand shrapnel from artillery fire. Coupled with the incredible stamina and hardiness of the steeds, it ensures enemies attacking the locomotive system of the Gun Carriage find no easy target.
Cannons: In past centuries the carts’ heavy cannons were operated by a minimal crew due to the archaic firing mechanisms and the weight of the shells. This limited earlier gun carts to a single cannon or required they use a larger, substantially slower carriage. By overcoming this hurdle the present Gun Carriage has vastly improved the amount of firepower it brings to the battlefield. The Gun Carriage is fitted with two cannons that utilize a metal cartridge case containing both blasting powder and a projectile. These cartridges are simpler to load and take up far less room than the cumbersome and dangerous powder and shot of older designs. As a result these cannons can be crewed by a single gunner each. Gun Carriages are equipped with high-explosive rounds ideal for dealing with infantry and tearing apart the earth with every blast.
Each of the Gun Carriage’s cannons is set on a swivel mount inside an armored gun turret. Both gunner and cannon are housed within this turret, and the gunner can aim his cannon in a 90° arc. The Gun Carriage can engage 180° of the battlefield with both cannons, and a skilled crew can quickly orient the vehicle to bring destruction from nearly any angle, although care must be taken when firing at targets in the front arc nearest the horses. Carriage drivers are practiced in approaching a target in a zigzag pattern, alternating angles of approach to afford each cannon crew a clear lane of fire.
Crew: Older designs carried shot and powder for the main gun in the cabin, greatly restricted the amount of crew space available. The current Gun Carriage stows the cased ammunition for its cannons in a special compartment beneath the main crew cabin, easily accessible by both gunners. This has allowed for extra space as well as the addition of a fourth crewmember.
The standard crew complement for the current Gun Carriage consists of a commander, two gunners, and a rifleman. The commander also functions as the main driver, and the rifleman serves as both close-range defense and
as a spotter. Equipped with a standard issue military rifle, the spotter stands inside the rear hatch, partially exposed, during combat situations and calls out possible obstructions and range for the crew. This helps increase the accuracy of the cannons as well as deter enemy infantry armed with grenades, mines, or other anti-armor weaponry.
During combat, the inside of a Gun Carriage becomes a thunderous, smoky hellhole only the toughest soldiers can withstand. Crews are chosen carefully from the ranks of the Winter Guard. Only those with the hardiest constitutions and mental fortitude make the cut.
The Khadoran Gun Carriage continues to make a significant impact on the various military actions in which the empire is currently engaged. Its power and effectiveness are testament to a long military tradition that has been forged and refined in the unforgiving crucible of war.
Gun Carriages of the 48th Assault Battalion
Painted in the signature olive green of the 5th Border Legion, the gun carriages of the 48th Assault Battalion are frequently called into action on the Khadoran/Llaelese border. Supporting Kodiak warjacks and a variety of Man-O-War units, the gun carriages of the 48th form the solid core of heavy armor divisions and are instrumental in hammering the enemies of the empire into submission.
Fonte: No Quarter 35
