Kartouwe Gun

By Crusader1307

Designed along similar line during an “artillery/cannon development race” in Sweden and Germany, The Kartouwe Gun class of artillery was first seen in 1581 at The Battle of Narva. Utilizing the Bombard designs of the Era, the barrels ranged from 15 to 18 feet in length. A typical cannon shell weighed around 50 pounds and required 600 to 750 pounds of powder to deploy. Capable of destroying an 18 foot thick defensive perimeter wall from around 3,000 + yards, they were very effective as early siege guns. Smaller versions could be used as anti-personnel guns, using 8 to 12 pound shells (powder suitably shorted for the operation). Mounted on specially designed carriages, The Kartouwe Guns often needed around 12 to 24 horses to move. They are documented to have caused “horrible damage”. Their sheer weight were their prime cause for being discontinued for use (a barrel weighing some 8,000 pounds!