Early Preview 2.2: Spherical Case Shot
Spherical Case Shot (and other artillery changes)
Spherical case shot is an advanced form of anti-personnel ammunition invented by the British Ltn. Shrapnel in 1784. Shrapnel's innovation was to combine the multi-projectile shotgun effect of canister shot, with a time fuse to open the canister and disperse the bullets it contained at some distance along the canister's trajectory from the gun. His shell was a hollow cast-iron sphere filled with a mixture of balls and powder, with a crude time fuse. If the fuse was set correctly then the shell would break open, either in front or above the intended target, releasing its contents (of musket balls). The shrapnel balls would carry on with the "remaining velocity" of the shell. In addition to a denser pattern of musket balls, the retained velocity could be higher as well, since the shrapnel shell as a whole would likely have a higher ballistic coefficient than the individual musket balls. It took until 1803 for the British artillery to adopt the shrapnel shell (as "spherical case"), albeit with great enthusiasm when it did. Henry Shrapnel was promoted to Major in the same year. The first recorded use of shrapnel by the British was in 1804 against the Dutch at Fort Amsterdam in Surinam. The Duke of Wellington's armies used it from 1808 in the Peninsular War and at the Battle of Waterloo, and he wrote admiringly of its effectiveness.
Spherical Case Shot (Shrapnel Shot)
- Introducing spherical case shot, which is a deadly form of ammunition for medium ranges. The spherical case shot explodes during flight and unleashes a hail of musket balls. Especially deadly against masses of infantry like the French infantry attack columns.
- Britain can research spherical case shot with army buildings level 3. All other nations have to wait until they have a level 5 army building.
- After researching the spherical case shot technology all howitzers can shoot that type of ammunition.
- Britain can recruit a limited number of 6-pdr, 9-pdr and 12-pdr cannons with spherical case shot as additional ammunition.
Some Other Changes to Artillery
- Vanilla NTW issue with artillery finally solved (well...circumvented to be exact
): Solid shot no longer scatters men, and will kill infantry (and not only cavalry) beyond the maximum range! This will help especially the AI which tends to shoot at maximum range without causing casualities to infantry.
- Solid shots got a longer range.
- Howitzer shells have a longer range, but less explosive power.
- Canister range was slightly shortened and the amount of balls reduced, but canister balls now bounce on the ground and are much more deadly!
- Removed experimental howitzers from the game.
- Removed accuracy ability for howitzers (too much magic involved).
- Improved ballistics of shrapnels from explosive shells and rockets.
Some pics showing a British 9-lbr with spherical case shot button, the new tech tree, and a Austrian general unit under spherical case shot fire:
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Originally Posted by rossw
