Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 167: Weapon Testing: Grapeshot vs Canistershot

Rewari kingdom, Canon factory , morning of 25th march 1557.

The open grounds of the cannon factory hummed with a flurry of activity. Workers scurried about, arranging dummies and carts, while others maneuvered additional carts, their contents concealed under white cloths.

Elite soldiers clad in chain mail armour, stood vigil around the perimeter, ensuring strict security as they monitored every movement.

A small team of workers grunted with effort, heaving a falconet cannon on its wheeled carriage toward the designated weapon testing area.

The cannon, with its slender, elongated barrel, seemed almost out of place against its modestly-sized iron wheels. The contrast between the cannon’s imposing length and its small wheels gave it a unique, top-heavy appearance, emphasizing its formidable presence despite its compact form.

At the centre of testing ground, Aditya, Meenakshi, and Mathew in their usual attires observed with keen interest. The atmosphere was thick with anticipation for the impending test.

Aditya approached the cannon, running his hand along the smooth, bronze barrel. Its gleaming surface reminded him of 17th-century designs, where the midsection was reinforced with heavier metal and smaller, sturdier wheels to manage recoil. He glanced at Mathew and remarked, "This is made of pure bronze. Elder, didn’t you consider using steel?"

Mathew, hands on his waist, explained with pride, "I would have, but given the other weapons you tasked me with, I didn’t want to risk the first shot. This bronze barrel is capable of firing both light cannonballs and grapeshot with minimal recoil. Thanks to your idea of small wheels, we’ve managed to stabilize it effectively."

Aditya eyed the iron wheels critically. Despite their small size, they were remarkably sturdy. The wheels, though modest, balanced the cannon’s length and weight, allowing for better mobility.

Impressed, Aditya complimented, "It amazing, elder. I can’t fathom the labour you must have endured to achieve this perilous task in such a short time..."

Mathew waved off the compliment with a grin, "Save your eloquence for others. I didn’t spend much time on this modification. Besides, you left something quite interesting last time."

Curious, Aditya watched as Mathew produced a grenade prototype from his custom made pocket and tossed it to Aditya, who caught it with a look of astonishment.

Aditya’s eyes widened. "But I didn’t explain anything about this. Where’s the fuse?"

Mathew smirked, "It’s a prototype. If it were real and unfused, I doubt you’d be standing here in one piece."

Meenakshi giggled, watching Aditya’s surprised expression. It was a rarer sight than his usual confident stance as a prince.

With a clap of his hands, Mathew drew everyone’s attention. "Alright, everyone, clear the field. It’s time to put my children to action."

The workers immediately dispersed, clearing the area around the cannon. Mathew, with a wry smile, gestured towards a safer spot behind the massive weapon. "Let’s stand back here, unless, of course, you want to accuse me of spilling royal blood when this explodes."

Aditya and Meenakshi exchanged amused glances and moved to the designated safe zone. Despite the tension of the moment, the excitement in their eyes was well written.

The cannon was aimed directly at a line of dummies, placed strategically at varying distances. The gunners worked efficiently, setting the elevation to match the distance.

Mathew, pulling out a slate and chalk from one of his subordinate, began instructing the crew. "Load the round shot."

One gunner stepped up and poured black powder into the barrel. Another followed, dropping a heavy iron cannonball in and rammed it with a wooden ramrod to pack it tightly.

Mathew stepped back, observing with satisfaction. "Ready!"

The gunner lit the fuse with linstock (long tool to ignite), and for a heartbeat, there was silence. Then...

’BOOM!’

The cannon fired with a thunderous crack, sending a deep shockwave through the air. The round shot rocketed down the range, slamming into the first dummy at 600 meters with a forceful impact. Wood splintered, fragments flying in all directions as the dummy was obliterated. The shot was clean and precise, as expected.

Mathew scribbled some notes onto his slate with a satisfied grin. "Good. Now let’s take it to 900 meters."

The gunners rotated the cannon’s axle, adjusting the barrel’s angle to the new target. This time, a cluster of dummies was set, representing a formation. The process repeated: black powder, cannonball, ramrod, fuse.

Another resounding explosion erupted as the cannon fired. The shot hurtled downrange, hitting the cluster of dummies with devastating force. Wood and debris scattered, the dummies reduced to splinters in seconds. The increased velocity at this distance created an even more spectacular destruction, greater than before.

Mathew took his notes again, nodding approvingly. "Impressive. Let’s push it to 1200 meters."

The barrel was adjusted once more. The dummies at 1200 meters were spaced farther apart, challenging the cannon’s accuracy at such an extended range. The fuse was lit again, and the cannon thundered to life. This time, however, the round shot sailed aside from the dummies, missing its mark. It hit the ground with a dull thud ,little away the target in sight deviation but similar range.

Meenakshi studying the cannon’s behavior, inquired. "Wouldn’t it be better to increase the barrel length? Would that not help extend the range accuracy?"

Mathew glanced over his shoulder at her, his brow furrowed in thought. "Yes, it could be done, but the design would need significant changes. A longer barrel might improve range, but it could also affect mobility and efficiency. Also the problem here is recoil not the range."

Aditya, arms crossed, chimed in. "Is five meters, the barrel’s shortest effective length?"

Mathew paused, considering the question. "We could try four meters, but it would decrease long-range accuracy. The current length provides a good compromise."

Aditya nodded, piecing together his observations. He considered the possibility of extending the barrel for greater distance while countering the recoil issue by French advanced system: a thought for the future, perhaps. For now, Mathew’s next order brought his focus back to the present.

"Now, bring out the grapeshot rounds," Mathew commanded.

As the workers hurried to bring the grapeshot rounds from cart, Aditya held up a hand, stopping them in their tracks. He stepped forward, inspecting the round carefully. The cluster of small iron balls, loosely packed into a canvas as cluster.

Mathew smirked, "This brat! Better give him the canister shot too, or he will take my all day here."

The worker hurried over with the ammo for canister shot, handing it to Aditya. It was tightly packed in a small but heavy cylinder. Aditya examined both rounds carefully, nodding in approval before passing them back.

Meenakshi stood quietly, itching to ask but stayed silent, noticing Mathew’s impatience growing with each passing moment.

The field had been set up with a new set of dummies, arranged in a broad formation to test the dispersal at close range.

Meenakshi stood close to Aditya with eagerness in her eyes. She was curious about what was so special about these shots.

Meanwhile, Mathew exchanged the slate and ordered his men to bring Rishabh along with sample grenades. He examined the preparations one last time before commanding,

"Ready!"

One of the gunners, stepped back as lit was fused. There was a moment of tense silence, then..

’Boom!’

The cannon roared with an earth-shattering noise as it fired again. The grapeshot round exploded from the barrel, scattering dozens of iron balls across the field. The impact was immediate: several dummies were shattered into pieces, their wooden frames torn apart by the iron balls, leaving visible holes. The remaining dummies, clustered together, were also hit, their surfaces marred by the relentless barrage.

Meenakshi’s mouth was agape in shock. She couldn’t believe the devastating power a single cannon could show off, but a question lingered in her mind, ’What’s with this short range?’

"Effective, but perhaps too scattered for long-range use," Mathew commented, jotting down the results. Aditya complemented, knowing its use already. "It’s still better. With this, we can hurt cavalry when they come in mid range." He pondered for a while, then inquired, "What is the distance, elder?"

Mathew replied, looking up from the slate, "It’s 400 meters max. The dummies you see there are placed at 300 meters, so that’s good for maximum effect."

Meenakshi, intrigued, inquired, "What about the canister shot?"

Mathew gestured to the workers to load it up while new dummies at closer proximity from 100 meters to 300 meters were placed.

This time, the canister was carefully packed into the barrel. The crew moved with disciplined efficiency, stepping back once again as the fuse was lit.

The second shot was louder, more violent. The canister shot erupted from the cannon with brutal force, with a ear piercing sound. The round burst open, targeting dummies. Targets closest to the cannon were blown apart, with fragments of metal embedded into the farther ones. The ground was scarred with deep impressions where the metal shards had torn through. However, its effect died down as it crossed 250 meters.

"Now that’s impressive," Aditya said, stepping closer to the field as he inspected the damage. "The spread is tighter, and the impact is deadlier at closer range."

Mathew, finishing his notes, looked pleased. "Exactly. Grapeshot scatters over a larger area, but the canister shot maintains lethality within a tighter formation in low range. It’s ideal for close combat with cannons."

Aditya chuckled, "Elder, if you say it like this, my soldiers would wield a cannon instead of a sword."

Mathew commented, "Don’t dream too big, brat. It’s only possible if they can lift a 100kg sword." His gaze paused at Meenakshi, who was shocked by the outcome, her hands on her mouth and her eyes wide open.

He commented, "Are you alright, girl? Is the sunlight too much?" Turning to his workers, he shouted, "Rascals, bring the shade."

Meenakshi felt embarrassed. She quickly composed herself, "No, I’m fine. It’s alright."

"One more round?" Aditya interjected, oblivious to their conversation.

Mathew chuckled. "You’re becoming fond of these tests. Fine, one more."

Aditya stepped back, signaling for the final test shot. As the gunners reloaded the cannon, his eyes gleamed with possibilities as the final shot thundered across the field, showing a demonstration of their progress in military innovation.

Soon , Mathew’s assistant and security in charge, Rishabh Gupta brought a crate full of grenades.

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//A/N:

My heartfelt gratitude to Wolfhunter5292 for 10 new GT tickets. Your support is immensely appreciated. Thanks for reading :)