Tyranny of Steel

Berengar gazed upon the musketeer who stood upon the testing field. In his hands was a small spherical steel device with a fuse sticking out from its top. In his other hand was a slow match in which the soldier used to ignite the fuse. After the successful ignition, the man lobed the spherical device towards a safe distance and quickly sought refuge behind the provided cover. Within seconds a thunderous explosion occurred, and shrapnel was sent in every direction shredding apart the closely packed straw dummies in which it had landed near.

After such a shocking scene, the sound of slow clapping could be heard from afar as Berengar showed his sign of approval of the new weapon. What was just tested by this brave man was the prototype of a hand grenade. It would not be long before he could field these to his troops in large numbers and establish grenadiers into his ranks. However, this revolutionary weapon of war was not the most exciting innovation being tested to this day. Eckhard was filled with anticipation as the artillery crew loaded a strange-looking device into the bore of the 1417 Pattern 12 lb cannon. The old knight prayed to the father above in heaven that this device went off without a hitch.

After a relatively smooth loading of the cannon, the powder was vented, and the cannoneer used the linstock to light the fuse. After a few moments, the familiar roar of the 12 lb cannon echoed into the air. However, what truly astonished those who were fortunate enough to watch this secret testing, was that when the projectile landed it exploded upon impact into many fragments, sending shards of steel into all directions. The result of which was far more destructive than the hand grenade, which was tested previously.

This time a thunder of applause rose from the bystanders as they watched a new era of artillery being born before their very eyes. Berengar had a wicked smile on his face. He had finally done it; he had created the first explosive shell. Though the solid ball still had its uses; against infantry, nothing was more devastating than explosive shells. In his previous life ’s timeline, the explosive shell was not invented until the 16th century. However, the shell he was currently using was modeled after those utilized by the 12 lb Napoleon cannon by Union forces in the American Civil War; it was a far more efficient shell than the earlier designs.

Eckhard saluted Berengar and congratulated him on his newest innovation; with this, their militia was even more fearsome than they were a month ago at the Battle of Mining Town.