Mike OTDP
Member
Milkmaster, for the Napoleonic period and earlier, you are dealing with three types of artillery. Cannon, howtizers, and mortars.
Cannon were direct-fire weapons, shooting non-explosive rounds. Solid cannonballs and canister (a bag or can of bullets) were used.
Howitzers were also direct-fire weapons, but fired explosive shells. Howitzers used smaller powder charges to prevent the shell from detonating in the barrel.
Mortars were high-angle (>45 deg) equivalents of howitzers. They shot shells, usually with a relatively low charge of propellant. They were intended to drop shells over a fortress wall.
Cannon were direct-fire weapons, shooting non-explosive rounds. Solid cannonballs and canister (a bag or can of bullets) were used.
Howitzers were also direct-fire weapons, but fired explosive shells. Howitzers used smaller powder charges to prevent the shell from detonating in the barrel.
Mortars were high-angle (>45 deg) equivalents of howitzers. They shot shells, usually with a relatively low charge of propellant. They were intended to drop shells over a fortress wall.