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For the Napoleon: Total War version, see 12-lber Foot Artillery (Napoleon: Total War).

12-iber foot icon

12-lber foot artillery are a type of artillery in Empire: Total War.

Description[]

Foot artillery batteries are the core of an army on campaign: the weapons that win battles and batter down walls.

Despite the name, foot artillery batteries are towed by horses, not men. The artillerymen march alongside their pieces. All guns are smoothbore, and rated by the size or weight of solid projectile that they fire: a 12-pounder is so called because it hurls a cannonball weighing 12 pounds towards the enemy! It may not do so very accurately, as the casting of barrels and balls means that there is inevitably a gap (windage) between a shot and the barrel sides. This means that a cannonball rattles down the barrel when fired, leading to an inherent inaccuracy. As technology advances, other types of ammunition can be fired.

Historically, there was limited standardisation between guns, even in the same battery. Parts from one gun would not always fit a sister piece. A gunner would know the quirks of his own weapon intimately. Cunningly, the French attempted to develop a system of interchangeable components for all their guns and field equipment. Jean Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval (1715-1789), the inspector of artillery, tried but he wasn’t entirely successful. Even after he had finished there were still more than 20 different types of wheel in use!

General Information[]

12-lber foot artillery are powerful, cheap, and are more mobile than older Demi-Cannons or Sakers. They are more powerful than horse artillery, but much less mobile. Like other cannon-based artillery, 12-lbers may be improved with Canister Shot and Shrapnel Shot, which improve their anti-infantry and cavalry capabilities at close and long range, respectively.

As 24-lber Foot Artillery are available much later in the game, 12-lbers may prove to be a mainstay in many armies for a great portion of the Grand Campaign. However, even after 24-lbers are unlocked, 12-lbers remain competitive for their cheap cost and shorter training time.

Empire: Total War Artillery
Cannons 12-lber Foot Artillery18-lber Foot Artillery18-lber Horse Guard Artillery24-lber Foot Artillery24-lber Guard Artillery3-lber Horse Artillery6-lber Horse Artillery64-lber Great Gun64-lber Heavy Artillery9-lber ArtilleryCannonsDemi-CannonsGunsNative ArtillerySakers
Howitzers and Mortars 12-lber Howitzer Foot Artillery24-lber Howitzer Foot Artillery4-inch Mortar BatteryBombardment MortarsLarge MortarsMortars
Other Organ GunPuckle GunsRocket BandRocket Troop
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