Hand Cannons {1300s-1450s}
The first firearms that were technically human-portable — in the sense that a single human could carry and operate them — were scaled-down versions of cannons with few refinements other than size. Hand cannons are muzzle-loading weapons. That is, to load one, the gunner must manually pack raw gunpowder (“black powder”) down the barrel, then insert a stone cannonball, a process that requires 30 turns (10 turns if another character assists). To fire, the gunner inserts a length of slow-burning fuse into a touch-hole at the end of the gun, bringing the flame into direct contact with the loaded gunpowder. Using a hand cannon in any kind of precipitation is an exercise in futility.
Item type
Weapon, Ranged
Ranges: 40/80/160
Capacity: 1
Strength: 4
Size: 5
Cost: ••••