5 Dogs & Gun
Includes Officer, Rammer, Carriage Carriers & Barrel Carrier with a grasshopper carriage, cannon barrel & a carriage to be carried.
Kaptain Digowitz had a small cannon ball in each paw, they did not weigh much, and compared to the rest of the small cannon's crew he had an easy job. Under enemy fire his men charged after him down the gentle hill each carrying a part of the cannon, the bronze barrel, the sacked powder charges, the smouldering cord fuse and lastly the wheel less gun carriage between two of them. The Dogs panted as they ran trying to keep ahead of the advancing battalion of white coated infantry. Skidding to a halt they had the Ostarian battalion to their rear, with practised movements they assembled the small cannon and rammed home the roundshotte. Digowitz barked for the gun to be handled slightly to the left so that it faced the advancing Elf column dead on. With a puff of white smoke and a loud bang the grasshopper fired, the gun leaped into the air and with the ease of experience the Dog gunners stepped aside. Six Elves vanished, folding up and falling in a mix of blue coat and blood as the small ball ploughed through the ranks. Success for Digowitz, he and his crew got off two more equally successful shots before the Ostarians and the Elves got too close for comfort. With a single order the gunners lifted their assigned parts of the cannon and the Dogs were off again at a run. Killing the Ferach was their job but only a mad dog would load a cannon within musket range!
Ostarian Grasshopper Guns
Mutternich's reforms changed all aspects of the Dog use of cannon and among the most important changes made, apart from forming gun batteries, was the introduction of the mountain gun or the 'grasshopper' as it is fondly called. Having a habit of leaping into the air upon firing, as it has short legs not wheels, it can be carried by its crew and requires no limber or horses. As a result in wars against the Othari, the Undead and the Ferach these crews can be seen sweating and growling as they rush here and there.
Uniform
The Grasshopper Artillery uniform consists of a light green tunic with tan facings and white breeches. Equipment is black and equipment straps are white. Often the guns are given names and mottos on their barrels.
Flintloque Reloaded Information
The crew of the grasshopper gun are Dogs as in the Flintloque racial statistics table and normally are of regular /average quality. The crews are armed with small improvised weapons and the officer carries a standard pistol. Treat the grasshopper as a Very Light cannon in the rules, it requires two characters to carry the gun which they can do at 25% of their normal walk rating (they may take no other action while carrying) they are moved as one on the table. It takes one turn to load the gun with Shotte or Grapeshotte with five crew (all in base to base contact), with four or three crew it takes two turns and with one or two crew it takes three turns. The gun does not need to be limbered or unlimbered. The points cost for the Gun is 100 points plus 5 Dog crew. In all other respects use the Artillery rules in the Flintloque Reloaded book.
Slaughterloo 2nd Edition Information
The Artillery crews are classed as Mountain Guns (Artillery). Full rules for the use of this Unit can be found under the Artillery rules in the main rule book of Slaughterloo 2nd Edition. In short these rules are that Mountain guns move as Light Infantry. They need not limber or unlimber. They may move and fire in the same Turn. If more than 50% of the crew of the gun are lost then it cannot be moved or fired.