Meissner Artillery

A family of cannons, mortars, and artillery pieces that use Kinetic spells and Meissner Antigravity to propel munitions. The first generation of artillery were large and clunky, powered by the rare resource Sunmetal and skilled mages. Meissner artillery built by the Sheljt allowed them to conquer the world until the Aempian revolution.

The second generation of Meissner artillery came to be when Aempis gained the technology to synthetize sunmetal alloys. The artillery became much more compact, and when combined with modern Meta Cask can be used with only minimal instruction.

Common Classes

City Defense

Meissner artillery pieces and emplaced batterys were used heavily in defeating heavily armored units, calvary, and seige equipment. These direct fire roles typically are reserved for fortifications and line defense. These guns were too cost-prohibitive to be used on all but capital cities.

In modern ages, Meissner direct-fire guns have fallen out of favor due to the introduction of missles and recoiless rifles pillaged from Humanity.

Indirect Fire

The common modern use of Meissner guns is to allow quick and portable indirect fire. Meissner engines are used to lob heavy muzzle loaded projectiles. The Meissner engine will catch the round on the way down the tube, and fire it back out using kinetic bands enchanted into the barrel of the tube.

Meissner Mortars are commonplace among organized armies, and are most commonly used in the ValuSelu Pact, where the technology started.

Through the cuts of the battlements, I saw the burning pyres of the approaching battle parties. We had three cannons, forged of brass and steel and powered by what quartz we could pull from the cities treasury. Platoons of mages charged the Meta while gunners barked their numbers and loaded their eighty pound bombs.

The fire command rung out via the bells attached to each gunners post. When those guns went out, we heard the alien crack of the sound-barrier ripping multiple times and were blinded by a flash of Metaphysical energy.

Those bombs did their job that day, this city would not be standing without them.

Meissner Mortar by Hiive

_{Pictured Above: Pact-made 85mm Meissner Mortar with bipod deployed. A ceremonial banner is attached via the carry handle for parade.
Most indirect firing mortars are meant to be carried by a two man team, and are loaded from the top.}

_{Pictured Below: The same Pact-Made Mortar as above, but bipod folded in and turned to show the crystal bands that store Kinesis spells
Not pictured: Meissner Mortars require a battery pack to power the anti-gravity plating within the tube. This is usually plugged in via a wire to the bipod.}

Meissner Mortar by Hiive

All along the coast, a crowd gathered along the great curved barriers that protected the cities from the sea. The sun shone behind them as it approached sunset casting long shadows that arced out over the ocean.

On the historic battlements, hundreds of Jhoutigari in traditional garb stood at the ready. Each carried a mortar tube the size of themselves, at the midway point, colored banners representing the cities colors flapped in the chilly late-day wind.

The solemn affair was overseen by a tall Sheljt, his glittering rank shining gold and his uniform a crisp white with purple trim.

He rose his sword high, polished metal glinting like a lighthouse. The Jhoutigari hollored out a battle cry, and set the mortars into the divots of the battlement. A hundred clangs of metal to stone combined into a deafening slam. They fell to a kneel as one, and secured the four rounds set aside for each mortarman. The reverberating hum of powered meissner engines echoed out towards the sea.

The sword swung down, and the gunners loaded and fired in rapid succession. Rifled shells were inserted into the breech chamber, held in place as if they were weightless by the anti-gravity field in within the mortar. Kinetic spells flung the shells up and to the sky with satisfying PHOOMS.

The shells whistled out towards the sea, smoke trailed behind each like a tracer lobbed through the sky. By the time the first rounds slammed into the surface of the sea the last rounds have been fired.

The rounds exploded just above the surface of the water, harmless payloads of organic dyes. A colorful and dazzling display exploded into existence with each impact. By the time the last round had exploded, the sea was painted in a vibrant colors that already began to fade in with the waves. The whole affair was over in thirty seconds, and the soldiers locked and hoisted their Meissner mortars. Silence fell over the square once more.

The Sheljt sheathed his sword.