Cannoniers

Heavy Artillery Specialists

The smell of gunpowder burns the nose as buckets full are poured into the cannon, slowly prepping for the next attack that will breathe fire, much like the maw of a Dragon. Men and women heave solid balls of lead, steel, and other materials to the side of their weapon, laying them next to cauldrons of pitch and scattered metal bits. Another person sits at a small table, drawing trajectories and other algebraic formulas that will soon determine the possibility of success. Each one of these people is paramount to perfection with this weighty weapon, each one holds the same title and the same prowess on the battlefield.
Cannoniers are far from magical, but the outcomes they create can often be compared to magic or the divine. These people take risks into their own hands, shaping them with precision into a fiery success that can change the outcome of a lengthy battle. Whether on the battlefield or a parapet, the work of a Cannonier is complex, based on mathematics and logic, but also a bit of luck and prayer.
Becoming a Cannonier takes incredible fortitude, much more than those who serve the divine or fight on the front lines. Success and failure are always equal possibilities, without a bit of luck, there is no chance to continue forward. Success is living another day, hitting the correct target, and saving those who need it. These people are the silent backline, but also the ones who roar with fire.

Career

Qualifications

Becoming a Cannonier is not a profession that one can just stumble upon. The men and women who fill these positions are often already a part of the Military of the Human Empire and have served a number of years in various other units. The experienced who may also have a love of artillery and chaos may choose this as another profession to pick up or those who have a talent in certain types of math may be drawn to being a Cannonier.
The Human Empire requires Cannoniers to be well educated as the artillery used by this profession can as easily wreak havoc upon allies as enemies. The Dwarves offer the most formal schooling for Cannoniers in trajectories and the theory behind their artillery piece but only the Human Empire offers the hands-on training needed to properly fire these beasts. These people are also highly educated in the movements of other units in the military so that they may plan their trajectories accordingly.

Perception

Purpose

Cannoniers are those that are tasked with manning heavy artillery pieces, most often varieties of cannons. These people are trained on the variety of items that are fired out of cannons, the correct ratios of gunpowder needed for a given shot, and the mathematics and formulas needed to properly calculate trajectories. In some instances, these people are the most widely educated in their units.

Social Status

Those who become Cannoniers are often seen as reckless and somewhat chaotic to the public but it is a profession that is widely respected due to the difficulty of the job and the danger these people put themselves in. While the general public may not fully understand the job that Cannoniers have, they are overall respectful and do not joke about this profession as they may with others.

Type

Military

Other Associated professions

• Gunslingers
• Gunsmiths
• Metallurgists

Used By

• Military of the Human Empire

History

Since the advent of gunpowder and the eventual creation of firearms, heavy artillery was an inevitable creation. While other countries and kingdoms had created such weapons that relied heavily on magic and were susceptible to a number of issues, the heavy artillery created by the Humans relied on gunpowder and complex math, making it much more reliable and useful. Instead of burning out Mages, Humans used materials had on hand, continuing the battle far longer than those that relied on magic.
Other militaries have attempted to copy the success of cannons through magical means, but nothing has come close to the firepower and consistency that well-trained Cannoniers and their metal behemoths have showcased over the centuries.