Houfnice series

The Houfnice series (derived from the Middle High Karalian word for "crowd") comprise the various types of artillery units used in Vaikan territory. The Houfnice series is designed for a variety of purposes, and its origins date back to the early Karalian era when the empire was rediscovering lost technology from their ancestors.

History

The earliest Houfnice was not modeled after any Drallan technology. It was made of leather and used black powder and cannonballs for munition. It had a major impact on the battlefield as traditional methods of standing in lines were no longer practical. As the Houfnice's design improved, Vaikan tactics were forced to change to trench warfare as a means of taking cover against these new weapons capable of an area of affect. The Houfnice saw no counterpart developed in the Vaikan Preindustrial Worlds as the government made strict laws against gunpowder, believing it to be evil.

As Drallan technology became uncovered, plasma and fusion technology became incorporated into the design. Anti-aircraft guns started using the ground as a heat sink allowing it to fire more powerful munitions more often.

Examples

• K5 Houfnice - An orbital bombardment type Houfnice designed to fire kinetic rounds made of tungsten.
• G35 Houfnice - A ground cannon used for firing over land features. It was developed in the Karalian Empire's early formation to fight against pirates and later on, the Altusian Brotherhood.
• T66 Anti-aircraft gun - While the T66 cannot be moved from its location, it is remarkable in that it uses the ground as a heat sink allowing it to fire more powerful forms of munition more often.