Steampunk Heavy Artillery

I was browsing the Forge World web store when I found the Mechanicum Krios Battle Tank.

Mechanicum Krios Battle Tank

The more I looked at it, the more I thought that this would make a wonderful steampunk or Victorian Science Fiction heavy artillery piece. You could quite easily imagine a British artillery crew preparing to fire this on the surface of Mars. You would need to replace the Mechnicum crew and the icon on the back of the tank, but not a huge amount of work.

Only downside, it is £81.

OM Autocarretta 37

The OM Autocarretta 37 was an Italian WW2 4×4 4-wheel steer light artillery tractor designed for use over harsh terrain, capacity for driver and 1 passenger.

This was on display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.

OM Autocarretta 37

The OM Autocarretta 37 entered service with the Italian Royal Army in 1938, they were widely used throughout the second world war, especially on the Russian front and in the Balkans

Quick Fire 25 pounder Mark II Gun on a Mark I carriage, 1942.

This Quick Fire 25 pounder Mark II Gun on a Mark I carriage was on display at the Imperial War Museum in London. This 25 pdr field gun was used by 11 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, when it fought at Ruweisat Ridge on 2 July 1942.

Quick Fire 25 pounder Mark II Gun on a Mark I carriage, 1942.

The idea of combining the dual role of gun and howitzer arose in 1918, and was developed between the two World Wars. A pilot model was built in 1930, the first 25-pounder appeared in 1935 and the final stages of development were hastened by the outbreak of the Second World War. Initial production was slow, but by 1945, over 12,000 had been manufactured. The 25-pounder was probably the most outstanding field artillery piece used by British and Commonwealth forces in the Second World War, being durable, easy to operate and versatile. The Army’s basic close support artillery weapon, it doubled as an anti-tank gun in the North African Campaign, and was also employed in jungle, airborne and mountain roles. The 25-pounder remained the standard British divisional field gun until 1967, but the type saw service in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, in the Middle East in 1973 and was still in widespread use in the mid-1970s.

Artillery at Duxford

There are quite a few artillery pieces on display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in their Land Warfare exhibit.

This is a German 7.7cm Field Gun from World War One.

The gun on the right is a British 18 pounder quick firing field gun. The one on the left an American M1917 75mm field gun, based on the British 18 pounder.

This is a German 21cm Heavy Howitzer or Mortar.

The 21 cm Mörser 10 (21 cm Mrs 10) was a heavy howitzer used by Germany in World War I (although classified as a mortar (Mörser) by the German military).

As well as the guns there was also a trench train. Well a British MM15 War Department Light Railways Motor Rail 40hp ‘Simplex’ Petrol Tractor to be precise.

For use on the two foot War Department Light Railway.

The War Department Light Railways were a system of narrow gauge trench railways run by the British War Department in World War I. Light railways made an important contribution to the Allied war effort in the First World War, and were used for the supply of ammunition and stores, the transport of troops and the evacuation of the wounded.

Flames of War French Reinforcements

On the 23rd July, my French Blitzkreig forces will be able to get some reinforcements with some new releases for them for Flames of War.

The FRX05 All-Terrain Towed 105mm Artillery Battery.

The FRX06 Self-propelled 75mm Anti-aircraft Platoon look like relics from World War One. Old lorries with 75mm AA guns on board, just the thing to attempt to shoot down the odd stuka or three.

The final release for the French is the FR201 Lorraine 38L Armoured Carrier.


Used as a supply carrier, many were later used by the Germans and converted in self propelled artillery.