Cannon Making is an advance in Call to Power II.
Gameplay[]
In the same way that the discovery of Gunpowder revolutionized infantry combat, Cannon Making revolutionized siege combat. The Bombard capability of the Cannon unit makes it ideal for attacking Cities from a distance.
Great Library entry[]
The invention of cannon is generally credited to a German monk, Berthold Schwarz (flourished early 14th century). The first cannon used gunpowder charges to fire stones or metal balls. Early cannon were smoothbore metal tubes loaded from the muzzle and aimed and elevated manually; recoil was absorbed by allowing the carriage to run backward. The discovery of gunpowder prompted a renewed interest in metallurgy as nations sought to develop more dependable and more accurate gun barrels. As often is the case, this research borrowed heavily from non-military fields. Turning to the blast furnace (a coal furnace developed in the 17th century for glassmaking) to cast the iron, nations were able to make stronger, lighter iron cannons. These cannons replaced their bronze barreled predecessors, and artillery gained further prominence on the battlefield.