Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??

[JohnFoA]

Cos that's what it looks like, an early type of grenade launcher. Does anyone use/have rules and scale of issue levels for this weapon please?

Can be found here
https://www.wargamesfoundry.com/collections/seven-years-war-russians/products/sywr092

Thanks John

[Digits]

Hand mortar.....I wouldn’t want to fire one!
 I once nearly broke my cheek bone firing my seventeenth century “picket” dragon.  Firing one of these takes a brave man....probably only fires once before breaking his shoulder! Lol

[JohnFoA]

Feck that.

The weapon in question is the 'nearest' at the bottom. What would they fire? Small bombs/grenades??

There is one figure in an artillery characters pack firing from the ground, much in the style of a WW2 British or Japanese Type89 grenade discharger. Sounds a lot safer than firing from it on the shoulder.

Cheers John

[Digits]

That would be safer...but I have to question what kind of range these would give, and are they filling the barrel behind the pot with powder ( that’s a LOT of powder) or firing a ball at it, in which case, I can’t believe it will chuck it far.....again, VERY dangerous to the firer!

It would be fun to know how useful they were...

[Moriarty]

Think you are referring to the Russian Bombardiers, an artillery unit noted For their use of the hand mortar. There is apparently more information now on t’Interwebs than when I was laughing at it back in the day.

[Battle Brush Sigur]

Yus, I read about those in the Osprey book on the battle of Poltava 1709 (Osprey Campaign #34). They got another picture of a Russian grenadiers bombardier using a hand mortar (the depiction is dated 1727-1730). They were issued these special halberds to use as mortar rests.

[JohnFoA]

Interesting thanks.  So they could be from Shuvalov's re-organised 'Bombardier Companies' in the Artillery Battalions?  The Howitzer Corps was formed around his 'secret' gun, I guess?

I wonder if they were used in siege warfare as substitutes for light mortars?  Or close support for storming parties?

Mustn't let imagination run away!

If used on table there would have to be a 'blows up' chance. - Click, Flash, BOOM, "Oh hell, he ain't coming back in 'Siege of Colberg 3'!"

useful link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_mortar

[Moriarty]

If they still used the hand mortars in the 7YW, we are looking at about eight to 16 Bombardiers per Infantry Regiment.

But go for it - who would argue with such beautiful minis?

[DintheDin]

Grenade thrower 1720-1730
Exhibit at the Bayerische Armeemuseum

[DintheDin]

Small grenade rifles were used, to be able to shoot an explosive device over a long distance.
A cup constructed as a small mortar was attached to the base of a flintlock rifle.
With a heavy powder load, a small hand grenade could be thrown up to 250 meters.
The grenade's fire tube was fired either when the propellant exploded or had to be ignited by hand before the shot.
Both was quite unsafe and dangerous for the shooter.
The caliber is 72 mm.

Grenade rifle, German, around 1720 to 1730,
Iron, bronze, wood, length 67 cm
Bavarian Army Museum, inv.no. A 1833

[cuprum]

This weapon in Russia was used in the field army only until the death of Peter 1. Later it was transferred to the armament of the fortresses. It was ineffective and quite dangerous. There are references to the fact that could also use it for firing buckshot.

[JohnFoA]

Thanks blokes loads of information there. Sounds like plenty of fun in skirmish games. Significant buckshot at short range, distance shooting exploding gunpowder bombs and potentially fatal for the shooter. What can possibly go wrong?

[DintheDin]

Thanks blokes loads of information there. Sounds like plenty of fun in skirmish games. Significant buckshot at short range, distance shooting exploding gunpowder bombs and potentially fatal for the shooter. What can possibly go wrong?

I think Orcs could easily choose this as their favorite weapon! 

[JohnFoA]

Dinthedin

Yeah. Of course the Ladz would make it work 'cos a) it has loads of dakka and b)watching one of boys blow up would be a huge laugh.

Mustn't get off topic to much mind 

[DintheDin]