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Author Topic: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??  (Read 1927 times)

Offline JohnFoA

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Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« on: May 29, 2020, 06:18:31 PM »
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
On the balance the helicopter gunship is also mightier than the sword

Offline Digits

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2020, 08:04:53 PM »
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


« Last Edit: May 29, 2020, 08:12:19 PM by Digits »

Offline JohnFoA

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2020, 08:37:06 PM »
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

Offline Digits

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2020, 08:56:21 PM »
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...

Offline Moriarty

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2020, 07:20:05 AM »
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.

Offline Battle Brush Sigur

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2020, 10:12:05 AM »
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.

Offline JohnFoA

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2020, 10:58:05 AM »
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
« Last Edit: May 30, 2020, 11:10:43 AM by JohnFoA »

Offline Moriarty

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #7 on: May 30, 2020, 12:30:49 PM »
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?

Offline DintheDin

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #8 on: May 31, 2020, 08:09:21 AM »
Grenade thrower 1720-1730
Exhibit at the Bayerische Armeemuseum
Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates. – Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

Offline DintheDin

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2020, 11:14:38 AM »
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

Offline cuprum

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2020, 01:35:30 PM »
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.

Offline JohnFoA

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2020, 08:26:26 PM »
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?


Offline DintheDin

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2020, 08:32:30 PM »
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!  lol

Offline JohnFoA

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2020, 09:29:56 PM »
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  :D

Offline DintheDin

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Re: Unusual Russian 7YW weapon - grenade launcher??
« Reply #14 on: June 03, 2020, 09:30:45 PM »
 lol

 

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