Background
10-Pound Field Ordnance Rifle
The 10-Pound Field Ordnance Rifle (Ordnance Rifle for short) was designed for ranged fire support of infantry and artillery-to-artillery dueling. It is operated by a crew of 4 Artillerymen; in its initial design---still used on the Planet of Jod and as an Honor Guard---is a Howitzer 10 lb (3 in) caliber rifled gun, weighing in at a mass of 1,720 lbs with the ability to fire explosive shells, canister, or spherical case with a range of 1,850 yards (or 1,691 meters) at a +5 elevation.
By far the most popular field artillery piece in the Artillery Force, it has mostly replaced the 12-Pounder Field Artillery and regulated the smoothbore to supporting functions to Ordnance Rifles. A typical Field Artillery Battery consisted of 6 guns: 4 10-Pound Field Ordnance Rifles & 2 12-Pounder Field Artillery; typically, as the Artillerymen say, "The Ordnance Rifles delivered the body punches, while the 12-Pounders followed up with a uppercut to finish the fight."
Logistics
The Field Ordnance Rifle & supporting limber & caisson could be drawn by 6 horses or two Field Ordnance Rifles and limbers & caissons could be towed by a Multipurpose Truck. Because of howitzer's design, it had to be transported along roads, reasonably accessible trails, or generally speaking largely unhindered land.
It was far easier to move & far better at maneuvering then the heavier 12-Pounder Field Artillery.
Crew
The howitzer only needed a crew of four Artillerymen to operate effectively:
- Gun Commander
- Aimed the gun & gave orders
- Spongeman
- Cleaned the howitzer with a sponge-tipped pole and---reverse side of pole---drove projectile in from the loader
- Loader
- Loaded the ammunition
- Gunner
- Would fire the piece on the commander's order
Bradley-Hux Ammunition Conversion Program
The Bradley-Hux Ammunition Conversion Program converted most of the weaponry into specially-designed modern-day artillery pieces (with its ammunition wrapped & redesigned like Red Rock Encased Projectile Type 1 & Red Rock Encased Projectile Type 2), making the howitzer deadly against modern troops & armor.
Howitzer Redesign
The Ordnance Rifle's carriage was redesigned using hybrid plexisteel---infused with Red Rock---and its wheels were redesigned with Red Rock-infused hybrid plexisteel (covered by veshok wood for decoration) and lined by Red Rock-infused rubber for travel. It's barrel was made of titanium with a titanium carbo-nitride interior coating on the barrel, providing superior protection of the artillery barrel.