Dwarf Organ Gun (artillery piece)

[nine09nueve]

Early morning in a mist covered field on the edges of the High Counsellor's estate - South of Middleton.

"So, Master Dwarf... Is this "thing" as good as you claim? Or is it just a lot of noise and smoke..."

"Noise and smoke?" The dwarf looked somewhere between shocked and upset.

"Noise and smoke?! Now I know you're not long in your position but High Counsellor, have you never even heard of the Battle of Blacksmoke pass? Why do you think your merchants have had free passage through the Whitepeake mountains these last 20 years..."

"The military history of your peoples is something that does not concern me in the slightest... What does concern me however is the horde of greenskin amassing across our eastern borders... Can this contraption help or not?"

"Hahaha!" The dwarf's furrowed face broke into a beaming smile as he gave a long deep belly laugh.

"You'll soon see."

He turns to the two dwarves swarming around the mass of pipes and levers.

"Are we ready yet boys?"

<<Yes Chief! Very nearly Chief! Just dampening the outlets as requested Chief! Then just awaiting your command Chief!>> they call out as they carry out their work.

"Then let her rip boys as soon as you're ready"

<<Aye sir!>>

"Erm you may want to take a step back..." the dwarf says as he turns back to the High Counsellor.

<<Loaded... Primed... Ready... READY... Clear... CLEAR...>>

"...and cover your ears..."

<<Fire... FIRE!>>

BADABADABADABADABADABADABADABADABOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!

Through the acrid smoke the High Counsellor could just make out the dwarf mouthing some words down at him... But he couldn't hear the dwarf... In fact he couldn't hear anything... Other than a high pitched whistle... And then he realised that he was on the floor... And the dwarf was like a giant beaming down at him... Obviously pleased with himself... And his metallic monster!

"I... SAID... are you OKAY down there High Counsellor?" the dwarf asked.

"Mother of the Ancients... but that was LOUD!" exclaimed the High Counsellor as he is helped by the dwarf to his feet.

"Hahaha!" Another belly laugh from the dwarf before continuing.

"You humans... Big legs and even bigger ears... We tried to make her quieter for your delicate ears... Obviously not quiet enough... It looks like she's attracted the attention of your friends..."

The High Counsellor turns to reassure the detachment of council guards appearing to investigate the noise, before turning back to the dwarf.

"Well well Master Dwarf... It seems like you have excelled yourself... This masterpiece will certainly scare those foul smelling orcs and goblins back to the badlands!"

"Aye - that it will... That it will... And it will make minced meat out of those little nasties... Minced Orc... Minced Porc!" Another hearty laugh... Although the dwarf's face turns from happiness to concern as he sees the look on the human's face.

"You look puzzled High Counsellor... Are your ears still ringing... It wears off after a while."

"No no Master Dwarf... I was just wondering how quickly we could commission some more of these...erm...Multi-cannons?"

"She's called an Organ Gun... And rest assured... We took the liberty of building four more in addition to the four you originally ordered... Everyone always wants twice the amount they originally ordered once they've finally seen the first in action! We will leave her with you now," he says pointing at the still smoking field weapon, "and as long as you can can send us off with our gold by midday... We should have seven more back here on this field by this coming full moon."

For the first time the High Counsellor's furrowed brow lightens to a smile, almost as broad as the dwarf's.

"Master Dwarf you really have excelled yourself. Our territory owes you a debt of thanks... As do I... So... Whilst your gun crew clean themselves up could i trouble you to join me for a spot of breakfast before you head for home? I'd love to know more about this Battle of Blacksmoke pass"

"Well well High Counsellor... Breakfast... NOW, you're talking!"

-------------- https://ideas.lego.com/projects/135445 ----------------

Introducing the Dwarf Organ Gun... A 10 barrel, dual rear loading, anti personnel field piece with iron-reinforced wooden pavise and front spike melee protection (for when the shot has run out - useful for rolling the gun down a hill at enemy lines!)

"Built by dwarves, built for dwarves, bought by everyone..."

[KlodsBrik]

This has a really nice warhammer feal to it.

Great work !

[TheLegoDr]

I like the army you designed. Is that the back of a Chima wolf torso? I also hadn't considered using those Roman plumes in that helmet, so that is interesting. I may have to look into this. Plus, making your own barding is clever. I should look into that myself.

The gun is interesting. I tend to keep weapons of this nature out of my medieval world, but I understand the appeal for many to mesh the two worlds together. It can be quite interesting.

[Umbra-Manis]

I love this design and story!

[nine09nueve]

This has a really nice warhammer feel to it. Great work !

I love this design and story!

Thanks - I'm not sure what I worked harder at... the design or the story... I certainly know what took longer!

I like the army you designed. Is that the back of a Chima wolf torso? I also hadn't considered using those Roman plumes in that helmet, so that is interesting. I may have to look into this. Plus, making your own barding is clever. I should look into that myself.

Yup - there can be some really good designs on the back of the Chima torsos... The best one I found I used on my Dread Knights although there is a better view on the right most knight here

The gun is interesting. I tend to keep weapons of this nature out of my medieval world, but I understand the appeal for many to mesh the two worlds together. It can be quite interesting.

Is your world early middle ages? Blackpowder weapons were appearing mid 1400s onwards so there would be some crossover in later time periods...

[MrRoy]

Chinese may have had black powder as early as the 12th century, but not the 9th century as is sometimes held. http://www.musketeer.ch/blackpowder/history_print.pdf

[Wardancer]

I think it is ok to have black powder weapons in a fantasy setting as long as the technology is demarkated as new, experimental, dangerous, met with sceptisicm, rare and unstable. Dwarf guns in Warhammer have rules for unwanted exploding, so the user might lose his machine at any time. Nine09nueves' story points out how new and experimental the technology is (even if used at Blacksmoke pass, which was indeed a massacre, historians tend to forget how many cannons were lost due to spontanous self-combustion).

Nice horse barding!

[soccerkid6]

That is some serious firepower Great accompanying story as usual, I love the perspective of the picture showing the Counselor looking up at the dwarf

Sweet army too, Chima fig parts can definitely be useful

[nine09nueve]

Chinese may have had black powder as early as the 12th century, but not the 9th century as is sometimes held. http://www.musketeer...story_print.pdf

Wow! Great research here Mr Roy :D

I think it is ok to have black powder weapons in a fantasy setting as long as the technology is demarkated as new, experimental, dangerous, met with sceptisicm, rare and unstable. Dwarf guns in Warhammer have rules for unwanted exploding, so the user might lose his machine at any time. Nine09nueves' story points out how new and experimental the technology is (even if used at Blacksmoke pass, which was indeed a massacre, historians tend to forget how many cannons were lost due to spontanous self-combustion).

The Battle of Blacksmoke was indeed a massacre... and even if Greenskins may generally be considered for the most part unintelligent, they are certainly not stupid... which is why they haven't bothered with the pass for such a long time. Not to say that they won't try again... in fact there probably isn't anyone left alive from that routed horde who was actually present at the battle - so I'm not sure if anyone would actually remember or recognise an Organ Gun per se... anyhow, what they DO remember is that the largest horde in recent history disappeared in its entirety... when they thought it would be easy to hop over the mountains in order to strike into the heart of Middle Zealand, through the human's undefended northern territories. Kinda hard to forget the what? even if they can't entirely remember the how?

As an aside, in my mythos, Dwarvern technology - particularly when it comes to explosions ARE actually quite stable - you get pretty good at knowing how to make things go bang, when you're practising making things go bang deep underground below millions of tonnes of mountain!

Nice horse barding!

Thanks - I've got some nice horse blankets that would go great with your elf cavalry I bet :D

That is some serious firepower Great accompanying story as usual, I love the perspective of the picture showing the Counselor looking up at the dwarf

Sweet army too, Chima fig parts can definitely be useful

Thanks... there is a longer range weapon coming up soon too. The upside down picture of the Master Dwarf just happened :D And Yup +1 for the Chima parts too...

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Dwarven artillery? Great! (even though it is a bit "modern")

[nine09nueve]

Dwarven artillery? Great! (even though it is a bit "modern")

Modern you say oh Captain my Captain? Hmm... I thought with the spikes and pavise I had kept it quite historical... well - at least NOT Nexo Knighty! hehe

Do you have any suggestions as to how to make it less "modern"?

[MrRoy]

Modern is as modern does. Little indie, steampunk, anachronistic, still fits genre tropes and archetypes. What we need is the counterpart goblin or gnomish ingenuity (read suicidal bombers) and it's all good. Keep 'em coming; your fans will support you. And someday our armies will clash, and we will discover who are the true victors of the War of Imagination. Mind you, the winners may already be clearly evident to those with the vision.

But to answer the question, give a set number of ammo rounds after which the unit no longer possesses the ability to fire, but may still have ram value and/or provide cover for either side, depending on who holds the position.

Edited May 28, 2016 by MrRoy

[TitusV]

A really nice bunch of figs, with a great story and lovely pics!

Of course ,th organ itself is very nice as well - do you mind if I borrow the idea to use in BoBS?

[General Magma]

That's cool! When I read the title, at first I thought it was going to shoot dwarvish intestines.

[nine09nueve]

give a set number of ammo rounds after which the unit no longer possesses the ability to fire, but may still have ram value and/or provide cover for either side, depending on who holds the position.

Yup I like this :D

A really nice bunch of figs, with a great story and lovely pics!

Of course, the organ itself is very nice as well - do you mind if I borrow the idea to use in BoBS?

Hey it's not "mine" as such... it belongs to everyone so as to inspire their own builds... Feel free but please show me once you're done - I don't often check in over in the BoBS and I'll forget and won't see it!

That's cool! When I read the title, at first I thought it was going to shoot dwarvish intestines.

ICK - surely they'd fire goblin intestines though no? :D

[wout1988]

Cool Organ gun and nice story.

[LittleJohn]

Excellent work here! The chima torsos work perfectly, and I really like the row of spikes on the front of the gun